Collars, Frisbees, Ballet and Things

Where to start?  It's been a busy week! 

Mom and Abby have started 'training' again.  Mom talked to some of the therapy dog handlers she's met at hospital (aka The Great Kibble Provider) and one of the suggestions she got was to have a 'special' leash and collar just for training/working.   One of the other suggestions was to use a 'traffic lead' - a very short leash - rather than the 4-foot long leash we use for regular walkies.  So, Mom hit the interwebs and found a 16" traffic lead and a different collar to be used just for training. 

Today, Mom and Abby went back to Home Depot to test out the short leash.  After a little adjusting (if Abby pulls on a 16" leash, it's a lot more obvious than on a 4' leash, and Mom's a lot more likely to dislocate her shoulder, so they had to spend a little time working on 'loose leash walking') they seemed to have a fine time at Home Depot.  And Mom seems to enjoy having Abby on a short leash!  Can you blame her?  Heehee!

Abby on a short leash!

Really short leash!

I think that leash makes her schnoz look big, don't you?  Heehee!

Abby's 'special' collar isn't anything special in the sense of rhinestones, it's just different from her daily collar.  Here's a close-up of the above picture, so you can see the collar.

Special 'working' collar.

Mom said the Home Depot visit was good (no dislocated shoulders), and she's going to be on the lookout for more places to take Abby to get her used to new and different environments.

"But what about you, Fiona?  Surely you got something new and cool, too?" you ask.  Well, as a matter of fact, I did.  When Mom was looking for Abby's collar she found a place that makes custom collars, and Mom was quite enamored with them, but she wasn't super enamored with the price.  However, the company had a 'bargain bin' of pre-made collars for about a quarter of the price.  So, when she got Abby's collar, she got me a new collar, too.

I liked it so much that I requested that my old collar become my 'training' collar (I don't do as much training as Abby - SOMEONE has to stay home and keep Dad company!), and that my new collar become my daily collar.  So, here is my new, super-cool, super-special collar!

It's the angle of the camera, not the collar that makes MY schnoz look big here!

It's a super-comfy heavy-duty cloth collar, and I think I look rather stylish, if I do say so myself!

In addition to all the excitement of the collars and leashes (and possibly a new tag for each of us - Mom has become a big Etsy fan!), we have been getting in our regular allotment of frisbee funballs time.

Abby's not the only Flying Doodle Sister!

But she does fly! 

And she's big on two-footed catches!

And a two-footed catch with full extension and a quarter twist!

I've got moves, too!

Did she catch it, or just plaster it against her face?

Here's a close-up.  Looks to me like she trapped it against her face!

In spite of some of her 'misses', Abby has some graceful moments.  Here she is, rehearsing for her lead role in the famous ballet "Doodle Lake." 

Look at that extension!  All the way up on her tippy-toes!

But don't let that graceful athleticism fool you.  She's still a goofball.

But she's finally learned how to play tug-of-war with Mom...

"I win!  Now will you throw it again?"

Heheh!

And because I can, here's a gratuitous happy dog photo!

Nifty collar, huh?

Yep, we're happy dogs!

Heehee!

Have a great week!

*kissey face*
-Fiona and Abby the Hippobottomus

Frisbees, Ballet, Bitey-Face and Possibly More Frisbees

Heh.  We actually do more than just leap for frisbees, although you wouldn't know that from looking at Mom's camera.  I mean, we go on lots of walkies, we chase lots of rabbits (mostly unsuccessfully), we bark at people and dogs on our street, we bark at the garbage truck, we bark at stray air molecules, we stare in wonder at the mice, we wrestle on the bed (much to Mom and Dad's great enjoyment), and when it rains, we track mud into the kitchen.  See, we do WAY more than just catch frisbees.

Although we do spend a lot of time perfecting our frisbee technique.

Ho-hum.  Abby does this All Day Long.

 

And this.

A picture of grace and uh, well, she caught the frisbee and that's all that matters, right?

Yep.  I can do it, too, when Abby's not hogging the frisbee.

See?  I can levitate, too!

Wow.  Abby's kinda tall!

Yes, youngster - watch and learn.

She gets point for the effort, doesn't she?

Okay.  So we spend a fair amount of time with our frisbees.

Again!  Again!

Of course, occasionally Abby will forgo the frisbee for a little ballet.

I think she's getting ready to audition for 'Swan Lake'.

Heheheh.

Of course, we also make sure we get in some bitey-face - we wouldn't want to lose our edge!

Bitey-face is really a cold-weather sport, but we always like to engage in a little off-season training!

We also spend a little time humoring Mom with some posing.

Goofadoodle.

Why does Abby look so much bigger than me?  It has to be one of those optical illusion thingies.  Or she's a mutant.  One of the two.

It has not been ALL fun and games, however.  As you may know, Abby has her first therapy dog evaluation next Saturday, and Mom and Abby have been spending a ton of time trying to look like they are a well-behaved team, and not just a pair of doofuses.   There actually aren't any pictures of this because Mom has been too busy focusing on not being a doofus, and that pretty much takes up all her energy!  Heehee!  Anyway, Mom is looking at the first evaluation as a 'pre-test'.  She doesn't actually expect that they will pass, but is instead looking to identify the skills on which they are determined to be "not ready".  (Unless Abby - or Mom - bites someone, they won't actually fail, they will just be declared "not ready".)  Mom is hoping to come away from next Saturday's evaluation with some 'direction' for her training with Abby so they'll be a whole lot "more ready" for the next evaluation.

Which means Abby will have plenty of time to get comfortable in this...

Because Mom is all focused on not being a complete embarrassment next Saturday, she has declared that my birthday celebration will be postponed until the weekend (I turn 5 on Wednesday, but apparently there will be no trips to the Magic Cheeseburger Window until after the evaluation).  However, there is some evidence that Mom is at least thinking about my birthday celebrations...

Puppy cake!

And until such time, I'll just be bouncing around waiting for the frisbees to fly!

Throw it!  Throw it!

And, of course, I will keep you posted on the Hippobottomus' level of readiness to be let loose on the public!

Goofy or therapeutic?  You decide!

*kissey face*
-Fiona and Abby the Hippobottomus