Off Days
We’re all going to have them, whether human, puppy or working days, they will come inevitably. With our dogs, we (in my opinion) have a little more control over when they will have an “off” day, we do everything we can to set them up for success and they have to take it from there. However if we fail to do our part, everything else will more than likely fall apart. What’s “our” part you ask? Oh the feeding, making sure they’ve used the bathroom in the appropriate area, making sure they have had adequate exercise before embarking on strenuous or extremely distracting outings…….
#PuppyRaiserFail
Yesterday was our annual Christmas party with our GDF group, there were five puppies in training and one breeder in attendance. Since I get a “break” from work next week, I’m working double in order to make up for that lag. We’d originally scheduled the party for today (Tuesday) but something came up and it was reschedule for last night. I agreed to the date change, without consulting my calendar. Stupid Move #1 as I hung up the phone with my area coordinator I realized that I was working eight hours on that date, and getting off work at 4PM and getting the party by 5:30pm was going to be next to impossible. So I texted my area coordinator to let her know we’d be late…hoping she’d push the time back a little. She must not have gotten the significance of the time differences so I just left it.
So here it is Monday, I realize I’m going to have to dash home, grab my dish for the party, Pompei and floor it to Asheville in less than 1.5 hours and trying to come up with a plan. I’d decided to go a back route, taking two lane roads over the interstate, as that was more of a straight shot to the place I needed to get to. Stupid Move #2 I don’t know why I thought two lanes in either direction, on windy roads, in the dark, behind people who are “uber” careful on mountain roads was faster, than the equally winding but has more lanes interstate. Two hours later we pull up to the “Party Central” and pile out. I was pretty keyed up due to driving at high speeds with people’s blinding highlights, on dark unlight mountain roads, so when we arrive, Pompei starts picking up on my anixety/excitement. After an unsuccessful attempt to get him to "go busy"
we rush into the party.(Stupid Move #3) Pompei was uncoated, because I wanted to get inside. We could do all that later....as we enter the door way Pompei instantly realizes there are dogs in the room...pushing his excitement levels way up.
I had to dump my things onto a near by table and back out of the room, as fast as possible, so I could put on Pompei's vest, in a quiet area and refocusing him. He was focused alright. On the other dogs.
If you'll remember, other dogs haven't been much of an issues as he's always had a wariness about creatures his size or bigger. However, now that he's past that everyone is his friend!
I forgot about that.
The rest of the night I was kept busy reminding Pompei, that I was the one holding the leash, and I was the one he needed to focus on. I was slightly embarrassed, but knowing he'd never acted like this in the past, I didn't dwell on it further. He obey'd every command I gave, but his mind was else where. It wasn't until I was telling a fellow raiser how he'd slept for the last two hours where I remembered something else. Not only that he'd been "sleeping" for the last eight hours, with a couple of breaks to go potty.
No wonder he was sooo hyped up. I felt pretty stupid after that, and decided I didn't care what he did as long as he wasn't pulling (something he really doesn't know how to do anyway) or lunging towards the other dogs. So he'd sit, He'd Stand, he'd lay down, he'd sit up again, he'd stick his head in my lap, he'd lay down, he'd tried to reach a crumb of food, he'd stick his head back in my lap.......carrying on a conversation was difficult to say the least. I'd put back into position and we'd repeat. This behavior went on for the rest of the night.
I multitasked pretty well, but the night was pretty much a blur for me, a fun blur, but a blur nonetheless. After we ate, we all sat down and lined up the gifts we'd brought, all dog related of course, and let the dogs pick out the gifts..enticed by a little treats positioned on top of the boxes and bags of course. :) POmpei came home with a super cute bone shaped photo frame, and a bone shaped ornament saying "Throw it, Chase it, Fetch it."
One of the other puppies "Heidi" got a Orbee Bone, which all of the dogs wanted. We were sitting beside them and before I knew what happened Pompei had slide over, and shoved his face into Heidi's while stealthily sliding the bone away from her with his paw. It was pretty funny but we had to put the bone up eventually. The good thing is neither dog had any territorial issues...not that, that would have stopped POmpei...after all he lives with Texas....
After the gifts had been given out, we had a Q & A session with our Regional Advisor and I took Pompei's coat off, and let him play with Freya. As we cleaned I let some of the kids handle him, which he did great with despite being told to do three things at once from three different people. Oh well its good for him. :D
The trip home was more leisurely but we were both ready to get out of the car when we got home. :) The last time I was that worn out from a puppy meeting...was back when I had Rei!
Goal for Next Puppy: LOTS AND LOTS OF DOG SOCIALIZATION!
I think at this point we're all ready for Christmas Break!
#PuppyRaiserFail
Yesterday was our annual Christmas party with our GDF group, there were five puppies in training and one breeder in attendance. Since I get a “break” from work next week, I’m working double in order to make up for that lag. We’d originally scheduled the party for today (Tuesday) but something came up and it was reschedule for last night. I agreed to the date change, without consulting my calendar. Stupid Move #1 as I hung up the phone with my area coordinator I realized that I was working eight hours on that date, and getting off work at 4PM and getting the party by 5:30pm was going to be next to impossible. So I texted my area coordinator to let her know we’d be late…hoping she’d push the time back a little. She must not have gotten the significance of the time differences so I just left it.
So here it is Monday, I realize I’m going to have to dash home, grab my dish for the party, Pompei and floor it to Asheville in less than 1.5 hours and trying to come up with a plan. I’d decided to go a back route, taking two lane roads over the interstate, as that was more of a straight shot to the place I needed to get to. Stupid Move #2 I don’t know why I thought two lanes in either direction, on windy roads, in the dark, behind people who are “uber” careful on mountain roads was faster, than the equally winding but has more lanes interstate. Two hours later we pull up to the “Party Central” and pile out. I was pretty keyed up due to driving at high speeds with people’s blinding highlights, on dark unlight mountain roads, so when we arrive, Pompei starts picking up on my anixety/excitement. After an unsuccessful attempt to get him to "go busy"
we rush into the party.(Stupid Move #3) Pompei was uncoated, because I wanted to get inside. We could do all that later....as we enter the door way Pompei instantly realizes there are dogs in the room...pushing his excitement levels way up.
I had to dump my things onto a near by table and back out of the room, as fast as possible, so I could put on Pompei's vest, in a quiet area and refocusing him. He was focused alright. On the other dogs.
If you'll remember, other dogs haven't been much of an issues as he's always had a wariness about creatures his size or bigger. However, now that he's past that everyone is his friend!
I forgot about that.
The rest of the night I was kept busy reminding Pompei, that I was the one holding the leash, and I was the one he needed to focus on. I was slightly embarrassed, but knowing he'd never acted like this in the past, I didn't dwell on it further. He obey'd every command I gave, but his mind was else where. It wasn't until I was telling a fellow raiser how he'd slept for the last two hours where I remembered something else. Not only that he'd been "sleeping" for the last eight hours, with a couple of breaks to go potty.
No wonder he was sooo hyped up. I felt pretty stupid after that, and decided I didn't care what he did as long as he wasn't pulling (something he really doesn't know how to do anyway) or lunging towards the other dogs. So he'd sit, He'd Stand, he'd lay down, he'd sit up again, he'd stick his head in my lap, he'd lay down, he'd tried to reach a crumb of food, he'd stick his head back in my lap.......carrying on a conversation was difficult to say the least. I'd put back into position and we'd repeat. This behavior went on for the rest of the night.
I multitasked pretty well, but the night was pretty much a blur for me, a fun blur, but a blur nonetheless. After we ate, we all sat down and lined up the gifts we'd brought, all dog related of course, and let the dogs pick out the gifts..enticed by a little treats positioned on top of the boxes and bags of course. :) POmpei came home with a super cute bone shaped photo frame, and a bone shaped ornament saying "Throw it, Chase it, Fetch it."
One of the other puppies "Heidi" got a Orbee Bone, which all of the dogs wanted. We were sitting beside them and before I knew what happened Pompei had slide over, and shoved his face into Heidi's while stealthily sliding the bone away from her with his paw. It was pretty funny but we had to put the bone up eventually. The good thing is neither dog had any territorial issues...not that, that would have stopped POmpei...after all he lives with Texas....
After the gifts had been given out, we had a Q & A session with our Regional Advisor and I took Pompei's coat off, and let him play with Freya. As we cleaned I let some of the kids handle him, which he did great with despite being told to do three things at once from three different people. Oh well its good for him. :D
The trip home was more leisurely but we were both ready to get out of the car when we got home. :) The last time I was that worn out from a puppy meeting...was back when I had Rei!
Goal for Next Puppy: LOTS AND LOTS OF DOG SOCIALIZATION!
I think at this point we're all ready for Christmas Break!
Christmas Party 2010
 |
| Roxie - Breeder |
 |
| Mickey - 10 months - Male Black Lab |
 |
| Freya - 10 week old - GSD |
 |
| Pompei gets some love from Mickey's Raiser |
 |
| Guide Dog on Cake |
 |
| Pompei's Cookie displaying a photo of him with the wording "Pompei Forward" |
 |
| Mickey and one of his young Raisers |
 |
| Heidi and her raiser set out to find a present |
 |
| Freya is dead to the world My flash died before I could photos of Levi...plus they were doing such a good "down/stay" I forgot they were there!! |
Comments
Hope you enjoy a wonderful holiday and get lots of rest!