Hiking with Simon.

   Simon and I have been relaxing recently by going on hikes when we get the time to sneak away. With work and I just started up school it feels like we don't have as much free time as we used to. Unfortunately it's also just starting to get cool enough that Simon can enjoy the outdoors for a while without having to worry to much about it being to hot for him.

Although Simon is less than two years old he is actually very reliable off leash. We will always be working to improve our relationship and his training but I am really proud of where he is at considering he is still just a teenager.  I also like to make sure we get to have fun one on one time together. 

Simon goes to work with me almost everyday so he gets to hangout in daycare with other dogs and my coworkers. At home there is Sadie and Nik with us all of the time. And most of the time I train with them together so I don't get a ton of individual time with Simon unless I plan it. So I try to take time and plan some one on one time with both Sadie and Simon to work on our relationship.

It's also nice to see him loving life. He races around leaps sage brush chases the birds he flushes. There is something wonderful about seeing a dog so happy just getting to be a dog.  

We got to enjoy the beatuiful wild flowers that grown in our desert climate. There aren't a lot but the ones we found were beatuiful and it was fun to hunt for them.

It's also a chance for me to get to practice my photography some. I enjoy taking pictures and learning how to do differnt things with my camera.

                               

Such a wonderful way to spend time with my dog. 

Simon's Surgery.

Simon went in for surgery this last Friday. I had noticed a growth on his leg at the end of August and it wasn't going away if anything it was getting bigger. We went into the vet to have them check it out and they were a little concerned about it so they suggested we have it removed and sent in for testing.

Pre-surgery with the drugs kicking in.

That was Thursday and we had the surgery the next day. We woke up early in the morning so Simon and I could get a walk in before his appointment and try to get him to go potty. I took him in and they gave him his pre-surgery meds that made him sleepy before the surgery. I was able to take him home shortly after one he was still feeling the drugs a little but he was mostly back to normal. The rest of Friday he acted a little hungover and was a little out of it and very sleepy.

The growth.

Stitches. 

From Saturday on Simon was basically back to his normal self. It was a little difficult to keep him calm to try and protect his stitches. Today he managed to loosen his stitches and they looked a little strange so I brought him in to get it checked. The vet said it was healing well but that the stitches were no longer helping so she removed them and wrapped his leg.

Stoned Simon.

We sent the growth off to be tested so that we will know what it is and if we need to do anything further. We should get the results back either at the end of this week or the beginning of next and we will let you know what we find out.

Sleep Simon on Friday.

Barn Hunt.

So we had our first barn hunt experience.

For anyone who doesn't know barn hunt is a new sport that is becoming very  popular. They put rats in tubes that are hidden in bails of straw for the dogs to find. The dogs are also required to go through a tunnel made of straw bales and to climb on the bails.

Also the dogs can not go the bathroom  or they are disqualified. Sadie and Simon I'm looking at you here.

One of my dog club friends had tried it with her dogs and liked it so much she bought rats to be able to practice. It's amazing how the rats figure out that the dogs can't get to them and they don't seem to care much. But just to make sure it's not to stressful after a searches the rat get switched out for a new one so they get a break.

Both of the dogs seamed to enjoy looking for the rat and they were excited when they found it. Unfortunately they both thought that they should be allowed to pee on the straw so that is something we would have to fix if we were ever to really get into it.

I think it's a fun idea and good enrichment for the dogs.

My main issue with it is the same problem I have with tracking it's more the dog doing there own thing with the handler watching. I really enjoy rally, obedience, and agility more because they really give you a sense of team work. It's not just the dog doing something its the human and dog working together and I love that.

 We still might try this again a few more times. The dogs had fun so it was worth doing but I think we will more go to practices rather than try to compete in it.