Well, we got up at 5:30 to be out of the house by 6:10 to be at the show by 6:30 and get ready for ring time at 8:00am. While standing getting ready to go in to ring, and steward let us know that since the judge was sick, a substitute judge was called in and that we weren't showing until 1:45. *Sigh*, it was going to long day, and it was cold a windy out, I am just thankful I wore my down coat. After waiting all day to go in the ring, the judge kept telling everyone that she wanted to see a "working gait" and to slow all the dogs down. I now know that she had never judged Aussies (actually no herding breeds) before and didn't obviously read the standard. Kyan didn't do anything and actually lost to dogs that he had won over several times before. My friend Brandi had better luck and her puppy took RWB with her bred-by bitch who I took back in for winner's bitch, so that was nice.
Hopefully tomorrow will be better as this judge knows herding breeds. Now, I am going to join Kyan for a nice long nap!

Another rainy day here in VA, so I doubt there will be much in the way of training this afternoon when I get off of work. It will give me the opportunity to call Frank Baylis of Bayshore Kennel to see if he would sign off on the papers to register Moxie in ASCA. I don't see why he wouldn't she is altered so there is no fear of her having a litter. I would like to be able to take both of them to ASCA events and possibly show Moxie in the altered class. I just spoke with Nadine, who is Kyan's breeder and unfortunately she did not get her entry in on time so we won't get to see her this weekend. Possibly we will go to Gettysburg, PA for a one day show in December so that she can she Kyan.

As I was gently reminded that I haven't updated my blog in a awhile, there is actually much to tell. First Kyan and I received a 41 out of a possible 45 points at a mock Rally-O trial at our last obedience class. We are waiting to hear if we are enrolled in sub-novice obedience, which the final exam is is a CGC exam! How cool would that be, to start the new year with our first title! Anyway, I get ahead of myself as I am still hoping to either enroll or at least audit the "reactive dog" class at A Click Above where we train. I think with the combination of training, homeoptahy and the realization that I am not the Alpha in our pack, I think we can may some headway with Kyan's reactiveness.
My husband has been telling me for some time now (ok, ever since Kyan came home) that I wasn't asserting myself as the Alpha and that Kyan was walking all over me and had me wrapped around his little paw. It turns out he was absolutely correct. I never made Kyan "work" for anything, would treat him with favoritism, and didn't positively correct behaviors. I know, I know, I should know better, but I am making ammends, both dogs work for everything they get, and I don't allow things to slide just because I'm tired or feel too busy, I take time to analyze everything I do with them now. They are good companions, but I wasn't a very good guardian in the way I was treating them. I promise to do better, they deserve it. They have already made some remarkable strides, we three can go on a walk together without Kyan deciding that he is going to chase after a squirrel or Moxie trying to be a sled dog. They truly seem happier too, I will try to better about updating my progress in becoming Alpha of my pack.
Moxie and I are waiting to hear if we are enrolled in "contacts and weaves" she and I are doing well, but I still don't feel comfortable enough to just enter in a agility trial. This is a public announcement to my husband that we really need to work on making those weave poles, please!
Kyan is entered this weekend in a local AKC show, and for the very first time, he will be in the ring with his full brother, I purposefully entered him in Am. Bred so that we could go in for winners dog and be compared side by side with him. I may have my friend Brandi show him for me as he always slugs around the ring for me, and he handles beautifully for her.
Rabbit was the menu this evening, in fact I need to order some more. I have a couple hundred pounds of deer, but the key to prey model raw feeding is variation. I just don't have the facility to raise rabbits and I also need to learn more from my friend Sheryl, of Daybreak Aussies before I go down that road. More tomorrow, I swear!

It was a nice long weekend, I had yesterday off because of Columbus day and Moxie and I had class. She did well, and I really think that if she had a christmas list, her first item would be a A-frame, she was hopping on it every chance she got while we were in class. She did a lot of gumping, but she was dosed last Friday morning so I'm not certain if we may need a different remedy or a different dosage. Kyan is still so visually sensitive, I took him out over the weekend in the yard and at first couldn't tell what he was staring at, but then realized that in the distance he was seeing a neighbors television screen, how is that for not missing anything that moves. I still hope that we may get a breakthrough with him, although the remedy he is on right now, doesn't seem to be helping all that much. I will have to wait for Magda to get back to discuss this with her. I have been contacted by the lady that runs the reacitve dog class at "A Click Above" and hopefully there will be a spot for Kyan in the class, at the very least I plan to audit the class so that I can learn how to handle the situation better when we are around other dogs. He and I will continue obedience, he really seems to enjoy it and if we can get past the dog issue, he will definitely be a contender for some obedience titles.
This coming weekend we are back in the show ring for the first time since August, and it is majors in dogs on Saturday, cross your fingers!
That's it for today, my husband said that I need to update this blog more often just so that he knows what is going on!

It was a wonderful weekend filled with great weather and friendship. My friend and aussie breeder, Juli Wiseman of Skycove kennel stayed with us this weekedn for the Leesburg 3-day dog show. She and her dogs are welcomed back any time, as they were very unassuming guests and fit in quite nicely. A big thank-you to Juli for all the wonderful tips and hints for groming and presenting a gorgeous picture in the breed ring.
Moxie went to class last night and again I was astounded as to the progress she has made on her remedy, she reallly is such a pleasure to work with in class. I still think we have a a little ways to go, but she is definitely a focused happy girl and will work for you, but will settle and be a loving couch potato too, I just love this girl!
Kyan also has been making great strides in the right direction and I have also learned that Kyan is much more willfull and smart than I ever gave him critic for in the past. Because I didn't provide enough structure and postive reinforcement to train him and make sure he understood what I wanted (I was too busy training him for the show ring, where the name of the game is to look pretty and stand still), I am playing catch-up now, but he is turning out to be quite the gentleman, now that he knows the rules. Norman worked with him last night and we will have daily training sessions, now that I know what the heck I am going!
Moxie and Kyan are still able to swim daily, I hope the weather holds a little while longer, it has been such a wonderful gift to be able to excercise then in the middle summer.