Whirlwind Weekend Away

[Adina P]

It seems wrong to post a blog THIS long unless it's as funny as Laurie's (Fudge and Vern), but I had to share anyway.

 

I had been wanting to meet with my trainer for a while for help in fine tuning my handling skills of Boca.  However, my trainer lives about 4-5 hours away (depending on driving speed) in Portland OR and, well, it's not the easiest trip for a Mommy to make!

 

I finally decided it needed to be done and this past weekend was the chosen weekend.  I was going to go alone with Boca, but Clark convinced me that I should take Natalie too since I'd be staying with relatives and she'd have a grand time hanging with her cousins -- really I think he just wanted a weekend to himself ;-)

 

But he convinced me and so on Thursday afternoon I loaded up Boca and Natalie and we drove off (with a little fear and trembling about how I'd manage a toddler and a dog if/when we had to make a pit stop).  Luckily the drive itself was easy.  Natalie was a trooper and Boca basically napped the whole time.  I even survived our potty stop halfway there.  It's not the easiest to carry a toddler on one hip and manage a dog (thank goodness she's good on leash!) who doesn't really like going potty on leash while it's SUPER windy and you're quite pregnant.  We did okay.  Boca didn't pee or poo and I decided that she didn't have to go bad enough so on we went.

 

The tough part was coming up.  The relatives are wonderful and sweet and I love them.  The only glitch is that they are 'outside dog' people with unfenced acreage (at least it's not completely fenced) and goats on one side of an easy-to-climb-through fence.  I was anxious about how Boca (and I) would handle this because obviously it was going to be more work than just opening up the back door to a fenced yard.  To add to my worries, the largest crate I have that fits in my trunk is a bit snug for Boca.  So I was feeling guilty and nervous about how I'd juggle her needs with everything else. 

First night was tough and she whined quite a bit in her crate--not for terribly long, but long enough to make me get up early the next morning to give her a break.  Next day was better...I cycled her between supervised off leash play, tie out, and crate time.  2nd night very minimal and short-lived whining.

 

Friday was our first training 'lesson' and it went extremely well.  I swear my trainer cast a spell on her and *I* was the one working her!  But she did far better than I expected.  One of the things I wanted to work on was my response/correction when she whines in the presence of new/other dogs.  This has been a big issue when we work outside the dog park and I hadn't been able to get a handle on it.  But with the exception of less than a handful of minor whines, she barely whined at all--and this park had a number of dogs pass by at various distances.  My trainer also had her airedale with her and her co-trainer had his feisty but well-trained airedale AND a 3.5 month pit bull pup.  We did heeling past the pup.  We did a long down stay near the pup.  The pup bounced around near Boca, sniffed her, etc and Boca held her stay beautifully...and for quite a while as this pup attempted to befriend her.  Yeah Bocadoodle!

 

We also did some recalls with all those dogs on either side of her in a line -- so she had to heel through a "distraction tunnel" essentially-- and my trainer squeaked and tossed a ball in her path.  This was much tougher and we had to do several repeats before she both A) came immediately and B) Didn't try to pass me in the recall.  Funny enough, her response was NOT to go after the tennis ball (despite somewhat of an obsession with them) or stop to visit the dogs, but simply to hesitate through the "tunnel."  But we just did it over and over and with varying distances until we got a good response.  We also heeled through the "tunnel" with decent success.  Of course, any failure on her part was totally MY fault.  I felt a little performance anxiety as I just am not used to listening to obedience ring commands like "forward," "about turn," etc.  So I was a little scattered and rough. 

 

In the meantime Natalie was back with her cousins having a blast!

 

Saturday was even better.  Once afternoon hit, Boca got tons of play time outside and didn't have to be crated until bedtime....  And even though she had to spend some time on the tie out, this made me feel SO much better.  While I didn't ever use her recall command unless she had a line on her, using informal calls and clapping my hand kept her away from the goats when they were present (as did tennis balls =)) and also worked decently to keep her from the cat who had already taught her a lesson (twice) about greeting cats you don't know.  And Natalie continued to have a blast with cousins and a couple of very young uncles =)  She also said one of her first sentences: "Lemonade, Papa make" noting that the lemonade was made by her cousins' grandpa =) 

 

Sunday was our 2nd training day and it was even better!  We actually met outside of Normandale Dog Park--much, much busier than ours at home, with dogs going in and out and lots of dogs playing inside the fence.  It was like Boca was a different dog!  She whined perhaps twice as I opened the door to my car (and never attempted to jump out even though she was NOT on any command or warned) and then again a couple times in front of my trainer.  We were joined by her co-trainer and a training mentee who brought her pit bull mix foster dog.  We did heeling past each other, sits near each other and various heeling patterns.  Once when Boca was holding a sit stay a HUGE black dog suddenly appeared next to her, sniffing her.  The dog's owner was on his cell and his dog was pulling at the end of the leash--which is how he ended up next to Boca.  It took me by surprise, but Boca didn't leave her sit stay (may have lifted a paw and turned neck toward the other dog, but that's it).  RIGHT ON BOCA! 

 

We even got as far as some off leash (but attached to a VERY thin line) heeling...and that too went as well as our usual heeling (which isn't polished, but very practical).  All in all a great training day.

And then what happened? Well I got to have lunch with some new DK friends: Pat & Traveler and Lauria Orr!  They are both very sweet and each of them kept me from getting lost at some point.  I'm the worst navigator in big cities :-(  Lauria couldn't bring her pups Morgan and Melody but I did get to meet Traveler and he's a sweetie...hard to believe he would be ever greet someone inappropriately!

 

Now for photos:

Look of dedication???

So, after lots of worry over "WHAT HAVE I DONE?"  Things turned out great in the end and I'm very glad I made this trip.  Boca was pooped on our way home Sunday afternoon.  And, at least, that night, she seemed to have found a new appreciation for the life of an 'indoor dog' because despite her usual insistence that she needs to spend ALL her time outside, she may have rung the bell ONCE that whole evening and enjoyed her house privileges =)

[Lauria Orr]

It was so fun to meet Adina,Boca,Pat and Traveler.  DK means so much to me...it was very fun to meet the "leader of the pack"!  Adina and Pat were fun to visit with, and their Doods were so well behaved. I was impressed by them both.  I loved the experience. I wish I had met Natalie, as I enjoy the photos so much.  It will be very nice to see a little brother down the road! I am looking forward to getting together with Pat soon, and also hopefully attending a Doodle romp here in Portland.  Adina had to handle a lot while here and I am so glad it came off so well.  It sounds like Boca did really well.  I have met with that trainer myself and she is excellent. Very focused and no nonsense. Dogs and handlers learn well under her guidance. A successful trip indeed!  I came home after seeing Adina and Pat.  Morgan and Melody were whining in full force!  :-)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

What a wonderful trip.  I know you really wanted to meet and have your trainer work with you and Boca and I am so glad you were able to make it happen.  You have done an awesome job with Boca and with Rosco. I am envious of the level you have taken both of them to.  It makes me realize how much more work I need/want to put into Ned and Clancy - we are just excluding Gordie here.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

way to go Boca (and Natalie!)

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

I love the Northwest, the travel itself was always my favorite though at the time I ONLY had a toddler. From Salem Oregon to Northern Ca was our trip.

Sometimes I wish we were still there....if we were perhaps we too could be one of the few lucky ones to meet you in person Adina. Maybe someday we can all meet mid country and have the great big Doodle Romp we all dream of.

Boca, your Mama was proud! And Natalie, I like your sentence....my toddlers first was "cat, door go by". I love the out of order of toddlers words.

Great Blog!

[F, Calla & Luca]

This sounds like such a good adventure. Naturally I loved the pictures and getting to see DK acquaintances. And a peek at Peanut, since we had no belly previews this go round, who is certainly coming along. You look great. And Boca has grown into a beautiful girl. So glad to hear she is becoming a training star. Kudos to you both.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Adina, I loved your blog and your dedication to Boca. I give you a lot of credit for doing all this while pregnant and with a toddler. You and Boca rock!!!!!!

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Great job Boca! Adina you are very brave! I'm glad it was worth the trip!

[Pat and Traveler]

Yes, folks, Adina is glowing!  It was great to meet with her and Lauri and Boca.  What a fun community this DK place is!  Lauri and I will be getting our dogs together for walks now.  And Trav behaved himself at lunch, except for once, when I didn't have a good grip on the leash and he trotted off after a lady carrying a big bag, which he probably thought was full of treats.   

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

What a great weekend. You are like a supermom and a great example of balancing dogs and children :)

And you look GREAT.

[Jennifer and Jack]

That is amazing.. How fun to be able to meet other Dkers... I am glad Boca had a good time... I agree Clark wanted the weekend to himself.. LOL....