August Already???? Where did the summer go?

I can't believe it is August already!  Time just seems to be going by so fast these days.

Steeler and I have been taking a bit of a break from dog activities lately.  After a trial in early May where our runs were not so pretty - I discovered Steeler had a shoulder injury.  In late April he took a hard fall while we were playing with the frisbee, and in typical Steeler fashion, he jumped right up and wanted to chase that frisbee again.  So I didn't think too much of it.  A week later, our obedience runs were very disconnected and I felt like everything was falling apart.  A friend asked me when he had last been checked by a chiropractor.  (Insert head slapping moment here!)  DUH!  So down to Dr. Linda we went.  Sure enough his right shoulder was very very sore still 3 weeks after his tumble.  So he got some adjustments and some laser treatment and was told no jumping for at least a couple of weeks. 

I decided that with the stress I was feeling about competing and Steeler not feeling up to par - that it would be a good time to take a break from things for a while.  And since I can't just stop doing something dog related (or I would have a very bored dog looking for trouble) I decided that Keegan and Steeler should have a night out doing noseworks.  Luckily there was a class starting just 15 minutes from my house!  Talk about the timing being right. 

Steeler has had some exposure to nosework before - so he went right back to workng without any problems.  He absolutely LOVES this sport.  I really think he would do this for hours on end if I let him.  The only part we are struggling with is being quiet when I work with Keegan. 

Keegan is also liking this new activity.  In typical lab fashion - if it involves food he is happy.  When we introduced him to birch - he wasn't too thrilled with the scent, but he seems to be doing pretty well now.  This week he was actually eating out of the bowl where the odor was instead of wrinkling up his nose and waiting for me to pick up the food for him! 

Keegan is 12.5 years old now, so he has days where he looks a bit stiff.  But he still acts like a puppy if you say the magic word .... "walk" 

In addition to the nosework class, Steeler is still doing some obedience lessons and we are starting to work on utility articles.  We are just starting - but so far he is doing great.  In fact I made him a new bag for his articles!  So we are still doing stuff - just not as much running around every night.