Although I will say it hasn't been very conducive to taking pictures.  Sometimes my many many other interests (and work) do get in the way of that.   I did figure I should at least take a moment today and document some of what has been on my plate this past week if not for your reading but for my referral.   Yes I'll even through in some of the photos I took - all in the last couple days though - LOL.

I decided this week to continue my quest to get back into some training with my dogs - the poodles in particular, and set some goals for the next year.   Some may happen some may not but I work better if I have them in my head (and written down somewhere).    I have found that I really have missed even just doing fun training for no reason but I really also have missed doing dog performance events and the seeing the friends I see at them.   So I signed up for an online Precision Heeling class for the poodles.  I really want to get back and do Rally with both of them and have hopes of some Obedience as well.    Baby brains Epic needs someplace to start (and I'll be honest, giving him brain work is required right now to get some focus going and helps wear him out) and Sterling has lost some of his joy in obedience in the past years.   So start back at square one.    So far it hasn't started the way I expected (or typically teach heeling) but I am going to follow it correctly and have faith that the end results will be promising!   First thing I did notice is that ALL of us have been away from a training "mode" for way too long!

My very good friend and trainer also has done some work in her training building and I have committed to renting it once a week for a new location to go train.    Changes up the picture and even if I don't get as much work done with the poodles each week at home - I have that time set aside to just go do it!

My crazy brain also has entered both boys in an agility trial the end of the month.   I just really want to see where we are and what we need to work on - especially with Sterling.  Epic again, has no focus but I want to go get him in that environment and see what happens.  We may be the "team bloopers" but I don't care.  It will be fun and I have friends going that kind of talked me into at least giving it a try.  It is in a horse training barn so I will see how my allergies take that and if it is someplace I can put on my list of places I can tolerate (where they have our local AKC agility is NOT)!  It is a Halloween trial and everyone dresses up and gets kooky on Saturday so it will be fun!

My itchy feet and lack of Dot's food urged me to head to Bozeman yesterday and while there I was able to hook up with a friend for coffee after a lovely drive down there.   We got a blessed hour to chat and I always wish we had more time to visit but her schedule and mine were pretty full for the morning. 

Dog food pickup and a quick stop at World Market before we headed to the home of our lovely carting mentor ad good friend just outside of town.   First though we had time to make a potty stop at a pond I know of with a dock!  Yup you got it!   Epic got to at least get off the dock and wet a few times and I was able to get all the dogs pottied.   The place was packed with geese and none of them cared the least that the poodle was jumping into their pond.

 I had an AMAZING practice with our mentor and Sterling.  We did about 1/2 hour of work with him and it was so wonderful to have her experienced eyes to see things that I did not and to give me some hints of things to try with him.  She has trialed in draft dogs many times and so her expertise is extremely helpful!    I didn't get any shots of Sterling working as well, we were working/learning!   :)   Maybe next time.   Meanwhile I have some adjustments to make to his harness to hopefully make the uphill work more pleasant for him.

Then I had this kwazy idea to put the harness on Epic and while I had an extra experienced pair of hands see how he handled being hooked up to the cart.   The photo below was just before he realized he was ATTACHED to the offending cart and had a small meltdown/freakout.    Luckily this boy can be refocused and he recovered well and with the help of our mentor we were able to at least get him to pull straight.   New place, new thing but I was proud of him and now have a place to start.  Straight lines as well as continuing to work on his rally exercises which will focus him on me and get him more body aware I think.  He really is one that hasn't realized that that his rear end does more than just propel him.   

We had a lovely drive home but were too tired to stop anywhere to play (and it was busy as everyone was taking advantage of the lovely weather).   I fed the pups and they all crashed (see photos above) and fixed myself some wonderful spaghetti squash and tomatoes for dinner which was AMAZING!  I've decided to try to replace my pasta fix with that and see how it goes.  YUMMO!

So finally Sunday and we are in sunny skies so I think it is time to get a load of laundry going and some things cleaned in the house and back yard (so glad I raked the pine needles 2 weeks ago BEFORE the 60mph winds - so get to do that again).    Tata for now and thanks for reading!