White Shepherd Stories

Photos from Journey's and Pirate's Classes

Agility with Journey.  

Journey finding the correct entrance to the weave poles, all by himself.  What a good boy.  Me, trying to keep up with my super clever boy.  

We are now in Foundation Agility 103.  This is such a nice class and our instructor, Karin, is very good.  

This is Journey's classmate, Molly.  He has a major crush on her.  She is doing very well in class.  She is very fast!

Above is Jasper.  He does a nice job on the weave poles.  

Above is Journey's other girlfriend, Sadie.  Occasionally they both rush over to greet him and he can hardly contain himself.  I think he has decided that girls are really swell.

Rally with Pirate

Pirate is watching every one of his classmates closely so he will know what to do.   He learns so fast - wish I did!

These are some of Pirate's classmates.   They are all very good at rally.  Karin says they have been doing it for two or three years though.   We are the only beginners. 

"I can do this mom, let's go"     Pirate

Back to School - Summer Sessions

"I'm ready, lets go"                                                                                        Journey

Our agility instructor, Karin Haderly took a couple weeks off from training. Journey is back in class and he is in the third session now.  This is Agility Foundation 103.  Our lessons for the last sessions were inside, at the Wilson barn.  Now we are meeting for class outside, at Karin's property.  We all love it there - so pretty, and the weather has been wonderful.  

Agility field, taken from the visitor parking area. Karin's home is in the upper left, on the hilltop. .

The fenced, grassy field is huge and the lawn is nicely cut.  The agility area takes up maybe a quarter to a third of the field.  Sometimes it is more spread out.  Karin also teaches obedience, and rally.   Pirate and I go to rally classes the night after Journey's agility class.   Class and practice time are keeping us busy.  

There is an above ground pool with steps, to cool off the dogs in warm weather.  Our class has only 5 students.  Very nice people and dogs.  We have a good time!

Darn, I had a bunch of new pictures from our last class, and I accidently deleted them. Well we have class tonight, so I will try to get some more pictures.    

Journey is still loving the lessons and he has so much enthusiasm!  He seems to hold to the theory that if once is good, then two or three times is even better.   He does the weave poles beautifully, and then spins around and does them back in the other direction. Same thing with the jumps.... I need to catch him to stop him sometimes.  He is such a happy boy.  

I tried to put Pirate in Beginner Rally but there were not enough people signed up for it. Karin has worked with Pirate in agility and she knows how quick he is, so she put us in the Advanced Rally class and is just giving us some extra time before or after class, to help us catch up.  Pirate is doing great - wish I was a little quicker at getting the hang of it - so many signs to remember!   

I did not really think I would be that crazy about rally, but Pirate is so happy he is over the top.  I would probably enjoy anything that gave one of my dogs so much pleasure.  As we are driving to class, he watches carefully to see where I turn and where we are going.  As soon as he determines where we are headed, he is so tense and excited.  He struts out onto the field prancing, with his neck arched and his chest out.  (Wish he had done that in the conformation ring.)  He never really enjoyed conformation that much and though he made it to the Top Ten List twice, once he got his Grand Championship and his IABCA International Championship, I decided to introduce him to things he enjoyed more.  

Rally seems to be a strong contender.  He really loves Nose Work classes too.  I really enjoy watching him and marveling at how quickly he learns.  Hopefully I will soon begin to get a little better at recognizing the signs and remembering what to do  There is no problem with him, just me.  His class is tomorrow night and I will try to get more pictures. I had some nice ones of the other dogs in our class.  Most of them have been doing this for two or three years and are competing.  We will do what ever Pirate wants to do in regards to that, but somehow I am having a tough time visualizing myself in a competition rally ring - guess we will see how it goes.  One way or another I intend to keep Pirate in classes as he really needs something to occupy his super active mind.   He is a lot of fun.  

Pirate never takes his eyes off whatever dog is taking a turn on the rally course.  He was doing things I swear I have never taught him, ever.  I believe he learns a lot by watching the other dogs.  Heaven knows he cannot depend on me :o).   I took all my boys through "Companion Obedience" instead of competition obedience.  It is a little looser and seemed more appropriate for what I wanted from my dogs.  I did not care if they walked exactly at my left side - I just wanted them to walk in about an eight food radius of me and my command for that is "with me".  That way we could all hike or take walks together when I wanted them close and there was not the room or the need for them to be exactly at my left side.  Now, of course, he is learning "heel", and having no problem with it at all. That is one of the things that he makes it look like he already knew.  The only thing he is slightly awkward about doing is the finish around behind me, and then to my side.  I am awkward at it too, or he would probably be doing it better.  He is getting it though.  

This is the part of the field where Pirate does rally.  

I wish I had not lost those pictures, but I have my camera loaded to take with us tonight and tomorrow night, so maybe I will do better with handling the photos.  

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer.  

Camping at Skamokawa, WA

 

Journey, Pirate & Quest  - "We are here".

On Sunday we joined my daughter, Laura and her husband, Kevin at one of my favorite campgrounds, Vista Park.   Skamokawa is located next to the Columbia River, about 25 miles down river from our place in Kelso, Washington.  The population in the little town is 440 people.

Laura & Kevin's Airstream and their Hobi Tri-maran.

We sat out on the bluff above the beach and watched Kevin fly his hexicopter, which is remote controlled and a lot of fun to watch.  

This is the hexicopter getting ready to take off with its camera in place.  Laura and the dogs are over by the driftwood log. 

Since all of us were busy on my birthday, in June, Laura wanted to serve my belated birthday dinner at the campground.  I could not decide between Shrimp Longhi, a favorite of our family, or filet mignon cooked on the barbecue, by Kevin.  Laura thought it would be fun to serve both,  "Surf and Turf".  After a stuffed mushroom appetizer, we had a small serving of shrimp and a filet with garlic and truffle butter.  She added haricot verts, (French green beans) and champagne.  What a wonderful dinner!  Later the dogs were ready to go to bed in the RV and we played scrabble the rest of the evening, in the Airstream. 

As I was walking home to our RV, I watched two huge ships heading up river from the sea.  Their lights were very pretty.  I could feel the slight vibration from their powerful engines. So nice to lay in bed and read as I got to enjoy an occasional passing ship.  The soft sounds of the river lapping the shore were the only night sounds except when a ship passed.  Even the ships were very quiet. 

I slept in on Monday and Laura knocked on my door with a "birthday breakfast".  On a bed of fresh spinach she had placed a crab cake, topped with a poached egg with hollandaise sauce on top.  It was unbelievably good.  I took the dogs for walks and then was going to let them all run on the beach.  Unfortunately, Journey jumped out of the RV, uninvited, and he had to serve detention for a while.  Quest was a little pushy at the door and so that left only Pirate sitting up so straight and being such a good boy .... he got to have the first run on the beach.  

Look, I found a neat stick!"

Pirate

Monday was a gorgeous day - warm, but with a cooling breeze.  After Quest had his turn on the beach, it was Journey's turn.  We are having to do some serious training about getting out of the car or the RV and even out of the door of the house, without invitation.  He gets so excited and he forgets.  That is not allowed though, as this action qualifies as possibly life threatening.  We will be working on it a lot in the next few months.  I need to be able to leave the car door wide open and know that all three will stay safely inside until I invite them out.  We will get there.  It is something I insist on with all of my dogs.  

 

The hexicopter on it's way to greet the incoming ship. 

   

   

Pirate

Laura and Kevin decided to go for a sail on the Hobie.  I decided to sit at the picnic table and read for a while.  

Easy to launch.

Huge ship carrying wheat.  It is about 740 feet.

 

I guess I would never get tired of watching the ship traffic on the Columbia River.  You don't hear them coming until they are practically directly out from where we are camped. Even then is is sort of a low vibration type sound that you rather feel than hear.  It is always amazing that anything that big can get that close to you without you being aware of it's approach.  It is fun to look them up on the Columbia River traffic schedule and see the name, what they are carrying, where they came from and where they are going.  

Another treasure from the river.  Maybe a dragon with its mouth wide open?

Pirate, Quest & Journey

I sure hate to leave today, but Journey and I have agility class tonight and tomorrow night is Pirate's first rally class.  Quest has taken about every class available and since he is almost 10 years old I decided that his weekly special time with me will be to go to Lake Sacajawea for a nice walk - just the two of us.  He needs special time too, without the kids. We will go at least once a week.  Maybe we will meet Rhonda there for lunch. She works across the street from the lake.  

 Journey, Quest & Pirate

Laura and Kevin are going  to go to the Farmer's Market on Puget Island, on Friday.  I plan to meet them there.  Sounds like fun and I love Puget Island.  I almost bought a house on that island.  Maybe I will get a picture of it.  

If you enjoy the ship pictures, check out the video Kevin just finished.  It is a series he is doing with the videos he takes from the hexicopter.  It is called the Chase series and this first one is "Chasing the Alaskan Explorer.  The little camera on the hexicopter is operated by remote, as is the hexicopter.  The video is wonderful... Chasing "Alaskan Explorer"