Reiker drops the ball

And it's a good thing! I got to pick some items from Clean Run as a gift from Mary a few months ago, and it finally arrived. She had the stuff for me on Tuesday at class.

I ordered four Timberwolf Balls (Archie LOVES these), two JW balls and an Orbee 3in1 ball set. I also got a little stuffed Tuffit thing for Sheela, I'll let you know how/if it holds up to the big dogs.

Anyway, I sent two Timberwolf balls home to mom, but kept two with me. Finally, two identical and moderately Reiker resistant toys! Here's a video clip of him working his "Drop" for the other ball to be thrown. He was doing really well, but the added distraction of the camera in my hand, and my focusing on trying to aim the camera really threw him off. Anyway, he had fun!



PS: I found my camera! Just need to charge the battery (forgot the charger at home!) tonight and I can start getting regular photos and video again!

Promised video

Here's the video I promised!

Gait analysis

I took some video of Reiker to send to Dr Bowra at the Aldergrove Animal Hospital. I've edited it down to the requested 30 seconds, but I'll be posting the full chunk of video tomorrow.

We did a very very long track yesterday. I went all around the full driveway. That was hard, since there is much more distraction on that path. I had to help him quite a few times, but he did find it in the end.

He can now turn away from a toy on the ground to target my hand. His hand targets are looking really good.. UNLESS my hand is above his head. Possible "stay" hand signal? who knows.

Tracking fun!

I really need to find my camera. It snowed a while ago, and I'd been running some short snowtracks with Reiker. I just attach a leash to his favourite-zomg-must-have-Bad-Cuz toy and drag it along the ground behind me. I love snowtracking because I can see where I've been, so it's much easier to help him, not that he needs it!
Anyway, on Friday, I wanted to really challenge him. I'd been putting out fairly short tracks, and he was finishing them in no time and looking for more. So I took his toy, hooked it to the leash, and walked from the door of the motorhome, all the way down near the neighbours place (with a few curves) then across the property to the bank, up behind the brush pile, through a couple cars, towards the house, across the driveway where the cars have recently driven, and hid the toy behind an engine a previous roommate left here. I have no concept of how many feet/meters this was, though I could pace it out I guess. Maybe next time, I'll count.

Got Reiker out, on GL, and he came out of the motorhome looking for his toy.. it wasn't there (obviously). He had a bit of trouble finding which way to start looking (The door is a very high traffic area), so I waited him out a bit, then just led him a few steps away to a lower traffic part of the track. He put his nose down and went. He didn't lift his nose up until after 3 or 4 turns, when he stopped to have a poo. He continued about another 1/4 of the track, then started to (finally!) look like he might be getting TIRED. He slowed down and started really working the track. Stopped for another poo. Onto find the toy. He found it, picked it up, then rushed over to a bush to pee. Sigh. Silly dog won't take a minute to empty before he starts working. Something to add to the "to work on" list for sure.

Overall, I was terribly impressed with him. He's very very good at tracking, and now that he's starting to understand the game, he's doing as well as Archie. I think he has more sheer talent, where Arch has more practice.

Hit the wrong button!

This is what happens when you think you're hitting "Record video" but you're actually taking a photo!

And more foster kittens!

We got 4 more kittens a few weeks ago. They left on Thursday, after we've worked hard to socialize them. I'm hopeful they'll all get adopted quickly, and not as surprise christmas gifts!!

Foster Kittens

The last day of our first litter of kitten fostering, we took them to Petcetera where they would be adopted from. These photos are from when we dropped them off. They were all adopted within a week!

Reiker update

Reiker (Maco) spent some time playing ball at a friend's place. He's on a long line for safety. He was really reliably bringing the first toy back, dropping it, then chasing the second (huge progress!) so I asked Evan to get some video.. As soon as he pulled out the camera, Reiker went back to sniffing and being unfocused.. We did get some nice video tho!
Can you tell which toy is higher value? And these "Grass Balls" by JW were fantastic. I think he needs a couple for two-ball games!

West's agility class

Look at this 2on 2 off!!!

 

West playing with a different Sunny

Who has an oddly similar appearance!

Playing with a friend..

West update

West is doing very well in his new home. I have several photos and videos I will post here in the next couple of weeks!

A training session..

I worked eye contact. Got up to 5 seconds, but reliable around 3. Using zen method, holding the treats out beside my head. Did about 30 of these, I think. Worked a target to a yogurt lid. He really wanted to put it in his mouth. I clicked early, he got very slow and thoughtful, but no biting. Woot! Worked LLW on the GL. C/T for standing still, then click then take a step while treating, eventually taking a step, then C/T. Went okay, but more distractible than I'd like him to be. Was using really low value treats, though.

An Archie post

We interrupt the usual programming... A local trainer is offering free canine massages as she works through learning Canine Massage. I emailed her about working on Archie, and she agreed. Yesterday, we met at my place. Archie was overall very good. It took him a while to settle, but he eventually did, and I think he really enjoyed it. She noted some areas of tension in his right hip area, which is where Britt had noticed stuff before. I'm wondering if it's residual from hi left-front injury. Anyway, the massage was very cool to see. Archie really got into it toward the end. Some touch was very arousing for him, but most of it he relaxed into. She was great with him, and I hope to see if she's interested in working on Maco. Not sure how THAT would go, but might help his leg? Once she's up and established, I'll be sure to post a link to her site etc.

Training session 2

Awwww..

He's a really cool dog. I was hoping to keep him, but his interactions with Archie have been problematic. But he's so cute!!

Training the Malinois

Maco the Malinois

New Foster dog?

A couple weeks ago, I brought home my newest foster. I wrote this post, then forgot all about it.

We started the trip early, about 8:30am. The boys had to stay home.. I gave them each some snacks to keep them busy while I left:

 

Mom and I shared the driving. You can see the 400 crate pretty much fills the back of the car.

 

We arrived to Aldergrove early, so we had lunch at a Chinese place near Safeway called the Dragon House Restaurant and had amazing huge portions of chinese food, for a total of $20 including tip, tea and a spring roll appetizer! Highly recommended!

We then went to Run Free Canine Centre where we were going to meet Bonnie. We were still a bit early (and she was a bit late) so we spent some time chatting with Jennie and Karl about the facility. We took a tour of the place and I forgot the camera in the car and took no photos at all the whole time I was there!

I realized this later and tried to get a photo of their biz card while driving back..

 

Bonnie came and unloaded stuff, we did paperwork, then took Maco for a run in the field at Run Free. He had a good time, and I liked what I saw. He looked quite lame on his left front.

We loaded him up into the crate in my car, no problems at all. I traded his martingale for a plain buckle collar with Cross Our Paws contact info on it, and off we went!

 Quick stop for fuel just down the road, Maco was settled and totally calm. I had expected some barking, but he surprised me.

 








 He napped all the way back. I grabbed a medium SureFit and put that on him as he exited the car. I had set up the crate in the motorhome already. We wandered around (okay, he yanked me around) till he peed and then I put him away while I took Sassy, our foster cat, to meet the rescue owner.

Once I got back, I took Maco out again to give him a chance to poo. He did! He was pretty aroused by all the changes.

 He barked most of the first night. He barked for about ten minutes around 2am and again around 6am the second night. At 6am, I went into the house because after the night before of no sleep, I was pretty desperately in need of a few extra hours. The third night, he slept as long as I was watching a TV show. Bonus! I turned my music on and he was quiet for the rest of the night!

I'll be setting him up with a boom box today. He's a bit stressed, and certainly needs time to learn the routines, but so far, he's fantastic.

 He's conditioned to a Gentle Leader now, and learning fast the rules of the place (no lunging at people's faces. no shredding leashes). He's wrecked a few of my toys, powerful jaws and all that. I can't believe he chewed up my twist n treat!

More photos from the island

West had a playdate with his new friend:

Laps are the best place ever..

West in his new place:

He's settling in fairly well, and his new momma loves him :)

Into the future

Well, West's journey, while not completely over, is now mostly out of my hands (And camera range). I will continue to post updates as I get them, but I will also broaden the scope of this blog a bit to include current and future fosters. The title and heading will probably change in the next couple of days. Please feel free to stick around!

And I do have a few photos of West that I've been meaning to get online, but still haven't. Here's a few now.

Goodbye, little West...

Well, I still have a few photos and things to catch up on posting here, but it's official. West has been adopted and is settling into his new home. Some photos Valerie sent me:

West west west...

Soon he will be off to a new home. For now, though, he's still here, busy as ever! We've been doing some agility classes in Mary's yard. Mostly just playing with obstacle focus and having him stay with me. He loves tunnels already :) I'm so proud of that picture. I caught him in the frame!!