I got a new bike because mine was stolen last fall and I need to train Nikon for the AD. I’ve been wanting a new one even before that, it was an OK bike, but 10 years old, had a lot of miles because I rode obsessively to keep in shape when I did gymnastics. We ended up getting this bike from Target. The Schwinn stores in town don’t actually carry Schwinn bikes right now, not kidding! I’ve added a wireless computer, mirror, and will add a light for riding at dusk. I haven’t had the chance to try it yet because the rear tire needs air and the trusty compressor I borrowed is not pumping 100psi. The pump at the gas station is out of order, go figure. Hopefully this week I will find a working pump, but it’s supposed to be humid and 90s again so I probably won’t take Nikon out.
Speaking of Nikon, he wanted to show off his clean, shiny coat (got a bath)
Chopper is now in training for Schutzhund tracking. She has a different harness now though. The orange Puppia is too big so she got a pink soy harness. I’ll try to get some pics this week, it’s really cute.
A little show practice to keep Auntie Carole happy
Goofing off
Back to work… “FUSS!”
Retrieves
Training video – I like to do a vid every once in a while because watching back I see several things to work on that I didn’t notice at the time, and other things I didn’t like at the time that appear different on the video. We’re trying a new method where there’s no toys or rewards on me, but Nikon is released to the reward.
Last night we did a fairly rugged track. The land next to the agility field is just random wildflowers and brush, but I’ve been doing one track a week on it to get Nikon use to different foliage and dryer ground. We’re spoiled using “manicured” lawns that are always moist, if not sopping. Since Phil was along he took some pictures (and laughed every time Nikon downed on the article, for some reason he finds that funny).
Looking for the tail
Going off the scent pad
“Hi Phil, I got one!”
This grass was the nice part of the track, not all of it was so nice
Despite it being over 90 and humid (and the coolest room in my house being about 85 and humid) Nikon ran three blinds today, starting either direction. He *only* did three because that’s all I borrowed from the club. He really will do anything for a ball! I said to Phil this was hardly worth all the work hauling those three blinds from Julie’s house to my house and finding a place to put them up. Nikon ran them correctly on his first try and looked at me like “that’s all you wanted?” Now we have the rest of the week with them and nothing more to do. He also did an article track and indicated all ten articles (even the wooden ones which he used to want to miss if I didn’t help him) with me holding the line loose, giving him a chance to work it on his own without me giving a command or subconsciously putting tension on the line. Even Phil was impressed, I noticed him watching and he said, “Does he just know to go down on his own?” Yep, that’s the idea. I love this dog so much, he’s so bright and so much fun even running around in the direct sunlight at 90 degrees. If my neighbors didn’t already think we were nuts, now we have “teepees” (as my mother in law called them) all over the back yard and me out there stomping tracks in short shorts and 16″ Muck boots.
No pics of these endeavors but here are some recent snaps…
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