Latest Training stuff with Steeler

So Steeler has been up to the usual stuff the last few weeks and a couple of new things. We went up to Keene NH for an APDT Rally match that was a lot of fun! Long ride for 2 runs ... but my friend Karen wanted to go - and she offered to drive! Steeler did GREAT! It was a totally new place for him, and while the crowd for the Rally match wasn't huge - it was at the Monadnoc Humane Society - so there were lots of people wandering around and barking dogs. I entered Steeler in 2 level 2 runs - Level two has a few exercises that we haven't worked on much yet - but I thought it would be a good thing for us. Of course the minute I stepped in the ring I realized I was WAY more nervous than I thought I would be! *sigh* I had every intention of doing the entire run off leash - but there were a couple of golden's ringside that Steeler was eyeing so I started on leash and then took the leash off at the first exercise that had a sit in it. Of course Steeler had to go explore a bit ... we really need to work on this! I was talking to my obedience instructor about it and she thinks at this point it is not about the treats that I do or don't have. So I will be thinking about that. This Sunday Steeler is entered in another APDT Rally Show n Go with 2 level 2 runs - but it is at our regular training center - so I expect that I will not be as nervous and Steeler will be more comfortable there. This time I will remember the video camera!

Obedience class and agility class continue to go well. Steeler had some really nice heeling and really nice stays this week. And my agility instructor thinks that I should actually enter Steeler in a trial!!!!! OMG - an actual trial?????

September????

Ok - once again I am behind in my posting. How on earth did it become September already? *sigh* Lots of stuff going on around here, not all of it dog related. Work is totally crazy at the moment - feels like we are starting our end of year rush to get stuff done a bit early! And it seems like the past couple of months I have spent several days driving to Cambridge for various and assorted science things. Pembroke to Cambridge is not really a fun commute! Thank goodness for Danielle next door who comes over to let the dogs out after school. On top of all the craziness at work, my grandmother fell a couple of weeks ago and though she managed to get up she still didn't feel well and my parents ended up calling the ambulance to come take her to the emergency room. Turns out she had 4 fractured ribs (or was it 5?) On a CAT scan there was no signs of a stroke but they did an MRI and found "water on the brain" ..... at least that is what my mom reported back from the neurologist. So now she is at a nursing home/rehab facility a few miles from my parents. I will hopefully be able to get up there this weekend again to see her. She was doing pretty well when I went up a couple of weekends ago - pretty resigned to realizing that she can't really live alone any more. Mom says she is doing even better now. So hopefully we can get her involved in some activities as well. More on dog related activities tomorrow!