A Short Chapter

Agility; it is not going to be a dream come true with Stetson.  He has had soft tissue problem after soft tissue problem this spring.  After backing off training and then restarting with a complete do over on jump training, from reintroduction of cavaletti and bars on the ground to jump chutes, I was still battling shoulder heat and soreness with alarming repetition. We had XRays done a week ago Friday, hopefully ruling out anything majorly structural.  Thankfully, there isn't anything horribly wrong.  However, there is some arthritis in the last cervical disk before the thoraic begin.  Additionally, he has early arthritic changes in both elbows.  Both of our Vets and an Orthopedic Surgeon came to the conclusion that agility is not going to be his future.  The constant pounding demands of jumps, weaves, brakes on the pause table, brakes on the AFrame...aren't in his best interest.

I remember looking into his eyes the night we met and realizing that my heart and his were both open books.  We could chose to write whatever chapter and story we wanted.  I decided that I wanted to earn a Versatility title in AKC with him.  We would need a Companion Dog title from Obedience, a Tracking Dog title from Tracking and a Novice Agility plus Novice Agility Jumper title from Agility.

It isn't going to happen.  My soul dared my heart to dream again after six years away from dog sports.  His eyes drew me in and I embraced the opportunity to learn new sports and to teach him one that I used to know.  Thankfully, our lifestyle is actually what he needs to help keep his body strong and active.  He needs the endurance training, skills training, strength training, stretching and core strengthening routine ,that we have developed.  I already see a huge difference in his comfort level since I've stopped weaves and jumps.

We will pick jump training back up with bars on the ground soon.  Then we'll go to low bars, jump chutes with low bars...  I am going to continue to teach him how to jump properly so we can continue his obedience career in health.  He will learn a very specific and wide path to take on the obedience broad jump that will serve him well.  I'm looking forward to swimming and tracking and some nosework too.  There are many other chapters to write together.

When I dropped him off for the XRays, I promised myself that I would be okay with whatever was discovered as long as it wasn't horrible, like cancer.  Honestly, I was far more disappointed and sad to learn this news than I anticipated I would be.  I really wanted to sail, to fly, to not feel the ground under my feet again on the agility course.

If you don't challenge yourself and your heart, you aren't in the game.  If you have anything left when you cross the finish line you didn't give it all you had to give.  There are lots of games out there to be played together, he doesn't have to be an agility dog.

Red Top Mountain

Dave and I spent many weekend mornings with the dogs at Red Top a few years back.  There's something about seeing the water in the morning with the fog rising off it that settles me.

I haven't made a trip to Red Top since before we had Stetson.  It seems odd that it would have taken so long to bring him here.  But as soon as I put my foot on the trail and felt the bulging tree roots underneath, I knew why I had been away so long.  Memories began to flood over me.  All of our Siberians had run or hiked that mountain with us, often we took Nakeeta, Magic, Maddie and Mira at the same time.  We have had some crazy encounters with other hikers and dogs up there; dogs that liked us, dogs our pack didn't like.  I have crashed and burned on more than one occasion with Madison and/or Nakeeta on the other end of the leash up on those trails and we have also danced many glorious dances bounding over the tree roots and through the ever changing topography of the mountain.  Memories began to flood me and the corners of my mouth turned into this grin seemingly designed to catch the salty tears falling from my eyes.  Such good times to be grateful for.

And today was no different, another soul cleansing memory was made.  Stetson felt perfect under the leash in my hand.  He looks like he's almost floating on the trail.  On the wet, dirt and pine needle coated surface, I can barely hear his feet strike the path.  I wish I could be so light on my feet.

One of my favorite places to stop is near the lodge by a small cove.  There's this old broken log across the water that makes me think of Tom Sawyer for some weird reason.  Sometimes Madison and Mira would like to get their feet wet in the lake, but Stetson prefers his feet to stay on land.  Someday I'll see if he can swim, but I wasn't dressed for that today.

I love catching the reflection of the trees in the morning light.  And of course there was the most handsome dog sitting next to me...

Do not hide from your memories, instead run toward that which creates memories for tomorrow.