Short training run

<-Samantha enjoys a nap in the air Conditioning


Took a short training run yesterday before dawn when it was 63 degrees. As soon as I put the harnesses on them they were whining and running to the gate and back eager to go. Two of the tires were low on the cart, so we had to pause to pump them up first.

This time I rode in the cart and had James keep up as best he can. I had to hold the brake to keep them from running too fast. All went great up until we rounded the corner after the bridge, then Yukon realized we were further than he had gone before and wasn't sure what to do, so he stopped and started sniffing around. The other dogs tried to follow, so I set the park break and untangled the lines. Trying to instill in the dogs not to chase squirrels while in harness is a challenge, but they are slowly getting the idea.

On the way back I had to stop twice to get the dogs re-focused, but once they figured it out, they went well and we got all the way back without another incident. Demon, my boy though, thought he would try to visit with me while running, so kept looking back to me with his tug line slack. Ah well, they were good dogs and did great, so I made sure they had a rub down even though we didn't work them hard, it has been a couple of weeks since it was cool enough to run.

The dogs were so excited and exuberant about being able to run, after getting a good long drink of water, a treat and a rubdown, they began chasing eachother across the yard.

Samantha now thinks she owns my couch. She sat for a couple of movies between Jim and I after I finished mowing the grass in the back and side yard down to the bridge. It got pretty hot in the afternoon, so all the dogs were in the house. Demon has gotten it in his head that his place is at my feet and no other dog belongs there. He growls at the other dogs when they try to sit near me on the floor. Though I'm glad he has gotten some courage back from his ordeal, I've had to chastise him several times for growling. He has not snapped at any of the other dogs, but without correction it could get worse, so nipping this one in the bud.