Sadness

This last weekend my friend had to put her little shih tzu Bandit to sleep because of cancer. Age 13. It was really sad. Now today my sister faces the same decision with her cat Newny who has been sickly for a while now and then there is my cat Cuddles who is on borrowed time with her kidneys. It is heartbreaking to have to make the decision to let them go and makes me realize that the time we share with our beloved 4 legged friends is NEVER long enough. Love them all you can and cherish every minute you have with them. I know I do.

We Did It!

OMG we did it!!!! 23.6 km round trip. As planned Zack and I set off this morning to do our "long walk" down and up the river valley and across the other side of the city to watch the Agility Trial. Both Zack and I had our back packs on, Zack carried his own treats and some poop bags while I packed the iced water, granola, rain coat, etc. I also wore my Garmin to keep track of my miles.

It was lovely and cool this morning which was perfect as I wouldn't have taken Zack if it was too hot. Once we got there it was great to see everyone having fun with their dogs and doing agility. Zack and I visited with friends and watched the dogs "do their thing" over the obstacles. It is so cool to see the beginner dogs and then the truly seasoned veterans. I have to mention my friend Jolene and her Rough Collie "Tate" rocked the course. He had a perfect round....way to go Tate!!!

Zack and I sat and watched the agility trial for a couple of hours giving us enough time to rest a bit before our long journey home.

On the way home we had to cross the river valley again and go through the coulees (hills). There are known to be snakes in the coulees but I have never seen any. On our way down I heard hissing, I panicked, stopped in my tracks looking around, it was then that I spotted the manhole drain cover and it was the water that was hissing. Do snakes hiss anyway?!! I am such friggin dork!!!!

Zack and I continued on and I must admit that by the time we were going back up the river valley on the way home I was starting to tire. That big long hill up the coulee seemed like it was 5 miles long although it was probably only 1. I just took one step after another and got there eventually ahahah I sweated like a weight watcher in a cake shop but made it. Zack still had enough energy to lope around with a labrador puppy and joust with a jack russell before we got back.

We made it anyway, my legs ache a bit and I have a sore toe. Zack seems no worse for wear but is a tired puppy. He got some extra treats when he got home and some ice cubes (his fave).

One of the reasons I got a border terrier is because they have that longer leg and have tremendous stamina for hikes, etc. Zack sure was a trooper and he was my best buddy today on our "long walk home".

I didn't take my camera with me today, but this is the BEFORE



and this is the AFTER



Bless him.

Zack and I have only just started learning agility, but you never know this time next year we might be doing the same agility trial. Although I think I will be driving there next time!!! ahahah

The Plan

This weekend is the big agility trial in Lethbridge put on my Go Dogz Go. I was going to go and watch but have now decided to make it a "day event". The weather is supposed to be cooler tomorrow so Zack and I are going to walk there and back. It is approximately 11km one way from my house!!! Blimy. Oh well, I will be prepared and both Zack and I will be wearing our back packs (his is so cute) so we both have water and a couple of snacks to have along the way. I am sure once we get to the agility trial I will enjoy sitting and watching the dogs for a while before heading back.

River Walk

Every so often I take Zack for his evening walk off the beaten track and head down to the river valley for a change where I can let him off the lead for a run.

He loves the river but never likes to get much more than his feet wet and just paddles in the water.

But the sights, sounds and smells along the river are irresistable to him. He perks right up and gets in his "terrier" mode. Luckily no rolling in dead fish this time.

When we were heading back from our walk we met a little puppy who was such a similar colour to Zack - I just had to get a picture. I am such a sucker for puppies.

Tonight Zack and I are supposed to meet my friend Sharon for another walk at the river. Zack loves his Aunty Sharon. Poor Sharon tho is allergic to Zack's wiry fur and her arms itch and break out when she touches him, but she still can't resist Zack's wiggle and hugs and kisses are always exchanged.

Tired Out

Wednesday afternoons means doggy daycare for Zack. He must have played hard today with his doggy pals and with the heat it has made for a tired little puppy.

As soon as we got home tonight he ate his dinner and then went straight to bed - well his favourite rubbermaid container with the pillow on top anyway. LOL!!!

Agility Update

Last night Zack and I had another agility class. It was so much fun and Zack seemed to enjoy every minute of it. We did our first set of 4 jumps in a row and Zack didn't run out once, he was amazing. He was quick too which didn't suprise me :) After that we did a bit of "teeter" work. It can be very scary for the dogs as it bangs and makes a hell of a din when the dogs jump on it or when the one side drops, so we start at the very beginning and get the dogs used to it on the low end. Zack was brilliant he just hopped up and it banged loudly but he didn't care and thought it was a great game. We did it several times and I rewarded him with treats at the bottom of the teeter each time. I am so glad he seems to be enjoying it. I can't wait to start working on the other equipment like the A-frame, tunnel and the chute. I am a little nervous about starting the high plank walk thingy tho (can't remember the proper name), I hope Zack will look where he is going. We shall see when we get to that point in our training. All in all, so far so good.

I can't not blog about this little Jack Russel in our class called Abby. She is tiny in stature but makes up for it in her demenour. She will do anything for her toy - absolutely possessed. She has this long weasely thing and as soon as she sees it she goes balistic, growling, screaming trying to kill it!! Albeit it works great for agility training and as a reward at the end her owner plays tug and swings little Abby around like a kite - then catches her in mid air. Too funny.

When little Abby was doing the four jumps I happen to be sitting behind the row and it was hilarious - she jumped each jump with such enthusiasm that as she went over the jump her little hind feet went skyward - like she was in a handstand. Seriously, I nearly peed my pants laughing. That dog could entertain a crowd tomorrow just by being "Abby". Adorable.

It was a great night with lots of fun and laughs. Can't wait for next week.

Only downside was being eaten alive by the millions of mosquitos of prehistoric proportions. Blimy!

Giving Back

Ever since we brought Zack home as a puppy he has given us so much. He is the sweetest little terrier I know and he loves everyone he meets. There are days tho when he is a naughty little bugger when I am ready to strangle him but then two seconds later he is running round making me laugh and then licking my face all over. His cheekiness is part of his charm and I wouldn't want him any other way. He is definitely a member of the family and I am afraid I dote on him.

I want to provide Zack with the best life I can, one that has lots of fun, fun, fun and of course playtime with his "doggy pals" to name but a few. I want to make sure I give back to him what he has given to me - lots of love and a good life.

I started this blog because I wanted to share the joy of having him with other people as well as to keep a journal of his life for my own memories.

Do any other "doggy bloggers" feel the same way?

Butterfly Boy

It's not a very good picture but I had to post the butterfly - that doesn't happen everyday.

Serial Killer

Now wonder Zack has so many aliases, he isn't even two years old yet but he has decided to live a life of crime and become a gruesome serial killer. He has just taken his latest victim......"pop".... yep, murdered and disembowelled. Poor poor football.

Crikey, I just realized I am an accessory to all these murders as I have been supplying Zack with all of his victims!!! Geesh.

Summer Fun

Deuce is an athletic dog being mostly whippet. He can sure jump.

Zack and Deuce had a blast on the weekend tearing round. He would steal the ball and take off like Speedy Gonzalas, it was hilarious.


Catch me if you can...!!!


Then the rope toy came out...

so Zack's BFF Dylan could not help but get in on the action

Finally they pooped out in the shade but only for a minute....the fun and games continued.

Deuce

Zack found a new friend to play with on the weekend, Deuce. Deuce is a whippet x and has one blue eye and one brown eye.

Deuce's ears are the coolest, one minute they are up, one minute they are down, one minute they are sideways, the next they are criss crossed - too funny.

I will blog more about Zack's fun and games with Deuce in a later post.

Two Tiered

Fat Cat has taken to sharing Zack's "rubbermaid box" where he likes to sit when I am on the computer.

The Look

It's MMYYYYYYY Wubba Kong... ahaha LOL

Fingers Crossed

So far so good. In May of this year my old cat Cuddles (she is 14) was off her food and sick and after a few tests at the vets she was diagnosed with early kidney failure as well as having elevated liver enzymes. I was worried and concerned how long she might have and what quality of life she will have. Since May we have been very lucky she has been doing really well. The main thing is to keep her eating. She wouldn't eat the prescription diet but my vet told me to feed her what she likes so she gets 2 cans of fancy feast a day and is holding her own. Other than being a bit thin she acts normally and seems quite happy. The only treatment she is receiving is an appetite stimulant once in a while which seems to work so that is great.

I cherish every day with her now more than ever as I know eventually she will succumb to her disease which is so common in older cats. Fingers crossed she will live comfortably for a while yet.

Zack is really sweet to her and gives her kisses on her face (I wonder if he senses she is old and sickly?) and she in turn then grabs him by the throat with her 3 teeth and latches on. Zack loves it silly dog.

Zack and the Garden

This spring we decided to do some landscaping in our backyard and put in a walkway. We removed the sod and my husband Pete did the rototilling.

We then put in some small trees and shrubs. At this point Zack did have a field day with the fluffly soil, even having the zoomies in it, oh boy!! I wondered whether, being a terrier, it would be a challenge to stop him from digging or playing in the flowerbed.

We then put in the flowers and luckily he has been great. Zack has not done any digging at all he has actually been my little helper in keeping the weeds down. Any new blades of grass that come up he tends to go in and chomp them down. He has on occasion gone and ate a bloom or two but I have to give him a break once in a while LOL!. Luckily I researched the plants I put in so I know they are not harmful to him.



Summer evenings Zack would rather sit back in the shade on the patio chair. What a life.

Agility - Round 2

Last night Zack and I started his next set of agility classes. The first set of classes we took earlier this summer was to cover the basics and ground work. This set of classes we are starting to learn the equipment, more handling, etc. As we have given Rally obedience a break for a while (since our success at the trial) I thought this would be a fun thing for us to do through the rest of the summer.

It was a great class and got to meet some new dogs who were not in our previous class. There was an adorable little jack russell who I could have just taken home. Zack would have been in heaven with her about:)

I felt Zack did pretty good last night. His jumps were good and he had no nerves going up the teeter that was being held firm by our instructor Kim. Zack just ran up to the high end of the teeter and gave her a faceful of kisses LOL!! He was so darn cute.

Zack did lack a bit of concentration when we were running circles both left and right - his concentration sometimes is short when there are lots of smells about in the long grass - he tends to wander off on me and I can't get his attention. Even treats and a new toy couldn't bring him back last night. I will have to practice and figure out what will work. He's probably waiting for filet mignon or smoked salmon for his treat or something. Smart dog and little bugger ahahaha LOL!!

Aliases

Zack has many aliases.

...Zacky, Zackary, Zackariah, Zackman, Wiggly, Wiggles, Mr. Wiggles, Wigglebutt, bubba, bubby boy, mamma's boy to name but a few. I even occasionally slip up and call him "Riley" my old Cavalier's name!

Am I the only one who does this?

Crikey if not, I must be completely doolally when it comes to how many names I have for him and Zack must be very confused.!!!!...ahahahaahah

Weekend Fun

On Saturday Pete took Zack and I out for another day of fishing at Police Lake Outpost. It was a gorgeous day weather wise with a bit of breeze to take the edge off the heat - especially for Zack. We only caught about 4 fish all day but it was worth it just being there.

This morning (Sunday) Zack and I got up early to go for a long walk in the coulees with Zack's BFF Dylan and my friend Karen before it got too hot. It was lovely, although I haven't done hills or stairs in a while so I was huffing and puffing pretty good while Zack was tearing round and round through the long grass, up, down, back, forth - I wish I had his energy ahahahaahaha.

I love to see him having so much fun -it makes my day.

Disgusted

I wasn't going to blog about this but it has been playing on my mind since last weekend. While Zack and I were at the rally trial there was a conformation dog show on at the same time. While walking around the grounds I saw a German Shepherd puppy (I would guess approx. 4 months old) whose back end was so awful. It's back was so sloped that the base of it's tail was almost on the ground and it's hind legs (if you can call them that) wobbled so badly that the puppy was wobbling around on his hocks not his feet. I have read about the problem in this breed and seen photos in magazines but never seen it with my own eyes. It was heartbreaking.

I asked my friend (as I am new to the dog show world) why they would bring a puppy in that state to a show and she told me that in the ring when the dog is trotting around for the judge it's wobble does not show. That made me sick.

German Shepherd dogs I thought were majestic, beautiful and athletic dogs - not any more. I bet this poor puppy couldn't even walk 2km. It's a sad sad thing when some breeds have been changed so much that their health suffers.

There I got it off my chest. I know this is a huge controversy and there are many many problems in lots of breeds not just German Shepherds (I know from personal experience with my Cavaliers) but it still breaks my heart when I see it and how it will affect that dog's life in the future.

Terrier Heaven

Watching for Wabbits in the Woods

The Christening

Zack had not worn his new collar for more than 24 hours when I was taking pictures of him down at the river. I then realized what the hell he was rolling in - yes it was a lovely dead decaying fish. He had to christen his lovely new collar right away.


I then shouted at him and he took off doing the zoomies.....he thought that was great......


By the time he calmed down from his dashing about he was "encrusted" in fish even his hair dried all crispy.

Needless to say it took four baths to get rid of the fish smell from Zack's coat and his NEW COLLAR has had more than four washes and it still stinks!!! LOL

New Collar

I have been searching for a new "boy" dog collar for Zack for a while now only to find cute "girly" ones. This weekend tho I finally found a "boy" one and thought it was perfect. It has little cartoon dogs on it!

I figured Zack deserves it after the weekend we had so I got him the matching lead to go with the new collar. Spoiled or what!

Zack's Ribbons from the Rally Trial

What a Weekend

This weekend was the first Rally trial Zack and I had ever competed in. We had to qualify in three separate trials to get his Rally Novice Title. Zack took all the distractions of other dogs and the commotion in stride and qualified in 3 out of 3!!! I am so proud of him.

The first trial we qualified with an 86 out of 100, the second trial we got a 92 out of 100 and came out with a second place out of 23 dogs!! Awesome. I had to get a picture.

The third trial was on Sunday and I was really nervous about it. I didn't have to be as Zack got a 97 out of 100. I couldn't believe it. We tied for first place with two other dogs, a border collie and a giant Schnauzer. The final placings came down to who had the fastest time of the three tied dogs. Out of the three Zack was the slowest and came third but I was so stoked and excited about how he performed in that trial. He was so great. He now has his Rally Novice Title and is White's Wiggly Zack RN!!! Oh yeah, I had to get another picture LOL

It has been a long and tiring weekend and Zack is curled up "sleeping it off". He deserves a much needed break and I think tomorrow we are just going to chill and play whatever games he wants to. I love my dog!!! :)