Today is The Day

Yesterday started early. Before we could launch the adventure, I had to finish a draft of a survey instrument to email to my colleague for input. Dogs are not my livelihood, after all! [In case you are wondering, it is a survey about pediatric mental health services.]

I sent off the survey and loaded Claire and Sparkle into Lucky — off we went.

To Boise.

I kid you not.

Sparkle in RV.jpg

Lucky returned to the usual spot at the Riverside RV Park and after a quick set-up, we were picked up by Cindy and Vic.

Yes. The Sr. Heintzbergers.

In Boise.

I am marveling at all the ways this breeding is mind blowing.

Vic drove us to the vet (more on the vet soon— wowza) where poor Sparkle had yet another progesterone and got a glimpse of her intended.

Yesterday’s progesterone was over 6.0 — ovulation has occurred and the first breeding will happen today.

Back to Cindy and Vic — they bought a house here late last summer around the corner from their daughter and her family, but they just moved into it a few days ago!

I did not want to spill their beans but can now express much public gratitude to them — I stayed in their lovely house when I was here in February and March. That made a HUGE difference because RV Life in winter is rough — so much better in a large home with a yard.

I thought often during that time — when Berkeley’s blood sugar was unstable and I was here so much —about the value of community. We had Joan and others helping on the medical end, Dear Husband holding down the fort in Montana, Cindy and Vic giving me a place to stay, friends extending all manner of support to Galen and Bethany, and so on.

A small girl and her family just wrapped in community caring and compassion and support. Wow.

Berkeley 2.5 years (1).jpg

This breeding of Sparkle is also a community endeavor. It is happening because of relationships, including some that extend over decades. If Sparklers 2.0 are created — if this works — it will be a litter resulting from enduring and strong connections, and a community willing and able to come together.

Today is the day — we need our community to eat a beaded donut or wear Lucky Socks or send up a prayer.

The World Famous Lucky Green Socks!

The World Famous Lucky Green Socks!

Actually — could you do all three? For the next three days?

Training Break

Yesterday’s progesterone was 3.35. Depending on who you listen to, ovulation happens at about 5ish and remember the eggs need a couple of day to get ready for the party — all that means we are not leaving today but will leave tomorrow instead. Another progesterone will be done later today.

Poor Sparkle! More needles.

Poor Sparkle! More needles.

And so we can set all that aside and talk about other things. For example, much congratulations are in order for Team Tristan (iPup). Tristan finished his CD (an obedience title) yesterday, making him a VCD1 (an AKC distinction requiring titles in tracking, obedience, and agility). VERY COOL. Congratulations to Team Tristan.

Specialty training is in high gear around here. Harper has a TD track at the Specialty — even though she has the title, she can still do the test because there was space for a titled dog. Therefore, Harper has been added to the tracking training rotation, much to her great delight.

Claire is the first alternate in the Specialty TDX. Bummer but if one must be an alternate, that is a good spot to be.

I usually do not draw maps but to illustrate some points from Claire’s training I thought a visual would be useful — this is yesterday’s track.

Map April 2019.jpg

A TDX track is aged at least three hours — in training, Claire’s tracks are always 3+ hours old. This one was laid at 2 pm and we ran it at 5:15 pm.

Claire’s starts can require patience (i.e., she runs in circles before settling in) but yesterday she made a great start and quickly found Article #1, which was placed far enough to reward her for a solid start to the track; I trade articles for treats and so articles are highly reinforced and reinforcing.

The track went through a marsh — on one side of the track was a dead hawk just begging to be rolled on and on the other side was a large puddle. Just guess which drew Claire off her track? If you guessed water, you are correct.

After stretching out in the muddy puddle for a minute, Claire got back to work. She easily made the first turn and the second one, and found the next article.

The fourth turn was tricky — she had to turn immediately after an opening in the fence and go along the driveway; she successfully navigated this and found the strategically placed next article.

Then she had to cross the driveway - TDX tracks have obstacles and the driveway is considered an obstacle. She did the turn, crossed the driveway and headed into the next field where another article rewarded that effort.

Another turn and a hop over a downed tree, which represented another obstacle, and she was back into another section of marsh. Again, she had to take a quick dip in the water before heading out and up to make another turn, cross a wooden bridge, and find a leather glove placed to reward that section of the track.

Do your dogs think of articles as rewards? My dogs sure do.

From there it was about 15 yards to the end of the track, which was dinner in a sealed bowl. All of our tracks end with a meal — every single time. I am not sure why anyone with a food motivated dog would do anything different??

It was an exhilarating track. Seriously exhilarating.

I am so grateful to my friend, Joni, who lets us use her fields to train. And I am grateful for talented dogs who love to track as much as I do.