We Graduated Today!!!

 YOWZA!

YOWZA!

YOWZA!

Hello Everybuddy, today we went to dog school and, yes, believe it or not, we GRADUATED from Grade One.  

Yes I know, we have a long way to go but we were very excited.

Here we are waiting to get our certificate.

 

This big fella is 18 months old.  I felt a bit puny beside him.

 

 

Anyhoo we made mum and dad happy and that's good  cause they gave out the treats.  

Now I'm saving the best bit for last.

Guess what my big sister got??

Get ready!

 Ta Da!  She was the "Happiest Worker"

 

 Well done sissy.

Grade Two, here we come.

No worries, and slobber, Rory and Stella

P.S. from Mum, thanks everyone for the great advice you gave re Rory and his sitting.  He has always been happy to sit at home but at obedience I got the impression he thought, WTF? I have to sit and then you tell me to heel straight afterwards?    Anyway we practiced all week and he did really well with only a few times he just decided to stand and that was when he was hot and bothered.  

We dropped in at the Vets on the way home to weigh the dogs.  Big surprise with Rory.  At 6 1/2 months he's 57 kgs (125 lbs) and Stella is nearly nine months old and 12.6 kgs (26 lbs).  Looks like all that food is definitely filling them up.  Have a great weekend everyone.  Love Carol

P.P.S.  Don't you worry Miss Abby, 

I still have my eye on you sweetie pie.

A bit of this and that and Can You Help

 Hi Everybuddy, we have had a good week. 

Its been hot and we did lots of this.

 When it was cool in the evening we did lots of this

in the paddock.

Then Rory came a running.  WTF?  
Rory, did you see a snake?

Outta the way, crazy dad on a bike!

Hehehe, dad you are funny.

 Next day, hey what's happening?

 Stand Off!  Penny might be small

but she can look after herself.

 Then a few days later, we were reading the blogs and this happened!  Dead faint.  They love a girl who wears her heart on her er, well,  check out Ruby from Rottrover.

Hehehe.

See ya everybuddy and have a great weekend.

No worries, and love, Stella and Rory

P.S.  We had a computer glitch last few days, so here is a photo of Tyler cause we missed his Tyler Tuesday.

 

Hi All, Carol here.  Just wanted to ask advice or comments from anyone on some obedience stuff with Rory.  We started three weeks ago and the dogs have been fabulous.  Their confidence in large groups and with people and other dogs is terrific.  I am extremely proud of both of them.  

Rory, being the large boy he is, can be very slow to sit when we walk in the circle and are asked to do a stop/sit.  He much prefers to just stand alongside me.  Even with a food treat he would rather stand next to me.  He doesn't move around, pull or anything, just stands quietly next to me.  Of course I don't want to physically push him into a sitting position because I don't want to injure him in any way.   

He sits very well at home when waiting for his meals, when I am giving them treats at home etc so I know he can do it.  I really don't care if he always stands next to me quietly if we are out as long as he doesn't bother anyone.  He is very good at 'dropping' too for a treat at home and when we have been out for coffee he is happy to drop at our feet and sleep.  

Should I ask the trainer if we can adjust the training to meet his needs and instead of a sit/stay we could do a stand/stay.  Any comments would be appreciated.  

I am not interested in any more than basic obedience and having a well socialised dog that I can walk with confidence anywhere we may be.  He is already coming along so well with this.  We have been training on a nearby road that has a dog barking at the fence and he will ignore it and do his stand/stay without problem.   Have I answered my own question?  Its our dog, and we do what's best for him, right?  Yes of course.  Anyway any comments would be appreciated.  Thanks all and have a wonderful weekend.  Life in our little part of the world is good.  No worries, and love, Carol

We Saw the Tour Down Under

Howdy Everybuddy, Rory here.  We had some major excitement in our little town on Wednesday.  We were host to the start of Stage 2 of the Tour Down Under.

Our little town of 1500 people came alive as everyone got into the spirit of the ride, decorated their homes, shops and streets to support the riders.

It was a fabulous morning and we had a ball.  Here are a few photos.

Old time police car.

Novelty Parade/Sponsor Cars 

 Lisa and Tyler.  He was very well behaved with all the people and noises around.  Yay Tyler.

  

You can see from the sky it was very overcast but the forecast was for a sunny day with a temperature of 30C (86F).  It was cool in the morning and they started the race at 11.00 am.  By midday it was pretty hot and the sun was out.  Most stages are approx 145 kms (90 miles) and take just over three hours.  On Tuesday the temperature reached 40C (104F) and it took approx 4 1/2 hours to finish that stage.

 Some of our Police Officers were riding their bikes (but not in the race of course).

Get ready!!

They rode past very quickly and mum only had her phone camera so not too many shots of them as they went by.  Darn. 

Fifty three minutes later they rode through our town again and we watch just down the road from our home.  It was noisy but we didn't even care.  Go Aussies!!

 I was a little hot and had to sit down and watch.

 Howdy Mum.

 After all the excitement, we went home for a nice cool drink.  Mum was happy cause we were so well behaved.  We aren't used to so many people and cars and different noises.  There were even helicopters flying around.  

The lady who lives just down the road from us and is about 85 said hello to us and gave me really good scratches with her little gnarly hands.  It felt so good and mum was proud that I was gentle and let her pat me.  I wanted to have a chew on the handle of her walker but mum said no.  Rats, I thought she would like a reminder of me.

Well that was our excitement for the next year hehehe.  See ya folks.

No worries, and slobbers, Rory and Stella

P.S.  Mum thought she could get me off the lounge chair (cause I'm not allowed on), by turning on the vaccum cleaner.  He hehe

I didn't even care.  Boo hoo, I had to get off anyhow.

 My sissy looking rascally as ever.

Slobbers, Rory