Corgi Agility...Step One, Read The Book

I celebrated my 28th birthday not so long ago and my mom gifted me The Beginner's Guide to Dog Agility and the Kyjen Dog-Agility Starter Kit.  I'm pretty excited about it and wish I wasn't traveling these next few weeks so Winnie and I could start playing with it.  Personally, I think it's pretty cool I still get toys for my birthday.  My brother, thinks it's a sign that I'll never get something for myself again.  That this year my birthday gift was really a gift for mom's 'grand-puppy' and without a doubt future birthday gifts will be for "the two of you", the family", "the house", or whatever applies at the moment.  He may be right but for now I don't mind. 

Neither Winnie or I have tried Dog Agility before.  To be completely honest, I'd be thrilled if she just came every time I called her but perhaps something more stimulating to focus on will bring her around.  (It's not that she doesn't come because she doesn't understand... she doesn't come because I'm not offering anything better than what she has at the moment... jerk) 

The book outlines traits that could indicate a dog would be successful in the sport such as:

• High Energy Level (check)
• Willingness to Run (check)
• Interested in Working with You (hum... checkish)
• Pray Drive (check)
• Confidence (check)
• Trust of People (check)
• Positive with other Dogs (check)
• Good Health (double check)

Some might see this list and think "Great, let's rock and roll!" I see this list and think... "Crap, if this doesn't work it's pretty much my fault. (If we were to evaluate this list based on my own characteristics I would rank... well, below average. I'm a home-body, I run because it's less frustrating that putting on weight, I DO like working with my pup but have no prey drive to speak of, so there.)

One of the book reviews on Amazon when something like "My 12 year-old loves it" so my confidence is restored.  It is full of pictures and bulleted lists for easy/fun reading.  Wish me luck.  I'll be sure to post frequent updates.  :-)

Dog Sitter

Summer seems to be a good time for travel of all sorts.  And as we all know sometimes our fur-kids just can't come with us.  (Which one of you guys used the term fur-kids?  I know I read it on one of your blogs and I've now taken it as my own.)  However, I'm pretty lucky to have a hand-full of people that are ready and willing to watch the win-monster when needed.  My brother took a shift this month and we got this photo of him scratching Winnie's head.  PURE BLISS!  She loves my bro and I know they had a good time.  I can't thank you dog-sitters enough!

I love your ankles!

I'm sure I can't be the only corgi owner out there that needs to remind their pup NOT to nip at their heels.  Normally one stern reminder and Winnie will break her focus but it never stops amazing me just how strong her herding instinct really is.  I guess it shouldn't be a surprise really.  What do you think?  We've been trying to breed that intuition into our dogs for hundreds of years!  Taking a few pups off the farm and into the house won't make that drive go away.  And as if my ankles weren't enough evidence, check out these pictures of Win at the dog park.  She could care less about that tennis ball... she's trailing the other dogs! 

I'd really like to learn more about the heritage of herding dogs so I can learn to better communicate/understand the state of mind in our furry buddies... if anyone can share books, blogs, instructors, experience, or whatever for me to look into that would be great.  Go Corgi's!