So Long Spring Break!

Dear Husband tried to tell me that I really do not have to be in such a constant state of productivity and really -- I try to listen to his helpful feedback but I like being productive and besides -- there are those lists...

This morning I got up bright and early -- as always -- and filled with my usual cheerful morning optimism and energy, I rode my bike and then I sat down to write an article for the berner magazine (The Alpenhorn). A couple of hours later, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place: A Discussion of Breeding and Ethics" was done and emailed off to the Alpenhorn Editor. Did you catch the article I wrote for the April Alpenhorn on being an owner a puppy can live with? I have not seen it yet since my Alpenhorn arrives by Pony Express but have gotten some nice feedback about it from people whose Alpenhorns arrive via more modern methods like the postal service.

Anyway, I got the article done and etc. and then it was time to train all those dogs -- sigh... Well, actually I made Fish Fudge first both because I needed extra yummy treats and also because -- much to Dear Husband's disgust -- I wanted some tuna fish juice to put in a squirt bottle. I bet some of you can figure out why I did that!

So armed with my squirt bottle of tuna juice and water, we headed off to a strip mall -- not the kind that involve taking off clothes, of course, but the kind with non-veg surfaces (i.e., pavement). So yes, we were looking for a place devoid of cover but not clothing kind of cover!

I laid a track that started in grass and then went through a parking lot and back into grass. As I walked across the long parking lot I squirted my lovely tuna juice/water mixture and walked on it. The idea was to help Asia understand that there is scent on these kind of surfaces, and that they are not merely something to cross. She did GREAT!!! I was very impressed with her -- and my little experiment :)

Back to the house to train dogs and videotape. Dear Husband was kind enough to videotape my parade of dogs -- first Halo doing utility and then Asia doing obedience and then Cadi doing agility and finally Zoey doing agility. You can see all these videos at the YouTube site -- to get you started at the site, here is the link for the Halo video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yFmZmDlqWk

Maize and Syd were left out of the videotaping but not the training -- what fun it is to do agility with Maize and that Syd is BRILLIANT.

And then it was time to head off to check out a potential tracking location -- oh my gosh -- TRACKING JACKPOT!!!!!! A great big field with woods and etc. -- and it is public land!!! I was practically gleeful at my find -- and only five miles away. Here are a couple of photos of it:



This will definitely be a site for the tracking portion of Camp Berner!

We walked around the area, and towards the river -- WOW! See for yourself:






Syd says, "It is exhausting just watching my mom."


Have a happy -- and productive -- week!!