Sheep Herding Clinic

Yesterday Chandler and I headed out to a sheep herding clinic in MA. He's fine. I'm still recovering.

He apparently did very well, although I have to email the herding instructor to get more information on just what he was good at.

You see, my reaction was more of a "CALM DOWN, you maniac!"



The minute he saw the sheep he was crying to get at them, and trying to lunge forward if they moved too fast. This continued throughout the day, which meant that I didn't get to take pictures (many thanks to the person who gave these photos to me) or really watch the other dogs because I was busy leading my enthusiast away when he got too excited. Unfortunately he was so revved up I think he never got the point that he got led away when he starting crying and was allowed to watch the sheep when he was quiet. (We spent a lot of time away from the ring.)



When in the ring, I'm sorry to say the sheep were better at sticking to the instructor than I was. I suppose I was trying to balance watching Chandler, not getting run over by the sheep, staying out of the way of the pole the instructor was using to ward him off, and keeping up with where the instructor was. As it is, I was stepped on a lot.



But-
He apparently has good instincts, and also the drive to do herding
He's very biddable to instruction (I guess his obedience training helped)
...and he's a "strong dog" that would be good on cattle. (Yeesh..my MARSHMALLOW? Well, he did keep trying to rush in a "grip" the sheep's legs.)

Cats' trip to the vet

Ashke and Rowan got their yearly visit on Thursday.
Rowan is doing great, but Ashke had lost two pounds.
So we did a round of bloodwork that turned up...not much.
He could be headed toward hyperthyroidism, but its still in the (high) normal range.
We're unsure whether my stress was effecting him, or if physical problems are starting.
So I get to spoil him for two months, and take him for a recheck.

Ongoing Chandler Saga.

Well, we went to the vet for a "I moved back into town, this is my dog that you've never seen" visit.
I really do prefer this guy to the other place; he is so much better at communication.
One interesting thing happened, however. He felt Chandler's knees, and thought that the
right one was just a bit puffier, like he had "water in the knee".
So....maybe Chandler did have a knee injury last summer, and it wasn't the hip?
Or maybe he'd had problems from both?

Anyway, the plan is to do a PennHip, to check the hips, and have the knee looked at
at the same time. Otherwise, keep everything the same, given that he's got good muscle mass.

Lake Adventure

Having had great success in terrifying turkeys, Chandler decided to
try his paw at chasing/herding ducks yesterday.

Unfortunately for him, he tried to do so while swimming.
The ducks were not impressed, despite the nice wake he was creating.

This time, his recall did work, perhaps because he suddenly realized
how far from shore he was. Interestingly, the ducks followed him back
in, which helps me see how Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers do
their job.

The joys of suburban life: turkeys!

Late last afternoon I was out in the yard "walking" my two indoor cats,
and just disconnecting after a conversation on my cell, when I see the local wild turkey and her seven chicks walk around the corner of the house.

My first thought: "Uh oh."
Yes, Chandler has already launched himself, and *totally* ignores my recall yell.

Turkeys and dog disappear around the corner of the house to a soundtrack of much gobbling, and then some sort of poultry explosion happens and suddenly there are turkeys flying everyplace.

My second thought: "Wow...I don't think I've ever seen a turkey fly that far." (Chandler has managed to scatter them across three or four yards.)
My third thought: "Bad dog!"

When I manage to get to the scene, Chandler is frantically rushing about in the woods next to the house, looking for turkeys. There's no way I can go catch him, and it takes multiple commands to get him back in the yard and calmed down. And of course I can't yell at him once he has come...

I retrieve his 30 foot lead from the garage and practice a few recalls in the back yard. Of course, he does these just fine. The cats are looking at Chandler in disgust like he's a maniac...or ruined a perfectly good chance to stalk turkeys. He stays on the lead for the rest of the outing.

Honestly, it was rather funny, except that he didn't listen and someday he might decide to rush into a street after something. It looks like he'll be wearing his long lead while the cats are out,
and I'll be practicing more recalls with distractions, if possible.

The hazards of suburbia.

This is turning out to be one of those days that I should have gone back to bed.

Chandler and I got attacked by "bees" for the second time in two weeks this morning.
This time he got stung more than once, although I didn't get stung at all.
The dang things burrowed into his fur.
I feel bad because I have a bee phobia and couldn't get them out.
(Taking a grooming rake to his coat when we got home was nerve wracking.)
I suppose we were lucky they weren't yellow jackets like the last time,
or he could have been stung multiple times by one bee.
Although I didn't think honeybees nested in the ground...?

Anyway...
one call to vet in Naugatuck,
one trip to CVS for Benadryl,
one stop at the local vet to verify the Benedryl was correct,
and after an excessive amount of panic,

the dog is ok,
and he's getting all sleepy on Benedryl.

I'm thinking that I should order that book on pet first aid that I saw on Amazon.

Ow! Ow! Ow! Yellow Jackets.

It's looking to be a bad day, and its not even 8:30 yet.

Nasty hot and humid weather today...so most outdoor stuff is not possible with Chandler.
This is why I took him out really early for a shorter walk...
and of course, on the way back, right in the driveway,
we get attacked by yellow jackets for no known reason.
Chan snapped at one, I don't think he got stung.

My arm hurts, even if it was only one sting.
And now I'm flinching even when a fly approaches me.
*sigh*