Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Poor Summit

It's been awhile since I posted on the blog. The weekend of the USDAA trial (and four days after his Chiropractic adjustment), Summit was dropping bars even more frequently than at the previous trial. He also missed two straight forward easy weavepole entries. So after having Stacy watch his jumping for me (he was pulling with his front again), I scratched him for the rest of the weekend. However, I was in charge of hospitality for this trial so I had be at the site from 7:00 a.m. until the last class ran. AND on top of that, I was really sick (flu, fever, and then head and chest cold by Sunday). So not the best weekend. I did play with Soleil ringside and we practiced our heeling and turns on the flat in a very busy exciting environment.

Summit saw a rehab vet the following Thursday for a complete work up and the prognosis is a pulled hamstring muscle (probably from compensating when the hip was locked). So that is actually good news that it isn't anything more serious and that he'll only be off work for about four weeks (although I may cancel his entry for a trial that is five weeks out just to be conservative). He is getting once a week PT appointments and at home, stretching, icing, and ball work.

Soliel is continuing to run the plank with only a couple of jumps (one was when I decided to try carrying the toy in my hand and throwing it as she exited the plank. Won't be doing that anymore). I've also been working on her heel work and turns using the binder clip idea from Mary Ellen's Foundation DVD. I was amazed how quickly Soleil caught on to nose targetting the binder clip. In one session she went to offering to nose touch the binder clip in my hand to walking at my side and targeting the clip on my pants.  What a smart girlie.

*Note to self - if you train heeling with binder clips in the morning before work, don't forget to take them off your pants. It really does generate some strange stares and comments from students and faculty.

Here are a couple of videos of our heel work with a couple of recalls to side.





She is so much fun and she loves to train.

Monday she attended her first agility class. It is an advanced level foundation class. She was very focused when we worked even though there were several puppies in the class who she knew and played with as well as her sister, Belle. After the class, we let Soleil and Belle off leash to play (indoor building).

This week I will continue the heel work (switching to the smaller binder clips), more running plank work (I'm going back to using a stationary target at the end of the plank - food and toys), and working turns on the flat (emphasis on rear crosses), and simple sends around a jump stanchion (followed by a FC or Pull).

Last, here is a cute video I took while sitting at the kitchen table and just happened to have my video camera handy. The tall cupboard is where the dog's toys, treats, brushes, etc. are kept. I noticed the tennis balls were out of the cupboard the other day and two of my Border Collies were carrying them around. I wondered how they got them out of the cupboard.... well here is the culprit. Except this time, it's not tennis balls she's stealing.

8 comments:

Diana said...

LOL, thats so funny! Caught in the act!

I love the binder clip idea. Ive never been able to teach my dogs to heel.

Sorry about Summit. I hope the time goes by quickly for him. Rest is hard.

Kathy said...

BUSTED!! Very cute glove thief.

I've got to get back to work with Revel. He's really asking for some training now, a real change. Boys are so slow to mature...

Christine said...

Poor Summit, poor you. And the glove vid did make me smile. Shelties sure do like their treasure :-)

Chris and Ricky said...

So sorry to hear you have been sick too! Glad I could skip the trial - I wouldn't have survived working all weekend at one like you did!

Poor Summit - hope he recovers quickly.

Soleil is doing great with all her training and she's such a clever girl - glove thief! Too cute!

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

I sure hope Summit is recovering well, sounds like he is getting great care. You are doing so fantastic with Soleil and she just sounds like such a great girl, she sure is the prettiest girl, and I love watching her, she just always looks so eager and happy.
Hope you get all over your sicknesses too, guess it is the season... ;-(

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing those fantastic videos especially the last one. What a lovely little thief.
I'm also hoping that Summit will get better soon, he will be in our prayers and thoughts. Soleil has grown up so much and she is a little beauty too. You did a great job with her and she is doing so well, what a clever girl she is.

Elayne said...

Glad it's nothing serious with Summit. He's in such good shape, I'll bet he heals up quickly.

clementgreenberg said...

I love how proud the little girl is of herself with that glove!

How exactly do you teach the binder clip thing? I've never been able to get Clem to heel...although she does do better off leash than on.