Weekend Update

Yesterday I did manage to fix my horse fence-again. It was still intact this morning but the indicator light is still only showing up about half the time but at least it might be working some. In the afternoon we went just across the Oklahoma border to the new casino. You literally cross the state line as you pull into the parking lot. It was fun but we lost all our money this time. This is the first casino I have been to where most of the slots were Penny slots. If you wanted to play quarters you really had to hunt so I mostly played pennies. The thing is though you can play so many options-sometimes up to 40 lines and multiple credits per line that you really are not playing pennies, you could play almost any denomination you want. Then we came home and watched the rest of the Colts/Chargers game. And since the Colts lost and I had them picked as my Superbowl winner I doubt I will do very well in the playoff pool this year (a few years ago I won and had only one loss the whole playoffs).

Oreo is still sick-he's not eating well and has had some diarrhea. This morning he would barely eat canned i/d. He's sleeping a lot but still following me around the house and played frisbee and tug outside yesterday and today and acts interested in whatever we are eating. I hope it's just a nasty GI bug but since he's not prone to GI upsets I always worry when he does do something out of the ordinary that there is more to it (he has started vomiting occasionally over the last year but still eats well so we have just gotten used to it). I tend to freak out every time he acts weird so I am trying to remind myself that he was fine up until a few days ago and his last bloodwork was only 3 months ago and looked good (he has chronic renal disease but it is mild and has remained stable over the last year).

Legend worked agility this weekend and is doing well. I am working on sometimes carrying the toy so she gets an instant reward for a fast and correct performance and sometimes leaving the toy at the start line so she gets used to working some obstacles and then being released to her toy. Hopefully this will improve her drive/speed on course because she will know there is a toy waiting somewhere that she will get when released-might be one, five, or twenty obstacles down the road though. Right now we are alternating with anywhere from 1-4 obstacles. I'm also going to take away her football and use a tug toy or leash instead so it will simulate a trial more where she will be running to her leash and having a tugging party once she leaves the ring.

We got our Christmas stuff taken down and packed away in the garage closet using our new mouse-proof (I hope) containers.

Now about this picture. Legend may be pretty, sweet, smart, and athletic but she is also the grossest dog I have ever lived with. This is what she looked like after coming in from playing. She flops in the grass/dirt between agility exercises and ball throwing and also lays down to drink. This allows her to create a nice dirty paste all down her front as well as string a puddle of water all across the dining room. She also collects a large amount of leaves in her coat. Nice.