Nox and Shugah Get Edu-ma-cated

This past Saturday we took Nox and Shugah to handling class in Garland. David (who handles Solo on occasion when Jill isn't available) has discontinued classes, and it was so difficult for us to get to them anyway since they were on a weeknight and over an hour away :( So we tried another class for the first time since we're in town more often thanks to less trips out of town to show.

We were a bit apprehensive since we hadn't done much with the girls other than take them to visit at occasional field trials, and Shugah had only gone once! So neither really had show-level leashbreaking. Thought it might be nice for them to get some class experience since they are entered in their first show on July 4th!

When we arrived an earlier class was still in progress - full of plenty of interesting new breeds that the girls had never been exposed to. Borzoi can be notoriously "breedist" - recognizing the sighthound type and being wary of the others. At the first show of this year, we had a heckuva time walking Buster and Wulfie through a group of Bulldogs awaiting at ringside! They did not want to be anywhere near the "alien doggies"! Nox and Shugah didn't even look twice (and even touched nosies with some) at the Pug, Bulldog, Dachshunds, Irish Setter, BIG Irish Wolfhound, or even the Husky. So within 5 minutes of our arrival we were already doing better than expected .

Both girls were a bit hesitant about the rubber mat flooring. They behaved better on lead than expected, especially since it was a bit more restrained than the "walk about on a long, loose lead in the middle of the field" method that they were familiar with. They both behaved excellent on the stacked exam, although both tend to post slightly out of fussiness about being made to stand still a certain way. A stranger's approach didn't bother them in the least, and they didn't break their stack either. Woohoo!

We might just survive the Dallas shows!

Some Networking

Someone on one of the lists I'm on had posted some networking sites ...so I went ahead and got myself listed on them. LinkedIn.com and Plaxo.com

Here are the links to my profiles, if you're feeling bored or curious, or bored to the point of curiousity.

http://gryffyn.myplaxo.com/

http://www.linkedin.com/in/rlynnshell

At work, they decided to offer a trial program in terms of the schedule - and I took them up on it. Working 8-6 Mon. - Thu., 8-5 Fri. with every other Friday off. The pilot program ends in mid-August, but I hope they make it permanent! Considering that my daily drive is about 57 miles round-trip in the Astro-van...a day off the road would be a GOOD thing, because it's really sad when gas is becoming too expensive to get to your job to even pay your gas bill, much less the rest!

So my weekend starts tomorrow! I've got plenty to do with some web updates on several sites, as well as getting some dogs bathed - and hoping I can find information on a handling class for Saturday so I can take Shugah and Nox. Since I entered them in the Dallas shows July 4th weekend, it might be nice if they had a *little* training!