First of all, let me say we survived all the weather yesterday. It hasn’t rained today, it’s still wet outside though. A few of the golf courses around here were closed today. It must be serious if they close the golf courses!
I have something bad to admit. Life has gotten so crazy and the weather was so hot and nasty this summer that I haven’t been taking Riley on walks like I should have. I thought playing in the backyard would meet her energy needs, and it did, but it didn’t meet her training needs. Riley was in obedience school for about 10 months. She used to be a fairly good walker on leash (good enough to get her TDI certification), but now she’s regressed. If she sees a squirrel, she tries to bolt! I stopped taking her to school after she got her TDI certification because I didn’t like the way some things were being handled in the class. There was a big dog that would growl throughout the entire class and would mount Riley or jump on her. She’s already afraid of bigger dogs and that just wasn’t helping. So we stopped going.
Let me just suffice it to say that we are signing up for a different school because Riley needs some work… She did fine on her therapy visit to the nursing home today (we haven’t been in about a month), but I know she can do a lot better too. She seems to know that when we’re in the nursing home she needs to chill out and behave, so that’s good. I took her on a walk in the neighborhood yesterday and she basically dragged me down the street. Luckily she doesn’t do that on therapy visits or I wouldn’t let her go on visits.
She also feels the need to jump on visitors at our house. She doesn’t jump on the residents at the nursing home (again, I think it’s a sixth sense thing) or people out in public, but if you come into our house, she’ll jump on you at least once. So we’re going back to school to get trained. I’m also going to see if we can work on the weekends at the school gym and school yard my mom works at. That’ll be a place with minimal distractions.
Oh, and several people commented on how soft she was! I guess this new shampoo with conditioner really works!
Adventures of a Cattle Dog 
oh im so sorry Riley is having some hard times! I want to keep nova in classes for this reason. I would love for her to be a therapy dog one day so I will be starting some classes in the next month or two. Thank you for the well wishes this weekened at the park. We will also be going to care-a-lot tomorrow!! well.. nova wont be going but I will check it out and she will get to come next time!
Mom and me is back at school too. 😦 Happy dat all da bad weather is gone. Woofs and Licks,Maggie Mae