the loaner

While we're still conditioning Reuben and building him back up for his big re-debut to agility class, we've been sharing the little Sparrow bean in agility class.

That's right, it's a dogshare. Like a timeshare, but more fun and less other people's country kitsch furniture.

Sparrow is busy trying to teach us to be decent handlers of sporty little jumping beans. She is patient. "Never give up. Never surrender!"

sparrow class 12.22.10 from prudence rabbit on Vimeo.

PS: Dave just came into the room and said, "OMG I love my dog."
"Wag wag wag wag." (Reuben's tail)
I think the feeling's mutual.

back in the saddle

AgilityHound rides again.

reuben 12.15.10 from prudence rabbit on Vimeo.

Agility + treats + daily wreslin' with his favorite border collie = one content and happy American Black & Tan Coonhound.

the running of the contacts

There is a small glitch in project running contacts. Snow. Phhhphttt.

Fortunately, we have a matted space in the basement big enough to practice six weavepoles, or one teeter, or one dogwalk downramp propped up on a chair. Or two jumps and a tunnel. Kind of.

OK, it's pretty small, but it's something.

Sparrow was looking pretty good on the dogwalk before I had to take it down. Well, pretty good when her brain was not being controlled by the Pod People . . . erm, I mean, squirrels.

Did you know that squirrels go to sleep approximately 23 minutes before sundown?

Also, Sparrow's full height a-frame was looking good as well (holding breath, knocking on wood). However, she is the little eager beaver on a turn back into the tunnel under the a-frame. I will have to work on that when: a) the Pod People are sleeping and b) the forecast looks clear for a few days.

Note Dave's surprise and amazement at the supersonic leap into the tunnel.

sparrow dogwalk 11.29.10 from prudence rabbit on Vimeo.

sparrow and dave agility 11.29.10 from prudence rabbit on Vimeo.

winter, winter, go away

Yeah, I am one of those winter hate-a's. I have no use for the cold and snow and overall grossness. We still have a few days of decentness to hope for before we're all covered in the soggy dirty freezing mess that is winter.



I did just blog about the weather. Awesome.



Besides wishing for sunny days and just being glad that my hound is alive, I've ventured into the realm of (gasp!) running contacts with the little Sparrowlicious.



We indulged ourselves by purchasing a set of rubberized contact equipment, which FedEx Freight delivered in the middle of my street. No joke. They sent one guy, who waited until we came home so Dave could "help" get the 700 pound crate out of the semi and into. . . the middle of the street. I guess that's their definition of residential delivery.



Oh well, it's all water under the bridge now. I'm just happy to have the stuff so I can work on running contacts. Until it snows. Eep.



Video of us being hardcore, training in the backyard when it's decidedly not 65 and sunny. What do you mean, my little red hoodie isn't hardcore???

sparrow agility 11.26.10 from prudence rabbit on Vimeo.

as promised, a reuben agility mini-docudrama, in black and white

Agility course, feel the love.

I also played with Ms. Sparrow. See diagram below. No moving pictures. Sorry.



This is how you use your Jedi Mind Powers and the Ever Powerful Pointy Bordercollie finger to send to the tunnel snugged up behind the giant hosta plant. Dumb.



Coming up next: Space Invaders courses, and hopefully more videos of my backyard, giant hosta plant and all. After watching the Arcade Fire live webcast concert this week, their songs will not leave my brain, so expect some Arcade Fire goodness to go along with those videos.

sparrow's t-shirt features a pink sparkly glitter heart, the center of which reads "my heart belongs to weavepoles"

My dog loves weavepoles so much she wants to marry them. Granted, they are still in the early stages of their relationship, where they might momentarily break up if I run really fast, or they might hit a rough patch if the entry is just too hard for their delicate young love. But, she still has that feeling, and knows it's for real: true love at first sight, love that will last a lifetime.





Unfortunately, Dave did not feel the love for this course, created especially to fit just so in our unusually shaped agility practice space. Instead, he went mountain biking. Pshaw.




Tomorrow, dear backyard agility course, the flame will be rekindled.

cartoon reuben does agility

Another saaaa-wheeeet backyard practice agility course!!
Reuben is normally a cartoonish version of a dog, but check this out--here he REALLY is a cartoon. Brought to you by the magic of Windows Movie Maker.



Reuben, even more of a cartoon than normal.

And here is Sparrow (non cartoon) making me run superfast practicing some of the same course, on the flat. Oh, and not wanting to let go of her favorite purple wubbie. It's just SO TASTY. And it's PURPLE.





So, yeah. Blind cross after 2, flip after 9, and go, go, go when the dog commits to 5. Also, blind cross would be SO GOOD after 14, if anyone ever gets that far. Dave is speedy, and did a blind after the #10 tunnel, too. I would never in a million years get there in time.

Dave wants me to do sprint exercises to speed up my agility running skillz. Stay tuned. . .