Winter time fun!

It's been a while since my last update. It's just been too cold for me to be out and about. Today is a beautiful, sunny, winter afternoon so after two days of Peanut driving me nuts I decided to ask her if she wanted to go "pull". Well I was barely standing after she jumped about 2ft in the area, did a quick turn about, smacked right into my knee almost taking me out, and made a mad dash to the back door. I took it as a yes. Sunday mornings are a great day to take the scooter out since everyone is still inside sleeping or at church so no kids, no dogs, and few cars to make our day hard. After coaxing Peanut into her harness (I don't know why she hates harnesses but she never comes willingly to them.) and doing some stretches, we take off. There is nothing like being under dog power on a scooter flying down a street. It's just an amazing experience that is hard to describe. We always go about 1 mile and then take a short catching of breath rest then back on for another 2 mile mad dash home. Hard to believe that Peanut can do it without seeming like she's trying. Video of today's run: While waiting for a car to pass, someone was bored and hot.

All tangled up

Her reward for a great run!

And a tired Peanut

Happy Birthday Nubs! (photo heavy)

It's a day late posting this, but who's counting?!

Nubs is one of those few rescue dogs that came with an actual date of birth, which is January 20th 2007.  So yesterday was his 6th Birthday.  My boy is 6 years old...  Do you know how much this saddens me?  My baby will have to start Senior vet care next year.  HE'S TOO YOUNG FOR THAT!

So here is celebrating the best dog in the world.  Honestly I couldn't ask for a better dog.  Nubs is my heart dog.  A dog that I have such a strong bond with that it's unreal.  He's my cuddle buddy, he's my best friend, he's my chair warmer, he's my partner, he's my boy, he's simply the best.  There is no amount of words to tell you how much that dog means to me.  I know many people have said "Well since you got Peanut, you really don't post anything about Nubs!"  There is a reason for that.  Nubs is just my couch potato, feet warmer, and cuddle buddy.  There's not much that he can do with those bad legs.  So while yes, I don't post many things about him it doesn't mean I don't love him just the same.

So here's to Nubs!  Love you so much bud!

First Track of the New Year

And yes, it's a complete and utter failure.

Yeah I guess it's back to tracking basics on Peanut.  I honestly think she'd do better at Air scent work but I'm still unsure if I can trust her off leash like what's necessary in the work.  If I could only find a fenced in place that is closed to the public I'd feel much better about training her in air scent.  I know she could do it, but training safely is the problem.

Anyways today's track was about a half mile long and she blew it.  Not even on track at all. Worse she was hyper active and kept charging everywhere.  Do you know what happens to the human on the other end of the tracking leash when a dog suddenly bolts or lunges at the end of it when on wet grass?  If you said fall on your butt, then congratulations!  You are a winner!  I ended up falling 3 times and skinning my knee pretty bad.  Time to go back to basics -sighs-

One kind of sad note on this though.  The person I was tracking had Nubs as well, so now only was I tracking the guy but Nubs as well.  As I was coming up a hill I ran into 2 ladies in their late 40's who stopped to say hello to Peanut.  After a few minuets of chatter about what we were doing, they preceded to warn me about a "Large Pit Bull up a ways" and to "be careful".  I had to laugh.  They were shocked to find out that he was also my dog and was actually friendlier then Peanut was.  I know they were kicking their selves about saying what they did about Nubs, but I know that to someone who doesn't know about him, Nubs can look very mean.  Heck I thought it when I first met him, I can't expect the public to understand that behind that face is a heart of pure gold.

So now I'm tending to a sore knee and ever sorer pride.

Merry Christmas!

From Peanut the Rotten, Saint Nubs, and the slightly crazy Cindy!

Congratulations Peanut!!!

In December of 2011 I took a basic obedience class with Peanut in the hopes of getting her Canine Good Citizen's certification.  She failed miserably.  I mean it was so bad, I never even spoke of it. I was that embarrassed.

See, I started doing Nose-working class on one night a week along with the Obedience class on another night of the week and one of the rules of Nose-working class is you do not do any obedience to the working area, which was in the same building as the Obedience class.  You take a 8 month old puppy to a class that she LOVES (Nose-working) and give her no rules?  Yeah you can guess what started happening.  She didn't just blow her first CGC test, she blew it with only the style that Peanut can.  She knocked over the "stranger" while they attempted to brush her (and gave her so many kisses), play bowed at the strange dog, got zoomies on the loose leash part of the test, and ended up yanking the leash so hard at one point, it almost broke my finger.

Now she had never behaved like this EVER before.  I was so angry that I never spoke about it again.  Had I taken the CGC test at another location where the Nose-working class was NOT held, she would have passed it with flying colors.  I think that's why I will never take another Nose-working class again.  Some dogs NEED rules and Peanut is one of them.  Nubs?  He'd be just fine, but Peanut is really an over the top dog that if she gets an inch, she'll take a mile.

In the middle of November 2012 I got the chance to head out with a friend of mine who happens to also be a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and Peanut got a second shot at the test and passed with flying colors.

Congratulations Ms. Peanut!!!

Here are some more photos from the day which included a 7 mile long hike out at our local state park..  Special thanks to Wolf Moon Kennels for allowing me to use these photos!

Left to right: Peanut, Lyric, Ryker, Mika, Luna

Peanut wasn't too keen about being so close to so many "strange" dogs.  She still held her stay, but made she she had her "safety bubble" intact.  

Someone was a little excited to go visit the water.  This is my favorite photo of the day!

"Are you coming???" 

Showing off her off leash skills!

What a Beautiful girl!

I think someone is begging a bit.