A New Year and New Challenges

The year 2012 actually started off pretty great.  We took a few weeks off from trialing, relaxed for the holidays, and played in the snow.  We got back to business the other week for a CPE trial at On the Run.  Both dogs did great, but the best thing about the show was Zoe's attitude towards the teeter.

Back in the fall, something made her question her teeter confidence.  We still don't really know what it was, but to a soft dog like Zoe, it really could have been anything.  So we spent lots of time reworking her teeter foundation.  I decided to test her progress at the trial and it turned out pretty well.  There was a little hesitancy, but certainly not dreaded fear.  With a little coaxing, she performed beautifully!  She continues to make progress at class and by the next trial, I know she'll be a rock star.

Breeze did pretty well too, earning another standard leg among other things.  She is really sequencing well, finding her weaves, but she still has trouble with the 2 on 2 off contact.  She doesn't blow them every time, but she is too close for comfort.  Other than that, I don't have many complaints.  She loves to be out there, loves to work, and is actually a pretty good team player.  We had a couple of off courses, but that is to be expected at her level.  I've decided to turn it down a notch on the trialing so that we can take some time to focus on the spots that need improvement.

Aside from agility, last week I encountered a whole new challenge with Breeze - taking care of hurt Breeze.  Enter evil storm grate.  On our routine walk, Breeze was attacked by a storm grate which resulted in this:

However, despite this tragedy, I was SUPER thankful that the cut didn't go deep enough to affect muscles, tendons, and all that important stuff.  All that would be required would be to keep her quiet for 7-10 days with staples out in two weeks.  Yeah. Right.

Of course being Breeze, she had to wear the cone of shame because she could not leave her staples alone.  

This here is cone #2.  The first one was rejected after she spent the night licking her wound and turning one of the staples around.  So now she gets a cone plus bandage plus vet wrap plus two socks on her foot when she is left unsupervised.  

I knew Breeze lacks pain receptors, but apparently she lacks taste receptors too as bitter sprays and cayenne pepper make her say "bring it on!"  So for now, bandages and socks will have to do.  

Really though, she's been a champ and I can't wait to be able to throw a frisbee for her again.  Just a few more days of insanity....