Took Toby to school tonight. How he loves going to school. He just sits in the front seat of the truck and whines all the way there. Sometime I think it is real cute and other times it annoys me. But as long as he just sits and not stands I am OK with that! It just confirms how much he loves to learn.
And of coarse Toby is the best student there. Tonight we got lots of complements from bystanders and the instructor. The dogs were given huge distractions tonight while they were in their sit and down stays. We had to jog away from our dogs in a circle. The instructor used her wooden animal that rolls on the floor making noise. Tonight she had a babble ball. Toby loves his babble ball. I thought for sure when she came by with a cooking bag making noise with it and saying she had cookies I would loose Toby for sure. He is the cookie monster of all time! He looked at her and his ears perked up but he did not move from his spot! The dog next to us kept getting up and Toby was watching that dog but the Tobsters did not move! I was so pride of him.
His toy drive is improving daily. When I showed him his toy before the instructor got to us I thought he would come unglued before it was our turn. All I did was show him a little tiny part of it and stuck it back under my coat. He kept trying to get at it and was jumping on me. Man he wanted that toy.
We only have a couple more weeks left in this class. I think we are going to pass! I know Toby will love getting back onto the agility equipment again. I see the look in his eyes when we are waiting for our class to start and there are dogs over on the equipment across the field. He always turns his head and watches them when he hears the teeter slam to the ground. I know he will be a very happy dog when he gets to play on the equipment once again!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
How I love my Friends
Today was a great day! First thing this morning I took Toby for a private agility lesson. Toby was just super! We went to a place where Toby and I have never been. I took some really yummy treats! Plus Toby did not have any breakfast. So you get the picture! Toby only zoomed once. I placed him into a time out while Windle and I discussed why Toby went into a zoom. It seems that Toby got a little confused about whether or not he was suppose to leave the start line. When he left early ( which was my fault for not being clear and testing him beyond his capabilities at this point) I did not direct him as to where he was suppose to go and off he went! He only made one lap before he came back to me. That was good! After his time out he was an angel! I know that taking Toby out of agility when I did and putting him into obedience and kindergarten was the perfect thing to do. We are gaining confidence and that is what we need. I don't plan on showing Toby in agility until late summer or even this fall. We are taking one day at a time. I will know when the time is right! For now having fun and playing with Toby is all the joy I need.
Plus I can still go and watch my friends have a great time! I guess I am just getting older and wiser! I have a blast just hanging around and watching them have fun. Not only that but I am meeting a lot of new people. When I first started doing agility I felt intimidated by all of these dog people. Sometime I felt like I didn't belong. But today that all seems to be changing. While I was standing waiting to see if I could get a message for Toby, Dennis, a guy in my Thursday night class came over to me to say hi. I was so happy to see that he had taken 2nd place in one of his runs and got a Q. He was thrilled about getting a new puppy and told me all about it. This is a guy who I thought ignored me and did not want to get to know me in class. I was wrong. On my way out of the show this afternoon I stopped to tell another gal in my obedience class that I saw her run and that it was a very nice run. She just grinned from ear to ear and said thanks. She was the one who complemented Toby on his recall the other week. Sometimes I miss read people and I need to be mindful of that! Because at the end of the day I have found myself surrounded with wonderful people! And you all know who you are! I love you all!
Plus I can still go and watch my friends have a great time! I guess I am just getting older and wiser! I have a blast just hanging around and watching them have fun. Not only that but I am meeting a lot of new people. When I first started doing agility I felt intimidated by all of these dog people. Sometime I felt like I didn't belong. But today that all seems to be changing. While I was standing waiting to see if I could get a message for Toby, Dennis, a guy in my Thursday night class came over to me to say hi. I was so happy to see that he had taken 2nd place in one of his runs and got a Q. He was thrilled about getting a new puppy and told me all about it. This is a guy who I thought ignored me and did not want to get to know me in class. I was wrong. On my way out of the show this afternoon I stopped to tell another gal in my obedience class that I saw her run and that it was a very nice run. She just grinned from ear to ear and said thanks. She was the one who complemented Toby on his recall the other week. Sometimes I miss read people and I need to be mindful of that! Because at the end of the day I have found myself surrounded with wonderful people! And you all know who you are! I love you all!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
AARP member
I know I just haven't had time to check in on everyone. As some of you know I have become a member of the AARP club. I do have to say that this weekend has been just the most wonderful weekend anyone can have. For my 50th birthday Dave gave me a huge surprise. We went to dinner and when we got home my house was full of the most wonderful people in my life right now. His guests were Hanna, Dori who made me the best tasting cake I have ever had, Jamie and Wade, Brian and Joy, Lana and Mark, Karl, and Franny and John from Ohio. Bless his heart. He flew Franny and John down from Ohio just for the weekend and my Birthday surprise. It was a wonderful night. There is nothing better than having such wonderful people in my life. I still have a bunch more wonderful friends. Poor Dave, he tried to get all of them but he had a hard time figuring out all of them by my emails and phone. The little sneak! He told me that he stayed up a couple of nights just to get numbers from my phone. So please don't feel left out. He tried very hard to include all of my dear friends but he missed a couple. Sorry guys! He just doesn't get to meet all of you because he travels so much.
On Monday night Dave gave me a pair of earrings that are absolutely gorgeous! They are called dancing diamonds. Each earring has 3 diamonds attached that have a hole in them made by a Lazar. The diamonds look like they are dancing. I am hoping that by the end of the weekend I will have my camera figured out and I will post a picture of them. They are just beautiful.
I have another dear friend that lives in Iowa. It just is not good to travel from up there in the middle of winter. The chances of getting caught in a snow storm are extremely high. However, she sent me a beautiful print of a Sheltie standing in front of a sheep barking to alarm someone that the sheep was in trouble. She also sent me a gift card so I can have my print framed. Once that is done I will post a picture of it. And of course what would a 50th birthday be without some old fart stuff. Thanks Dori. Love ya.
I know this is Toby's blog so I will stop going on about turning 50 and give you an update on him. There really is not much to say. It has been freezing cold and all of his classes have been canceled. Last week and this week. I do have to tell you he loves popping balloons. I thought for sure after the first balloon popped he would never come out for the rest of the night. Oh no! Not Toby! He came back for more. I think he popped two more balloons that night. There are still two more he can pop. In the evening he has been playing with them. Not sure if he plans on popping them or not. At least he is not afraid of them. My big boy is getting brave!
Anyway. I am exhausted from all of the festivities this week. I will check in again tomorrow.
On Monday night Dave gave me a pair of earrings that are absolutely gorgeous! They are called dancing diamonds. Each earring has 3 diamonds attached that have a hole in them made by a Lazar. The diamonds look like they are dancing. I am hoping that by the end of the weekend I will have my camera figured out and I will post a picture of them. They are just beautiful.
I have another dear friend that lives in Iowa. It just is not good to travel from up there in the middle of winter. The chances of getting caught in a snow storm are extremely high. However, she sent me a beautiful print of a Sheltie standing in front of a sheep barking to alarm someone that the sheep was in trouble. She also sent me a gift card so I can have my print framed. Once that is done I will post a picture of it. And of course what would a 50th birthday be without some old fart stuff. Thanks Dori. Love ya.
I know this is Toby's blog so I will stop going on about turning 50 and give you an update on him. There really is not much to say. It has been freezing cold and all of his classes have been canceled. Last week and this week. I do have to tell you he loves popping balloons. I thought for sure after the first balloon popped he would never come out for the rest of the night. Oh no! Not Toby! He came back for more. I think he popped two more balloons that night. There are still two more he can pop. In the evening he has been playing with them. Not sure if he plans on popping them or not. At least he is not afraid of them. My big boy is getting brave!
Anyway. I am exhausted from all of the festivities this week. I will check in again tomorrow.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Obedience class #1 of 2008
Tonight was our first obedience class of the year. You should have seen Toby's recall! The gal next to me looked at me and said " that was beautiful". You should have seen me. I must have been glowing in the dark. I put Toby in a sit stay and walked with my back to him out about the length of an agility field. Turned and when the instructor told me to call my dog, it was picture perfect! Toby look absolutely gorgeous! He ran not walked straight to me and sat down straight just in front of me. I spat the piece of food out and he caught it. Just marvelous!
We worked on heeling. we still need a lot of work on that! Toby wants to lag. I guess that is a no, no in obedience. We learned a new trick while heeling tonight. It is called ? something like shiatsu? Not sure how to spell it. Well, let me tell you. I suck at it. It is like a dance step. You step so that you are angled to the dog. Then as you step into the dog and around you bring the dog around you. Or something like that. I am going to have to get a lot of practice in on this one.
The last thing we worked on was our stays. I guess because Toby had not been to this training field in almost a month he was very rusty. All in all he did not do that bad. He just needed a refresher.
The other thing that I need to work on with Toby is the stand. He was being a little brat on this exercise. I thought that we were getting it. I have been working with him at home on this one. However, tonight he did not want to stand. We even got into a struggle. Man, when Toby doesn't want to do something he will put up a strong fight. I hurt my poor baby tonight. I just wanted to crawl into a hole. I don't think I really hurt him. He did not limp or act very hurt. He just yelped when I grabbed his collar to give him a correction when he absolutely would not stand for me. I think he was getting very tired by this time. I have noticed that by the end of this class he started acting up. He looked like he wanted to do zoomies. I just looked at him pointed my finger and said no. He started to run off. I called him to me and he came and that was wonderful! No zoomies. He thought about it. But did not do it. Great progress!
We worked on heeling. we still need a lot of work on that! Toby wants to lag. I guess that is a no, no in obedience. We learned a new trick while heeling tonight. It is called ? something like shiatsu? Not sure how to spell it. Well, let me tell you. I suck at it. It is like a dance step. You step so that you are angled to the dog. Then as you step into the dog and around you bring the dog around you. Or something like that. I am going to have to get a lot of practice in on this one.
The last thing we worked on was our stays. I guess because Toby had not been to this training field in almost a month he was very rusty. All in all he did not do that bad. He just needed a refresher.
The other thing that I need to work on with Toby is the stand. He was being a little brat on this exercise. I thought that we were getting it. I have been working with him at home on this one. However, tonight he did not want to stand. We even got into a struggle. Man, when Toby doesn't want to do something he will put up a strong fight. I hurt my poor baby tonight. I just wanted to crawl into a hole. I don't think I really hurt him. He did not limp or act very hurt. He just yelped when I grabbed his collar to give him a correction when he absolutely would not stand for me. I think he was getting very tired by this time. I have noticed that by the end of this class he started acting up. He looked like he wanted to do zoomies. I just looked at him pointed my finger and said no. He started to run off. I called him to me and he came and that was wonderful! No zoomies. He thought about it. But did not do it. Great progress!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
P3
Gosh, I can't believe that it has been so long since I last posted anything about the Tobsters. To catch everyone up to date. Last night was our first P3 class. I have to say, Toby did absolutely wonderful. His stays are really starting to rock!. His toy drive is just out of this world. The instructor was extremely impressed with how much toy drive this big guy has now. It was a very very good night. However, I felt a little lonely out there. Both of my friends and their puppies are doing a puppy agility class on the same night so they are not in this class. I know we will be OK walking this road alone. Its just that it was exciting to see them once a week and now I will only see them here and there. But at least they are were they need to be and I am OK with that! Those puppies are worth it! I can say that now that my friends are in a different class Toby has moved to being the Best dog in the class. I know I prejudice!
I just got done working with Toby on his homework. He just loves doing homework! It is getting to be a lot of fun for me as well. We worked on Drops, rights, lefts, around, targets. I know that was a lot to work on but as long and Toby and I were having fun I wasn't going to stop. We worked inside the house for a while and then we went out side. I was in the back and when Toby got distracted by a car going down the alley and run over to see, I ended the fun. Play with me or we don't play at all. Tough love.
Thursday night Toby and I will head off to basic obedience class. I think that this class has helped the most. I love hearing " don't let him get away with that" This is helping me see just what I am allowing Toby to get away with and helps me stop his neurotic behavior. I guess most Shelties have some type of neurotic behavior that needs to be stopped. All in a day of a Sheltie! Got to love them!
I just got done working with Toby on his homework. He just loves doing homework! It is getting to be a lot of fun for me as well. We worked on Drops, rights, lefts, around, targets. I know that was a lot to work on but as long and Toby and I were having fun I wasn't going to stop. We worked inside the house for a while and then we went out side. I was in the back and when Toby got distracted by a car going down the alley and run over to see, I ended the fun. Play with me or we don't play at all. Tough love.
Thursday night Toby and I will head off to basic obedience class. I think that this class has helped the most. I love hearing " don't let him get away with that" This is helping me see just what I am allowing Toby to get away with and helps me stop his neurotic behavior. I guess most Shelties have some type of neurotic behavior that needs to be stopped. All in a day of a Sheltie! Got to love them!
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