Crate Games

I finally got my Crate Games DVD last week.

I'm playing with both dogs and Wi is already at Stage 4, while Dora will now stay at Stage 3 for a while.
Wi has been playing "my" version of Crate Games for a while now and Stages 1-3 were no problem for her even tough we never played Yer Out, Yer In before she got it really fast. Needless to say that Changed My Mind is her favorite game?

Dora was almost never in a crate (she'll be 9,5 years soon) and when she was in she was protesting a lot and couldn't wait to get out. Now she can't wait to get in and show me how good she can be in the crate. She even crammed herself in Wi's plastic crate which is almost too small for her (she could barely turn inside).
She surprised me in Yer Out, Yer In since I expected it would take her a lot more time to decide to go back into the crate but she just stepped outside, looked at me and quickly went back in.
And when my sister tried to get her our she didn't move at all but just looked at me (my parents and sister consider crate as a torture device )

More snow

We got a lot of snow lately. You can tell what the dogs think about it?

We also had an agility trial last Saturday. All I can say is that it's pretty obvious that we didn't have any training since November.
And it doesn't look we'll get any agility training any time soon too. The last Winter cup trial is on the 14th.

New additions to our lives

Yesterday I got my new lense.
Canon EF 85 mm 1.8 USM









And I got 6 new books from Amazon.

Wi's balance disc exercises #1

I decided to post some various exercises that Wi does on various items that help her with her muscles, coordination and stretching.

Balance disc - all exercises are free shaped.

Basic #1
Wi stands on the balance disc with her rear end.

She's trying to keep her balance and keep her feet on the disc (she's a "stepper" so she keeps moving to and fro on the disc, trying to find the perfect spot but often she gets off the disc in the process).

Basic #2
Wi stands on the balance disc with her front paws.
This is easier for her and she finds her perfect balance spot easier.

Basic #3
Wi stands on the balance disc with all 4 paws.
A great exercise for Wi since she has to be really still if she wants to stay on the disc.

Back legs variation #1
Wi stands on the balance disc with only one rear leg while the other one is in the air.

I will add more photos soon...

Goals for 2009

My goals with Wi for next year are:
- build her drive for toys
- include more distance work in our training
- get to class III in Obedience
- teach her how to jump properly
- start competing in A2
- pass hunting test with 1st prize class

And for me? Finally get my drivers license.

Almost gone

Hiking weekend

Last weekend we spent our days hiking with our friends in Kamniška Bistrica and on Mežakla.





I love hiking with my friends and our dogs. I love to stop and just enjoy the nature all around me, take photos of everything we encounter on our way, of our dogs or ourselves. I take the whole thing pretty easily and it's never about reaching the destination in the shortest time possible. I just don't see the point in getting somewhere as fast as possible if you have the whole day to spend outside. And neither does Wi. She loves being outside but she loves it even more when we do something together. During hikes she get's to climb trees and fallen logs, big rocks, jump over things, run around trees, tug with me (with a stick or a tug toy), catch snowballs or chase her ball. Just walking isn't fun for her and she sure knows how to make this obvious to me.
I don't care if I spend 10 hours in the mountains to get somewhere where I could get in half less time.
For me it's not about destination. Sometimes we don't even get where we're heading but we still have a nice hike.

This week and weekend I'm hoping we can "squeeze in" one more hike or two. Then it's back to school and occupied weekends for me.

1st competition for Winter Cup 2008/2009

Last weekend we had our first indoor competition. It was held in a riding hall in Postojna.
This was first time on obstacles for Wi after 2 months. We didn't manage to get any trainings in before the competition.
In agility she made her last exam for A2 and was 4th overall. She wasn't fast but she also had no refusals on any obstacles, including the dreaded teeter. The contacts were all done but I hope next time she will already show more speed on the dogwalk.
In jumping we had another clean run and ended in 3rd place in A1 large.

I was happy about her attitude in the hall. I was a bit concerned she would shut down but she was far from that. She played like crazy (I made her a new toy a day before and she loves it!), tugging, even growling at times. She was relaxed and I could leave her in her crate even if it was opened. She had her crate by the ring. We also did some Crate games while other dogs ran. No problems.

Also we have a new video:

Dokken's Pheasant

Wi's gift for St.Nicholas day.
She loves it...typical retriever.

We worked on some weaving today. I took 4 sticks to the woods with me and we trained some entries during the walk.
Our training grounds are still "flooded" so we can't train agility on it.
I hope we get to train soon. Our 1st winter trial is in less than 2 weeks and we haven't trained since early November.

Snow & rain

Last week we got some snow but it didn't last long. And now we have rain, rain and some more rain.
Wi found her own entertainment with "talking" donkey toy.


And this is her after winning a game of tug with her sheepy octopus.