How to Cool Off a HOT DOG !

OK I have officially had enough summer. It was HOT in Spring and now it is even HOTTER in Summer. If three days of over 90 degrees equals a HEAT WAVE what does two months worth equal.

It is so hot outside that I hate to even work with Heddy. But train we must so we try to work early and then I try to come up with something FUN and Cool to end with. I got kind of tired of her swimming in the river and ME standing in the sun tossing her toys in for her. SO I saw on Facebook that one of the Dogs over in England loves to DIVE FOR SAUSAGES. So I figured we would come up with an American version and cool Heddy down at the same time. I took a Hotdog  sliced it up into little pieces then micro waved it to get some of the fat out.

Filled up a pan with water and …. TADA 

HOT DOG becomes Wet Dog.  I was amazed at how fast she figured out how to get the Hotdogs. and was soon vacuuming up two pieces at once.

Now that is a nice COOL HAPPY DOG

DEALING WITH A HEAT WAVE

Our average daytime temp this week has been 95 degrees and Heddy is not a very heat tolerant dog so I have been busy trying to find ways to keep her cool.

I saw what I thought would be a great new toy for her a toy that was supposed to float  “ The FLOATING FLAPPY” I figured it would be safe to throw out in the boat slip for her to retrieve and keep her swimming. So I ordered her one. It arrived yesterday and after work we headed down into the boat slip.

On the very first toss I realized we had a problem. The “Flottie” SANK …. BUT….. SO DID HEDDY…. She trotted into the water and just dove right in after it as if she had been doing it all her life.

SO I may not be able to toss the FLOATING FLAPPY out into the boat slip for her to retrieve but she sure is having fun with it in clear water.  I wonder how deep she would go if we had a swimming pool?

HOT TIME IN THE SPRING???

Well we truly picked a rather warm day to attend our next Dog show. Our local club held a Sanctioned Match show on Fathers Day and even though SUMMER is not officially here till tomorrow morning you certainly could not tell that from the heat today. it was 97 degrees by 10:ooAM  But no matter what the Show must go on RIGHT and Dad came to the SHOW!

So into the ring we went.

First Heddy had her official CGC test and other than being a total Terrier and WANTING to KNOW what was in the BUSHES outside the ring she did great. Even managed to ignore her Dad who was part of the crowd of people that she had to walk around through. The only small issue that she had was standing and allowing the judge to brush her. I never thought about the fact that I groom her up on the table. I guess she thought the brush was a toy or something and started to grab at it. But settled when I told her to STAY. 

SO she is now   LOCH CU HEDDWYN CGC

Next was our very first attempt at confirmation.  Heddy was the ONLY Border Terrier Puppy so we had that wrapped up but it was a great learning experience. She is doing OK Still not standing solid on the table and after all the drilling with Rally and Obedience she sits often when we stop but it is a work in progress.

It was a very Pleasant surprise when she got not only best of breed but Group and Fourth Best Puppy in Show.

    

We also made another attempt at Rally and even in the Heat she did well again most of the errors were mine. So as soon as I learn to read and can calm my nerves down we may do pretty good.

If she could just learn to relax and walk on a loose leash we would really rack up some points. But we got a decent score of 83.

After which I promptly picked her up and dropped her in the kiddie pool  and like any little kid she really did not want to come out even when it was time to go home.

Heddy tries Confirmation Class

Last night I had a meeting in Salisbury after work so we ended up arriving at the kennel club over an hour before our Rally class was due to start. I figured we would just hang out and watch the other classes.  While waiting A very nice gentleman came over and was asking me about Heddy. (My favorite subject) Course it did not hurt that he was full of complements about her.  He then asked if we were going in to the Handling class. I said no that we were not signed up. He said no problem He was the instructor and drop in were always welcome. WELL guess that ended that I was in the class.  First I found out that my color was ALL Wrong. so... Collar OFF No more collars breaking her coat. Then He did not like her chain collar either it to was hard on her coat and my leash was too long.  So one of the other ladies in class went and got me a proper show leash to borrow for class.  NOW we were ready ... OR so I thought.  I soon found out that I did not know how to walk. and that I was impeding my lovely dogs natural movement. ARE WE HAVING FUN YET. Actually YES  I WAS. I have never met anyone that was able to correct almost everything I did and yet not make me feel like a fool. He explained why I needed to do things this way and DARN when I did what he said  Heddy responded by NOT jumping and spinning and just walking along at a very nice pace.  I learned so much and I was amazed I ENJOYED IT and so did Heddy.  He even took the time to advise me on grooming and said that next week I should bring my grooming tools so he could show me a few tricks.
I was amazed that Heddy stood nicely on the table and let him go over her. The  only problem we had was learning to STAND. I have worked so hard with her to learn to SIT when I stop that it is automatic. So NOW we are working the STAND and stay command to death.  BUT as long as there is LIVER involved she will sell her soul.
Heddy thought this was a great warm up for Rally class and she had a great night at class. again most of our mistakes were MINE. I just can not seem to keep my feet still. Then when I think about keeping my feet still I forget to give Heddy the right commands.  It is really tough when an 8 month old Border Terrier is smarter than You. I am just really glad that she is having fun.

Crabbing

One of the befits of living in Delaware and on the water is Crabbing. Now I am not to sure how that is going to work out with Border Terrier help. Last week-end we had our Grandsons for the day and we did some Crabbing from the bulkhead not to keep for  eating just for fun. We would catch and then release them into the boat slip to watch them scurry back into the water.

Well in Heddy’s mind this was a GREAT NEW GAME. I am not sure if we should let the crab teach her not to touch or keep telling her NO! LEAVE IT! Because at some point she will meet a crab on her own. 

BACK TO SCHOOL

OK Break time is over.  After returning from Nationals I had every intention of Heddy starting Agility classes it seems that Heddy had other plans. As soon as we got home from Nationals Miss Heddwyn went into her first FULL BLOWN HEAT CYCLE. SO needless to say we did not get to go to the Agility class. I just do not think it would have been at all fair to Heddy’s Brain or to the Male dogs there to take her. The instructor AGREED. It seemed Heddy was the ONLY girl in Class.

So now that we are done with all the silly stuff. And Heddy’s brain seems to be coming back into focus a little ( OK I admit it her brain has never been totally in focus)  I started looking for classes we could join. There are only two kennel clubs with in driving diatance and Everything had already started.  Misipillion Kennel Club   http://www.mispillionkc.org/index.html   was not having a Rally class this time and we have already done PKT and CGC.

So I took a chance and sent an E-mail to the Rally Novice instructor of Salisbury Kennel Club  http://www.SalisburyMarylandKennelClub.org/ 

Barb  Walls. WOW are we glad we did. Class was last night from 8-9 and she had no problem with joining the class half way.

What a wonderful instructor.  We ran into Heddy’s PKT Instructor as soon as we arrived so we felt very welcome. The Hour went by so fast and I learned so much. I have tried for several months now to learn Rally from the Internet but NOTHING beats havings someone explain and show you how to do something correctly.  Both Heddy and I had a wonderful time. Unfortunately I was the only one tired after class.  Heddy went home ready for more FUN.

 

Time to PRACTICE .

Heddy has a Reptile Day

We have had a run on Turtle rescues around here and as always Heddy has to be right in the middle of it all.  Our first short term guest was a newly hatched Painted Slider that luckily was discovered right before a large bunch of leaves was headed for the shredder. We were raking and noticed this small green disk. At first I was not even sure if it was alive but after a few hours rest in some water we released him into the boat slip all under the watchful eye of Miss Heddy.

   

As soon as I thought we were done with our turtles my son Wayne came home from work with a  Box Turtle that he Rescued from the middle of the road. Now PLEASE understand I do not approve of removing Box Turtles form their environment BUT this guy was in the middle of the Highway and needed to be removed we will take care of him for a while then release him into a Sate Park where he works. Again as usual Heddy was into helping while we built his cage. Notice that the Turtle does not appear as excited to meet Heddy as she was to meet him.

Raising a Border Terrier Puppy has been

DAYS FILLED WITH FUN