Catching Up

I'm still here. Work has been really stressful the past couple of weeks so when I get home, I don't want to sit in front of the computer. No, instead I want to play with my dogs.

Cap is blooming, really coming out of his shell. I'm teaching him the X game, a sort of proto-swimmers turn for flyball. I put duct-tape X's all over the house. They are just out of his reach when he stands on his hind legs. When I run at one or even point at it, he is supposed to run at the X, jump up and hit it with his nose or paws, flip back off the wall and come to me for a treat or a game of tug. The X gets transferred to a target board, then eventually the flyball box. He offers the X game all the time now. I have an X on the wall by his crate, and when I say "get in your box" he runs and does his X turn, then runs into his box. Hysterical. He still doesn't have much distance (won't run to it on his own more than a few feet so I have to run up to it with him) but I make him chase me all the way back down the dog room before he gets his tug.

Now that he understands the tug game better, I've started bad dog trainer tugging. When he grabs the tug, I grab him and yank on the tug with one hand while I hold him next to me with the other, saying "give! give! give!" My release word is "drop it" so he doesn't let go on "give," good dog. This game drives him into a frenzy. All according to plan.

I'm also teaching him to drop into a play bow when I say "rrreeeeadddy....". Too cute.

He's starting to nip and jump on me more. I don't like the nipping but I am encouraging the jumping. When I'm excited and start jumping around and verbally winding them up, I want my dogs over the top, ready to play or run or whatever fun game I have in mind. He's starting to get the idea...

Harry is absolutely loving the new "doctor's orders." Play, play, play. He and Cap walk around with toys in their mouths constantly. It is so great to see Harry feeling better and feeling happy. Four weeks and counting to the tournament. Practice in two weeks.

Mimi is fully recovered from her unfortunate squirrel incident. The only scars she'll have will be emotional. No quarter for the furry bastards. I'm putting DermaSalve on her little scabs and they will heal right up in no time.

Everyone else is doing fine. Lola is still fat.