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Zellie-belle went to Univ of Penn Vet Clinic to participate in a heart study

On Wednesday, July 29th, Zelda, Charlie and I drove to Philly so Zelda could be screened to see if she qualified to participate in a heart study… to qualify she had to be between 5 and 9.8 years of age and she would have to show signs of the pre-cursor to congestive heart failure (enlarged left ventricle of the heart).  Of course, we hoped she would not qualify, but knowledge is golden and if she did, she would be monitored often… so I felt it was a good deal. 

The good news, we got a free echo showing Zelda was completely normal, no signs of heart disease!  Whoooo hooooo….

While waiting for Zelda to come back from her echo, Charlie and I sat in the waiting room and twittled our paws…. and wandered a bit.  We ended up in front of the the check-in counter and the ladies behind the check-in commented on Mr. Brown’s pretty color and calm demeanor… They asked if they could give him a treat.  Sure, I said and I walked him over to the counter (somewhat like a bank in that it was chest high and the window was tall and narrow for each station).  I tapped the counter and gave him the command to “hup”, hoping he would comply and put his front feet on the counter so the ladies could reach his head.  But my man had other ideas and in one swift motion, he leaped straight up and landed with his butt on the counter and his head and shoulders wedged in the window, looking straight at the lady in the middle.  She almost fell backwards out of her chair in disbelief that Charlie had actually jumped that high from a standing start…  it was so silly and the ladies gave CB a treat or two and I was stuck picking him up (all 90 pounds) and putting him back on the floor.  The waiting room was amused and gave him a big cheer!

 Zelda came back shortly after that and we made a quick retreat to the car and back to Baltimore… Way to go Momma Z!!!!!  9 years and 2 months old and the apple of my eye!

July 24-25-26, 2009

It has been a long time since I threw everything to the wind, loaded the kids, got in the car and went adventuring, but that is exactly what we did this weekend.  Left work, loaded the car, got past the M&T stadium before the big soccer match Friday evening, waited in mega-backup around Annapolis, crossed the Bay Bridge with no problem and headed to Lewes Beach for the weekend.  Jane, Gary and Morgan awaited our arrival and after the initial hello from Morgan (a sweet six year old Corgi) to Charlie (who was smitten and played with her whenever he got the chance) and Zelda (who wanted to play when she got jealous of Charlie and Morgan romping together without her), we settled to a wonderful dinner and a few bottles of wine before hitting the sack–ceiling fans whirling and Charlie, Zelda and I readjusting our sleeping order due to a double bed vs a queen size bed… we worked it out (ok, I got alot less space and they seemed fine!)…

Saturday morning we were up at our usual 6am (thank goodness Jane and Gary are early risers) and we loaded up and drove to a nice beach on the Delaware Bay for a early morning romp on the beach.  The dogs loved running in and out of the small surf and in general making sure the seagulls didn’t stay stationary for long.  Dogs exhausted, we headed home for coffee and a light breakfast, then the dogs stayed home to “serve and protect” the homestead and we headed off to a local veggie and flower market.  The market was in a park-like environment and the produce was local and the people really nice.  Stopped on the way back to buy rockfish for dinner and shrimp for lunch…  we did eat well!  Not to mention the gin and tonics and the wine selection…. A quiet and relaxing afternoon, a movie on the tube and off to bed by 10pm. 

Jane, Morgan and Zellie in the backyard.

Charlie surveying the yard…

Up around 6am on Sunday and we started the day with a lazy breakfast, then cleaned up the house and were on the road by 9am–Jane and Gary off to Baltimore for a wedding shower and me off to Waldorf to train at WAG.

HOT-HOT-HOT… we trained under the trees in the shade and made it fun for the handlers and dogs.  Heeling around chairs and people sitting drinking water and fanning themselves, retrieves with the dumbbell on benches, under chairs, in trashcans and go outs with toys and cheering.  Protection was varied.  Some dogs were worked under the trees, while Charlie was worked on the field.  Jurgen was working on Charlie’s concentration on the sleeve and teaching him to come in straight for the bite.  I don’t know what to call it, but he had a pom-pom type “thing”… colorful streamers that were about three/four feet long that he waved up, down and around Charlie and Charlie had to take the bite and hold on which he did, including in a bark and hold situation.  Good man Charlie Brown. 

I stayed around and talked dogs with a few club members, then homeward bound with ETA around 8pm.  I stopped at a local seafood place and bought fresh tuna, which I grilled for dinner and it was excellent. 

The bed was a welcome respite from a wonderful weekend adventure. 

Fun Bite work in the water July 11, 2009

WHAT A BLAST!  OMG, if you have never done it, try it… of course you need a helper who is willing to get wet, get his gear wet (old gear) and a place that you can work the dogs in the water… but let me tell you, it is the most fun I have ever had in the dog sport!  And Charlie Brown and his Momma, Zelda, loved it too!  After we finished, we went to a local seafood restaurant on the water and ate seafood, including crabs and shrimp.  Then a short wade in the water to a table (yep, out in the water) and we had a drink before heading home… 

We started with Zelda swimming for the ball–at nine years old, she can out swim all the “kids”!

Then Charlie was introduced to getting wet with the tug toy… whooo hooo, what fun.

and my Z-girl

and then on to the food

and then for one last drink (table in the water!–you wade to it!)…

and a safe and happy drive home… we all slept very, very well! 

July 10th 2009 (already!!!)

Where is this summer going????  Is it really already July?  Are the days actually getting shorter each day

I absolutely love the summer and while I rejoice and bask in the summer warmth and the long days, I shutter when I realize June slipped away without fanfare and July is rushing forward, not waiting for me to give it permission to go forward with such speed. 

Charlie is not getting the tracking experience he so desperately needs.  Tracking training with others does not happen often enough and the adage that no training is better than bad training leaves me no choice but to sit on my thumbs.  This will hamper any serious attempt at a Sch II this Fall.  I need to decide to make mistakes and give training a go without direction and see where it takes me.  No training is just not an answer to moving our tracking forward!

We have not trained in Protection for a few weeks (holiday weekend and a WAE put on by my Doberman Club), so Charlie has had a mini-vacation.  Obedience we work on daily as a part of our daily walks, so at least he is not stagnating in that department.  His shoulder seems to be bothering him and if, after this weekend, it is still an issue, we will need to see a specialist and figure out what he has wrong.  I have my fingers crossed in a vain attempt to starve off the possibility we may need to take a break that goes longer than two weeks from Protection… 

Trying to get a dog ready for competition requires training on a daily/regular basis and taking a week, two or more off, is not gonna help the cause…. 

Here is a picture from June 17th.  We are working on Charlie’s targeting.