The Week(s) in Brief

Mom starts her new job on January 31st and has been training two new dog trainers to fill her shoes.  This has given her more free time, mes chers--free time to spend with her two favorite dogs in the world!  So we have enjoyed longer morning cuddles, extra belly rubs, soccer in the snow, agility training and all sorts of awesomeness!  I shall now elaborate a little...
My "Focused Heeling" class meets on Monday night and I did my best.  My teacher's dog, Zarra, is REALLY pretty and I found it very difficult to concentrate whenever she trotted by.  But we are making good progress!
Jax really hit his stride this week in agility class!  Jett's owner helped us get over the roadblock from our last class: the rear cross.  If Mom straddled the pole as instructed, Jax would refuse to go over it.  In fact, he wouldn't even move.  Jett's Mom had my Mom run through the jump WITH Jax and lure him around the pole, toss the treat, and then step back around the pole to finish the cross.  Using our 4 ft tall plastic Noel candle from Christmas, Mom practiced with both of us and we got that mean ol' rear cross down pat.  We even named it--"Turn."  So when the teacher called him up in class to practice, she was pleasantly surprised when he hopped over the pole and made the correct turn on the first try while Mom stood back and directed.  And he stayed happy the entire class!  We both practiced agility the next day with the same success.
We spent the rest of the week playing in the snow.  Jax loves to bulldoze his way until he can push no more and then he flops over and rolls over onto his back and flops like a fish.  I interfered greatly in the remaking of Hadrian's Wall, distracting the slave labor with soccer.
I have also made several trips to Mom's new workplace in an effort to foster goodwill among the new dogs.  I tower above them all like a giant.  But three little dogs can keep a Spur at bay if they wish.  I tried awfully hard to be good and not paw them...too much.  I've been pretty good with not jumping on the sales counter or stealing cookies from the cooling rack.  So hard...
Anywho, we've been quite well and we hope you all are!  Bonne nuit!

Jaxson's New Moves

Oh mes chers.  The Sheltie and the BeagHeeler next door have teamed up to become an unstoppable force...for evil.  I have enjoyed taunting Cricket (the BeagHeeler) since we were puppies because he can give as good as he gets and always bounces back with a protest.  He's a very tough little guy, and speedy to boot.  Not to mention his phenomenal ninja moves.  He is an expert at the elbow or hock grab and has jumped up to snatch the fur at the point of my shoulders multiple times--all at a dead run.  Sunday, however, it became apparent that my dear sweet Jaxson has learned these moves and upped the ante.  He goes right for my long, gorgeous tail!  Twenty-odd pounds of Sheltie bouncing along on your tail slows you down a bit, mes chers--more than enough for Kai and Cricket to gang up on me.  I suppose karma has finally caught up with me...