♥ Keeper ♥ Riff ♥ TRUST

Whenever I see a bumpersticker that declares  "I ♥ My Children" or "I ♥ My Husband!"   I find myself thinking of course you love your kids.  Of course you love your husband...isn't that why you married him?!  Why would you have to declare such a thing on the back of your car, for all the world to see?

I like to think that loving dogs enough to put hearts alongside their names in a blog title is not the same as that bumpersticker.  But....maybe it is.  Life is a bit of a crap-shoot, after all.  LOVE is not guaranteed.  If we find love, is it okay to declare it on a bumpersticker, or in a blog?   

For instance:
When you decide to rescue a dog, you visit all the local pounds a few times, so you can check out the available dogs...yes?  If you find a dog that attracts you, you take him out to the yard and play with him.  After a few play-sessions, you decide whether or not you like each other enough to spend the next how-ever-many-years living together, taking care of each other in sickness and in health, til death do you part, etc etc.   OR you might meet a homeless, lonely dog-on-the-street and just instantly click with him.  Love at first sight.  You'll still be cautious, of course, and check everywhere to make sure he doesn't already belong to someone else... 
It's sort of like dating. 

It's a bit different when you pick a puppy out of a litter.  All puppies are adorably lovable, for one thing....and almost all of them play well with others, because they don't have any negative history.  You're pretty sure you have the best puppy in the world...but you can't really tell if you and your baby will still get along when he's all grown up.  There are no real guarantees.

When you pick a puppy, you're at the mercy of the dog gods.  Although...you probably did a fair amount of research into the pupster's bloodlines and breeder.  Does that count as 'dating'?  If you let yourself be at the mercy of a breeder who picks your puppy out of whichever litter he thinks will best suit you, it may seem more like signing up with a matchmaker than dating.  You can imagine the matchmaker saying "Here he is, darlin'.  Hope ya' like 'im!!"  You anxiously resolve to build a good relationship with your new little bundle of joy.... 

Maybe I'm beginning to understand the bumperstickers. 

Did you actually fall in love with the stranger the matchmaker found....someone you will live with forever, come hell or high water?  Yes?  Wow!   ♥ 

Still head over heels in love with your dog after he's grown into adulthood?   ♥!  You ended up with a good puppy that grew into a GREAT dog.  Woohoo!!! The dog gods smiled on you.  

I love it when the dog gods smile.

Riff and I have had some really fun agility practice sessions lately.  Oh sure, we still make mistakes during every class...but we're finally figuring out how to be a more consistent agility TEAM.  I still have a lot to learn about handling (don't we all)....but Riff seems much more willing to put up with me. 

Three reasons: 
1) The dog gods smiled on us.
2) I'm able to move better these days (like actually sprint! when necessary).
3) I'm trusting my dog.   My dog is trusting me. 

TRUST.  What a beautiful word. 

♥

 

Another Tree

We have a couple of Japanese Maples in our backyard that tend to procreate.  I often pull baby trees up, as if they're weeds.  I pull Japanese Maples, baby Oaks, Dogwoods, Plums and Apples.  Our backyard loves to grow trees.  It's already a 'forest'...but it is determined to be 'More of a Forest'! 
Even in the frontyard, there's a section of dirt that loves to grow baby Chinese Pistachios.  A neighbor once asked if he could come by and harvest them.  "Yes!  Absolutely!  Please!"  We have so many trees...

Some years ago I transplanted a baby Japanese Maple into a new gardening area.  It took off, and is now a lovely tree.  So I planted another baby tree in a wooden box. 

Today my youngest son and I transplanted the tree, now an adolescent, from the box into the ground.  Another backyard tree!  Cross your fingers that we put it in a good spot.  I'm hoping it will show its beautiful red colors in another few weeks...then survive the winter.  Good luck, sweet tree! 

And THANK YOU for your help, sweet son.

My Dogs

They had a bath yesterday.  A rare occurence!  Aren't they pretty? 

♥♥♥♥♥♥

 

PS....plus a video of BU

Today we were entered in a couple of classes at the local AKC trial, but I woke up at 3:am with a terrible migraine.  Even though I took some Imitrex right away, I never felt GOOD enough to get up and go to the show.  Maybe tomorrow.  We have two more classes tomorrow. 

But.  Will we go?  I'm trying not to be nervous...it's just a little tiny AKC show, held on dirt in the indoor arena.  My plan was (is?) to show Riff out of the car.  His crate behavior has been so tiring lately, I don't want to put him through it.  Maybe I should take him over to the fairgrounds right now!  And walk around with him.  We could work on being calm ringside.  Except I feel nauseated still, and kind of nervous about going.  Even though we for sure missed our classes. 

Hey....the only reason for us to trial is to HAVE FUN.  Seriously...!

Because I have no big goals regarding titles or world-class competitions.  I just enjoy running with my dog.  At this point, all we need is some fun.  I love all my agility friends, for instance, and it's a lot of fun to hang out with them.  And - yeah - winning is fun.  No doubt. 

But I get so nervous.  My tummy goes funny, and my head hurts....and it all starts days before a trial. 

A while ago I read a book titled NERVE, by Taylor Clark, which has a ton of good advice about how an athlete can "face his demons," so to speak.  I took notes...blogged about it, even.  I need to practice using my nerves as a pathway to fun...

But right now I'm rationalizing my way into waiting for mid-October, when there is a USDAA trial that will be held out on the grass (way more fun than dirt). 

Do I sound like a Libra?  So indecisive....(and wasting that entry money!)

Here's the link to a video of the 2012 European Open Champion, BU...run by the famous [young] Silvia Trkman. 

This is a gorgeous agility run, on a standard course.   I'd love to run like this.  Yeah.  Hmmm.  Maybe I'm setting the bar a tad bit high...?   I'd love to be able to stay ahead of my dog, though.  And consistently show him - clearly, decisively, and in a timely manner - which obstacle is next. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_TW5zd-KQA

In the Meantime

The Rifflet and I have been to "scent work" practice a few times this week.  Some of the ECS West folks are gearing up because the "head honcho" is coming in from Michigan next weekend, to see how we're doing.

To be honest, I'm a bit on the fence about the whole thing.  I can't picture its future as a business...don't know what it takes to get "certified"....not sure which training advice I should try to follow....don't know exactly what kind of work the dogs are supposed to do during a "field test."  The unknowns are piling up, and as a result I'm confused, and my enthusiasm is dying down.  Tried to sort it all out during a meeting with LL, then decided to give it to the end of the month.  We'll do our best through September, at least.

We did have a particularly pleasant session out at Nagasawa Park.  None of the folks had ever been there before!  It's amazing how a nice little park can get "lost."  Personally, I hope it stays off the beaten path.
:-)

The view from the park, across the Santa Rosa
plain, shows the evening fog rolling in.

Molly at work.

Kona enjoying a game of tug.

Poppy gets a treat.

The "Greek Chorus" shares a laugh....

Riff says, "Okay, got it!  Now can we play some agility??"

A poem about the Internet

I could give you some amusing web links.....

....

All you'd have to do do is CLICK.

Like we do for our dog when he learns to SIT.

....

I could give you lots of INFORMATION.

All about the NATION.

All about the latest political conflagration...  ...  ...

But you don't want to hear about that.

You don't want to feel like you'd have to pass the hat.

....

Or hurl.

....

....

I wish these days were simple.

Like back when I wanted a dimple.

....

- but they are NOT.

- these days are HOT.

....

Elections.

Projections.

Rejections.

....

Riots and fire.

Religious desire.

Fear.

....

When - really - all we want is

PEACE.

LOVE.

JOY.

....

Is that so much to ask for???

....

People want money.

People want honey. 

People want some kind of weird religious matrimony. 

People swallow baloney.

....

It's sad.

It's just sad.

....

So.

Take a breath.

....

Breeeeathe.....

....

You can do this.  You CAN!

....

Look at your dog.  He's wagging his tail.  He's smiling.  He likes taking walks.

....

Go for a walk.  Keep your eyes and ears open.

....

Breeeeathe....

....

PEACE.

LOVE.

JOY. 

Screech Owls

Western Screech Owls are not very big, but whoo-eeee do they ever pack a punch in the verbal department!  We've had a pair (and a youngster?) cavorting around our house, off and on, for a couple of years.  Sometimes they play right next to our windows....at about 3:am....

Woohoohoohohoohoooo-oooooo.  Or something like that.  It's hard to describe.  Wikipedia says, "The primary call is an accelerating series of short whistles at an increasing tempo then a long trill falling slightly at end. Other calls: barking and chuckling. They also make a high pitched screech."  Another website says it's like "a bouncing ball."      I would compare some of their calls to women screaming, sirens beginning to wail, or even drunken laughter.  With some beak-clicking and odd chirping thrown in for good measure.  They have a huge repertoire....many more sounds than I've read about on owl websites. 

The basic point is, though, that they are LOUD.  As in Really, Really LOUD.  Opera singers would love to have even half of a screech owl's ability to project. 

Early in the spring, we usually have a couple of red-tailed hawks nesting in the tall redwood trees behind our house.  They stay busy during the day.  By night, our featured guests are screech owls.  As I understand it, they like to live in tree holes left behind by flickers or woodpeckers.  Or in owl boxes.  I haven't seen any owl boxes, but we must have a nice place nearby, because the screech owls have been super noisy the last couple of weeks. 

 

Some Native Americans believe that seeing an owl may be a sign that death is lurking nearby.  Other folks believe owls are magical, or that they are a sign of wisdom.

 

One of my sons was given the animal designation of Great Horned Owl when he achieved his black belt in TaeKwonDo, so I'm on the fence about owls.  Are they good, or bad?  Not always. 

 

Whatever you may believe in regards to legends and stories, there's no doubt that owls are AMAZING creatures.  I once saw a TV special that featured an owl hunting in a dense forest.  The film showed how the owl fluffed up the feathers around his eyes in order to pinpoint his prey....before gliding quickly and soundlessly through trees to catch it.   Incredible.  And I have to admit that a bird that catches mice and rats is not a bad bird!! 

 

 

Little Known Park Info

Drove around this morning, searching for a possible location for Monday's ECS training.  The drive took me back to the days, not so long ago, when I was looking for a good place to take puppy Keeper for a nice hike/stroll/runabout.  Because, as you know, a tired BC is a good BC. 

So I checked out Channel Drive, near Annadel State Park.  Annadel, thanks to its "takeover" by the Regional Parks folks, will now except my annual Regional Park Pass....so we won't have to pay $7.00 to park inside.  However, they still don't allow dogs on the trails.  So if you do go into Annadel, you and the muttster will have to stick to walking on Channel Drive. 

Which is not a bad deal, if you go deep enough into the park.  Channel Drive eventually peters out into a nice shady "trail," suitable for bicyclists and dogs, but a bit too narrow for the average vehicle.  That trail will take you all the way onto the Polo Field in Oakmont, if you follow it properly. 

So!  If you want to park for free and hike into Annadel, the wide roadside area pictured below is your best bet.  You'll meet a lot of mountain bikers and day-hikers there, especially during the weekend.  Everyone wants to save $7!!  Although, in a way, it's too bad they don't go on in and pay the fee.  If they did, Park Rangers would still have a job. 

NOTE: It's quite a walk from here to the narrow-trail-into-Oakmont. 

 

 

If you've decided to make that trek because you have a dog with you, and quite a bit of time, and you want to see if there's a polo game going....you'll have to resist the constant temptation to turn and go up an Annadel trail.  Annadel is 1500 some-odd acres of beautiful park, with a lovely lake, great views, easy trails and challenging trails.  No dogs.  I sympathize, somewhat....because there is plenty of wildlife in the park, and way too many idiots who think their dogs are fine off-leash. 

 

We used to enjoy riding horses up there, before it became far-too-popular with hot-doggin' mountain bikers.  And you must know, by now, that even 1500 acres begins to feel small, when you're on horseback.

 

 

Channel Drive, before it narrows into a trail....

 

The next park we checked out today was a City park named Nagasawa.  Lots of folks around here haven't ever heard of this park.  Seriously!  Every single time I've gone to this park, the parking lot is EMPTY.  Even today, late morning on a beautiful Saturday...empty!  Where is everybody?  Not here!  (However, due to the fact that I once spent a weekend at a TAIKO DRUMMING workshop, I know that there are some killer Taiko drumming shows held here, once in a while....)

 

 

 

Amazing.  The huge parking lot was completely empty this morning.  This lot goes around the little hill to the right, and on down to a nice little lake.

 

 

 

Pictured below is the only other person who was in the park.  He didn't bother us.  We didn't bother him. 

:-)

 

 

 

There is a draw-back to the park, of course - a reason it is empty? - which is that no path goes around the lake.   I think you would agree that it's just plain weird to have a lake without a path that goes all the way around it.  It's so weird that I did my best, one day, to get around the lake.  I crawled under an opening in a chain link fence.  I struggled over boulders.  I did my best to avoid poison oak.  I waded through marsh mud.  And I found out - the hard way - that you simply cannot get around this lake. 

 

This park is in the Fountain Grove district (ie:rich people), and it shares a boundary with the Fountain Grove Golf Course (ie:you can't walk around the lake)....so....yeah.  That's it.  You can walk a little distance along the lake.  If you're willing to be almost-ridiculous, you can get halfway around the lake.  If you're willing to stick to the trails, you can walk up and down and around a couple of small hills.  And then.....you're DONE! 

 

But it's a pretty nice place for ECS training...so we'll be there Monday evening.  :-)

 

Voila!

 

PS.  I'll tell you about another little "hidden gem" in this area.  It's called Paulin Creek Open Space Preserve, and it's not all that far from our house.  It's kind of a miracle that I remembered how to get there, because it's been a couple of years....            But the "park" hasn't changed a bit.  There are still a bunch of nice trails to stroll...there's still a nice creek to look at.      And still just enough parking for exactly one (1!) car.  But that was enough for me....

 

 

 

   

Today

Some of today's events:

1)  My morning meditation was filled with distraction.  Thoughts roamed from imagining embassy riots to playing the oboe with a symphony orchestra.  I don't play the oboe.  It sure would be nice, though.  If I had one single "Do Over" from my youth, it would be "learn a musical instrument." 

2)  Breakfast was marvelous.  Well, yeah, it was Cheerios....but it was marvelous.  I think it had something to do with the glorious morning light - muted by cloud cover, brightened by the smile of my lovely husband and the wagging tails of my sweet dogs.

3)  Got into a political discussion with my youngest son.  Never a good idea.  I shy away from all political discussions.  (Yet I got into one on FB yesterday!  What's happening...??!)  Honestly, I like to think about positive things.  Positive!  Which is difficult to do, in the arena of politics.  Arrgh!  Nevertheless, after our discussion, my son and I grew closer.  We both "toughed it out"....we stuck to our guns...even though we experienced Angst, in the form of interruptions and raised voices.  We experienced Distress.  This is never, ever how I want to spend an hour with anybody.  I hate confrontation.  Although....I cannot quite call our experience a "confrontation."  We shared information.  We argued for our points of view.  Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY!  Then we calmed down.  We smiled at each other.  We hugged.  We said how much we loved and admired each other.  We hugged again.  We promised to talk more often. 

That's not all bad...eh? 

Then we worked on digging a hole and transplanting a Japanese maple.  Gardening is GREAT. 

4)  Dusted, vaccuumed.  Yawned.

5)  Read a few chapters of a novel.  (John Grisham's The Litigators.  Lightweight.  Which is nice, today.)

6)  Had a good ECS WEST nose-work training session with Gwen, right in my own backyard.  Some of the confusion I've been feeling regarding that particular adventure melted away.  Riff did pretty well.  Good boy!!  Her three dogs did well.  We talked and talked and talked.  She is a Horse Person.  I love her 4 1/2 month-old BC, Flip.  What a cutie!  She likes Riff.  Now I'm thinking Riff and I will stay in the project. (Um.....maybe.  Not entirely sure...)

7)  Watched PBS Newshour.  Depressing. 

8)  The GIANTS game just started.  Jeff is making popcorn.  See you later...!!!!

 

Sick Dog

$407.00 later - "Whew!  We don't ever want to do that again..."

Poor Riff.  He was really, really sick.  The refusing-to-eat-and-etcetera-for-days kind of sick.  He lost so much weight it startled my husband, who doesn't usually notice such things.  All of the sudden, Riff was too skinny.  Bony, like a cover girl.  And all he did was lay around the house, looking....sick.  Sweet Riff, who normally doesn't stop moving all day (unless he settles down to watch a Giants game on TV), just layed on his side.  Didn't even follow us from room to room.   

We still don't know what made him sick.  The x-rays showed some "unidentified granular material" in his tummy.  His intestines were "gassy" but okay.  He had a slight fever.  He came home from the vet's with a "camel-back" thingy for hydration, after going through x-rays, an anti-nausea shot, and some bloodwork and fecal samples.  He's been taking flagyl all week.  Thank god he stopped vomiting, etc. and doesn't need stomach surgery after all.  The vet seemed pretty certain she would see us again.  Not!  Yay!  (FYI: The vet techs really liked Riff...they kept saying he was a sweetheart and a trooper.)  Thank god he is eating again.  Thank god he has perked up.  Rascal Riff is back!

:-)   :-)    :-)    :-)    :-) :-) :-) :-)    :-) :-) :-) :-)

Occasionally, as we relax in the backyard, we catch Riff eating acorns.  We tell him to "drop it" but more often than not, he drops it right down his throat (while perfecting his "guilty" look).  Keeper eats acorns too....has all ten years of her life...but the difference is that she'll only pick up a certain brown acorn, of a particular age and consistency, and she chews it thoroughly. The other difference is that if we ask her to "drop it" she'll always spit it out onto the ground.  Riff will eat the little green acorns...and he never chews anything.  GULP.  If you called Keeper a thoughtful cement mixer, you'd have to call Riff a thoughtless back-hoe. 

So I thought maybe it was the acorns.  The vet couldn't say for sure, but I'm not taking any chances.  Now I sweep, sweep, sweep the patio under the oak trees - even more often than I did before Riff got sick.  I used to sweep once a day, during "acorn season." Now it's at least three times a day.  Good physical therapy for the old arm.  [Must admit to you (privately) that I swept our patio six (6) times yesterday.  Is that obsessive?  Maybe.]  There's nothing we can do about the rest of the property.  No blower, broom or rake can get rid of all the acorns dropping in the dirt around the other plants, up and down the hill.  We just do what we can.  We have three oak trees that are well over one-hundred-years-old, and several youngers.  Sometimes the whole acorn thing feels absolutely overwhelming.

Currently I am against the procreation of oak trees.  I think the male trees should wear a million little condoms and the female trees should be on birth control pills.  (Or, um...however it works...)  In the current political climate I guess that puts me "left of left."  (And proud of it!)

I'm also on Hyper-Vigilant Mushroom Watch....even though it hasn't rained here in quite a while....you just can't let your guard down.  I found eight (8!) mushrooms hiding under groundcover way back in the lower corner of the yard.  Two of the mushrooms were as big as a plate.  How could I have missed them before?  So.  Yeah.  As much as I love our backyard, sometimes I dream about living in a small, simple, clean condominium....

In the meantime, we thank our Lucky Stars that Riff has recovered from...whatever that was. 

And I'm trying to figure out how to train him to NOT EAT any foreign stuff in the backyard.  What do people do?  Other than watch their dogs like a hawk? 

PeoplePeoplePeople...at the 2012 USDAA Western Regionals

 

Empathy, Good Eye, Gentle Voice (Plus!)

The latest Dog Agility Blog Event question is "What makes a good agility instructor?" 
(Check out lots of answers at this address:  http://dog-agility-blog-events.posterous.com/pages/what-makes-a-good-coachinstructor)

I believe it takes three traits (plus!):

Empathy
She needs to understand how the handler and dog might be feeling, and what they need in order to learn the game. Is the dog a high-drive dog?  Does he enjoy the game?  Or does the dog need a special kind of encouragement?  A good instructor will know.   She has had plenty of experience handling dogs, and has gone to many agility trials. 

Is the handler physically capable of manuevering around a tricky course?  Has the handler built a rapport with his canine teammate?  Does the team spend any time practicing on their own? 

Are there other issues being played out on the field?  Handler impatience?  Handler frustration?  Sore dog?  Funky weather? 

In order to have empathy with a student and his dog, a good agility instructor must have....

.....a good eye.
She needs to be able to watch both handler and dog at the same time, as they attempt to get through an agility sequence.  She needs to clearly SEE what is happening.  Once she catches the handler's errant turn-of-shoulder, or the imperceptible change in acceleration....and the dog's reactions....she will be able to share her observations with her student.

In order for the student to HEAR what his instructor says, it helps if she has.....

.....a gentle (yet knowledgeable) voice.
Students have a difficult, if not impossible, time hearing instructions that are delivered with the vocal severity of a boot camp drill sargeant.  A good instructor will know how to share her observations and expertise with a gentle yet knowledgeable tone of voice.  She will offer an alternative approach in such a way that her student will be eager to keep trying.  She walks the course with her students, so that she is available for any questions they may have.   She may offer her suggestions in the form of a question.  She may even walk up to a student and speak to him privately, if she is aware of his shyness or his lack of confidence.

She knows that different approaches work better for different teams, and she will adjust her advice accordingly.  One size may not fit all!

Plus!

It helps if she has a sense of humor.  Laughter is the best medicine.  Students and dogs can be whacky and fun!  So can agility instructors!

Under an amazing variety of circumstances, a good agility instructor stays in tune with the dogs in her class.  She is aware if one of the dogs is causing trouble in the crating area, and she will give the handler suggestions as to how to deal with it.  She knows when a Big Trial is coming up, which students have entered, and what they may need in order to prepare.   She knows which dogs are happy, and which are not....she can hazard a good guess as to why that is....and try to help them throughout the class. 

Her eyes and ears are always open.  She is attentive.  She is passionate. She is solution-oriented.

A good instructor is always learning.  She will take lessons herself.  She will explore a variety of handling methods.  She learns almost as much from her students as they learn from her.  The best instructors enjoy learning....every bit as much as the best students enjoy it. 

Agility is a life-long learning game.  JOY OF LEARNING is key to having fun!!!!

Riff is a happy dog.  He has a TERRIFIC agility instructor!
PLUS we've been to some awesome privates and workshops
with other talented instructors.  We are very lucky.

PS.  KUDOS to agility instructors everywhere!  Hats off to you, for your marvelous generosity and willingness to work so hard at a tough job.   xoxoxoxoxo!

USDAA 2012 Western Regionals

Before we left for Prunedale on Friday morning, I got an email from Karey, the Bay Team secretary, asking me to take a few photos of PEOPLE for her Christmas party slideshow for the club.  Cool.  So I packed my sweet little Canon Powershot  "spy camera," plus my Canon D1 Mark III clunky "big camera," and my favorite zoom lens.   The old Mark III is a heavy camera, especially for someone with a goofy weak arm, so I knew I wouldn't take it out much...but it sure was fun to play photographer for a while!  NOTE: This kind of project is a great way to get through a four-day show when your dog is not entered.  They also asked me to be the announcer for a while (Derede said she had to leave on Monday).  I did a fair amount of pole-setting, too.  End result?  Free lunches...and I didn't get in trouble.
:-)

Because...let's face it....it's just plain weird to be at a big dog show like the Western Regionals without showing your dog.  Didn't put Riff in even one single class.  Didn't feel ready to show. 
As a result I felt both restless and regretful, at times...and I could tell Riff was wondering why we weren't going to the startline.  We surely did figure out how to have fun, though....even without competing!  Wahoo! 

Riff and I got to play in the big exercise field while everyone else was walking courses with their rotation groups.  We timed it so that we pretty much had the field to ourselves all weekend.  We played fetch and find-it games, and we worked on post-turns and recalls.  Riff ran and ran.  He was a happy, happy dog....especially when we took to the trails around Manzanita Park.  He was less happy hanging out in the RV...but he sure was cool and comfortable in there.  We also spent some time wandering around the trial rings.  Riff was a way-too-excited-pulling-bugger-monster the first day, but he got better and better at being ringside.  Yay, Riffster!

The best part of the trial, for me, was seeing all my old agility buddies.  You guys ROCK!  xoxo

Also learned a lot just sitting ringside and watching handlers show their dogs.  My goal this weekend (yep, I had a goal even though I wasn't showing) was to watch HANDLERS.  Usually my eyes are so full of DOGS (love the dogs!) that I barely notice what the handlers are doing. 

This time I was careful to watch each handler....their timing, positioning, speed, use of arms, etc...along with the end result of their dog's performance.  And I'm here to tell you - after days of careful research - that mistakes are ALWAYS the fault of the handler.  Which we all already know...yes?  Well this phenomenon is now CONFIRMED.  So when you're feeling frustrated and you're thinking "Shit, my dog isn't jumping for shit today.  He seems sound.  What's wrong with him?"  If your dog has drive and he loves the game....then you need to think about what you're doing.  It could be just a teeny weeny tiny little thing - a tweak of the shoulder, a slight acceleration in speed - but I guarantee you it's there.  In you.  Somewhere.  Yeah.  So now my goal will be to REMEMBER THIS every time I run my dog.  If I start to wonder what's wrong with him....I need to carefully review every motion I made, my attitude, my speed, my focus....everything.    And fix it.

Riff, ready to run "off-leash, please?" down the trail at
Manzanita Park.

Our home away from home.
I had a really good book with me - "The Dog Stars" by Peter Heller.
Poor LP caught me crying once when she came back to the RV.
One of the characters in the book had just died.
Ah, well.

I took a couple hundred photos of people (many with their dogs)....about 60 came out okay....and I'll send them on the Karey.  I'll post a few too, some other day. 

Here are a few of my favorite dog-only photos (small versions for the blog):

Mmmm...don't know who this dog is....

This is Bruhaha Jones.  Look at that adorable rascal puppy face!

Bru jumps like a fox, going for his toy.

Fawkes Parkinson

Scoop Gyes

Wit Plummer and her proud handler, Lauri.
Second Place, 2012 Western Regional Performance Speed Jumping Finals.
They had a TERRIFIC run, followed by an EVEN BETTER runoff!

Gazing into the sunset, Riff is thinking..."Maybe she'll enter me next year!"