Okay, so the second week into our very short 'off-season' and I am already insane with boredom. I think that my husband might just be right, there is a possiblity that I am certiafiably insane when it comes to my agility addiction...
I have been doing some good training with Chaos, just the same old same old, jumping sequences with complicated turns, maintaining my contacts and wicked pole entries. I am very pleased with how he is working, I just hope he maintains it in the ring next year, or more accurately I maintain it in the ring next year.
The maniac Sheltie puppy is 15 weeks old now and miraculously I have witnessed him fall asleep TWICE now. But even then it is not a real sleep, because as soon as he sees me move he will follow me like the pied piper trying to make his sleepy eyes look alert. He now stands at just under 28cm, so let's all hold thumbs that he grows exactly 7cm more. I don't want him quite borderline, just because of measuring issues, but it would be nice to be close to the upper limit of his class.
I will be very honest, I adore puppies, as much as the next person, but I am an 'adult dog' kinda person. I love all the puppy phases, but I adore my boys when they get to the stage where 'understanding' kicks in. Even so, it is amazing how quickly you forget the satisfaction of those light bulb moments in puppy-hood.
Volt is now bringing his toys to me and demanding playtime, instead of barging around like a hooligan pouncing on every toy (or toe or cat) that moves. Woohoo, he realises that I am the most exciting thing ever! This to me is one of those very special lightbulb moments, that time when they start realising playing is all about you and not just the environment. At this point I start changing toys in the middle of games and he is taking to it like a duck to water. I also vary between tugging games and retrieving games mid-play and he swops like a pro. I think Anthony has even stopped being shocked that I spend half the day sitting on the passage floor... with one crazy Sheltie bouncing about.
Obviously my camera is not quite good enough to take pics of wriggling, squirmy puppies, but you get the idea. Not only is he starting to demand games, but he has also started to occasionally demand training... When he follows me around dropping into perfect downs or targets ever possible thing with his feet, then I know it is time to get a clicker and some treats. Not that I entertain his every demand, but when the enthusiasm is at its peak is the best time to train!
One thing is for sure, Volt is loving life... ever second of it. And that is what matters right... a happy dog.
He is looking adorable! Glad you are hooked on shelties!
ReplyDeleteAs for size you can ask his breeder as most of us are obsessive about charting sizes on our lines. In my own lines I would be guessing he will be under 14". But the problem with shelties is that they keep you guessing! He looks petite in features so that is a good sign that he will stay small.
Well now... almost two months later I am starting to worry... lol, he is still tiny, but he doesn't know so it is fine... His breeder agrees that he will be very small, but I am still waiting to see, hoping for a tiny growth spurt at least :)
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