Wind, wind and more wind.  It's very windy today.  It was an unwanted addition to mowing the tall grass in the area across the drive.  Over the winter I kept thinking the area was small and I wasn't sure if I could use it for my original ideas.  After mowing it, yep it's plenty big and I would like to ask Santa for a riding lawnmower.  I scoped out a different place today for the duck pen which will now be across the drive instead of behind the garage.  Next step is to fence in that area.  My goal is a couple of big dog yard areas, room for the ducks and one big area for my agility equipment.  The down side is that this particular part of the farm has a slope to it.  The plus side is that both the dogs and I should get really nicely toned hindquarters. 

Jam, Harold and I spent time today working on obedience exercises.  Harold is getting polished up for rally next weekend but I threw in some on leash novice exercises and stays to see how he is progressing.  This dog is a true miracle, not just his start in life but how easily he learns everthing.  Fingers crossed he'll sail thru rally and can work on his CD soon afterward.  Harold got his first taste of therapy work a couple of weekends ago too.  Now this is definately his calling in life--likely due to the work of Amy and the staff at her clinic, you guys definately made him a people doggie!

Jam, well Jam is Jam.  I don't know why I love this dog, but I do, even as he frustrates the heck out of me.  So the last time in the rally ring we all watched his brain literally leave his body, today, he worked like he's ready for a High In Trial award.  Dang mutt.  Gorgeous off leash work, quick sits (now that in and of itself is a miracle!) and solid stays.   Yes, I've been told I'm a little nuts thinking that he'll earn his CD and even nuttier to think he can go further, but yea I've trained him for some advanced work too.  Today he did the down and sit signals, picked up and HELD the dumbbell and after a few false starts did a decent drop on recall.  Dang mutt. 

Jam reminds me of bits and pieces of both Cooper and Ripley.  Cooper was such a great dog, had learned all the exercises up thru utility except getting thru the scent articles but couldn't do the out of site sits and downs--"mommitis".  Jam has some mommy issues and also that stubborn streak that Cooper would often exhibit, always at the worst times.  But like Cooper, Jam is devoted to me and me to him so I guess we'll shoot for the stars!  Ripley was a true jerk at times.  I remember teaching him the down.  We worked for weeks and weeks and finally his breeder, Pat, just took the leash, stepped on the end of it and basically threw him into a down.  That's all it took--Ripley always had my number and yeppers, so does Jam.  I took a page of Pat's book last week with Jam on the automatic sit.  We've worked it and worked it and that dang mutt KNOWS it, but he was so inconsistent, so I finally did what I had never done before and took a hold of his collar and made him sit.  Okay so it took like four or five times but after that he looks at me and plops his hiney down.  Ripley and Jam also have the same happy go lucky life is awesome attitudes. 

I often think that Coop and Rip are living on in Jam and maybe that's why I was so drawn by this dog and continue to love him even when he flips me the paw.  Dang mutt...