Decompressing...

I have a little bit of time before I have to jump in the shower and head to the concert so I'm decompressing by cuddling with the dogs, surfing a bit, and watching Monster Jam (I love the theme song.)

I actually got out of the tourney at 4:30pm - *very* early for a one-dayer at All Dogs. Denise from PA was judging and she kept the day moving along smoothly. :) Freddie did *Crappy* today and I have no idea why. If he didn't boggle the ball and then miss the first jump completely, he was dropping the ball right before the start line. Ugh! Since he's never done that before, it wasn't something I could fix right in the middle of a race. After moving his position (from 3rd to 4th), changing balls, and bringing him outside a lot more, I decided to get him a massage.

"A massage?", you might ask. Yes, a doggie massage. Usually there is a doggie masseuse at these things, and for good reason. I know it sounds odd, but if you stop to think about it, it makes sense. These dogs run over 100 feet in 4-6 seconds. They also SLAM themselves into a springloaded box at amazing speeds. Of course they're going to be sore and knock themselves out of wack by doing this. They're athletes. Not couch potatoes happy with a 1/2 hour walk once a day. The kinds of dogs that are involved in this sport have *drive*. They've got some sick energy. They're not happy being a lap dog. For example, Millie & Skootchie hare completely content to lay on the deck on a summer day and soak up the sun. Freddie, however, will bug the shit out of you until you throw the ball. And once you throw the ball, you'll be stuck throwing the ball for the rest of the afternoon. If you don't throw the ball, or stop to get a drink or something, he'll again bug the shit out of you until you do. There's a bit of a difference between the types of dogs that compete and the ones you have just as pets. Athletic dogs are NOT for everyone. Heck, that's how I got Freddie and Pacie in the first place - their previous homes couldn't handle their energy. So yes, my dog got a massage. :)

After that however, he ran wonderfully. Completely clean, no mistakes, no issues. Perfect even. It's just too bad that it was the last race of the day. ;) Ah well. We'll get 'em next time.

I brought Pacie with me today. I wanted to get some training in with him. He did great! We worked on heeling inside & outside, and then did some down stays right outside the lane. Having a dog that can focus on just you during a hugely distracting dog sport is a very important thing if you want to compete with said dog. :) I thought he would be a pain in the ass, but he wasn't. He usually whines while he's in the crate and can see me, but that's another thing he needs to get used to if he's going to be a working dog. I only had to squirt him a couple of times. :)

Ok, I'm off for the shower - and I really need one!!!

D