Day 194

Tuesday and we are paying for the nice day yesterday. The rain comes down and the house is full of wet dogs. The wind picked up and the temperature is dropping.


I just came in from the damp cold and am stiff as a board and don't even really care. Sanity just gave me not one, not two, but 5 really good sits. The distances ranged from about 15 feet up to 50 feet. The distractions were: wrestling with Sage, distance about 50 feet. Stopped play, sat at once and facing me on a single voice command. WOW! Two more at distances of up to 30 feet, on the mulch pile and with me pretty much out of sight. Each time she moved to the top of the mulch pile, looked for me and then sat facing me as soon as she located where I was standing. The only forward movement was what was necessary for her to get into a position where she could see me. WAY COOL!!

The interesting thing is that the last two, while closer and lacking in any intense distraction were no where near as good. They required more than one command and tap on the ecollar to get the correct response. Strange and something I need to think about.

I then went on doing yard pick-up work and ended with sending her for a food bag that had blown down from the highway and was stuck to the outside of the fence. She had to pretty much lay on her side and reach through the fence to get it. That was no problem, she worked it until she managed to get it. Good job. Then I sent her for one of the large balls that are pretty much all over the yard. They are great toys for the dogs. The ball she flat refused to retrieve and we had a good ten minutes of "arguing" over whether she was going to retrieve it when I said fetch. Again, more food for thought.

Willful. That's the best way to describe the inSanity creature. I just decided I really needed to get busy and start teaching the jumping stuff. So I set up the high jump in the studio. It is set at 12", certainly not too high for a bitch with wings that allows her to clear 40" flat-footed without so much as touching. Round and round we went. Seems she feels she is totally unable to jump 12", could it be because I am there? Or is it just not enough of a challenge? Either way, we are once again knocking heads.