Sorry for the post delay: Sleeping over!

Hello My readers!
Sorry for not posting in a while! Mommy has been spiffing up my training with some new tricks and stuff. Also, I have been having alot of fun sleeping over at Snicker's and Rose's house! Haha, I love getting ahead of myself. Makes me feel so special!

But, Mommy had a friend over and they talked and stuff. Their moms had went to a private 'woman' party. Hehe...So we hung out together. I am really suspicious of that Whitney girl. Me and mom have mixed feelings about her. So, anyways, mom busied herself playing with Snickers and Rose. Rose is a red Dachsie and Snickers is a Merle Dachsie. They are really good furiends!

So mommy and I spent the night and it was pretty fun.

Then we spent the whole afternoon together and played, played, PLAYED!

PICTURES WILL BE POSTED TOMORROW!!!!!

Sizzlin' Hole Hiking!

Well, after spending a second night at Aunt Tabby, in the morning she took us to a small place to walk. Aunt Tabby admires my spirit, but I had been getting restless from no exercise, since there are no safe walk ways or paths near her house. Mommy was delighted, it was a chance to strap on her new fanny pack that her Auntie gave her. She uses it to stow and stash my training stuff. Like treats, clickers, leashes, water, a camera, a ball, and a stuffed toy. She has it all in that pouch! So we were driving down the road, and made are way about 20 minutes throw another town, which is mommy's home town, and we pulled in the parking lot of a small white Church. We turned down a small road next to it, and I watched houses zoom on by. The trail is owned by the State, and we didn't plan on doing any hunting, so we were allowed to walk there. We stopped in front of someone's house and kept it nicely out of their drive way. Mommy unloaded me and we set off. Tabby and Kayla talking back and forth, mommy quipping in now and again. That path was muddy, but that was because it had been really worn out by state vehicles and stuff. We walked on, and after getting a good distance away from the strange house, mommy unclipped my lead. She told me to stay away from the barbwire fence. She said I would get tangled and get hurt. I jogged on ahead in a Shetland fashion. Doubling back and making sure not to get too far ahead of my people. Kayla chattered and we approached a fork in the route, and we headed off right. It was great! I loved running and chewing on plants. I felt soo happy! The best part is when we came to a giant meadow! Amber, Aunt Tabby, and Kayla were watching out for snakes. But mom said it was really nothing to worry about. I love how she reassures me! Mom picked up a walking stick that doubled as a snake-checker stick. I loved it. Tabby told me and Kayla to wait on a piece of clear ground while she looked for the entrance through the thicket. The entrance lead to a mountain pool mom said. The meadow was overgrown, but mom let me bound and hop on through it! She called me back when Tabby found the entrance. I leaped beside momma and stayed close to her heels. We entered through the thicket and onto a neat path. I launched ahead. I could definitely smell fresh water. Mommy told me that mountain water was special. Mountain water rolls off the top of the mountains. At the top of the mountains it is really, really, REALLY cold. So the water doesn't harbor mosquito larva, bacteria, or any other harmful critters or algae. Mom said it was okay to drink and swim in. So we turned a to a right when we came to another fork, and the water smell got stronger. I turned the corner, and there was a BEAUTIFUL sight. A small pool with clear harmless water. Rocks, pebbles, and sandy mud. It was pretty. Especially the waterfall.

But it was fantastic! Mommy says I make her a liar all the time. I don't know why. She says I pretend to hate swimming, but when I am at a nice pool, I splash and thrash and swim! So? Just because I don't like baths or my toys thrown in deep water doesn't mean I don't like to swim!

Then mommy did a photo shoot! Gosh! We took alot of pictures! I loved every bit of it though! Especially when I got cookies and prasie ;)

Then after a while we had to leave. It was gonna rain soon. So we hiked along and made our way back to the Explorer. I hope to go there again!!!!!

Late writer

Sorry for not writing lately. Nothing much has been going on in this little sheltie's life. I have been having some spats with a condescending user on dogster. Mommy thinks he is a real a******e. Mom bought me some food at the Wal-mart called Three Dog Bakery. It is okay stuff and mom only really wanted to try it. And I love their cookie treats! Well, momma posted a forum asking about it, and he got all rude about the food, so mom rose in defense of herself.

The he attacked her for her age and basically went out and called her ignorant. Mommy got so pissed. So she retorted and reported the message. Mommy does not approve of anyone being rude to her or condradicting her age.

Especially from a rude d***.

But that is the steam I had to loose. WHEW. I feel better getting that off my chest.

But I have been spending time with Amber's grandmother and her Aunt. Amber's aunt is the one who payed for the food. So Mom is pretty insulted.

But I have been having fun. Not alot of time to type.

So see you later!

Classes and Food

It is officially about my agility. My Beginner's Class starts July 23!

When it comes to pet food and good nutrition, I think I would have to give my mom an A+++! She finds the best quality pet food out there for my and my fursibs!

Mom has been doing some research on Dogster about different types of Venison dog food. Venison is deer meat. Mom has me on this type of diet called a rotational. Rotational diets are very beneficial because they give variety to a diet, switch premium protein sources around, and can sometimes allow you to feed kibble, homecooking, and raw in one rotation!

I do a full kibble rotation with wet food mixed with the dry. In my rotation currently, I eat Wellness Core Original !
I also eat Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream!
Mom has been looking for some more variety and premium foods to add to my rotational.

So today after getting information on the agility classes, we headed to the food stores. First, mom stopped at this place called Harry's Aquarium. They had this food called Canine Caviar that mom wanted to try. When we got there, they didn't have the Venison, so mom special ordered it. It should be in on Friday.

So she bought me two cans of the wet version, Venison Tripe and Gourmet Turkey.


Off to the Oak Ridge Feed Store!

When we got there mom asked about a small bag of Solid Gold MMillenia. She always wanted to try it. But they didn't carry any small bags. Mom was disapointed.
So she bought me a bag of Zuke's treats.

Then we headed off to the Pet Supplies Plus store. Mom bought me some toothpaste and Natural Balance Venison and Sweet Potato formula.

It was a fun day!

Mom is hoping to add Wellness CORE Ocean Blue formula to our rotation too! *Shh, don't tell HER mom about that*

Agility

Ooooo! I am so excited about tomorrow! Mommy is starting agility with me! She said she was gonna do it for the longest time, and now she is finally doing it! We are going to the PetSafe Village Dog Park where they have a 'play' Agility Course! What luck! Then mom is signing me up for classes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YIPPPEEEEE!

Come back tomorrow and I will let you know how I do!

Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs generally run off-leash with no food or toys as incentives. The handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles, except accidentally. Consequently, the handler's controls are limited to voice, movement, and various body signals, requiring exceptional training of the animal.

In its simplest form, an agility course consists of a set of standard obstacles, laid out by an agility judge in a design of his own choosing on a roughly 100 by 100 foot (30 by 30 m) area, with numbers indicating the order in which the dog must complete the obstacles.

Courses are complicated enough that a dog could not complete them correctly without human direction. In competition, the handler must assess the course, decide on handling strategies, and direct the dog through the course, with precision and speed equally important. Many strategies exist to compensate for the inherent difference in human and dog speeds and the strengths and weaknesses of the various dogs and handlers.

Contact obstacles

A-frame

Two broad ramps, usually about 3 feet (1 m) wide by 8 to 9 feet (3 m) long, hinged together and raised so that the hinged connection is between five and six-and-a-quarter feet above the ground (depending on the organization), roughly forming an A shape. The bottom 36 to 42 inches (1 m) of both sides of the A-frame are painted a bright color, usually yellow, forming the contact zone, onto which the dog must place at least one paw while ascending and descending. Most sanctioning organizations require that A-frames have low profile, narrow, horizontal slats all along their length to assist the dog's grip going up and down. Some organizations allow the top of the A-frame to be narrower than the bottom.

Dogwalk

Three 8 to 12 ft (3 to 4 m) planks, 9 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) wide, connected at the ends. The centre plank is raised to about 4 feet (1.2 m) above the ground, so that the two end planks form ramps leading up to and down from the center plank. This obstacle also has contact zones. Most sanctioning organizations also require slats on the dogwalk ramps.

Teeter-totter (or seesaw)

A 10 to 12 foot (3 to 4 m) plank pivoting on a support, much like a child's seesaw. It is constructed slightly off-balance so that the same end always returns to the ground. This is done either by placing the support slightly off-center or else weighting one end of the board. This obstacle also has contact zones. However, unlike the other contact obstacles, the teeter-totter does not have slats. The balance point and the weight of the plank must be such that even a tiny dog, such as a Chihuahua, can cause the high end of the teeter-totter to descend to the ground within a reasonable amount of time, specified by the sanctioning organization's rules (usually about 2 seconds). Smaller dogs get more time to run a course, and this is one reason why it can take them longer than it takes larger dogs.

Crossover

A 4-foot (1.2 m) high, 3-foot-by-3-foot (1-meter-by-1-meter) square platform , with ramps similar to those found on a dogwalk descending from the center of three or four of its sides. The dog must ascend the correct ramp and then descend the ramp indicated by the handler, possibly changing direction to do so. This has not been a commonly used obstacle, mainly because of its size. No major agility organization in the United States currently allows the use of a crossover, but the crossover is allowed by other organizations such as the Agility Association of Canada and The Kennel Club.

Tunnels

Tunnel (or chute or rigid tunnel)

A vinyl tube, 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 m) long and about 2 feet (60 cm) in diameter, through which the dog runs. The tunnel is constructed of flexible vinyl and wire, such that it can be configured in a straight line, or in a variety of curves.

Collapsed tunnel (or chute or cloth tunnel)

A barrel-like cylinder with a tube of fabric attached around one end. The fabric extends about 8 to 12 feet (3 to 4 m) and lies closed until the dog runs into the open end of the chute and pushes his way out through the fabric tube.

Other tunnels

UKC agility allows two additional tunnel types, the crawl tunnel and the hoop tunnel, that are not found in other agility organizations. CPE allowed an interconnected set of tunnels called a tunnel maze from 2004 though 2006, but discontinued the tunnel maze as of the 2007 rulebook..

Jumps

Jump (or hurdle)

Two uprights supporting a horizontal bar over which the dog jumps. The height is adjusted for dogs of different heights. The uprights can be simple stanchions or can have wings of various shapes, sizes, and colors.

Double and triple jump (or spread jump)

Two uprights supporting two or three horizontal bars spread forward or back from each other. The double can have parallel or ascending horizontal bars; the triple always has ascending bars. The spread between the horizontal bars is sometimes adjusted based on the height of the dog.

Panel jump

Instead of horizontal bars, the jump is a solid panel from the ground up to the jump height, constructed of several short panels that can be removed to adjust the height for different dog heights.

Broad jump (or long jump)

A set of four or five slightly raised platforms that form a broad area over which the dog must jump without setting their feet on any of the platforms. The length of the jump is adjusted for the dog's height.

Tire jump

A torus shape roughly the size of a tire, suspended in a frame. The dog must jump through the opening of the "tire"; like other jumps, the height is adjusted for dogs of different sizes. The tire is usually wrapped with tape both for visibility and to cover any openings or uneven places in which the dog could catch.

Other hurdles

UKC agility allows a variety of hurdles not found in other agility organizations: bush hurdle, high hurdle, log hurdle, picket fence hurdle, rail fence hurdle, long hurdle, window hurdle, water hurdle.

Miscellaneous

Table (or pause table)

An elevated square platform about 3-foot-by-3-foot (1-meter-by-1-meter) square onto which the dog must jump and pause, either sitting or in a down position, for a designated period of time which is counted out by the judge, usually about 5 seconds. The height ranges from about 8 to 30 inches (20 to 75 cm) depending on the dog's height and sponsoring organization.

Pause box

A variation on the pause table. The pause box is a square marked off on the ground, usually with plastic pipe or construction tape, where the dog must perform the "pause" behavior (in either a sit or a down) just as he would on the elevated table.

Weave poles

Similar to a slalom, this is a series of 5 to 12 upright poles, each about 3 feet (1 m) tall and spaced about 20 inches (50 cm) apart, through which the dog weaves. The dog must always enter with the first pole to his left, and must not skip poles. For many dogs, weave poles are one of the most difficult obstacles to master.

Other obstacles

UKC agility allows the following obstacles not found in other agility organizations: swing plank, sway bridge, and platform jump.

July 4th Recap

I hate the Fourth Of July. Too many loud noises, scary explosions, very scary for a 13 inch high 16 pound Shetland Sheepdog. I prefer to hide. But as always, mommy dragged me out of the house to enjoy the 'festivities' as she said.

What festivities? All I heard was loud noises, screams, and smelled smoke the whole time I was there.

We went to the Fourth of July party and Farewell Marty party on the 4th. Mom left the puppy at home (haha) but dragged me along. I didn't know mommy was taking me to a strange house. Strange houses kill me.

We hopped into the car and drove on.

When we got there, there was a tiny house. The steps were very old timyish concrete patterns. They were very small. The house looked shabby, but sturdy.It seemed okay to me.

When we got out we were greeted by Amber's cousin Kayla, and some strange boy. I didn't mind him so much. Kayla jabbered on about something, and so did the boy. I ignored them.

We went into the house. It smelled of cat. I saw eyes peering at me from under a chair. I saw two kittens in the window. They smelled kinda like Brock. They must've been his siblings.

The woman of the house was casual and a little short-tempered when it came to her kid. I didn't like her so much. She called me pretty and beautiful alot though.

After while, mom said we were shooting off fireworks. Uh, no?

Mommy led me outside to a nice tent covered sitting. She tied my leash to the table. The woman came back out and sat next to Amber. Amber's mom and Aunt sat in front of us. Nick, Amber's brother, started playing with these glitter sticks mom called,"Sparklers". He is 16, to old to be playing with those as mom said.

Then they moved on to more loud stuff. Devices called bottlerockets and firecrackers. I got a little nervous. Then mom put me in the house and locked me in a room..

I slept.

When I awoke, Mom was there and they all sat in the living room. Mom talked to the others. She seemed sad. I asked what was wrong. She looked at me and tickled my chin. "What are you whining for?" I wasn't whining! I was asking a question.

Amber's Uncle Marty, seemed sad and scared. He hugged Amber and everyone tight, and he said the words,"Going. Iraq. Year" Maybe that is why everyone was so sad...


After all that drama, me and mamma slept fitfully...

If she was actually in the PVFD I would understand....but

Maybe if mom was ACTUALLY in the PVFD, I would TOTALLY understand her going to the Tuesday and Thursday get togethers. But mom is completely nuts, and drags me out of my nice quiet home to go and run around after her friend. Caanan is one of her friends, I can understand wanting to hang out with him, but she is really pushing me!

Sirens and alarms go off when the fire dudes jump in the big red trucks. They hurt my ears. Siren doesn't care, she just licks Caanan to death. Mommy is right there with her too! She justs talks away to him. Only talking to me when I bark at a German Shepherd passing by in the park. Or when I see a car load of hoodlums drive by. It isn't even talking, just commands, scolding, commands, praising.....

So I left mommy and ventured up the metal stair case in the VFD. They are cleaning in out because the last Fire Chief neglected the building and wouldn't clean it. So now they are detoxing the whole place. So on my 'unruly' adventure, I managed to run through a billion cobwebs and almost got bit by a spider!

I soon found myself in the attic. There were a lot of boxes filled with green jugs, toys, hoses, old turnout gear, and some old cot-styled beds. I poked around and found an old cracker. It tasted ashy, so I spit it out and left it.

I poked around some more in the dim upstairs. I hear a 'crrrrreeeeeeeaaaaakkkk' noise behind me. I felt something touch me.................

"EEEEEEYYYYEEEEEEPPPPPP!"

I turned around fast and there was Caanan! He followed me up there. I bolted downstairs where mommy was scolding me about going off and trying to fly down stairs. Humph, not my fault he scared me.


Mommy walked us in the park, and she swung in a thing called a swing for a while. She said she was getting to old for one. I don't know why, she looked to high and was swinging too fast for my liking. So true to my rebellious promise, I paraded off on my own, leaving Siren and mom. I heard people in the distance, but I ignored them. I sniffed around and poked my head in the weeds. I hopped across stones and splashed in the creek.

I heard my mom calling for me, and I was getting pretty tired anyways, so I trotted across the small bridge instead of hopping in the stream. I galloped back over and I saw five people a big dog in the distance. A growl rumbled in my throat. When I made it to mom, she clipped my lead on and carried Siren. We headed by the the Fire Hall.

It sure is hot in there...

After mom and Caanan talked, they goofed off in the office for a while, finding all sorts of weird and old objects. Ancient glue pails, 2004 dated fire handbooks, and chalk.

Brittany(Caanan's aunt) and mom's mom Jessica, came in and cleaned up the office. Caanan and Amber just poked around for fun.

After a while Caanan and Brittany got in their car and left. Then so did we. Siren was tired, mom said she had been a nuisance all day.

Haha...

Then finally we got home....

About time.

That's all for today!

See ya later!