Back in the U.S.A

Whew, they let us back in! Tristan and I did a quick road trip to B.C. I decided Friday afternoon on the spur of the moment to go to the WCGSSC trial held today in Surrey, B.C. I rushed home, got Tristan, threw some stuff in the car and headed out. I was about one third way there when I realized I had forgotten my birth certificate. Having struggled with northbound traffic and hearing how bad traffic was southbound, I decided not to go back for it hoping Canadian customs would let me in. Apparently I look respectable and safe enough so they did let me through.

The trial was exciting to watch. I went to the club's work week training seminar in February (yes, I know I still owe a posting about it) so I knew most of the participants. It was fun seeing everyone again and especially fun to see them with their dogs in competition. I missed the tracking portion but saw all of the obedience and protection. Everyone did really well. The obedience routines were consistently well executed and protection looked great too. The judge did a great job of explaining his critiques. It's so helpful to watch a routine then immediately learn how it's judged.


Watching obedience is my favorite probably because I know how difficult it is. To me tracking and protection are more about the dog's natural instincts although obedience is a big part of it too because the dog must be under control at all times. This might just be my personal take on it because of Tristan. He's always done well on tracking and protection but obedience has been more difficult for us. Obedience requires the dog to totally submit to the handler and to perform in a very stylized way. For example, the dog must not only heel at the handler's side but look up and stay focused on the handler.

It's great to see the handlers work with their dogs. They look so confident and in control. But then it's also reassuring to know that they also get nervous and are still able to do a great job.

Here we are waiting in line at the U.S. border. I'm ever so glad they let us back in. I didn't realize until we were home that I also forgot Tristan's rabies certificate. All in all we weren't very organized this trip so I'm glad we were able to cross over and back without incident. Tristan would have been very mad at me if he ended up quarantined.



We made a detour to see the tulip fields when we hit Mt. Vernon. It was nice timing as it was still light but most of the tulip viewing crowds were gone. Tristan missed his photo op as my camera battery died just as he posed in front of the tulips. The fields really are beautiful.

Happy Birthday!

It's Tristan's birthday. The big boy is four years old. He's brought so much joy to me and I can't believe it's been almost four years since he came into my life. We're a perfect match (if one ignores that he's great at Schutzhund and I'm not). He's got such a great personality and temperament. He's so social with others but also takes great care with me and is appropriately protective when warranted. I love that he is both so noble and very mischievous - and that he laughs at my jokes.

Ball count: Found - one softball, a birthday bonus.

Log rolling - what's this all about?

Could someone tell me what this is all about? Tristan loves to move things around by pawing at them and he'll do it almost obsessively. It's usually logs or long pieces of wood but he'll also do it with pvc pipe, square pieces of lumber or plastic, etc. He'll even do the pawing without an object. Please don't let it be something overtly sexual so that I'll die of embarrassment having put it on his blog. I don't think it is because it's all about pawing with both front feet at the same time. I think he might do it to show off but I can't really figure it out. Any insight?

Here he's having a fine old time. I made sure not to make any comments while recording. I'm usually cooing sweet things at him and sound incredibly goofy even to myself.

Dedicated tracker

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night...More weird weather including snow today but that did not stop a dedicated Tristan from tracking today.

Gobblygook

We headed to Whidbey Island today to Welcome the Whales at Langley. We didn't see a whale but we saw a turkey. That counts, doesn't it? I'm not sure I should have been so surprised but it cracked me up when he went gobble gobble. Turkeys really do sound like that.


This time we stopped at the blockhouse and Tristan had a great time frolicking in the lovely field behind.

The weather was actually very nice on the beach. To the north it was sunny yet you could see all this incredible weather to the south. The gradations and intensities of blue toward the south were beautiful.

Snow

Where's global warming when you need it? It's freezing! I love snow but this is ridiculous. I have my third #$%#!!@!# cold this winter (it must be winter because it's snowing and, yes, I'm feeling sorry for myself). Time for a hot toddy.

Making an impression

Today Tristan had impressions made for his crowns. He did great and was amazingly chipper when I picked him up. He apparently charmed the staff. The tech said they all took turns having him sit and give them high fives.

I worry so much when he has anesthesia because of an incident when he was really young. I brought him home and he lolled around for hours, drifting off and whimpering in his sleep. It seemed really hard for him to recover from it. Well, not today. He was bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready to play. The vets have found the right protocol for him and today was the best ever.

I planned to keep him pretty quiet but he was having none of it. We detoured to the park for a quiet stroll and it turned into a regular romp for him. Tristan is really anxious for all the water fountains to be turned back on for the season. He dropped his ball into this one and was very determined to get it back.


Ball count: Found - one softball

Weather: Surprise sun breaks when we reached the park.

Autograph anyone?

It was a great day for a drive and photo op. When I was taking this picture some young men from India who were sightseeing asked if they could also take a photo of Tristan and then they wanted their pictures taken with him. How fun and I regret that I was too surprised to take a group photo myself.

Weather: Unbelieveable. The radio announcer at the Mariner's game said it was 80 there! Didn't we have snow two weeks ago?

That's my buoy

Tristan was a crazy dog this evening and put on an embarrassingly good show to let me know he's been cooped up too much for the three days. He was full of piss and vinegar and, of course, himself. Embarrassing because I saw some other folks laughing at him.

I threw his ball along the shore but Tristan was so sure it would be thrown out in the water that he dove right in (first dip this year). Then he frantically and comically searched for it everywhere. A large piece of carpeting was thoroughly shaken and killed so it wouldn't harm anyone. Tristan decided the buoy in the water was a great big ball that was his to bring it to shore. That was quite a tussle with lots of bobbing up and down as the buoy was firmly anchored. His best show was swimming after a duck that kept taunting him. Just as he would near the duck, she would take wing and set down further away. Tristan kept swimming after her until he was quite far out. He wound up his hi jinks by prancing up and down the shore juggling a big piece of lumber in his mouth to prove he was king of the beach.

The picture isn't very good but it's Tristan chasing after the bird with the buoy near by.

Wanna dog?

Tristan is in big trouble. I made the mistake of hitting the supermarket and leaving Tristan in the car with my coat with treats in the pocket. Grrr. Good thing for him he ate through the pocket from the inside and that I own a sewing machine.

Spare change?

I may put Tristan out on the street corner to panhandle. We're closing in on getting Tristan's teeth crowned and I'm going broke fast. Here's the start of the sad tale:
http://tristan-schutzhund.blogspot.com/2008/01/some-bling-for-his-grill.html#links. Tristan can wear a sign 'will work for crowns' - except that could be confusing and he might end up with a tiara.

The decision is made and Tristan goes in next week to have his impressions made. We've had several appointments and tests since the original dentist visit. Tristan doesn't seem to do well with anesthesia (or it turns out that I don't do well when he has it). He's absolutely fine (magnificent per the vet) so there's no more excuses. Today we did the last preparatory panel and chem screen. He'll have the gleaming beauties installed May 6.

I'm planning to teach Tristan to smile on command.

Another fine mess

Somehow Tristan managed to get this stick stuck through the ring in his fur saver collar. He was doing his happy and maniacal log rolling and chomping routine in a thicket and came up with something extra. He happily resumed his forestry work once extracated.

Heck, I don't even need articles

Tracking with Tristan was a kick today. First article, boom, down in a platz all by himself. Second article, boom, down in a platz by himself. That's the way it went for most of the articles and I was bursting with pride. We haven't been able to practice tracking during this past week so it was exciting to have Tristan start right off like it was totally natural to him.

Then the trickster thought, Wow! I get lots of treats when I platz; I think I'll just platz a lot, articles be damned. He tried that ruse twice before getting back on track and actually waiting until he reached an article to platz.

My pride was ruffled but not extinguished. I think he does it just to mess with my mind.

Before and after

Before

After

Last week while we were scouting for a new area to play and train with Tristan at Magnuson Park, his ball tosser fell down a really steep bank. The picture doesn't really show how steep the bank is but it's quite vertical and about 12 foot high. Tristan can pop up and down it very easily but no way can I manage it. That day I sent him down after it several times but while he brought up a ball and a piece of lumber he kept ignoring the tosser.

I hated losing it since it works well with non-tennis balls and I haven't seen another like it. Today we scoped it out again and it was still there. I think a light bulb went off in Tristan's head. Oh, that's mine. I told him to pick it up and and bring it to me and that's what he did. Moments like this are laugh out loud fun. My goofball is the best goofball in the world.

Weather
I'm starting a new section in my posts - the weather. I know I'm obsessed with sunny days so this is to spare any of you who read this blog. You can ignore this section when it's too boring to bear. No promises that I won't mention the weather in the main section but this may keep it at a manageable level.

The impetus was today's weather which was spectacular. It may be the best day we'll have all year. Beautiful, clear incredibly sunny and especially wonderful because it's been a very weird and changeable spring.

Ealga the beautiful

This is my friend Mary's very beautiful pup, Ealga. We were taking a doggy break today and I just happened to have a ball in my purse. Imagine that - doesn't everyone? Ealga was so cute with it. She kept going further afield obviously wanting to hide it and claim it as her own.

Thinking good thoughts for you, Paddy (Ealga's dad)