Spring is Here!

Spring! Spring! Spring! These spring days are really making a huge difference in life. The dogs and I have been getting out and about as often as is possible and realistic. We spent several hours outside Saturday, first when I mowed the lawn and second when I walked four dogs (Dads', Leo, and Vegas). Sunday we went to Champoeg Park for several hours and tonight Leo got to go along to the Willamette River Water Treatment Park for his first time on a bike ride. Here are a few pictures from Champoeg:

So today I probably looked like the crazy dog lady. I didn't want to drive to the park only to ride my bike around with the dogs. But I didn't want to leave Leo at home either despite his having agility tonight. I put him in his harness in his front pack, hooked Vegas up in her harness on the Walky Dog, and away we went. Leo was surprisingly relaxed in the pack despite the motion on the bike. I was super impressed so we'll definitely do it again. When we got close to the park I moved off the street up onto the path and let Leo out to run. He did great! He managed at least a mile over the course of our outing with our repeated loops around the park. Super impressive considering his little, tiny legs.

After coming home for just over an hour, Leo and I were off to agility class. I can't believe we're done with week five already! We warmed up doing whatever obstacles we wanted. I worked Leo on the weaves initially and ended up removing one of the gates to try to test his weave entrance recognition. He was doing pretty good. We only tried the teeter once; he was struggling with it so I'll definitely be getting a board for our teeter and start working it like crazy. From there we set our dogs up in stays on the wall and walked a 12-obstacle course. Leo and I went last which really gave him a chance to rest up after our warm-up which was quite vigorous. When it was finally our turn Leo did well until the a-frame through the tire. He self-released from the frame and went through the side of the tire. I tried to correct it and he wasn't having any of it. Before I knew it he took off in his zoomies. And having just chatted with another handler about his well trained "drop" when he was doing the zoomies, he didn't respond to it. I tried to be stern. That didn't work. I tried the straight obedience command "down" and hand command all serious. That didn't work. Then I succumbed to the giggles. He made everyone just laugh and laugh. I'm sure it was the "floor buffer leg action he had going on as he zoomed around and around. I can't believe he had it in him after the run but I guess it was just one of those nights for the boys. I barely got him back to take a tunnel and then the dog walk. We tried the course again and he made it almost half way then skipped the tunnel and ran straight for a water bowl. Leo took a couple of laps and then ran right back to where he'd veered off course, took the tunnel, and climbed the a-frame with hardly a hitch. That alone was humorous. He did well until the same spot on the course again and started off in the zoomies and acting silly. I guess he was feeling his oats!

We don't have a lot going on for a while. His obedience class is on a break until May 19 so we will be working on some things in the meantime to stay on track.