Re: blueberries!

[Gina Heitz <brier@oregonsbest.com>]

At 11:51 AM 6/21/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi.
>
> >just sitting alert staring at the blueberry bushes where the birds really
>
>
>Blueberry bushes, eh?!  Guess what surrounds my house?

Our guys pick every year, we have 2 acres of the rotten nasty blue things. 
You you got it I don't like them.


>I'm thinking about one-on-one sessions with Monza until I can get him in a
>group.  Man, oh man, the way he picked up the fetch thing was incredible and
>he just thinks he's so great prancing back with the ball.  I want to do a
>few more things with him & have some direction.

Focus is important and learning to get pup's focus first probably is a good 
idea and if a private trainer is needed by all means do.  My message to the 
group however is often it's easy to not get your pup's out and about enough 
if your working with a private trainer.  So many of them do not encourage 
group training takes the $$$ right out of their pocket.  So balance again 
is important.

With TRiX,  she thinks the word come means cookie and we have no focus or 
recall problems what so ever any more.  We started by saying both words, 
come and cookie rewarding her with a piece of kibble each time she 
came.  After a few sessions of that we just simply dropped the word cookie 
and say come. We always let her romp around a bit and get the bugs worked 
out before we try to call her though.  She is now sitting in front every 
time you call her name to and she ALWAYS at this stage in the game gets a 
cookie for coming in even if she doesn't sit. :-)  Now TRiX is a renegade, 
she loves to do wheelies in the yard and actually until she discovered she 
would get food she didn't come.  She also has the companionship of all the 
other dogs and at times prefers to stay in the game and not come.  But with 
balance were working on that too...


>Gina......you should see how much Monza loves to ride, see people, go
>places.  He's could be the four-legged greeter at Wal-Mart - ha!

Ha Ha Ha...  I wish we could get them those jobs!  He probably will follow 
in big brothers foot steps and be able to TDI certify young if your at all 
interested in that program.  It's very rewarding and so good for the dogs 
too.  Gee should I sew him up one of those little blue Wal-Mart jackets 
with the smiley face on it for X-mas?

Reminds me I took TRiX to the bank with me yesterday, yup I put all of 
your's money in the bank.  She trotted in like she owned the place asked 
everyone for food.  wiggled to get down when the manager wanted to hold 
her.  Smiled at everyone, ran up to a small child in a stroller sat down 
looked and barked at her.  Silly girl lots of personality, definitely a 
girl on the run...


>His other favorites are being held while you dance and sing (really I'm NOT
>a dancer OR a singer, but my mom started this as a calming technique and it
>occasionally works)

O your not nuts!  We all do this I am sure.  I sing to TRiX and well I sing 
to them all and Brandy and Rocky who must have an ear for tune always join 
in with a howl...  <LOL>  I can not carry a tune in a basket...


> >As well at her first obedience classes she barfed every time.  She was so
>nervous around other dogs...
>
>Oh goodness - I can't imagine.

Yup, it was crushing... This is why Scarlette has no tiles beyond her BACH 
at this point.  When we try to take her to structured things she just 
freaks.  George wants to work her in field stuff and possibly the open 
environment will be more conducive to her liking the work.  She loves to 
show she loves to do obedience too just not in an arena even out doors. 
Odd, yes but I attribute it to her early lack of socialization.  Don't 
forget 9 of the bakers dozen are 1/2 Scarlette....



>Should I trim some of the little furries between his toes (the back ones)
>before I Dremel his nails this coming weekend?  We've been walking on
>asphalt so his rear nails stay pretty good.  They're rear-wheel drives,
>aren't they?  (just had to say it)  Any other little grooming / maintenance
>advice?

Well you can try! <snicker>  But if it becomes to difficult no worries this 
hair is not long enough to get caught up in the dremel and it will sand 
away right along with the nails.  I know it's a long drive but when every 
you can you should get together with IIene and have her show you how to 
trim feet.  This is something I can't really explain on e mail...  WEB cam 
would be handy but were not there yet...

Yes rear wheel drive!  Cute! Goldens reach with their fonts and drive off 
their rears.  We very rarely have to do much if anything to rear nails here 
even though the dogs are on soft ground a good part of the time.

As a groomer I get the opportunity to see many dogs nails and I can usually 
pick out the dogs who are dysplastic with out being told by just looking at 
their shape of the rear toe nails.  A little study I ahve done over the 
years...

Thanks Lyn, for bringing up some topics to discuss.  Give Monza a big hug 
for us and tell him to hug you back from us!  He is too cute!