Crate Config

With Ike gone, we revamped the crate configuration in the Element. Now everyone is in separate crates and there are three on the platform instead of two. We have the entire under platform and area behind the passenger seat for gear and packing. This makes life a LOT easier. Click on photos for  notes/labels of where everyone fits.

Herding Instinct Test

Kastle was introduced to sheep when he was little (around 8 weeks) and has been a little...wary of other farm animals as an adult (he barks like a looney and hackles), so I wasn't sure how he would feel about being up close and personal with the small herd of sheep at his testing. Luckily, after slight hackling and moaning, he enthusiastically hopped right in.

He was a little too excited at first and was chasing more than herding, including muzzle punching one in the face twice.

 Then he got ran over and that sort of pissed him off but a good whack on the noggin' cleared his head and he settled into a gorgeous, gaiting rhythm. The instructor seemed pleased with his behavior and thinks he can continue and trial.

The rest of the photos are HERE. And video :-)

Side note - Kastle got locked into going around the sheep to the left, and even when she helped him switch, he immediately tried to go back to left...his box turn direction...

Digging & Weaving

I'm working on teaching Kastle proper weaves using the 2x2 method in the basement - we are very close to four straight poles! He's starting to do the skip from paw to paw between them.

We also had a family "Scratch Off". We were challenged to teach all five dogs in five days to dig on command. At least 4 scratches in three seconds. We succeeded! Of course, we turned it into a competition.... ;-)

Kastle did really, really well! He learned the basics the very first lesson. Started with food under a towel and then moved to the tupperware, he transferred fine. I had him so revved for it he was screaming :-) I also experimented with having him down then release him to dig and then back down, he did great.

Almost Senior

Went to a very small Ultimate Air Dogs event tonight, Kastle was in two splashes. He jumped 14' and 14'5" the first splash and 14'10" and 14'11" - his new Personal Best and almost into the next division! Yay Kastle! :-D

Brief Park Trip

Still hot, humid, disgusting. The dogs have been cooped up for too long so we took them to the park to run. No toys or food or anything to *make* them want to run, just let them go until they got too hot and then we packed back up and headed home into the a/c.

He can be a bit of a derp...

 Full pack photo fail.

With the girls:

 With Finn:

Just my handsome guy:

Boys will be boys :-)

 Mirror images:

The rest of the pictures are HERE.

Trip North

It was so hot at my parents' when we went for our visit that the pups mostly laid under the shade trees with the humans. Kastle hasn't been feeling 100% lately (combination of food change, weather, etc?) so he was very mellow. Just as well though.

Ear floofs blowing in the breeze:

Tugging with Eden - she is holding the end with the smallest knot on it - she makes me laugh! He's so sweet and tolerant :-)

Weave

This video was taken after we did a reminder session with just one set of 2 x 2's and then he was hot so I just did a quick run-through with him with two sets and let him carry his ball. He is getting the hang of it - slowly.

Eden is in Charge

...even if she is the smallest.

Flyball Team Tourney!!!

Kastle ran in his first tournament on the team It was HOT (111* with heat index, 140* on the pavement by where we were parked), and he did great. I am SO PROUD! We have worked so hard and it was such a miserable, humid, disgusting day and he did his best. This was our first and last team run with Fly by Night because we are moving. I will miss this team and how far they've helped me come! There's a slow-mo section where you can see him sllliidddeeee into the box (and knock Lies crooked) and that is why he has to wear all of that gear! He is averaging about 4.5ish seconds with 7-10 foot passes (not because he can't pass, but because the dog he is passing into had an owner that did not want closer passes).

Anyway, video:

What happens when you miscalculate your start time...

Family Photos

I need to stop trying for group shots LOL They are always a disaster! It was extremely hot, extremely humid and I waited as late as I could for it to cool off and still have sunlight.

The outtakes...

The keepers.

Ike & Kastle

Ike has been sold, these will be the last photos of the half-brothers together :'(

Ike at 3 years, Kastle at 1 year:

The first time they have played together, really run and play, since Kastle smashed his teeth out.

The rest of the photos of the two of them together are HERE.

Ike will be greatly missed.

Tug Time

Eden has started to enjoy tugging just for the sake of tugging - including tugging with Kastle, which is soooo cute!

The rest of that cuteness is HERE.

We are using Finn's Kastle-drive to get Finny to care about toys and tugging, it's working really well so far!

 The rest of the Kastle/Finn pics are HERE.

Kastle loves toys :-D

Also, Kastle now has a little brother - an Australian Kelpie, named Limit: