TMT

http://crooksandcrazies.blogspot.com/  
Missed you last week Laura.  Hope any craziness has gone away this week for you.   Sending you GOOD vibes. Glad you're back.  I look forward to TMT's.


1. What are you thankful for this week? 
As a cancer survivor, I'm pretty much thankful for EVERY day I get  up.  But, I was thankful to have placed well in Pro-Novice with Yoko this last weekend.  I work very hard with my dogs and it's nice to get into the placings. 


2. How do you deal with a squeaker/shrieker/noisy dog?
Shhhhhhh!  I warned you...now "KENNEL."  Yoko has become obsessive looking for cows while I am driving.  As soon as she starts her squeaking, I warn her with a Shhhh.  No second warning.  I pull off the road and put her in her crate.  Bummer.

3. Barbara wants to know: what would you say is ONE skill or attribute needed to be successful?
OBSERVATION....I believe this was Patrick Shannahan's answer when asked this question during the Nationals.  I couldn't agree more.  This takes a lot of skill to be able to "observe" what is going wrong, what is going right, when to step in, when to shut up, when to ask for help, etc.


4. Pippin wants to know: what are your favorite games?
Stupid tricks.  ALL of my dogs like to be silly and enjoy the different behaviors I teach them.  They ALL learn to FETCH and HOLD before 8 mos. of age.  They ALL like to put the plastic rings on the pole, tennis balls in the coffee can, a rousing game of soccer or basketball, open and close gates and crates and a zillion other fun things to do.

5. What are some of your strategies for dealing with winter?
We are gearing up for Christmas puppies.  Thankfully we have lots of movable dog runs and a covered porch.  This will be our 2nd litter.  We are strategizing getting everything together we will need, figuring out our work schedules, asking local friends to check in on them when we have to be away.  It is a ton of work and responsibility, but I'd rather have a winter litter than a summer litter.  It gets too hot here in So. Cal.