Momentous Weekend

Well, it was a rather momentous weekend last weekend.

Flyball practice was cancelled (mud), so I took Benniedoodle to an adoption event in Rio Rancho. It was my first one, and I'm afraid I rather hate them. So many people, and I am not a people person, and so many dogs, huddled in a small tent. The dogs cower and shut down or their eyes get that glazed over look. So many people, as well, and they looked pretty glazed also.

It was hard for me to figure out the balance. I wanted to hover by Bennie's cage and pounce on any show of interest, but it seemed better to step back. People seemed more comfortable checking the dogs out if I gave them space, so I lurked in the corner and spied on them. There was a beautiful husky. Everyone's eyes would light up when they saw that dog. I saw so many children's eyes light up and they would zero in on that dog.

Bennie was a sweetie, and I saw several people, usually older people, stop, reach down and scratch his ears. Then, they moved on. Finally, a few hours into it, a couple stopped, and visited his cage. They started asking all sorts of questions and I told them they could take him out and walk around with him to get to know him. They did, and were gone a long time. I was a little concerned that they decided to just, well, leave. However, they came back and asked more questions. Then left on another walk about with him, then came back and asked about adoption forms.

They took him away for a two week trial, and last I heard, he was doing splendidly with him. My first foster doggie was adopted! It's was sort of a surprise.

That happened on Saturday, so Sunday I was a bit at loose ends - I had been spending so much time working with Bennie, that I wasn't sure what to do with myself. So I took Weasel dock diving. She did very well, considering she had never seen a swimming pool or dock before. Her main issue seemed to be that she couldn't figure out how to get back out and would swim little panicked circuits of the perimeter of the pool, while I crawled down the ramp and called her. After a couple of those episodes, she seemed reluctant to jump off the dock again, but I encouraged her and she did. It helped when I taught her where the ramp was by throwing the toy off of it and letting her run down it into the water. I think I'll try it again with Spoiled One, though I rather expect he'll refuse to jump.

Bad Puppy

Design from http://www.cafepress.com/weaselpuppy, under "flyball designs"

Well, remember how I was posting about Bennie being such a good boy? Remember how I said he wasn't destructive? Ummm. . . I kind of lied.

I didn't mean too. It's just that I think Bennie's found his inner puppy. He isn't bad, mind you, he's just a typical puppy. But I had been suckered in by his earlier angelic behaviour. Today, every time I turn around, he's chewing on a shoe, counter surfing, or pulling yarn out of the carpet. I think it's just that he's beginning to settle in, and, also, I've been busy and distracted today. He got bored. Bored puppies are dangerous things.

He does it all with complete puppy innocence and greets you with a wagging tail. Such a good natured puppy.

He went to flyball practice with the other two yesterday. Of course, he is too young to do any intensive training. I just practiced recalls and let him play with different dogs and be petted by strange people. I've discovered he will howl in that circumstance. Ordinarily, he's so quiet. In his defense, everybody else was vocalizing to the best of their abilities at the time.

My two dogs, Weasel and Spoiled One, did well at practice. It looks like we are going to the Rio Rancho tournament, so Bennie won't get his out of state trip for a while. Weasel and Spoiled One did well on their box work. I seem to have broken my passing jinx. I didn't do well, but I was within a few feet and not running the other dog out of the lane. I did have to move Spoiled One back to 40 feet and wait until Molly had jumped the second jump, but I can deal with that.

I like long weekends. I finally got a new design up.

http://www.weaselpuppy.com

Biteyface

Biteyface, biteyface, let's play biteyface!






What? You're bored? Let's play MORE biteyface!

Benniedoodle has been enjoying himself of late, sporting with his foster siblings. There have been a lot of play bows, wagging tails, posturing, bouncing around and scampering too and fro. The current favorite seems to be wrestling with Weasel. He has also enticed Spoiled One in a few games, but Spoiled One has apparently developed a fear of the paparazzi (actually, he thinks camera flashes are lightening bolts) and it makes him more difficult to catch in the act.

Bennie is also exhibiting periodic episodes of puppy zoomies. He is developing his fetch and tug skill repertoire, and practices sit, down, and wait (that's a hard one) on a daily basis.

If you are thinking a handsome, neutered, healthy, 10 month old smooth coat border collie mix who has medium to low drive, is playful with people and dogs, seems to be housebroken, doesn't irritate the cat unduly, loves everyone he meets and still has the puppy zoomies, Bennie might be exactly what you want.

More information can be obtained through Bro and Tracy:

http://www.broandtracy.org/broandtracy/index.shtml#ben

Adoption Application:

adopnquestionnare.doc

http://www.weaselpuppy.com

Bennie Update

Well, the foster puppy is still ridiculously cute. He's a very mellow boy in the house, content to lay at your feet. He gets quite playful when invited, though. Right now, he is bouncing around the back yard with Spoiled One, like a pair of oversize kittens.

Bennie does not have the high drive that my other two have, which makes him much easier to live with. He would probably do better at agility than flyball. I don't mean that he isn't playful - he definitely is. He's certainly an agile puppy, bouncing over things. He likes toys and interactive play.

He appears to be housebroken, but I haven't given him much opportunity to disprove that. He's respectful of stuff in the house. Only one shoe has been victimized, which, for a ten month old puppy is pretty good. He does fine out in the backyard by himself with no sign of anxiety or repetitive behaviours. He doesn't bark, except on rare occasions.

He likes games, but has selective hearing if you don't keep him engaged.

Still no mouthing.