Barkfest 2009

will be next weekend. Today was just practice for the flyball tournament next Sunday. I took my camera to keep practicing with it - I think I'm getting better at choosing the right settings (basically...shooting in Av mode with the aperture wide open and the ISO at 400 to get a fast enough shutter speed for action. Why does it have to be so dark and grey here *all* winter??). I am still having trouble focusing though - I was focusing on where the dog was about to be over the jump but it was so very hard to get the photo right when they were in that spot. So - lots of blurry faces with a few good shots. Also, no pictures of Abby or Ryan since I was busy running them.

With Ryan I just worked on call backs from the box to his tug, which he loves. We also did a bit of box work but that seems to confuse him and he tries to stick with his back legs on the box like it's a contact zone. With Abby I'm trying to get faster runs back to me since she drives towards the box but then slows down when she comes towards the group of dogs/handlers/judge. Maybe I need to try using a chuck-it in practice to throw a ball the other way and really get her going, as was suggested today. Right now I run almost to line with her and then race back with her floppy green tug frisbee.

Here comes Rogue!

I love how she holds her front legs when she jumps. Cutest Cattle?Something?Jack ever.

Aisa is super fast and super black. I'm surprised I got any photos of her!
She looks like the female version of Tyler.

I had a really hard time getting non blurry pictures of Ru. Too fast!

Riot is still learning, like Ryan. He's practicing his box turn.

Abby is a Bitch!

We went on a hike with Faren the other day - Faren is a dog walker so she brings her pack of dogs and Abby and Ryan run with them through the forest. They love it! I barely see them the entire time we're hiking (one time I actually lost Ryan when he ran down a hill and then must have run in the opposite direction looking for us when he came back up the hill...that was bad...I found him shivering by the car almost an hour later). I call them back every so often (except for during the previously mentioned Ryan-losing time when I was distracted and talking and assumed he was running with everyone else) but mostly I just let them race around. It would be quite hard to try and lose Abby and Ryan, actually...they keep a pretty close eye on me (Ryan especially now - he learned his lesson).

There are lots of good smells on the trails

The woods are pretty at this time of year - somehow there are no dogs in this picture!

Wheeeee!Abby and Ryan spot an intruding pointer coming down the trail (we call all the dogs over to us 'cause it's kinda overwhelming for any dog coming down the trail to be swarmed by curious noses)

This is handsome Tag with his stick that he carries with him for the entire hike. He is ever hopeful that Faren might throw it.

Soon after that picture was taken Abby attempted to *steal* Tag's stick. Tag is a full grown Shepherd and is about 3x Abby's size. There was no hope in hell she was going to get that stick.

So what did she do when Tag told her to get away from his stick?

The little bitch took her frustrations out on Amigo.

This sweet sweet Amigo!

Poor Amigo just turned her face to the side as Abby snapped at her (this entire exchange happened before either of us even realized what was happening). Abby didn't actually make contact with Amigo's face but STILL - Amigo did nothing to deserve that!

So she got lots of cookies to take her mind off of the pure evil...
...that was a few meters down the trail being told to "LIE DOWN"
Does she look like she is extremely sorry?

Uh. NO.
She just looks like she's looking for more trouble!

Meanwhile Ryan was taking out his frustration on this log.
Frustration at what? Who knows. Everyone seemed to think it was strange.

Amigo says 'Why me?'

Why, because you're just that sweet Amigo! Abby would only ever choose a sweet non threatening dog to redirect her aggression onto!

Angel says "Good thing she didn't try to mess with me!"
(she did, one time. Abby is a *big* bitch in a little body!)

Wordless Wednesday

Taking Cover

And Abby closes herself in:


Ignore my talking - I was too lazy to mute the videos. Abby is being so good waiting on her bed while I'm working with Ryan in the first video! Ryan was also being good on the bed while I was training Abby but you can't see him.

Baby Loic

Is the Cutest Baby Ever!Apparently he smiles at all the ladies but I like to think he smiles especially for me.

Today we went on a neat walk in the woods
with Tyler

and Toby

Why does it always look like Ryan is just a head on legs when he runs?

The sequence of a group shot:
(Toby wanted no part in it...neither did any of them really but forcing sweet little Toby into it seems worse than forcing the three baddogs)

Earless Abby is not impressed

Tyler starts to get antsy and Abby gives him the evil eye.
Ryan is oblivious.

Tyler starts to protest.
Ryan is impressed by Tyler's bravery.
Abby thinks boys are stupid.

Tyler is done with the whole down-stay thing.

*Insert pictures of Tyler dancing around barking "na na na na naaa na can't catch me" *

Tyler in a "you'reintroubleSTAYDOWN"

Abby looks for trouble

Toby looks like he's *in* trouble
(he's not - he's never in trouble! perfect Toby)
Ryan doesn't look at anything, especially not the camera
Baby Loic is so sweet!

Running Ball Running Ball

Today was grey and cloudy but not raining at least so I tried to take some park photos. I think I'm starting to get better with my camera but am still having some focusing issues (mostly from being too far away). It will be nice to eventually have a brighter day to try and take photos with a faster shutter speed and lower ISO too!

Happy Ryan

Blurry Ryan

I wish I hadn't cut this one off!

Ready...
Set....GO!

Complete Miss

Muddy park!

I think this is complete satisfaction for Abby.

Ryan appears to be completely satisfied even minus the ball.

Lucky dogs came home to chew on bully sticks and haven't moved since.