Tuesday's Training TIP: Learning

FLD Dutch is nine-weeks-old today. We've had him just over one week. He came to us already knowing how to SIT before being fed (although we need to work on holding that sit) and petted. And he's not too bad on a leash. Well, he's not afraid of it and doesn't fight it.

Dutch is learning every minute! I plan at least two short "training sessions" every day, but really, a young pup is like a sponge. Here's a list of some things he's learning every day:

1. name recognition--He's getting that pretty well, although when I started teaching him "touch" I discovered his name sounds like the command. He loves to run and find me when I call his name from another room.

2. sit--As I said, we're working on duration. He's learned to give me eye contact before he can bolt to his food dish, so we're making progress. He also sits before having the leash clipped on. We've also started working on "sit" from the "down" position.

3. wait--That coincides with the sit before meals, but also before I open his crate door so he's not rushing out like a banshee.

4. touch--He's catching on to this one so much so that whenever my hands are near he touches his nose to them!

5. leave it--I've started adding the "leave it" verbal cue and surprisingly he's responded to it a few times when he was trying to get into something he shouldn't, like the computer cords under Andy's desk.

6. park--He doesn't whip his head around to look at me anymore when I say "good park" as he's peeing--maybe he figures it doesn't get him a treat. Repetition is my friend. I'm learning his signals, and a few times he's headed for the back door on his own!

7. settle--Not sure he's "getting" this, but he does settle down pretty quickly when I stay after him. He loves his crate and settles in right away at night.

8. loose leash walking--Instead of only working on this when I'm out and about with him, I've taken to short walks in our driveway or down our road. Just to work on keeping a loose leash. I'm positive this will help. If he can't do this at home, he can't do it anywhere else!

9. stairs--He has no problem up or down the few steps out the back door. He needed some encouragement down our basement stairs, but raced right up them on the way back--he was off leash, so not a problem.

FLD Dutch is learning much more than I've listed. He's learning to leave our old crabby dog, Gypsy, alone and that cc'd Gus is okay to play with. He's learning to not chew on things that aren't Nylabone or Kong toys. Actually, he is learning so much it makes me dizzy!

He is even learning "down." Here is a short video showing his progress. I've been working with him several times a day for a few days and you can see how quickly he can learn!

A day of firsts

May 18

Another chance to expose FLD Scout to the kids in our adopted 2nd grade class. We're taking a field trip to the high school pool! No, Scout won't get a chance to swim, but it turns out it's a day of firsts for my little growing Future Leader Dog.

FIRST BUS RIDE

Scout, sit, I say at the bottom of the steep steps of the school bus. The students are all aboard. FLD Scout sits and looks up at the bus driver, who is leaning over from his seat in a welcoming stance. With no hesitation, she tiptoes up the three steps and stretches to greet the driver. Scout, leave it, I say and coax her down the aisle to an empty seat. She settles in a lump at my feet, her nose immediately busy in hard-to-reach corners.

FLD Scout, comfy on the school bus.

After a 15-minute bouncing bus ride, we arrive at the high school. Scout waves an interested nose into the aisle as the group from the back of the bus funnel past, but she stays seated until it's our turn to go. She strains to greet the driver again, and it takes a finger poke to reel her in. She sits, then takes the steps down one at a time like a pro.

The kids from the back of the bus.

FIRST HIGH SCHOOL POOL

Just being in the natatorium offers unique challenges for FLD Scout--the wet and slippery tile floor, chlorine puddles, humidity, and the echo-y quality of the cavernous room. Her demeanor is calm, but curious. She seems as bored as the kids are during the pool-rules lecture; she spreads herself out on the cool tile like a wet towel.

The pool-rule lecture.

FLD Scout, being a towel.

The swim coach breaks the students into three groups. They'll have time to "free swim" after learning safety tips at stations around the pool. FLD Scout and I are just a few feet from the "Throw, Don't Go" station, next to some parents who've come to assist. Coach has a pile of stuff you might have at a beach picnic--coolers, water-jugs, noodles, kickboards. What floats, what doesn't, and why?

A boy picks out a lunch cooler and underhands it toward a high school girl who is staged in the water as a drowning victim. FLD Scout leaps up, a limp towel no longer. She strains a little against the leash, stretching toward the pool.

"Does she want to rescue her?" one parent asks. I laugh, but insist that Scout not pull. Scout, sit. She sits, intent on the swimmer floating with her chin on the cooler.

Now a girl chooses a neon green noodle. She swings it and as the noodle launches, Scout charges forward with a booming bark. Good thing I'm ready, or we'd both be getting wet.

Hey Scout! I say with a high-pitched voice. Name recognition. What are you doing? Blah, blah, blah I go on, drawing her attention away from the action. One by one, each kid tosses one of the items to the now-shivering girl in the pool. Each time, Scout settles a bit more, until she calmly lies back down to watch.

FIRST THERAPY SESSION

At one station the kids learn about the proper fit and use of life jackets. One little boy, Jason, is eager to strap one on. When it comes time to enter the water, though, the most he will do is sit on the edge and dangle his feet. He gets braver as he moves from station to station. Soon he lowers himself at the ladder, but his feet stay planted on the steps.

"Come on, Jason," says Coach. "You can do it." Coach is encouraging, but Jason wants to do this on his own terms. I cringe when Coach reaches down to pry Jason's hands from the side of the pool. Jason cries out in alarm.

Scout, heel, I say. Jason is a special kid and he and Scout have really warmed up to each other. Maybe we can run interference.

"Scouty!" Jason cries as we approach. He wrenches free of Coach and grabs the ladder to reach her. Scout cautiously nears the edge of the pool and sniffs. I don't mind when Jason pets her. Show Scout how you can go in the water, I say. He lowers himself. Suddenly his feet float off the steps and he's buoyed in the water up to his neck. His hands still clutch the lip, and his toes quickly feel for the wall, but he's in!

FLD Scout and I run interference for Jason at pool's edge. Coach hangs his head in frustration.

Yay! Way to go Jason! I move FLD Scout a step or so further to our left. Jason slides himself along the edge to get closer. "Hi Scouty!" We do this several more times before Jason realizes he's 10 feet or so away from the ladder. He scurries back and climbs out, dripping water all over the deck when he comes to give Scout another pet. I don't interfere.

Not long after, Jason lowers himself at the ladder on the other side of the pool. A few of his classmates notice; someone yells, "Go Jason, go! Go, Jason, go!" The others start clapping and take up the cheer. Soon the chant is ricocheting around the room.

I'd like to report that at the last minute, Jason lets go of the wall and floats freely, but that will have to happen another day.

For this day, the water-shy boy proudly says to his teacher (after Coach eventually gets Jason's hands in his and holds him away from the wall), "Did you see me, Mrs. Matthews? I did it!" He turns to us, "Scouty, I did it!"

Nice job,  Scout.

ON ASSIGNMENT LATER THAT AFTERNOON,

MORE FIRSTS TO COME...

Tuesday's Training TIP: STAY

The STAY command is part of a normal range of obedience commands that I, as a puppy-raiser for Leader Dogs for the Blind, must teach my Future Leader Dog puppy.

Per Leader Dogs' "Puppy Manual," the goal for the STAY command is that my puppy will stay in position until released with an "okay." As part of our new "In-For-Training" (IFT) Standards, the STAY is assessed by me putting my puppy in a sit, down, or stand in the heel position; I then give a hand signal and the STAY command and step out in front of my puppy to the end of her leash. My puppy must hold her position for 30-60 seconds and afterwards while I return to her side.

Prior to raising Future Leader Dog puppies, I trained the STAY command a bit differently. Whenever I placed my dog into a specific position (like SIT), I considered the command to include an "implied" stay. Meaning, my dog was expected to hold that position until released, or until another command was given.

STAY meant something more.

When I told my dog to STAY, it meant that I was most likely going "out of sight," and that I might be gone for a while. My dog was expected to "settle" in for the long haul until I returned.

In a way, the Leader Dogs for the Blind requirement for STAY is easier to teach, because my puppy is not off-leash for the assessment.

Here is a long-ish video of me working with FLD Scout in a typical training "session." I spent almost 11 minutes overall with Scout in this session, in which I demonstrate how to begin teaching the Leader Dogs' STAY. Scout has learned this command prior to the video, so she makes the start of it look easy. In fact, as the video opens I ask Scout to STAY so I can put on her working jacket, not unlike what a blind handler would do when putting a harness on her Leader dog. (No, it is not necessary for my puppy to wear her jacket during training, but sometimes it helps to get her focused!)

Andy comes into view to take Gus and Gypsy outside just as I begin working with Scout--she is distracted, but it doesn't take long to get her focused.

Viewing a session like this is helpful in learning to be a better trainer. I can see instances when I transitioned from one command to another a bit quickly, for example; I'll need to slow my pace next time so as not to confuse Scout.

See if you can spot other things I did (properly, and maybe not so) in handling Scout!

HINTS FOR TRAINING STAY (or any other command)

• Plan a clear objective for your training session, introducing only one new command; in this case, I concentrated on "pushing" Scout with STAY since she already knew it a little.

• Warm up your puppy. Start with things your puppy knows to help get your puppy to focus on task. Use techniques such as NAME RECOGNITION and finger pokes to get your puppy's attention.

• Take your time. Give your puppy time to think and decide--count to "three-one-thousand" after giving a command.

• Say the command ONCE. If, after waiting a few seconds, your puppy isn't sure what to do, place your puppy into position. Do NOT repeat the command, that just teaches your puppy to wait for the third or fourth or fifth reiteration!

• If your puppy moves out of position, don't say anything, just physically put your puppy back.

• Don't overwhelm your puppy. Mix "old" commands your puppy knows with the new command you are teaching. Give your puppy a break by releasing her and praising her, then go back to work (Notice in the video I did not drop the leash with the "release.") If your puppy "got it" but starts to backtrack, you've probably worked your puppy too long. Go back to something your puppy knows and end the session on a positive.

• Make it fun for your puppy and she will be excited about learning--that means praising her for doing what you want! In the video you can see that I vary the intensity of my praise, and reward (and sometimes reassure) with physical contact.

Tuesday's Training TIP: AROUND

The "around" command is specific to our Future Leader Dog puppies. When doors have hinges on our left side (where the puppy is heeling), it is safer to pass through the door with the puppy on our right. 

So, we teach them "around"--passing the leash from left hand to right behind our backs, guiding the puppy to our right side, then we proceed through the doorway. Once safely through, we pass the leash behind our back from right to left and "heel" our puppy forward.

This short video is of me and FLD Scout in our house, going through a left-hinged door into our bedroom. In a more open area I would have walked a bit further on before having Scout heel back to my left side.

(As we approach the door, FLD Scout veers toward the open door on our left--Gus was there in his crate! Scout did a pretty good job refocusing on task. And notice the nice loose leash?)

HINTS FOR TEACHING AROUND

• Repetition! Always, always, always, guide your puppy to your right side this way at EVERY left-hinged door you pass through.

• Feel for the door. A blind or visually impaired handler will reach out to see where the door knob is...do the same thing with your puppy as a "cue" and soon your puppy will watch for your command if the "around" is necessary.

• If your puppy rushes through, stop, shut the door, and wait until the leash is loose. Try again.

• Stop after going through, keep your puppy standing at your right side, and then shut the door. (I didn't do this in the video.)

• Praise your puppy!

Tuesday's Training TIP: FOOD!

 Labs I know think everything is edible. Sticks, scraps of paper (or paper torn into scraps--see my post "My Dog Ate It"), fuzz, bits of material, just about anything below their noses or in your hand. They lick the promise of your hand and look up at you with sad brown eyes that say, "I'm STARVING here, don't you have anything for me to eat?"

Labs I know fall over themselves and anyone else in the way to their food dishes with the mere mention of "Do you want to eat?" Drool, stretching at a snail's pace to the floor answers, "Are you kidding me? You're kidding me, right? No, I don't want to eat, I'd rather just sit here and think about how deeeeliciiiooous my kibble is going to be. Is it bacon? Bacon! Bacon! Bacon, bacon, bacon!!!!" 

Labs I know need self-control at meal times, otherwise, I'd be flat on my *ss on the floor with Purina Pro Plan skittering about, a victim of Lab-over-exuberance. At our house, our Labs sit and wait for the "OKAY" before eating. (Then you'd better not be in their way!)

HOW DID I GET THEM TO DO THAT?

FIRST

From day one at our house, puppy does NOT get her food dish on the floor until she is sitting. Granted, initially I'm lucky to get 1/2 second of "sit" but you need to start somewhere. (TIP: hold her collar as you set the dish down, coax her back into a "sit," THEN say "okay" and release her.) In fact, host families for Leader Dog moms and litters work on this before us raisers ever get the pups at seven weeks of age. Puppies must "sit" before being picked up, and before being fed. If you are consistent, it doesn't take long for this smart puppy to figure out what to do to get FOOD.

SECOND

Gradually lengthen the "wait" and the distance to the food dish. (TIP: feed young puppies in an "x-pen" away from other dogs in the household.) If the puppy leads off before being released, lift the bowl from the floor. You'll be amazed how the action of lifting the bowl drops the rear end!

THIRD

Eventually the puppy will hold her sit, even with the distraction of the other dogs in the household.  (TIP: Have someone else hold the puppy's collar, or put the puppy on a leash when first introducing feeding with others. Fill one bowl at a time.) Of course, it helps if you have an old grouch like Gypsy, who lets the new puppy know that HER food is OFF-LIMITS! I always like to feed the "home" dogs first, before the short-timer Leader Dogs for the Blind puppy. It just helps develop self-control.

Here is a short video of a morning feeding not long after cc'd (career-changed) Gus came back to stay with us. I had Gypsy and the two Labs sit. Gus and Scout sit together on the "mat." I fill Gypy's bowl and release her to eat with an "okay." The others wait until I release each of them in turn, Gus first. Gus and Scout get two helpings, in an attempt to slow their eating down. Between helpings they are expected to return to the mat for another "sit."

You can see that it will take a while for everything to settle out, because Gus is so new to being home. If I had filmed them this morning, almost two months later, you would see how Gus and Scout know just what to do.

Tuesday's Training TIP: Stand

Try as I might, I could not get all these videos processed in time to publish this post yesterday. So, here's a "Tuesday's Training TIP" on Wednesday!

STAND is a helpful command to teach a Future Leader Dog puppy. A standing puppy is easier to groom, and later she'll need to stand for her handler to put on the harness.

I video-taped a training session to demonstrate how I'm teaching FLD Scout to "stand"on command. This particular session lasted just over seven minutes. In the video, FLD Scout is wearing her working bandana and leash.

Step One. WARM UP.

Before any training session it is a good idea to "warm up" your puppy with some things she already knows. (Okay, "might" already know!)

I start working FLD Scout with a heel, sit, stay, and down. As I pass my dog Gypsy I tell Scout to "leave it" when she makes a move toward her, and praise her when she ignores Gypsy.

(I really missed an opportunity to let Scout make up her own mind before telling her what to do.)

Scout needs work on her "sit in a heel position" because she tends to wander out in front of me before sitting. I merely slide her back into the heel position, but to work on correcting this I will practice heeling close to a wall with no room for her to swing out.

At the end of this video, Scout is on her way to a "sit" when I give her the "down" command. Scout came home to us with such a good "sit" that I've had to work on her NOT sitting whenever we stop during a walk on leash! (While puppies are still in the breeder homes they learn to "sit" before getting picked up or eating.)

Step two.  First attempt with the STAND command.

FLD Scout likes to swing out with her "down" too. Notice that I just slide her right back into the heel position.

When I give her the "stand" command, you can see that she moves a little--a sign that she's thinking about what I want her to do. This is not the very first time she's heard this command. Normally, I would have waited a second or two to see what she would have done, but I wanted to demonstrate the little step forward that will encourage her to get up. 

When I "fake" the first step, Scout sits, so I fake a second step forward to get her to stand. I immediately step back, which causes her to take her more familiar position--the sit!

(I should not have said "nope" under my breath when Scout sits, but putting her into the "stand" is the right thing to do.)

I rub her belly a bit to keep her in the stand position. I think she would have held it after I stand back up myself, but to ensure that she doesn't drop into a sit, I immediately take her into a heel.

 

  

Step three.  STAND from a "sit" and demonstration of leash technique.

FLD Scout's "sit" this time was a little better. (See, repetition helps!) You can see that I wait a moment this time after giving the "stand" command to see if Scout would make a move.

The whining you hear in the background is cc'd Gus from his crate in the other room. This creates enough of a distraction that I have to add a verbal cue to get Scout's attention back to me. She stands with my fake step forward, but sits back down when I praise her (and Andy finally notices that I am working with her).

Again, I merely stand Scout back up. This time I loop her leash around her belly--a technique that can help keep her standing while I straighten back up myself.

 

Step four.  STAND, almost!

I treat FLD Scout for looking at me when I say her name because she still needs work with "name recognition." 

This third try at the "stand" command is the first time Scout stands without sitting first! You can see that she started moving and if I had just kept still she probably would have stood without me taking that step. (See where patience comes into play?)

Then, I praise her a bit too enthusiastically and she anticipates me reaching into my pocket to treat her. I place her back into position with a belly rub and immediately have her "stay" to try to reinforce her "stand."

After this segment, I could tell that FLD Scout was getting a bit overwhelmed. She acted like she forgot how to walk next to me and she flopped onto her side when I asked for a "down." I knew that we needed to end the session on a positive, so I picked up the pace on our walking, had her sit and stay, and threw in a "come," which she readily did, so I gave her the "OK" that released her from working. Lots of praise and fun (while keeping her four feet on the floor) and we were done.

LATER THAT DAY....

I did another session with FLD Scout. We "warmed up" and tried the STAND again. Success!!! It wasn't perfect, but I was more patient and she stood on her own with no cues.

That's what I call PROGRESS.

HINTS

• be patient

• repetition is important

• work a new command without distractions

• add distractions as your puppy masters the command

Don't be afraid to try this for yourself. Have fun and you can easily see that even if the trainer isn't "perfect" the puppy can still learn!

Tuesday's Training TIP: BE QUIET

FLD Scout's first task: learn to be quiet.

Typical times of BIG VOICE exercise (from her point of view).

1. "Food? Am I going to get any food?"
2. "Why am I in this pen? I can't reach you!!!!! I just want to be close to you! Don't you understand that?!!!"
3. "Hey, I don't want to 'kennel up!'"

Here is a short video of FLD Scout in her pen in the kitchen, voicing her feelings about the situation.

Believe it or not, the quietness is growing around here. Oh, FLD Scout is not totally silent, and she will probably never completely stop expressing her opinion, but her noise-making episodes last considerably less time.

 

How am I helping FLD Scout suppress her natural urge to vocalize?

1. IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE.  This is definitely easier said than done. But seriously, ANY attention only reinforces her noise-making. Eventually she'll figure out it's the sweet sound of nothingness that gets her what she wants.
2. PRAISE THE QUIET.  Catch the brief intake of breath and reward the lack of noise. Timing is critical to bring the quiet on.
3. TREATS.  Yep, make the crate a wonderful place with a few well-placed morsels of her daily food allotment. Use treats as in #2 above, then wean away to just praise.

 

 

WORDS OF CAUTION

• Get everyone on board. I caught Andy reaching into the pen to pet Scout when she was hollering for attention. He got hollered at from both sides!

• Make sure it isn't something else. The other day FLD Scout raised her decibel level. I suspected she was trying to tell me something specific. I snatched her up at the first noise-less opportunity. She had to "park!" YIPPEE, making progress on that front, too!

A very quiet FLD Scout next to me as I'm writing.

FLD Gus Shares His Crate

Downstate last week, dog-sitting for Andy's daughter Jen and her husband Jeff.  

"Monster," a rescued kitty, took over FLD Gus's crate.

He didn't know what to think.

Here's a short video...

Forest Gus Goes to the City

On a recent trip to the city, FLD Gus and I stayed at my sister Anne's.  She has a fenced-in backyard.

I let Gus out on his own...

Video of FLD Gus prancing with a long limb in Anne's backyard, a mess of teeth-marked brush strewn about.  When I brought Anne out later to show her the damage she said, "I wanted that bush pulled out of there anyway."  

Of course I hope that FLD Gus goes on to graduate as a Leader Dog and become someone's eyes, but it's nice to know he might have an alternate career in Landscaping.

Tuesday's Training TIP: WALK YOUR PUPPY!

BEFORE

Up early.  FLD Gus stands still only long enough for me to snap on his collar and tags as he exits his crate.  OK, I say to release him.

Black-Lab-freight-train leaves the station!

Da-thump-de-da-dump, la-thump-de-da-lump...  He heads for the back door and somehow Gypsy and I get outside with him, unscathed. 

Monster paws thunder like a herd of buffalo.  Get out of the way!  Good thing Andy was right about our square-foot-garden posing an obstacle; Gus leans into a turn between them (instead of through them), spewing wet sandy soil in a rooster-tail behind him.

Something must be done.  FLD Gus was a very patient puppy yesterday as I waited for our driveway contractors to show up.  He isn't going to be content to lay around today!

MY MISSION:  TIRE OUT THE PUPPY!

We head north down the big hill on Brady Road, veer right onto Shady Shores Drive and follow south along the cottages that ring Rifle Lake, turn left at the corner of Wiltse Road, and turn left again on Brady Road--a mile-long grade back UP to our house.  All-in-all, three miles.

Along the way I change pace, stop, and give SIT, DOWN, and STAND commands to FLD Gus to divert his attention from deer-track scent and assorted country sundries.

Halfway to Wiltse Road we meet another walker, Noreeta, who is vacationing for the week at her family cabin on Rifle Lake.  Just then I spot a bald eagle circling overhead, almost brushing the treetops.

"The other day we saw a small fawn curled up by a tree stump near the lake.  It lay there all day in the sun," Noreeta tells me.  "You should have seen all the cottagers taking its picture!"

FLD Gus isn't interested in chatting, but Noreeta and I share our walk for awhile on this beautiful morning.  We part ways at the corner where the Cedar Bar still hasn't reopened after their kitchen fire the night before New Year's Eve.

AFTER

FLD Gus slurps from his water bowl like he barely survived a trek across the Sahara.  He flops down as I sit to write this and briefly looks up when I grab my camera.

Mission accomplished.

FLD Gus resting on soft, green carpet, too tired to even chew his Nylabone.

To tame a dashing, zealous morning Lab, try a long walk!

PUPPY REPORT--FLD Gus in the City

We are back in the "patch" today after a busy four days down in the city.  Spring in our woods seems to be about a month behind here, but FLD Gus doesn't care.  He's happy to be home.

Well, I take that back.  FLD Gus is happy no matter where he is; Gypsy, on the other hand, IS very happy to be back in her glorious stick-land.

ACTIVITY REPORT FOR FLD GUS

MONDAY

• Drive to the city.
• Crate training while I had dinner with my parents (Andy had out-of-town business).  Ninety-percent of the time during any given day, Gus is NOT in his crate (he sleeps there at night), so when I need to leave him safe, I like to think of his time in the crate as "training."  When he returns to Leader Dogs for his advanced training, he must be comfortable spending some time alone.  (By the way, Mom is doing extremely well only nine weeks after hip-replacement surgery--no cane, no pain!)
• Mud-fest at Natalie's soccer game.

Nat at half-time.

FLD Gus, lying patiently in the muddy grass on the sidelines.

TUESDAY

• Morning shopping at Sam's Club.
• Crate training, again while I visited Mom (we played cards--she misses me!).
• Self-control training while heeling outside cc'd Rosie's house before the girls got home from school.
• Lab-wrestling with Rosie.
• Puppy-class at Leader Dogs for the Blind.  FLD Gus weighed in at 59 pounds; congrats Sofia, for correctly guessing his weight!
• "Portable-crate training" back at the girls' house, i.e.: no Lab-wrestling with Rosie; Gus waited for me in the truck.

WEDNESDAY

• Morning two-mile walk in the old neighborhood, practice with dog and traffic distractions.
• Crate training, this time while I helped Mom with some spring cleaning (I miss her, too!).
• Afternoon one-mile walk in the old neighborhood with Andy and Gypsy, more distraction training.
• Crate training when Andy and I enjoyed a great home-cooked meal (meatloaf) and cards with my folks.

THURSDAY

• Restaurant training while Andy and I met a friend for breakfast.  FLD Gus is GREAT at this!
• More shopping, this time at the commissary at Selfridge ANG Base.
• Self-control training at a friend's house--she has birds!
• Drive home.

Ceasar, Tony Baloney, and Sammi Salami.

Now, after a couple of hours helping Andy and I haul wood for next winter, FLD Gus is snoozing at my feet.

A tired puppy is a good puppy!

Remember?

What a Difference a Week Makes!

Earth Day, 2011.

One week ago today, I took FLD Gus and Gypsy on a three-mile hike through our woods and into the Rifle River Recreation Area.  My mission:  to wear them out for the long drive south to the city.  It was a beautiful morning in the spring-preparing woods.  (And the dogs were no trouble during our drive!)

This morning, back at home in the north, the dogs and I revisited the woods.  Only, it had snowed again while we were south!  There wasn't much left, and by this afternoon the trails were mostly clear, but where the shadows deepened, the snow lingers still.  Gus didn't seem to mind.

The following video illustrates the difference a week made...what will another week bring?

Big City Distractions

Before leaving the city (on our way back home to the beautiful north woods), I stopped by a bicycle store to pick up some new brake pads for Andy's recumbent.  A busy paving crew was steaming it up outside--a good training opportunity for FLD Gus!  Check out this short video of him staying calm  and attentive amidst the noise and stinky tar.

FLD Gus Goes to E Tawas

I suppose I needn't worry about FLD Gus getting traffic experience, even though we now live in the country.  He travels back to the Detroit Metropolitan area at least twice a month, and yesterday he came with us to the big town of East Tawas.  We needed tires for our S10 pickup.

While the mechanics at the Timmy Tire Center installed our new rubber, we took a walk down US-23 to "Patti's Kountry Kitchen" for lunch.  (My BLT on texas toast was yummy!)  FLD Gus was warmly welcomed.

Here is a short video of our trip (mostly how well Gus did heeling on the shoulder of US-23).

Spring in the "Patch"

Enjoy this short video of pictures I took today, walking through our woods with the dogs.  I love my Birds of Michigan Field Guide (and companion audio CD) to help me identify the birds I see around the patch.  (Thanks, Jen and Jeff!)

PHOTOS IN THE VIDEO

In the order in which they appear.

1)  A Black-Capped Chickadee flitted in a bush just outside our living room window.

2)  A Tufted Titmouse sat in a huff in the tree by our Hawken Woodstove.

3)  Along our trail on the north side I caught a Robin as he took flight!

4)  A steep hill on the Rifle River Recreation Area ski trail--at the spot where my nieces and I skied down on our butts!

5)  A pair of Tundra Swans trumpeted overhead and soared down to Grebe Lake.

6)  A lonely fishing pier jutted out into the still-frozen water.

7)  But...it MUST be spring when Red-Winged Blackbirds sing!

8)  Gypsy carries two sticks, and will never give them up.  Gus likes a BIGGER stick to lug along!

9)  Where there is shelter from the sun, the snow is hanging on.  Nevertheless, like the wicked witch, it is melting, melting, melting!  You can barely see Gus's paw prints in the crusty snow as he passed by a sinking tip of pine bough.


Don't get the idea that I think winter is wicked!

In requiem.

Flowers for winter.

FLD Gus's Trip to Town

GROUNDHOG DAY

(Here's a video of the storm, taken early this morning.)

We won't be going to town today; at least not until the roads get cleared and I can snow blow the driveway.  It's still snowing and drifting, so even if I clear the drive, it will fill right back up.

Andy and I postponed our trip downstate on Tuesday in deference to the "Snowmageddon" that was predicted for last night and today.  We'd rather be stuck up here where the snow is FUN!

FLD Gus snuggled up to me on the floor late last night; I wondered if he was grateful to get a "snow day" from puppy-class at Leader Dogs for the Blind.

LAST SATURDAY'S TRIP TO TOWN

The road west to Rose City.

We had no trouble getting to Rose City last Saturday.  It's nice not having so much salt on the roads...

The hill up to our house.  Dirt is spread instead of salt!

...and NO traffic!

Except for a few days before when we had to slow for three four-wheel-drive pickup trucks stopped in the middle of the road, men in camouflaged, insulated gear milling about.  I was sorry I didn't have my camera that day (and wished we had stopped to find out what was going on).  As the men maneuvered their vehicles out of our way, we saw what we thought was a massive cougar carcass strapped on to the bed of one of the four-wheelers.  Its head seemed to be the size of a volleyball!  Researching this later, I realized that the creature was most likely a bobcat, caught by these local trappers.

This picture on the Department of Natural Resources and Environment's website page, "General Fur Harvest Information" is close to what the carcass looked like, but BIGGER.

OUR VERY OWN WINERY

(We can't be too far back in the woods!)

Andy tasting wine.

FLD Gus experienced his very first wine tasting at the Rose Valley Winery, but I don't think he was impressed.  We took home a very nice bottle of "Summer Trails" (an interesting blend of 14 different varieties of grapes "left-over" at the end of summer) and "Clear Lake" ( a "light and fruity" white made from Edelweiss grapes).  Who knew that northeast Michigan is an up-and-coming wine community?

GREEN ACE HARDWARE

Of course, no trip into town is complete without a visit to our friendly neighborhood Green Ace Hardware!  Andy found what he needed to hang the stained glass that my Uncle Tony made for me years ago.

Me and FLD Gus trying to leave the hardware store.

I paused at the door so Andy could take my picture with FLD Gus, who was once again very well behaved.  

When Andy took a second shot, Gus looked up at me as if to say, "Well, are we going or not?!"

FLD Gus wanting to make sure we are leaving.

Packing Our "Stuff"

We were less than a week away to loading our "stuff" (thanks, George Carlin!) into the biggest U-Haul truck we could rent and hauling it all North to our new digs.  Andy worried that we wouldn't have things ready and asked if our nieces could help.

"Two girls want to help," my sister Anne said when I called.  "I'll bring them right over."

While Andy worked on dismantling his basement wood-working shop, the girls helped me pack books and coffee mugs.  (That was one smart thing we did, using SMALL boxes for books!)  Natalie took charge of wrapping mugs in newspaper; Sofia emptied the bookshelves that Andy had custom-built in our tiny living room.

I had trouble keeping up with the two of them--my job was to tape the boxes shut, label them, and stack them up for moving.  Less than an hour and a half later, our job was almost done.

Packing can't be all work.  Nat and Sofia took particular interest in a glass vase full of wine corks I saved from our kitchen-bridge dinner parties.  "Can we see those?" one of them asked me.  Sure.  We all plopped down at the kitchen table for a rest.

Nat & Sofia's cork log-pile.

"Wow, look at all of these.  Let's take them out."  Small hands regardless, Nat and Sofia still couldn't grab more than two or three corks at a time to get past the narrow mouth of the vase.  I poured us water (Nat preferred Grape Juice) and watched in amusement as they began a systematic sorting, first by color, then by brand-names etched on the corks.  Before long, pyramid-building began.

I wonder what will happen if I take this away?  I said reaching for one of the mugs Sofia used to support the cork log-pile.  Natalie screamed as corks crashed across the table.

Nat screams when I pull the stops out.

Not one to miss out on any action, FLD Gus scampered over.  Gypsy growled as he bumped past.  She wasn't sure exactly what was happening with all the packing commotion, but she was sure it couldn't be good.  She kept in high alert between us girls and the stairs going down to the basement.

Nat slipped off her chair to the tile floor to snuggle with Gus, who no longer fit in her lap.  (See my post from October 11, 2010 to see how much he's grown!)  "You know," she said, "I'm excited and happy for you and Uncle Andy, but still, it's a little sad."

Nat and FLD Gus, who weighed in at 39 lbs at 6 months.

Yep, I know what you mean, I said.  I'll miss you girls...but you can always come and visit.  And we'll be back to see you, too!

 

Curses, Foiled Again...

We missed the show Friday night.  Saturday night my sinuses kept us home.

This afternoon, lane closures and accidents on I-94 prevented us from getting to the Detroit Film Theatre at the Detroit Institute of Arts in time.  

We hope that next weekend nothing will stop us.  And we'll take FLD Gus along to see the animated film based on J. R. Ackerley's book, We Think the World of You.  The film is titled My Dog Tulip.

Enjoy the trailer!

Friday Night MAT Dance!

Here is a video of FLD Gus strutting his stuff...and learning to go to his MAT, wherever I move it!

HAPPY FRIDAY, EVERYONE!

Enjoy...

Halloween Video

FLD Gus wonders if his Hover-Bed Halloween costume might not work so well after all.

In this video, Gus gets himself underneath Gypsy's soft bed and wanders in circles around the living room bumping into things.  Gypsy tries to stay out of the way.  I don't know why, but watching this "hover bed" twirl around the house with an occasional puppy-body-part peeking out from underneath it makes me laugh so hard my eyes tear up and I have to get my inhaler!