You know you're a dog person when...

This last weekend I got some time off and was able to go to a hot spring for a family reunion. My first reaction to the idea?
Dread, worry, stress.
You might be wondering why?  Honestly it just makes me uncomfortable to leave my dogs. I tell that to some people and they just stare because they don't understand.

It kind of got me thinking  what other situations are unique to dog people.

For example:

You know you're a dog person when you worry more about your dog's diet than you own. Extra points if you are willing to spend more on healthy food for them while you are eating PB&J sandwiches.

You know you're a dog person when you leave somewhere early because it's time to feed your dog.

You know you're a dog person when you no longer notice dog hair on your clothes.

You know you're a dog person when your time off is filled with dog related activities. Extra points if you do dog sports that require travel and using vacation time.

You know you're a dog person when it starts to affect your decor.

You know you're a dog person when you spend all your money on things for your dogs.

You know you're a dog person when talking about anal glands and poop consistency are totally normal and not gross topics.

You know you're a dog person when you are more likely to shop at a store if your dog can come too. Thank you Home Depot, Lowe's, Sportsman's Wearhoue, Cabella's, and of course pet stores.

You know you're a dog person when you actually know what a bully stick is.

Not that kind of bully.

You know you're a dog person when you not only know there are different kinds of dog training, but you have read up and studied them to find out what works best for you.

You know you're a dog person when your idea of hanging out with friends includes getting together and training dogs.

Simon got his CGC

I am so happy and kind of surprised to announce that Simon got his Canie Good Citizen (CGC) title last Wednesday. It makes me smile every time I think about it. My little guy just makes me so happy. My little Simon Monster.

We had been working really hard on the skills needed for the CGC for the past few weeks and he has been doing a pretty good job.  However due to poor weather conditions and not a lot of free time this has mostly been done in my house with a fair amount of treats. This is not a good set up for a test that is out in public with strange people, dogs where you are not allowed to use treats.  Also work has been super busy with spring break so Simon has had to stay home and he has a huge case of jungle fever. He is hyper and overly excited about everything since he is getting less exercise and mental stimulation than normal. 

I also help the local obedience club put on the test so there is extra stress for me. To say I was frazzled and nervous would be an understatement. I decide to take Simon outside away from all the people and dogs so we can practice a bit and get on the same page. He wanted nothing to do with it and just wanted to run and chase the ducks.

Simon: WOOOOOOOOOOO! I got to go somewhere and do stuff this is great. Let's run and play and explore!

Me: We need to work on heeling and downs and stays.

Simon: New grass! New tree! DUCKS!

Me: SIMON!

Simon: What?

I was just making myself more stressed and upset. Simon wasn't playing attention and if he was all he would see is stress. I decided to take a break to change how Simon and I were acting and feeling. I took a moment to relax and enjoy the nice weather. Then I decided to play a little "tag" with Simon. It consists of me pushing him a little on the shoulder and then running off. He will chase after me and when he gets close I "tag" him again and run off on an other direction. Simon loves this game and I think it's a lot of fun. At the end we were both smiling and we ended up singing with each other. I then worked on some heeling and he did it and even was checking in with me.

However I couldn't get him to do a practice down. I don't know if he was just too excited or just didn't want to for some reason but if he wouldn't do it in the ring we were going to fail.

It was finally our turn we had decided to do the easiest part of the test first which is just being friendly to a stranger and letting them touch him with a brush and look in his ears and at his teeth. For some dogs that is pretty stressful but Simon has no issues with strangers. After that we were in the ring for the obedience portion. I was very happy with how Simon acted. He kept his attention on me and had lot of very good eye contact. Even with all the distractions his stays and recalls looked amazing he he seemed to enjoy working with me. I left the ring and felt super pumped up and happy.

The last part I was kind of dreading. It was the supervised separation and when Simon took the test as a 6 month old puppy it was the part he totally failed.  The dog is left with a stranger for three minutes while the owners are out of sight. It doesn't matter if the dog walks around but they have to not freak out about it. Last time Simon did it he screamed so much that after just a little bit they came and got us. I was really hoping that wouldn't happen this time. Most people just go around the corner but I was so nervous that I took Sadie and left the building. Three minutes seemed to take forever but I was so happy when I heard that he had passed. We went outside and ran around and howled to celebrate.

Simon I am so proud of you way to go.

Photography goals.

As part of challenging myself to become a better photographer I have been working on getting off auto and using my camera to it's full potential. I have really enjoyed the challenge this brings and I am excited to learn more. I have been reading a lot as well as taking a few classes to gain more knowledge and experience. I still have a lot to learn but I am having a ton of fun improving my photography skills.

I thought I would share with you some pictures I have taken since I switched from auto.

Simon with his friends Titan and Ruby.

Simon and Sadie napping.

Sadie likes to look out windows.

Simon laying on the bed.

Two dogs looking at the camera at the same time is just too much to ask. 

Simon looking serious. 

The River makes a good background.

More of Simon and friends.

Feeling grateful.

On Sunday I woke up stretched and almost feel over at the staggering pain from my neck. I quickly found that if I held my head perfectly still in the one "neck approved"  position it was only slightly uncomfortable. However any movement and I was screaming in pain. After discovering I couldn't wash my hair or get dressed with out help I called my manager and let her know I would not make it to work that day.

After that I called my mom to come drive me to a Redicare and see what I had done to my neck. We spent two hours in the waiting room watching three children cause havoc. My mom leaned over and whispered that as a child I would have been horrified to see other children acting like that and that she never would have let me get away with it. Good to know I was a well trained kid I guess.  They took some X-rays and told me I had torticollis which is where your neck muscles cause your head to tilt and it is very painful to be in any other position than the tilted one. I honestly had not noticed that I was holding my head at a different angle than normal until he pointed it out. It supposedly can happen randomly and other than being painful isn't that serious. The Dr prescribed muscle relaxers and a few days rest.

The second day I was very worried I was sleeping a ton because apparently the pills just knocked me out but when I was awake I would feel loopy but still in pain. I woke up today with a lingering stiffness but I can now mostly move my neck. Some positions are still pretty painful and it gets worse if I forget to take my pills but I can really tell it is improving.

I was feeling lucky that my dogs are willing to be so flexible for me. Normally I get up between 6am-9am every morning, The past few days I have gotten up between 11am-2pm. Because even walking would cause my neck to hurt I haven't walked them or really done anything other than cuddle them for the past three days. Sadie is loving the naps and cuddles but it really isn't Simon's thing. He would much rather be off on an adventure or playing or anything active but he has been very good and hasn't even tried to destroy the house.

A lot of husky people would tell you that having a year old husky that is used to a fair amount of exercise and mental stimulation every day and asking him to be a couch potato for a long weekend is almost impossible. Thankfully Simon is not most huskies and is being a good nanny. I know that as soon as I feel up to it our first walk or training secession is going to be full of husky energy but for now they are both being fantastic and I couldn't ask for more.