Trails Again

I had hoped to be able to run with Stetson on Kennesaw Mountain in January, 2013.  Based on his conditioning when he came to us in November, I knew he'd need some time to work his massive muscle from "body builder" type strength muscle into the leaner, longer endurance muscle.  Don't get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with this dog.  He was drop dead gorgeous, he is a finished Champion in both the American Kennel Club and Australian Shepherd Club of America, and I can see why judges would put him up and award him the points necessary to earn both his Championships.  The dog was very well cared for, it was just a different activity type that produced a muscle different from what is necessary of an endurance athlete.  Additionally, the terrain on parts of the trail is pretty difficult on pads with large, loose gravel under foot and his pads weren't used to that type of challenge.

When we ran on the beach at Hilton Head during Christmas, I knew we had progressed quicker than I'd anticipated and I began to think greedy thoughts about getting to the mountain on or about the 1st.  On the other hand, in the transition from kibble to raw diet, I'd let him get a little too thin.  I was working him pretty hard regularly in an effort to get his endurance built up, but I was so paranoid about bloat (something I honestly didn't stress over with the Siberians, I took reasonable precautions, but I did not stress much over it) that I ended up cutting out some of the extra snack meals I had done with Mira, and Maddie before her.  I also failed to take into consideration the additional load his system took with being in tact.  I've had spayed/neutered dogs in recent years and didn't compensate adequately to compensate for his additional food needs.  The result was a dog that was thinner than need be, and he was using his nutrition on "work" days so quickly that we had a couple of instances of stomach upset and untimely bile elimination (Three or Four O'clock in the morning kind of flying out of bed to the sound of a retching dog only to have to clean dog, crate and dog bedding).  We had a thorough medical evaluation/exam and blood work done with our Vet to rule out potential medical issues, and it was decided that adding weight and also adding an extra small meal before bed on "work" days would hopefully resolve the problem.  He is gaining weight and we have not had any additional vomit problems since we increased food and added a snack before bed on run days.  With the weather turning so cold overnight, I could no longer resist the call of the trail.  I decided early into the weekend that we were going on Sunday morning for our first trail run together.

Last night I began gathering up the "tools" for our run.  For Stetson: harness, lead, collar, nutrition for after the run and water.  For me: gloves, head gear, trail shoes, shirt change (dry shirt for after the run to stay warm), post run nutrition and water.  I try to take a healthy protein and some healthy carbs for both dog and human.  For myself, I'm packing dried cranberries with cashews and walnuts (a mix pre made from Publix).  For Stetson, I packed freeze dried chicken hearts, dried apricots and a high quality kibble.  We both get just enough food after to help us begin effective recovery.



Finding the stash of chicken hearts

While I was packing his food, Stetson got to try a chicken heart for the first time.  When I finished his packing, I got my nut mixture out and began packing it and pulling out the water bottles...I heard a little rustle behind me and found Stetson had discovered where I keep his new favorite treat, freeze dried chicken hearts!


We got to the mountain this morning before 8:00 and it was 27 degrees.  Stetson stopped to pee one time as we began the trail and other than that, he had his head on task.  I was very impressed that he wasn't wanting to stop and mark every few feet.  I recently read that the Australian Shepherd is a follower, not a leader.  I hoped that his view of me as leader perhaps lessened his need to mark.  Regardless of the validity of that thought process, it was nice to not have him trying to mark every few feet.

I started out thinking we'd run 3 miles, I was concerned about the large gravel under foot and certainly didn't want to ruin the experience for him by making his pads sore.  When we got to the turnaround for the three mile out and back, he was moving fine and we'd already been over the worst of the terrain.  After a quick pad check, I decided to go on and we ended up going from the Burnt Hickory parking area all the way to the Illinois Monument and back.  He handled the five and a half mile run incredibly well.  He was a good partner, although I will fix the pulling that I anticipated I'd regret letting take place, he's just too strong to pull on me, sigh.  It won't be hard to correct and I knew I'd need to eventually, but it served as a good measure early in our work together to know how much effort and enthusiasm he was putting into a run.

Even better than the way he handled the run was the attitude he had with the ever so bossy Madison when we returned home.  She greeted him at the door with her mouth wide and loud, and her nose pushing up under his belly and rear in typical "left behind, alpha bitch" manner.  He humored her for a minute, but before I had my shoes off (and that's almost immediately upon entering the house), he had given her a bunny scoot, flipped his butt in her face and play bowed until she eagerly engaged him in a romp around the house.  They are a good match for each other!

Here he's enjoying the reward for being a good partner and working hard on the trail for me - dried apricots, freeze dried chicken hearts and some high quality kibble. 





















And finally, he gets a well deserved rest before dinner.  I'm glad to be looking forward to weekends again, and runs with my dog.  Today was a great way to close 2012 with a very special dog, who has a very special place in my heart.  Welcome Stetson, I'm so glad you are here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Beach

We will only have one run on the beach this trip - it's a short trip and we're cutting it a little shorter yet in an attempt to get home and unloaded tomorrow (Christmas Day) before any potentially severe weather hits Atlanta.  Since being caught in tornadic weather near St. Louis in May, we are electing to err on the side of caution and head back before the holiday storms that are being predicted hit near home.

Stetson and I got in somewhere between three and four miles this morning on the beach - it was gorgeous to run into the sunrise with my dog.

The following shots were taken when we finished near the boardwalk - so many people come out just to photograph sunrise, it is a worthy reason to set the alarm!

 

 

 

Yesterday Dave and I took the dogs for a long walk on the beach - Maddie was happy to show Stetson what it's all about.  She loves the surf and pulled us until we finally reached the edge of the water.

Dave captured a sweet moment between Stetson and I that pretty much sums up the way I feel about this dog and how grateful I am that he's willing to explore new places and activities with as much enthusiasm as I have.

 

Routines

It feels "normal" to have dogs at the door to the garage waiting to "go" because they have heard Dave or I move the truck out.  We haven't had much sense of "normal" for the past several weeks, and have been redefining it as we go.  Stetson is getting used to our routines, but he hasn't been able to figure out some of the more obvious routines that Maddie has experienced for years here.  He happily comes to the door when we bring the harnesses in, but he hadn't yet associated the movement of the truck with a pending activity that he would be a part of.  See, we can't open the tailgate of the Enclave in the garage because it's too tall and will actually bang into the garage door overhead - so to load dogs (or anything else in the back end), the truck has to be moved out.  That being said, the only reason we typically move the truck out before we leave is if we're taking dogs somewhere.  So when we exit the door to the garage and the truck gets moved out, it is assumed by the canines in this house that they are going someplace.  They don't care where, but they are going.  He hadn't put the movement of the truck in relation to activity together; at least not until yesterday.  I happened to be passing through the entry when I caught a glimpse of the "anticipation".

Watching the door and listening to the truck moving out of the garage
 

We're going, right????????
 

I'm glad I captured that moment, it meant a lot to me.  He put me at ease and I felt a little weight lifted off my shoulders when I understood that he not only "gets" what we do, but he anticipates it eagerly.  The whole morning was comfortable; I felt like I was healing and letting go a little. 

We finished the 3.1 miles at the river by taking the full loop (which includes a little larger gravel on the path) so he would have a little exposure on his pads to a rougher surface.  It was the 4th time we did three miles together this week.  The jog/walks in the neighborhood are a little mundane in comparison to the activity on the trails at the river, I think he's a little bored with the runs in the neighborhood, can't blame him I get bored too sometimes.

Maddie tired to a fast walk on the last third of the trail.  She rocks, she'll be 13 years old in a few weeks and I can still say "she's not for whimps".  She'll drag you down for the joy of a squirrel or chipmunk chase.  Stetson wasn't tired, but he wasn't impatient with the change of pace either.  He's ready for more distance, and I'm longing to increase mileage too. 

We will increase distance this week on two of our three jog/walks.  We are both ready to take another step forward in our runs.

 

Testing Progress - Endurance Evaluation

Stetson and I have been out three times this week for 3 mile jog/walks.  We have made great progress together and he is showing less and less fatigue/stress, while we jog/walk/run together.  Today was a "long run" day; so we normally would increase the distance by about 10%.  Rather than increasing the distance of the run, we added a herding lesson this afternoon (the same day as the run, but with a rest period between of about two and a half hours).

We began the unofficial "endurance testing" at the Chattahoochee River this morning at about 8:20 am for a 3.1 mile jog/walk.  The weather was pretty warm for the dogs and Maddie tuckered out to a easy walk by two and a half miles.  Stetson on the other hand kept some tension on the line most of the time, (which I suppose I will have to "correct" eventually, but for now it is a useful measuring stick regarding the way he feels) for most of the run. 

We were passed head on, and from behind by cyclists on numerous occasions; had many dogs coming and going; as well as noisy children around most of the run.  The only time he flinched was when someone dropped the metal door to a trash bin rather close behind us, but as usual he recovered without any issue.



Handsome dog decked out in red

 

Moments before they were nose to nose egging each other onto a romp

I knew the run wasn't going to be an issue for him today, we've done it before and he recovers well.  What I didn't know was if he'd handle the additional physical and mental load of a herding lesson this afternoon.  I am proud to say, he was great!

He worked hard today on sheep and I didn't have control of him  (thank you Amy for rescuing me), but he learned to be confident and I began to learn to not fear he would kill something (previous experience with my older dogs may have scarred me a bit in the fear area).  Most importantly to me, he showed me that he is making strides in the endurance arena.  Again, I can see longer runs at Kennesaw Mountain in our near future.

Starting out in the pen, we had much to learn together today - confidence for him and fear management for me

We began to succeed with some mutual trust

We were able to move sheep from one place to another, and then back them up further.  He learned to control himself a little, and I was able to learn a bit, (very small steps of progress), about applying and releasing pressure on the livestock and my dog.  I am really looking forward to the next session!

Once we got home, he hung out in the RV with us while we brought the slides back in and started it up.  I suppose after all the other commotion we've created in his life these past three weeks he wasn't at all concerned about a "big truck" in the back yard.

My new motto has become "keep moving forward, it's the only place you have not yet been".  He has been my gift, and my accelerator to remain filled with life these past weeks.  I already feel I owe him so much.
 

A Whole New World

Dave had plans today, and I had a scheduled session with Stetson's breeder (a new friend), Amy Burnette to see what herding was all about.  Maddie doesn't like to be left out or left home alone.  Soooo, Madison loaded into the truck along with Stetson and I, and we were off to see what we could do with livestock.

I had no idea what to expect - sheep, goats, ducks...I seriously had no clue what I was going to experience today; but I knew I had to see what this dog would do in the environment he was bred to thrive in.

There we were at eleven o'clock this morning; he was wearing his harness (totally inappropriate, but what did I know), I was in shorts two tops and sneakers (also mostly inappropriate; my legs and ankles were exposed and apparently most susceptible to injury, but I typically roll with legs exposed and upper body covered, it's a runner thing, so it seemed okay to me at the time).

We began by watching an experienced dog bring goats into a small pen, which would be our work area.  Then Amy and the dog worked on intricate details of the process with the goats.  We watched another woman bring sheep into the pen, the goats were put up and the sheep were worked by her and then a dog who was equally as inexperienced as Stetson (by Amy).  Amazingly, Amy was able to work the dog and give me pointers as I observed from outside the pen.  At last it was our turn; I had the choice to work him in the pen myself, or watch him be worked for the first time by Amy.  She was very open to either option, and I decided without much thought to go in myself.

I only have a couple of pictures and they actually have nothing to do with the main event today, but they are cute anyway.

Can't see it here, but he was barking at the sheep being worked by another dog; very nice exhibit of drive
 

She was none too happy when we took "her dog" and put him away before he got to work

We moved Stetson from the outdoor runs to indoors in order to save his enthusiasm for the job before it was his turn to work.  Madison was having nothing to do with separation from her new buddy; she kicked into my "high drive working bitch" that I've loved, and struggled with, for nearly thirteen years each time she was separated from him. Actually, it's not as personal toward him as she makes it seem; she's not afraid he's not coming back, she's more angry that someone else it getting action and she's left in a crate or kennel - but she's adorable nonetheless, and she does make it seem like it's about separation. Her noise was deafening to me, but the gracious people, Amy included, were not visibly annoyed by her behaviour.

Herding is a spectator sport for Madison

Stetson, well, my goodness what a nice dog he is!  He walked into the pen with sheep for the first time, with me on the other end of his rope, another first time situation, and he controlled the situation very well.  He seemed to recognize I might be ultimately in charge, and was willing to let me lead.  Amy told me before we started that I needed to watch the livestock and not the dog; it made sense, we were there to control the livestock after all.  She also said to watch their heads, you control them by the head and not from behind.  Again, that was logical to me because I'd watched them be "driven" (my words) from the rear and their heads lead them to where they ultimately ended up...  Okay, I could do that I thought, or I hoped.

Well, we did!  I don't have a "lie down" or even a "down" command with him yet - but he knows "whoa" because I am adamant about control when we run/walk and I use a slow, low, firm "whoa" to stop my dogs from jerking me in uncertain terrain or situations, such as down a mountain, (not funny, but you can laugh, I've been drug down a portion of Red Top with screaming Siberians before I learned that they had to know "whoa") so it was easy for me to keep him standing, but stopped.  We will have to learn "lie down" for herding, obedience, agility and the rest of life; but for today "whoa" worked fine.

He trusted me to be in charge today and I trusted myself to watch the livestock and feel the dog at the other end of the rope.  I think we all had a ball!  I'm so grateful for this experience, I cannot wait for the next time we get out.  I know his complete sweetness will wear off as he "feels his oats" so to speak, and gets more confident, but OMG (yes, I said that, OMG) it was a blast.

So very grateful that my friend Trish McCabe directed me to Coolmore Australian Shepherds and Amy Burnette.  Stetson and I have so many memories to make!  Tonight I'll fall asleep reciting over and over, "walk up"; "whoa"; "that'll do".

We're not running tonight, I seem to be the only one in the house still living on a rush - the dogs are sleeping and cozy so I'll let them be until tomorrow when we hit the pavement and work on endurance and getting it together for the one thing I knew we would be doing together, running!  Rest well little buddy, we're back on tomorrow night.

Walking Toward A Run

So many mixed emotions were running through my veins tonight while we walked the dogs tonight. 

Stetson kept pace with Maddie for the first time since he has been here.  I have been a little worried about our long term distance future when watching him lag behind my bitch that is almost 13 years old, especially when I see his lead is slack and she's pulling rather hard on the lead with Dave.  There have been moments of poise on the flat with him so far, but hills prove to be as much of a challenge for him as they are me, until tonight.

On this walk he kept pace and had the lead by a nose for most of the walk.  His head was up and he had an air of alertness about him I haven't seen yet.  I would say he mastered the hills on our route, but we were walking; so I'll stick with he was significantly improved.  He had a kind of surety, of confidence, that "this" is what he was supposed to do.  He seemed in control of himself and his environment for the first time.

We are walking mostly now, but I can see the run is coming.  About the time I finally put my observations into words, we turned a corner and my face was instantly chilled by a brush with a cold wind.  My thoughts raced to "Mira would have loved a run on a night like tonight..." and I choked back tears.  Indeed, she would have loved it, I will always remember her, especially when cold air jolts me into gratitude for life in the South.  I am so grateful that Stetson has stepped up and is quickly moving toward a run, somehow it makes her memory sweeter.

Keeping Hydrated :)

 

All Doors Are Open

AKC/ASCA CH Rista I Got My Stetson of Coolmoor

 We have so many doors before us to explore with Stetson.   I have been working with him and learning about him this week and trying to decide what we should consider pursuing together in addition to running.

Naturally, I am curious to see if he has good herding instinct.  I just can't imagine having a gorgeous dog like this in my home and not finding out if what he was bred to do makes him tick.  We have a date with Amy and some livestock next Sunday.  She is his co-breeder and has had him at her home for the past year and a half or so.  Luckily, she also has livestock and hopefully enough patience to guide Stetson and I through the very raw beginning of this adventure.  I'm okay if he doesn't have the right stuff for the job, I'm actually used to finding an alternative for a dog that just didn't get turned on by the job they were bred to do.  But I'm terribly excited to find out what's behind that particular door.

I stood at the back door earlier this week and watched him shoot across the yard like a bolt of lightening after a squirrel on the fence and had to pick my jaw up from the floor.  He is gorgeous when he moves.  He'll never have the opportunity to run full out with me on the other end of the leash.  It's not humanly possible to run that fast, not even for a minute.  Dave and I talked about the possibilities of an activity that would give him the opportunity to use his body and speed like that.  We thought of agility of course, and I'm tossing around finding someone who can meet him and evaluate a possibility for some Frisbee play.  I just can't help myself when I see a beautiful dog in motion, it is stimulating and relaxing at the same time for me.  I need to pursue that at some level and find a way to give him an opportunity to use that beauty (besides squirrel hunter).

Stetson has a great stand - I mean it is solid.  Of course we need him to learn to sit and down and do some other basic obedience commands.  Since "sit" is typically the easiest of the basics to teach, I began working it first this week.  The dog will stretch his neck back over his spine and almost start a back bend in pursuit of a cookie, but he will not for one second lower those haunches and put his butt on the floor.   Instead of being frustrated with the situation, I quickly realized that it could be beneficial to us, if we were going to pursue some obedience titles.  Mira would flatten her ears, wag her tail and bounce to whoever was going to examine her so this solid stand is looking pretty sweet to me.  It didn't take long for me to redirect and teach a down first. I figured once he was down and we were solid with that, I could take him up to a sit from the down position...and we would work "stay" in with both commands as we go.  It's working great!  He will "down" and we have begun to work on "stay" as well.  The exciting thing about this is that his "down" is straight, he doesn't roll onto either hip, and that is a pretty piece of precision I want to capitalize on if I decide to pursue obedience titles.  Obedience is new to me, so I see some classes in our future.  Maybe what I see as potential isn't, but I hope I am right.

I started to look up Versatility on the AKC website yesterday evening, but decided my head was already spinning with options.  The one activity that is mandatory between us, is running.  He is here primarily because I am determined to have a dog alongside me on trails and at night on the road.  His endurance is building, but best of all he seems to have grasped the association between sneakers on my feet and a fabulous adventure.  This is one door that I know how do get through and I'm glad he's open to the adventure.

 

 

Big Strides and Big Mistakes

Stetson did his first three miler today.  The four of us walked a mile and a half.  Then Stetson and I went off as a twosome to make a second loop finishing three miles total. It is the first time I have worn my heart rate monitor when I had him out. Up to now, it hasn't seemed to matter what my time was or what zone I was in, but I need to begin to gauge how I am working comparitively it to where I need to be for "normal".  I was in a low zone two with his pace today.  That will be great for fat burning, and it is a fabulous place to be to build endurance, so I'm not going to complain.  This phase of conditioning him will serve me well and probably keep me from getting some stupid injury that normal people with self control could prevent on their own.



Stetson recovering after our run this morning

Madison recovering after our run this morning



















In the past two days he has begun to understand our stretching routine.  His spine is the most flexible thing I've ever seen on a dog.  He turns his head back to his tail/stump willingly on either side for a nice long stretch.  Naturally, Stetson stretches better than any other dog we've had upon waking.  It is normal for him to stretch his front shoulders (bowing motion) and then to bring his neck up and back.  I'm glad he already takes good care of himself!  I have begun to work with his feet and can stretch every toe and each foot well.  He will let me stretch from his shoulder and hip joints pretty well, but we have some work to do no the hock and pastern areas.  I'm impressed with what he is willing to let me do at this point in our relationship.  We both had a deep need to bond quickly, it seems to be taking shape.

Along with the good/great comes the bad...  I made a big mistake this week, but we have rebounded and it hardly seems we missed a beat in spite of me.  Hindsight is 20/20 and I would gladly have paid a handsome sum to have thought this out rationally and prevented it from happening to begin with.  But I didn't...

Sunday night I decided Stetson was too noisy in his crate for me to sleep peaceably.  He twirled, he panted, he got a drink of water, he'd bump his water bucket... He did nothing bad or wrong, but I didn't rest well and I let my hormones rule my brain when I sleepily decided the next day he could sleep loose in the bedroom with us (although not in the bed).  We had him in our home for less than 36 hours and I'm giving him freedom in the bedroom overnight.  I knew it wasn't a great idea, but I figured he might chew something or mark something and somehow I convinced myself that he'd been far more trustworthy in those two regards than expected, so let's give it a try.

So Monday rolls around and we proceed to buy a nice pad for Stetson to lay on the floor next to my side of the bed.  That night he takes to it pretty well, moves it around a bit and wads it up, but he seemed content.  Tuesday morning we had a happy dog who greeted us to go outside with full body wiggles.  Tuesday night begins with the same non-issue turn in "routine".  But at 5 am on Wednesday morning Dave and I are panic stricken as we are awakened by a horrible growl and Maddie screaming.  Thankfully, between her scream and us both yelling, the noise between the two of them ended immediately.  Both dogs went into the living room and Dave and I began to examine them for damage.  Stetson was assessed and we found no sign of wounds.  I found a small tuft of hair near the closet door and quickly located a tiny bald spot on the side of Maddie's head.  It was pink, but not bloody; thankfully only a graze of a tooth.  A few minutes later I noticed some hair on the the top of her head parted oddly.  After further investigation I discovered another graze (maybe 1/4 inch long) with a puncture at one end.  She wasn't bleeding, although there was fresh blood around the wound and she didn't seem to mind my fingering around the open sore.

Long story short, Madison ended up with a puncture wound that scraped down her head for about a 1/4 inch and another small graze.  No stitches were necessary and she sat like a little champion while Dr. Smith shaved the hair away so she could clean it and let it heal.  She is the sweetest girl!

Besides being worried about Madison physically, we were also challenged to figure out if this was a deal breaker for Stetson at the house.  I was not trying to "under" react to the situation, but I knew that the fault and blame for this was on me.  It's a really hard spot to be in to know that you may have made a stupid decision that could change the entire life choice you had only a day before made.  My gut was torn.  With Stetson being an in tact male and Maddie an altered female we knew he wouldn't have any lasting emotional drama from the event, unless we freaked out.  I knew within two minutes of the outbreak that the problem was he had probably never lived in an environment where something/someone might step on him or stick their nose where it doesn't belong while he was in a deep sleep.  He came to us as a beautiful finished Champion, but from growing up in a kennel environment.  Household living and ways were new to him, and I had just pushed him over the edge.

We left the vet's office knowing that if this was going to work now, it would be up to Maddie to "get over it".  If she was going to "get over it" we were going to have to first.  So Dave and I decided to leave it there and move forward without looking back from that moment.

Yesterday evening went without issue, although they were both being very polite to each other; turning heads away and not sneaking up to get a butt whiff when the other one wasn't looking... 

We got out answer about the future of us as a foursome while on the walk this morning.  Thanks to an overflowing recyle bin and a dog who just can't resist snooping about other people's trash, I think we are going to work this out.  As Madison appraoched the bin at the end of a neighbor's drive, she blew her nose to the bin as Dave said "leave it" and then she flipped toward Stetson, nose to nose, head lowered, ears back and I swear I heard her say "look, if we're ever going to be able to get any trash from the neighbors we're going to have to work together, okay?"   The dogs are "over it" in the best of ways.

Stetson - Poop Bag Terrorism

We took Stetson and Maddie to the river today.  I figured it would be a good opportunity to proof squirrels and maybe see some bicycles.

He has no issue with bicycles.  Those we met on-coming he barely even noticed.   I heard a couple approaching from behind at one point and was able to turn so he saw them before they were on us, at any rate he didn't seem to even be curious about them.  We saw a few kids in strollers and he didn't pay attention to those either.

There were plenty of squirrels and he was much easier to reign in than Maddie (no big surprise, bouncing silly dog that she is).  I have felt the power of him lunging at speed to the end of the leash and am doing my best to make darn sure I am alert, thus able to stay safe.  Falling on him would be worse for him than me.

But maybe all that "calmness" was because he spent his adrenaline almost immediately upon leaving the parking area and beginning the path.  I forgot to reload poop bags in the truck after we were out Monday, so we stopped at the dispenser at the trail head to get three or four.  Dave had Stetson and I had Maddie.  Dave reached up to pull a bag out of the dispenser and the whole pole seemed to lean over him and then the roll of bags began flying out of it.  Stetson took a half look up at the monstrosity heading his way and hit the end of his lead hard.  I'm amazed Dave's shoulder isn't sore this evening from the sudden jerk.

Thankfully I decided to use a tracking harness on Stetson when he first arrived, knowing that if he spooked and slipped a flat collar we were not going to be his safety net for some time yet.  I was afraid he would get away and we'd lose him.  The harness and Gripper Leash (love those leashes) held him while Dave managed to unwrap some poop bags to stow away and we were off.


Rest well little buddy, it's been a big day!

 

Stetson - Training Day 2

Our second day to train together was successful.  His feet felt good today and I think the decision to work on asphalt was beneficial to help minimize the soreness he showed yesterday.  We are both learning about each other and how to make this new relationship work. 

I learned today that:

1. I will keep him reigned in at 4 feet or less until I have had an opportunity to proof him on squirrels (we haven't seen a bunny yet).  He is strong and FAST - easy to get under control, but you have to be ready for the explosion.  The short lead gives me a little more power.
2. I am now responsible for the pace.  Sounds stupid, but it is huge!  Mira had limits this summer with heat and humidity that kept her to a specific pace.  It was more distance than you would ask a dog that wasn't conditioned, yet it was appropriately limited by weather conditions and it was a slow steady training run pace.  Stetson isn't going to flip me off and do what works for him, he proved that today - I set the pace.  He eagerly let me go out as fast as I wanted (which was too fast of course) but he was just as gracious to slow down when I realized my error.  Unfortunately, my self control is lacking and I tend to go out too fast and burn out and ultimately end up getting overuse injuries...  I am now officially in charge of me and that's a perspective I haven't been consumed with before. 
3. He wants the road.  Mira ran the gutter or the edge of the curb, Maddie has always preferred the road also.  Mira had the toughest feet/pads of any dog we have ever owned, I was always amazed that the gravel and sand in the gutter didn't bother her.  His pads will toughen up as time goes on, but my guess is he'll always prefer the road; we'll see.  I don't care what surface they prefer, but when we are a foursome, we'll have to be more cognizant of traffic if we have two dogs on asphalt.



Walking into an office full of trophies and memorabilia dedicated to our Siberian Huskies, he doesn't seem to mind or notice that he's an oddball.

Stetson had a couple of lessons with regular things today as well:

1. Garage Doors - they open and close, but the motors controlling that process are noisy.  He is amazing to me.  The first time we went out and came back (via control panel on the outside of the door) he was alert and wanted to bolt, but the second time out and back, he actually tried to get into the garage before the door was up just like all our other dogs ever have.  He has some initial "fear" of new noises and things, but he rebounds so well and is such a great trooper to try new things!
2. Squirrel chasing is for the yard, not the road.  He took to the lesson quickly, I hope it sticks and we don't have to reteach it every run.



Love the freckles on Stetson's face
 

 One day at a time and a lesson at a time. 

Stetson - Training Day 1

We picked the handsome Stetson up from his breeder yesterday morning at 7 am.  We spent the day getting used to each other and exposing him to household stuff; refrigerator doors opening, grocery bags rattling while we put groceries away, sliding glass doors that are apparently very creepy and a Siberian who has a big mouth and the worst possible timing to bark and play bow.  Although he gets surprised easily, he rebounds very quickly when something new and/or noisey is happening and comes back to inquire further about whatever is happening.  I don't mind caution, if it is followed by curiosity and he is displaying a healthy dose of caution but learns quickly that things are really okay.  So far we aren't having to repeat many lessons.


Today began his training to be my running partner.  I put together all the gear from our other dogs; Mira's crates, Nakeeta's harness, Magic's collar and Kody's leather leash (which is being changed to Mira's pink gripper lead after David described his squirrel chasing abilities).





Hand me down equipment

We went to East Cobb Park in order to expose him to an ash trail as well as a wooded trail that's not too long.  He has a couple of pads that are sore right now, so we have to take it slower than I had expected.

We didn't cross any squirrels or other wildlife so I still don't know how he'll be in that situation.  He only occasionally pulled on the harness.  All I had to do was apply a little pressure and he willingly backed off the tug.  He would actually be a great option for Dave when we have the dogs together; Maddie may be on the edge of 13 years and she doesn't have much endurance left, but she'll take you out if you're not careful.

The trail was short, but it was a good start to what I believe will be a long and fulfilling relationship of trails and roads together.

We'll probably do a short walk tonight in the neighborhood and continue to monitor his pads.  Now he is laying on the office floor behind me while I write.  His willingness to trust us and try is very rewarding.

From Solo to Duet

The way we were
 

Mira left us on November 8th, 2012.  We noticed a disturbing breathing pattern on Wednesday evening and less than 24 hours later she was gone.  After extensive testing in search of diagnosis, it was presumed to be Hemangiosarcoma, a particularly aggressive and lethal form of cancer.  Her cancer appeared to have started around the heart and metastasized to the lungs.  There was nothing we could do for her other than to free her from this time space reality and the disease that was taking her life before our eyes.  I sobbed into her luxurious coat and Dave stroked her head as her spirit floated away.

For quite some time before last week, we had decided to welcome a third dog into our home and lives.  Mira was approaching 8 years and Maddie is on the edge of 13 years.  Because I run, I needed to begin to think about how to transition from an able bodied distance partner (Mira) to a younger partner.  We tossed rescue around, we looked at puppies and we were digging into breed options - I wasn't quite sure I wanted another Siberian right now, somehow I thought I might want to experience a different breed.  After many conversations and much research Dave and I both continued to return to the Siberian and we decided to go for a puppy and started talking with the our friend and the breeder of Mira and Magic.  It was set, we were on the list and I actually had picked out two sets of registered and call names for our "puppy to be".  Now all we had to do was wait.

Then Mira left unexpectedly and I find myself without a running partner and Maddie is without canine companionship for the first time in her entire life (we co-bred the litter she came from and they were whelped it our home in Kansas City).

I admit we were in a panic of sorts, between worry for Maddie's enrichment and my own need to have a canine running partner for companionship and safety.  So we began to review our options, again.  We ruled out an adult Siberian rescue, for our purposes, a young puppy that we can mold and bond with from 8 to 10 weeks works best.  We ruled out any rescue other than something that had been fostered in a home environment we trusted to be able to evaluate because we have an older dog in the house that we didn't want stressed unnecessarily  Then there was the puppy option; although a puppy might spark some excitement for Maddie, I would be running solo for 18 - 24 months in order to allow proper growth and maturity thus reducing injury and/or permanent damage of a young dog's body. Solo runs at night and on trails were not an option in my eyes or in Dave's.  So we were brought back to seeking an adult.

We spoke with a breeder of Australian Shepherds that we had previously considered a young adult from and set up a meeting to see him.   It was pretty much love at first sight for Dave and the boy; I was smitten without much further delay.

"Stetson" is lovely, kind, sweet, and looking for a job and people to claim as his own.  We pick him up Saturday and bring him to meet Maddie.  If they like each other and he works out otherwise, we will be back to two dogs and I'll have my running partner (once he is conditioned) again.  Maybe I'll nick name him Duet in her memory, and anticipation of what we will grow to be together. I wish I had a picture to post of him. His eyes are deep and his heart is open; hopefully all that fits into a great match for the four of us.

Mira will be forever missed, she truly gave me wings beneath my feet and patiently guided me along paths and roads that I would never have dreamed of jogging solo.



 

Stretching My Dog

I meant to post this two weeks ago and the time has gotten away from me.  Not all for the good, but nonetheless, the time has gone by.  I have stretched my dogs for many years before and after agility runs and post road/trail runs.  I thought something was lacking, so I enlisted the assistance of the professionals who care for my dogs medically and they helped me learn to stretch them one joint at a time.  Okay, honestly I stretched Mira - Maddie I hold a foot and if it goes well, I reward her...we'll get there eventually :)

Beginning with the toes, we stretched each one gently and move up the leg; at this point I am working on her shoulder



Having finished the front leg, I've begun the toes on the rear; she's relaxed and very happy!

 



Remember when you are stretching yourself after a workout, your dogs need the same opportunity. 

2 Strikes of Aggression

Today was unfortunately the 2nd strike against a specific aggressive dog in the past 6 months - I have no patience and I have no apologies for my lack of tolerance.

A few months ago while riding our bikes we had a neighbor walking her dog who took out after me on the bike and she laughed as she said "Lilly, you can't have the biker..."  I stopped and let her have it verbally.  She puller her dog in (flexi lead) and that was that.

This is Sunday, long run day...Dave and I took Mira and Maddie for a mile and half, then I finished three with Mira.  After I dropped her back at the house because it was humid and relatively warm for a Siberian, I took out for three miles solo.

I got winded on my second run  up Inlet and began walking.  I saw a woman walking two dogs ahead of me.  As I always do, I called out to see if the dog were friendly...she said if I were running Lilly, the lab would chase me.  So I took the opposite side of the road and walked slower...  We chatted as she told me about Lilly and how they had her in training because she liked to chase runners and bikes.  As I passed (again, other side of the road and walking slowly), she said "look, she likes you..."

I didn't know the dog was right behind me, apparently moron owner let the flexi extend.  The next thing I hear before I even see the dog (still walking mind you) is a growl, I feel the sting of the bite and hear my shorts rip to almost the waist.  Much cussing from me, apologies from her...and I demand she get the flexi pulled in so I can get the hell away from them.  At that flashing moment, I recognize the eyes of the dog, and remember this is the idiot owner with the dog that chased me on my bike a few months back.  Now I'm boiling mad and as I trot off putting distance between us, I demand to know if the dog is current on shots and she promises she is. I then made her point out her house before I hustled down the road.

Because I'm a typical freak runner, I look at the wound, decide I'm not bleeding much and it's going to be bruised more than anything, so I may as well finish the run rather than turning for home.  I made the turn for my last mile and there's this woman next to me in her vehicle with the receipt and rabies certificate for Lilly...  I slowed down, looked at her and said, "that's fine, but I'm reporting this.";  "why, why would you do that?" she asks.   I muttered "because it's the right thing to do, you know you have an aggression issue"  At which time she says, "they aren't going to do anything with her" and I said, "it doesn't matter, I'm reporting this, she bit me, it cannot go unreported it is aggression".    With that she drove off.

When Animal Control came to the house to take my statement we discussed medical treatment...and I told him I'd already cleaned it up, I've had my Tdap vaccine very recently and we agreed I was good to not seek additional medical care.  He was going to go get Lilly and begin her quarantine this afternoon.  I will get a  call when the quarantine is over to let me know if the dog has been returned...  I expect it will, unless they owner elects to not pay the boarding fees for quarantine.

I know there are risks that I take when I leave for a run or a ride or for that matter a swim.  I understand I may get hurt, maybe badly, but I am unwilling to excuse a true aggression issue.  This was a cheap shot by the dog and the owner didn't have to be so stupid about it.  I have battled the decision to report it all afternoon.  I keep pushing guilt down and fighting it with reason, with my desire to be safe in my neighborhood and for my neighbors and their animals and children to be safe.


 

Blister

A week ago I ran six miles with Mira on Kennesaw Mountain trails.  Much of it is covered with large gravel, and there are portions that have huge ruts from rain washout...  Somewhere during the first three miles I began to feel a stinging sensation and burn on or around the bunion on my right foot.

Assuming I was developing a blister, I tried to compensate as I pushed ahead.  By the start of the third mile I really didn't feel much irritation, so I assumed my sock had twisted and then somehow self corrected.

At the end of the run when I pulled my trail shoes and socks off, this is what I found:



Apparent blister, without a bubble on the edge of my callous under the bunion

 

After cleaning up and tending to the "wound" it appears to be a typical blister

 

It appears to be a blister, but it never drained and once my socks were off and I was cleaned up, it never hurt - all week.  By Tuesday this week, the pink had turned blackish purple.  Still, it never bubbled or broke like a blister does, so I began referring to it as a blood blister.  It wasn't tender to touch and other than being as ugly as the callous it is partially hidden beneath, it was not a concern.

Today I ran four and a half miles.  By the start of mile three I could feel a rub and little stinging sensation in the same spot.  I'm not a heel striker, but I don't really land on the ball of my foot either.  I do however have a degree of roll through the landing and push into the next stride.  On video my right foot lands normally for 4 out of 5 strikes, and occasionally, only occasionally do I overpronate.

Again, there is no bubble and no leak.

 

 



It would appear I have a pronation problem after all.  I thought the week of rest was appropriate and when there was no discomfort whatsoever, I thought I was good to go.  It seems I am sadly mistaken.


 

Race Number D 1286

I went this morning to pickup my race number for the Atlanta Marathon.  The number is D 1286. The bib will forever remain as pristine as the moment they handed it to me.

I knew as I approached the table of volunteers passing out bibs that attempting this race right now would not be in my long term best interest.  I've spent a good deal of time this past week reflecting on my goals and the processes I've chosen to achieve them.  This particular race was never "the" goal, rather it was a means to achieve the goal of qualifying for Boston.  The race tomorrow won't move me toward Boston.  Actually, if I pushed myself to run tomorrow and finish, just for the sake of finishing, I would potentially cost myself  more than I would gain. And so it is, I will take Mira to the mountain in the morning and push myself to "run" more than last week, to drive up the hills that I walked last week and to be pleased with the progress.

I am hanging this race number from my desk as a reminder of where I am going and how far I have come.  I am convinced that the mere act of entering this race has turned my conviction from "wouldn't that be a nice thing to do" to "done, I'm doing that, I'm going there".  I appreciate this bib, perhaps more than any of the other bibs I have collected.

I'm not disappointed, I'm proud of my personal growth and enjoying the evolution of what I'm really capable of.

 

Six Miles with One Dog and Fifteen Deer

Mira impatiently digs at her mat while I change shoes and get ready for our run

 

We did the six mile loop from the Illinois Monument at Chetham Hill, to Kolb Farm this morning.  The weather was perfect, with enough bite in the air to keep my dog comfortable and on task, but not so much so that I was chilled in the heavily forested areas of the trail.

At a large meadow before we reached Kolb Farm, where the grass was tall and the sun was shining brightly through the trees, I paused to look for deer and catch my breath.  There were none, so we plunged back into the woods and began climbing toward the din of traffic on Powder Springs Road.  The three miles on the West trail from the monument to the farm was hard for me today, very hard.  It is obvious I have not been cross training as my hamstrings and quads were crazy tight before we finished the first mile and that wasn't a very difficult stretch.  Then the bunion on my right foot began to burn and sting.  It felt like something had sliced the tender skin under the callous.  I pushed through and slowed to accommodate my short breath more than the foot, but continued to drive on as soon as I thought I could.   I discovered much later, at the end of the run a large, ugly, blister between the callous and bunion.  All in all, we made the three mile mark in thirty-seven minutes.  That is my new personal best for the distance; road or trail. 

Not long after we left Kolb Farm for the return to the Illinois Monument via the East Trail, Mira stopped dead in front of me.  To our side, barely visible through the sun streaked forest stood two deer.  Beautiful, silent with ears flicking this way and that listening in all directions; all the while staring us into submission and breathlessness.




The first of fifteen deer seen on the trail this morning

We were separated by small creek from this one who decided to join our run for a very short distance

And so it continued for the next mile and a half, we'd jog a bit and then come upon more deer, usually spotting two at a time.  Once we came across a foursome.  We saw fifteen deer at final count today.  Interestingly, Mira never made an effort to pull or take on a "chase" attitude.  She has a funny habit of watching them for a moment, but as soon as they turn and leap deeper into the forest out of view, she lunges forward down the trail.  It's at these moments I have come to appreciate the drive of a working dog who has learned well what her job is and gives great commitment to the task!

Mira watching deer, note the slack in the lead - she never pulls to chase a deer

There's no slack in the lead now, the deer has turned to disappear into the forest and she's intent on getting back on the trail and back to work.

The second three miles took forty two minutes, but there were many pauses for deer watching, so it may have been another personal best for three miles without all the stops.  Overall, the run was my best time for a three mile split, and also the six miles total.  Regardless of time, today was a definite personal best in the wildlife category.
 

Weed Wackers That Go Bang In the Night

Mira was on this evening. It was warm and we jogged under cloud cover and elevated humidity compared to the previous run this week, but she was ready to go and kept the lead tight.  I was impressed with her.

After we finished the run, I grabbed a random newspaper that had been tossed into our grass on the way down the driveway.   My truck is parked on the right side of the garage and it's pretty large.  There's a small path between it and Dave's car on the right.  We keep the recycling bin on the passenger rear side of my truck and I rarely leave much clearance between the two.  There's also a small area between the bin and the door that "houses" the various yard tools that we don't have hanging; including the oversisized, "industrial" weed wacker.

Mira rarely waits for the door to go up before pulling to get into the garage, there are cookies and a good massage waiting for her on the other side of the door after all!  Tonight was no exception and as I dodged right to toss the paper, she charged forward between the car and truck.  I missed the bin, the paper bounced between the tools and eventually the weed wacker lost it's fight to remain upright and slid down the wall dragging two shovels with it under the truck.

I'm 5 feet 2 inches tall - the truck is approximately 79 inches wide.  Somehow, some way I managed to wrap myself around the back side of that truck with one arm flailing to try and save the weed wacker and the other arm (with the help of a 6 foot leash) trying to keep Mira from charging ahead fully spooked.

Yikes!  I never did like yard work...



 

The Start of A New Season

We had cool weather this morning!  It is amazing how 55 degrees in October feels fresh and crisp, compared to 55 degrees in April that feels dingy and humid.  But it's October and I am happy with mornings in the 50's!

We did an out and back on Kennesaw Mountain this morning.  Starting at Burnt Hickory Road to the Illinois Monument and back, all in all just over 5 miles.  I've been working on obedience with Mira with the intention showing in AKC obedience and earning a BN title.  I had proof today that the effort and focus on "stay" was paying off.  The picture below was taken during our rest at the top of the run.  I dropped the lead and stepped away from her while I poured some water and took her picture (I acknowledge my timing is off since I caught her blinking).  There were a pair of Golden's just above us who were having a jolly good time with their owner, and she didn't once bother to get nosey about it.  Huge strides for us :)  Consistency is paying off!

 

 

She took a minute to pose for me at the monument before we started back down the trail...

 

 

I also made some progress in the "confidence department" this morning running downhill on the trail.  I have far more confidence and trust in Mira as a running partner than I would be able to place in any of my other dogs, even my nearly 13 year old Maddie.  Mira is calm, she's not so full of prey drive that every squirrel looks like the perfect chase, and most of all she seems to care that I'm on the other end of the leash.  There was only one part of the trail today that I didn't trust myself enough to keep up a jog with her.  Near the bottom, there is a serpentine that is pretty narrow.  There's lots of loose rock/gravel and ruts from rain washout.  I just can't bring myself to jog that small stretch with a dog on lead yet.  Someday, Mira, someday we'll get to chase the trail all the way to the bottom, I promise.

 



 

Brick with Mira

Our intention was to head out to the Silver Comet today and take a long training ride early.  We'd be home by 9ish and ready to wash the RV and take care of the other household maintenance that needed to be wrapped up for the weekend.

At 4 am, I woke to horrible pain in my neck.  I've been nursing a sore and mis-aligned neck for several days, often unable to turn my head without moving my entire upper body.  I was up and loaded with Ibuprofen but not really able to move my head much.  Seeing the darkness descend on the end of my tunnel, I woke Dave and told him I'd turned my 5:30 am alarm off - we'd have to ride another day.

Around 7:50 I woke to the clanging of dog bowls in the kitchen.  Dave was preparing breakfast for the girls and I could hear the dancing of 8 feet across the hardwoods in anticipation of their morning fruit, veggies and cereal.  I drug myself out of bed and sat with the dogs while they ate.  Dave and I chatted while I put on a pot of decaf.  I began to stretch myself a little while working around in the kitchen and began to get really frustrated because I didn't really feel very bad now, certainly it was nothing like I had faced at 4 am.  After some discussion, I decided I'd rather get a little accomplished today instead of nothing toward training, so we agreed to ride close to home for a short time and then I'd come back, pick up the dogs and run with them.  At least I'd get a short bike/run brick in and the dogs would get their exercise too.

It worked out great! I knew I'd be over an hour since the dogs ate before I was ready to run and if I took it easy (which I was pretty much forced to do physically), it wouldn't tax them into a potentially harmful stress situation and create a fear of bloating.  So off Dave and I went on the bikes.

The ride was good.  Relatively uneventful in comparison to having had the dog attack problem earlier in the week.  It was chilly, only 59 degrees, when we started and I had on a summer cycle top.  But it didn't take too long to warm up and forget my arms were exposed.  I was feeling good about the decision to make some lemonade from my lemons.  Once we dismounted and put the bikes back in their racks, I grabbed harnesses and leads and we were out the door within a relatively short time for an abbreviated run.

I got a couple of miles in with Mira on the run portion of the brick.  I'm afraid I'm spoiled now, running with a dog is far more enjoyable than running alone!


Glad to have been able to turn this adversity into a good opportunity today!



Fed, exercised and hoping we'll leave soon so they can sleep!