Never ending freezing period

Cold after cold after cold. -17C today, windy, and not a chance to go outside with Hoppu and Neeo. It feels like we are trapped inside the walls. Next weekend there will be some change as we will have a weekend break elsewhere. On Sunday evening there is an agility trial with Neeo, two runs indoors. Our physical preparation for the trial is close to zero, so I have to trust on the mental side... But since every run could be our last at this phase, main target is to enjoy team work with Neeo and have fun!

Here we are last September:

I've been watching Susan Garrett's DVD Crate Games. Need to think about it more to understand how to use this information with the newcomer. Perhaps I'll test some parts with the old ones.

Walk in the woods

Here are some pictures of our winter walks in the woods.

Winter limitations

Cold winter weather continues week after week. Yesterday it was a beautiful sunny day, around -7C, and I was able to go for a walk with my hurricanes. Hoppu and Neeo clearly enjoyed, after spending one whole week inside. Today it's again really cold, -23C now in the evening, and not a change to go outside with IGs.

I don't remenber this kind of winter with Hoppu and Neeo. Doggies get frustrated and they are more easily on the edge with each other. I've tried to activate them inside. Children have hidden kibbles for them around the house. We've had many short clicker training sessions for more or less useful skills. It is always a lot of fun, and great to see how these veterans still enjoy training and are incredibly fast with their responses. I've trained skills like backing up, fetching a toy, jumping up on cue, and balancing on small box.

Every now and then we have a possibility to train agility in a heated inside facility. With Hoppu I do only fun and safe agility: tunnels and low jumps. Hoppu lost a vision from his right eye a year ago, and is not able to estimate distances the same way as before. What I think is amazing is weaving, he can still master a full set of weave poles. This proves how much muscle memory is used for weaving. Neeo is in good physical condition and able to do full courses. In training I use short speed drills and lots of playing. I have planned some more trials with Neeo this year, just to entertain us.

While waiting for a puppy to join the family, I've studied new training methods. Hoppu and Neeo are the lucky ones that I use for testing some of these methods in practise :)

Hoppu 11 years

I decided to start this new blog to share our life with friends. To tell what we do today, tomorrow, or what we did ten years ago. I have many pictures and stories, and by using them here I hope to save those memories also for myself when one day my hurricanes are not with me anymore. There is a wish to have a new member to the family this year, more about that later.

Hoppu had his 11th birthday yesterday. Congratulations sweet Hoppu! He got special goodies, and we had a nice shortish walk in the woods. It was -7 C, beautiful winter weather. While waiting for pictures I took yesterday, here is one from last summer.