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Monthly Archives: January 2011

Novice Handler

24 Monday Jan 2011

Posted by Katy in stockdog

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This last weekend was Jai and my first trial together.  The venue was the Helsley Ranch, the trial The Big Freeze.  I believe it was Jai's first ever.  We ran novice.   

Last year I ran Pat in Pro-Novice because his open dog status put us there.  I never really learned to run Pat successfully through a PN course at a trial, but he taught me alot. He is where I really started seeing, experiencing, and beginning to understand the basics of what makes for a good dog and handler team, and how different these good dogs can be; I learned from him timing, and patience, and the power of subtlety … and that when a male dog looks too long at you, ardently, adoringly….leaning against your leg…you should move. Fast. Stop standing still and for the love of Grainfree God…do not give him one final head pat.

Jai is a very different dog, but there are also similarities.  She, like Pat, is sensitive and really wants to do the Right Thing. She is a very good dog. Some days when we work everything flows (DD calls it 'floating' when your dog and you work together in such smooth tandem like this) and it all seems too easy. 

It is.  It's what I call 'bloating'…in honor of my Expectations and Unrealistic mating and producing a child.  A fat lazy child who looks like Unrealistic's mother.  At least at this point in my training.

It's interesting how we often do not see the obvious in our dogs…I think Jai is sensitive and needs gentle soft handling.  Each time I work her, she is better with me, and most of the time she takes my flanks, almost always a stop….P*trick suggested that Almost isn't good enough in any sense, nor is a gentle 'tsk tsk' (or 'God Damn' at the post);  that, infact, I am a hippie and need to either get chijuajuas and dress them in civil war reinactment outfits or start issuing some consequences for The Blow Off. (I might be paraphrasing).

Patrick suggested that I need to make sure that I am communicating CLEARLY what I want and that she takes my corrections.  Jai is letting her own clever opinion override some of my riskier, in her mind, calls.  For instance, the Away whistle…the Away Screech and the Away Pleading had no discernable effect on Jai this weekend.  It was as if she were a running (speedily) endorsement for Come Bye, inc.(tm)  I expect to see shelves of Come Bye Kibble with her big-eared earnest face on the front at my local petfood store.  In the fuzzy out of focus background will be me flailing with my right hand.  A post.  The words NOW WITH LAMB!! in bold clear font where the panels would be.

We missed most every panel.  That was my fault.  I overflanked and our run began to look like pole weaving. 

I told P*trick that I thought that all trials should have a novice class.  The good open handlers make trialing look so easy; handlers like me make it look realistic. 

He suggested that I start aiming for stuff in practice. This is precisely what I intend to do. I might also buy a little canon off of ebay. And a General's hat, size hideous small.

In Her Shoes…untied

16 Sunday Jan 2011

Posted by Katy in Uncategorized

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I'm housesitting for the DDs while she is in Oregon teaching others.  I'm sitting here in her clothes (why not? Her instruction note says, "I would hope that you will help yourself to whatever.  Even and especially my clothes and lifestyle…professional credibility…"

The dogs seem to like it.  They sniff my short pants legs, then my exposed shins…and look at me sadly, but waggingly.  Petal stared at me before and after staring at Peg. 

The part in bold she didn't actually PUT IN THE NOTE…but it was inherent to the rest of her instructions on how to take care of the animals, her house, and further texted instructions daily that help me to be more like her and less like someone who spent her formative years with lab monkeys and a weasel, plus many hours of 70's television) 

So I'm sitting here in her clothing, as I was saying, which are about 4 inches to short for me, wondering when the sun will come up…

Oh, hey! THE SUN IS UP! BECAUSE IT'S 11 o'clock! DD has blackout curtains and blankets covering every portal to the outside.

Time to put on DDs coat and go work! 

Yesterday I drove to town and purchased panels for the pasture so that I could practice with Jai on obstacles.  The first obstacle Jai and I had was fitting these 'panels'…(actually Privacy Lattice) 8' x 4' into the back of my Subaru ….6 x 3ish….  I had to lash them to the roof of my car.  When I say 'lash' I mean use bread ties to sort of fasten them tentatively to the roof rack…(really zip ties, but they were more suited to keeping bagels restrained than these huge ass lattices, every time I tried to tighten them, they broke.  So I festooned the rack with TENS of ties on each side hoping that they'd break slowly one by one as I drove…the last one holding until DDs driveway).

A nice man stopped behind me on highway 55 to give me a bungie cord.  By 'nice man' I mean 'terrified motorist'.  His windshield was being peppered with zip ties as I careened down the highway, at 35 MPH, lattice flapping FUCK YOU SPEED LIMIT ENTHUSIASTS! to all who followed. 

Jody R and Kelsey came over in the afternoon and helped me set up our Shriner's course.  It was short and narrow and would have been perfect to have the sheep set out of clown cars…

The field was very foggy and we couldn't see the sheep down field when we sent our dogs. 

"I wonder if we should go up further and help our dogs?" Jody R asked.

"Nah.  DD's pants say send em and see what comes out in the wash…"

Jody helped her dog, initially.  Jody's dogs worked great.  Jai worked really well also, but did grip once at the panels when a ewe got a little reluctant to give up her privacy.  

Kelsey's dog looked really good.  They are ready for novice, but she wants to hear that from more than just me and the ill-fitting apparel of her trainer.

We expected the added pressure of fog, and new lattice (PRIVACY!) would be difficult and maybe problematic for the dogs, but they all worked really well.    The sheep seem to enjoy their new pasture lattice. 

The horse is suspicious. As always.  Maybe today I'll wear one of DDs riding outfits.

Mixes

12 Wednesday Jan 2011

Posted by Katy in Weirder Shit Some of You Hate

≈ 3 Comments

Last friday night I attended the retirement of a man who was my crew boss for the years I worked in fire.   Jimmy Joe (what we called him, a nickname of his full name that I won't print because I don't want work people landing here and knowing what I do while not paying attention on conference calls…besides eat crunchy foods) is a mild-mannered guy, fatherly type. He ran the crew like I know he runs his family – gently, encouragingly, firmly but only weilding as much control as necessary.  At work he walked the delicate line between manager and friend and was beloved by all. Or most. It can never be more than most.  I don't care who you are.  Jim was so close though….maybe if he had leaked those intoxicating pherimoans out of his pores..or if he shit gold coin when he spoke ….but there is no point thinking about that now, he's retired.

Anyway, I haven't fought fire for a few years, but the dinner brought back memories…and the people I used to work with are really getting OLD! I'm sure 'digging line' means something else entirely to us all now. 

I spent the rest of the weekend with new(er) friends…DD, Susan, Ellie, Jody, Kelsey, and Ann and Mary from Nevada.  We worked dogs, had some Hot Toddies…something I'd never even heard of before DD introduced it to my lexicon,  

"Can you pick up a Hot Toddy mix on your way out?" she texted me first thing Saturday morning.

"Yes, I can!" I replied. Because I'm like that. All about Positive.  It's not the first time I've been errand girl for some twisted quest of DDs….well, okay, it WAS going to be…and I was ready.

Cruising for a mix of Hot Toddies, however, caused me about an hours delay and some uncomfortable moments downtown at the only bar open at 9am, and then, later, finally, at the Paul's IGA store meat department. 

Awkward!  Hot Toddie mix.  Sounds more like some sort of variety pack male stripper show, or some nerdy-sexy-maybe-a-tad-effeminate-escorts doesn't it? Of COURSE IT DOES!!!

"Hot Toddy?" was how I initiated things. I tried to target youngish men with eye glasses and a smattering of acne over good features and clothes a mother would pick out.  At first…

"Uhhh…no… thanks." was exclusively the reply. 

I transitioned to men who were awake and drinking, but had probably been home to bathe. This was looking more promising, yet not as toothsome, maybe even repulsive…

Then DD texted me, "Are you at the store yet?"

WTF? Really?  Well…ok, probably in Caldwell, yes. I could see that. 

So I drove to Paul's IGA, meat department and laid down my line, sultry-like, to a man whose name tag read 'Chuck'.

"You mean a Hot Buttered Rum batter?" he replied.

"Uhhh, sure, if that's what you want to call him… We'd be….catchers, then?"

Imagine my complete letdown when he led me to the wine isle and handed me a 4 ounce plastic tub. HOT BUTTERED RUM MIX.  Does DD fuck with me thusly ON PURPOSE?

I rebuttoned the top 3 buttons of my shirt and headed to her house. To work dogs. Thank god that was just as it sounded.

Everyone was already there and working.  I worked Jai.  We need this sort of practice in front of people as we tend to get a little dicy under scrutiny.

It was a great weekend.  I'm not sure Jai and I are ready for her first trial coming up the weekend after this next, but we'll see.

In the afternoon we had a Hot Toddy, as DD insisted on calling it.  It was fine.  I think overall it worked out better with this mix.  

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