NEW YEARS 2009

2008 in Review:
When I look back it is hard to believe it has just been one year.
Chloe was just getting over her autoimmune disease in Jan of last year, had forgotten how to weave, was running around almost all the obstacles and I was just not sure what to do with her. Now she has just got her first title and has a lot of Q's so more titles will be coming soon.
Liz was wild and unable to even do one jump off leash because she couldnt handle the stress and would do the zoomies. Liz has matured a lot over the last year and can do 5 min down stays while I run around a yard and people step over her. Liz can be in a class of familiar dogs in a familiar place. Liz can work when there are people around, if it is in a familiar place. Liz is not ready to work in a trial atmosphere though.
Breeze had her accident last january and it has taken most of the year to get her to the point she can train again. She loves agility and is doing great especially when it is considered how little actual time she has been able to train. She is looking good and will be a force to watch next year.
Cherry came here in August, just to work on her exercises, muscle tone, etc... but has now progressed to where she is doing some agility and an amazing little learner. Not sure how long she will be here but we are having fun with her.

The year for me has been full of a heck of a lot of work with the dogs-between the rehab, all these 2 yr old border collies (3 2yr old females is a lot of border collie to have in your house) that were just basically starting from ground zero with their agility training, and retraining Chloe. I feel like I have learned so much and got such valuable experience. I got to dabble in teaching, which I loved....I am starting to do some trials, which makes me nervous. It has been a full year full of ups and downs. One of the best changes I have made is that I really learned to be my doggies advocate, this has been a year full of having to exercise those muscles

FOR 2009:RESOLUTIONS in regards to dog training and agility:
To keep better records of my training
To work with some different type of dogs
To do more teaching
To get in better shape-you know I will just keep this one on all the list for the next ten years.....
To work on mental management -I get too nervous
To learn to throw the toys better, and work on my timing.
To not worry so much about what others think
To make more time to organize the house and my life better and be a little more disciplined.
To work on some Rally O with Liz, and to continue working with her, I will not give up with her, but I also will consider myself very lucky to be with her, even if we are both sitting on the sidelines and just winning in our own little back yard agility trials, She is an awesome dog and we are going to keep working.
To continue working with Breeze and make some decisions about her future and agility, I will get xrays again this spring, I will carefully watch her, continue with her accupuncture and exercises and I will closely watch how she is handling activity, I think this spring is going to let us know what her future holds as far as agility goes....
MAYBE.....maybe a new puppy......I have a few irons in the fire on that one, but we will see what works out.....