Crazy Busy = Bad Blogger

I have been a bad blogger. I just can't seem to keep up at the moment.

Work has been really busy with some major project and proposal deadlines. John and I are house-hunting which is pretty all-consuming. Add to those two items something after work everyday. It ends up equalling no time or energy to blog or train.

I have missed blogging about Ike's last two classes and he is doing really well in class. He isn't minding the heat and he loves when our instructor Kathleen cheers him on. When he hear her "woo" he visibly turns on the afterburners. Very funny that a dog who really doesn't like a lot of people watching him enjoys a select audience. I am proud of how the circle of people he enjoys and likes is widening. His dogwalk is rocking and he is running in extension more and more consistently.

Bug is continuing physical therapy. We are at the conditioning phase; we have been for a month +. He is swimming 10 laps and doing almost 20 minutes on the UWTM. For all of those who end up with an iliopsoas injury or any soft tissue injury really - take the slow and steady route or you'll be trying to fix additional problems a year+ out. I didn't push Bug, but I could have shut things down completely last spring and gone to Sterling earlier. Lesson learned.

The good news is I have a sneaking suspicion that once this is all said and done Bug will be just about as good as new. We'll see. I don't want to jinx us, but I am feeling really positive about the amount of tearing around he can do and show no signs of tightness, etc. And I have a boatload more skills and knowledge when it comes to soft tissue injuries.

We had an acupuncture appointment on Wednesday and Anne thinks he feels great. We are now regularly scheduled for 5 weeks out. Yay!!

Yesterday I took Ike to have his follow-up C6 done. I had been putting it off because I knew it was going to take a bite out of my wallet (it was due at the end of June so I didn't put it off that long). Yup. Hopefully his titer is significantly reduced. He certainly acts like he feels good. I had the tech weigh him while we were there. 16.9#. I find Ike's weight so frustrating. Suddenly I will feel as though he is a porker and I will reduce his food by 1 ounce. Then he will be skin and bones, so I will up his food. Rinse and repeat - it goes on and on. I just cannot find a happy medium with him.

Bug on the other hand is officially a porker, at least in my mind. He might still be too skinny for the breed ring. He is up from 31# - where you could feel all his lovely ribs and see a great tuck to......36.4#. It KILLS me. I feel like he is obese, but I know many people and vets think he is perfect, not even overweight because you can still feel the edge of his ribs. Ha. Try doing serious agility or herding with a dog carrying that weight - want to know how quickly they would be broken? Anyway, off the soap box - I don't want to get started. Those of you who do performance sports know what I am talking about.

I think I might have to seriously consider Rally or Obedience with Bug for right now. I don't really have an overwhelming interest in either, but I feel like he needs more of a job than he currently has. His current job is PT. Control Unleashed will be starting up soon though and there is Noseworks offered locally (he loved the seminar). There are options, they just aren't either of our top picks.

I have a bunch of breed show dates mapped out and REALLY hope we can find this stinking single soon - then Bug can go on a diet!

I really miss running a dog competitively in agility. I miss the training to compete and the camaraderie  at the trials. With Bug's weight we will not be trialing until next year at the earliest. I can wait.

There you have my update. Lots of nothing-too-exciting has been going on.