Just a few thoughts from the three day seminar I just wrapped up here in Florida.

I passed by this little tricket in the grass every day and I just had to take a snapshot of it on my last day. Yes I know it is just the squeeky out of a dog toy, but every time I walked by it I laughed out loud as it reminded me of the Man-of-War from the beach last week. I half expected Jill to pop out from behind the bushes and burst at any moment asking me to do wind sprints around the field.



Not a dangerous beach hazard.





Definitely NOT a dog toy.



Okay maybe it was just me. But it still made me laugh.

It was Encore’s birthday yesterday, she turned six. I can’t believe she is already six years old!


Six year old Missy En and her two year old sista Feature, waiting for their turn to demo.


It was Encore’s birthday but Buzzy got the special surprise, or maybe it was the participants. Just for a treat 13 1/2 year old Buzzy did a tunnel serpentine demo for yesterday. He slept like a baby last night and is totally whipped today.


Buzzy, very proud of himself to be "demo" dog once again.


Always inspiring, I had Donna Rock back as a student. I just had to share some of these pics of Donna and her handsome Border Collie “Roller.” We did hand-target-start-line-set-ups, which is one of the games I played with the Springer to help with the start line stay in the last workshop. By having a “routine” at the start line you make your lead out transition more efficient, thus more effective.

Of course with Donna not having any hands, her hand-touch-start-line set up took a slightly different twist. Here Donna is getting Roller to nose touch to her outstretched foot before they set up at the start line.


Donna and Roller foot touching


Donna is an awesome student. She never complains or asks for special compensation and she has the greatest sense of humor. I tell you, I did feel a bit foolish when I took her dog Roller to do a demo part way through day two. As I do with all dogs before I work them, I did some relationship building first. So I tugged with Roller and then before I sent him to his first jump I tried to do a hand touch. He completely disengaged from me and just stared at me like I was some sort of weird-o. I tried two more times before I burst out laughing and said; “Donna . . . he thinks I am a freak.” Of course he wasn’t going to hand touch for me, he was looking at me as if to say “would you please get that thing out of my face !” We all had a good laugh, but I think Donna laugh the hardest!


Donna and Roller tugging, do NOT try this with your own toes at home, the girl IS a professional!


It was a great group of people. This is a shot of one of the two hot Portuguese Water Dogs that worked with us. Lucy was just c-r-a-z-y! my kind of dog, growled her way around sequences, she was a real crack up!


Lucy ready to go!

Lucy, loaded and ready to go.


What a great way to wrap up my four camps here in Florida. Thanks to everyone for a terrific weekend.

Today I am grateful to John and Jinny Courtney for their amazing hospitality over the last couple of weekend workshops.