Scholars in Collars

Yes, Scholars in Collars in Burlington, Ontario, is the new location for Chip's agility class.  Now we have two classmates who are also being taught by Erin.  We really had fun yesterday at the first class.  Birgit says that she will try to come next week and take some non-flash photos for the blog.

We did have one little mishap.... Chip and I arrived for the class early, so I was trying to entertain him with his frisbee before class.  Somehow, he and I lunged for the frisbee at the same time, and his teeth collided with my chin.  A centimeter-long cut and plenty of blood resulted.  I now look like I've been in a bar brawl.  The bad thing is... I keep forgetting to tell people why I have it, and they are too polite to ask!

Fall Colors (or Colours)

We finally got some sunshine today and raced out of the city to take advantage of it.  Erin (our agility trainer) had suggested we try a hike at Mt. Nemo.  It was beautiful!  Now if I could only get Chip to stop pulling on the leash...  Going uphill is nice, but when he pulls me downhill, things get a little scary.

More Agility!

We went to another agility session at Erin's yesterday (see more about Erin, her dogs, and her agility training at www.artofdog.weebly.com). What a great time! I can't wait for our class with Erin to start in November.

Here's a little slideshow I made, starting with some puppy pics, then our first agility session with Erin this summer, followed by the autumn session yesterday. The music is by William Coulter & Barry Phillips, so turn on your speakers! :-)

Happy Thanksgiving?

Yes, it's Thanksgiving in Canada... in October. There are pumpkins everywhere. We're going to a colleague's house tonight for Thanksgiving dinner. Then we'll have U.S. Thanksgiving in November. Mmmm. 'Tis the season for significant weight gain.

Chip and I just returned from a long walk to the lake and back. The last time we were at the beach, I let him off the leash and he took off into the water like a ship going out to sea. The waves were coming in over his head -- we were afraid he would sink! Birgit finally caught up with him and went into the water after him. Today, I let him go in the water but held firmly to the other end of the leash. Until he has better recall (which seems like NEVER), no more free swims.

However, I did throw a stick into the lake, close to shore, and he retrieved it. Maybe if he focuses on retrieving something, he won't go so far out into the water. The nice thing is that he LOVES the water and really seems to enjoy swimming -- not just wading.

Next Sunday is another agility session with Erin -- can't wait!

Fall Arrives

The air is crisp, the leaves are turning, and I have a new goal of posting here at least once a week!

Chip is now 21 kg (46 pounds), but Birgit and I keep asking each other if he has grown. Apparently so, but to us he still seems so small. He is as tall as Max, though, and built like a little tank.

We've been visiting Erin for some agility training, and Chip LOVES it! I am thrilled... he actually seems to smile when he's running around, flying over the jumps. We've found out that he seems much more motivated by his frisbee than by treats, too. Now if only I can manage to move fast enough out there...

Here's a photo of Chip napping on my PJs after we returned yesterday from our agility lesson.

I'm sure Max is only napping in solidarity...

On the Road Again

I drove to work today! Yay! I never thought I'd be so glad to go to work. This whole experience has made me much more appreciative of what I am (usually) able to do and my life in general. I think I'll be much more sympathetic the next time a colleague is sick. More than three weeks of being stuck and home, unable to even read anything, has really made an impression. Birgit, Chip, and Max have been such troopers through all this BPPV business. When I was really sick and in bed, Chip kept bringing his toys to my bed and asking me to play. He would finally give up and either go to Birgit or lay down next to my bed.

I still get a little wobbly now and then and am still taking motion sickness medication (Gravol) at night, but things are so much better than they were three weeks ago! And Chip is signed up for an obedience class that starts in mid-September, so hopefully we'll be able to get everything back on track by then.

Here's a picture of BPPV from www.earsoftexas.com. The loose particles are the culprits! They send the wrong signals to the brain about your position, and you become sooo dizzy and nauseated as a result. Yuck!

BPPV

Well, our training has certainly hit a speed bump. I've developed BPPV -- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. It is an inner ear disorder that results in dizziness and nausea. After experiencing these symptoms for about 10 days, I landed in the ER. Poor Birgit had to take me and stay with me for the 16-hour ordeal. Now, all I can do is sit at home and wait for the symptoms to dissipate. I do have an appointment with a specialist on Monday and am hoping he can help.

Needless to say, this has put quite a kink in our training plans. Birgit has been great about taking Chip for walks and playing ball with him. I'm hoping that we're back to training in a few weeks. In the meantime, here's a new photo of Chip and Max in the backyard.