This week in... agility and life

Hi everyone!
This was a great week. Mom was home with us a great deal and we got to get in a lot of great walks in the Arboretum! I LOVE walking---I get to see EVERY single squirrel and try to chase them down.

 Since mom has started taking Hasten with us on our walks I am fine...I just told her, "Keep up with me or you will be left to drag! "  I know that sounds mean--but hey! these walks are awesome and I have stuff to see! She is doing really well and she doesn't bother me at all on these walks. She is a bit confused...she keeps looking at mom every few 50 or so yards...as if to ask..."Is this all there is? Where are we? When do we get THERE?"  Today, we both found a mole---it was black and hairy and smelly and we almost had it...I could feel it near my mouth....but darn it--it got away. Mom was relieved for some silly reason.

This week in agility I went to LOAL on Friday---we did "sends" and I did ok...I think there is a trial coming up so mom is trying to get me ready. I usually like doing the sends---I have no problem working away from my mom.  I have had a nice vacation but we will find out next week how I really feel....things could change at any minute!

Hasten has been practicing her free shaping and her agility. She is really fast! I have tried to tell her that speed is not THAT important--but she didn't listen...she actually cries and whimpers if she can't go fast enough--what is WRONG with that girl?

One thing I have noticed about my new sister. She is a garbage junkie! She loves to take things out of the recycle bin and carries them around, sleeps with them, chews on them--and if we get near...she runs out the dog door with them! This girl is weird!

There is proof that she actually sleeps! She curls up like a hedgehog usually. See below:

Here is a rare shot of her still and in mom's lap.

Below are some clips of Mom and Hasten training. 

Waiting is NOT her thing. This is the 1st time we have had a wait before an obstacle.

The 1st one--great wait--but blew the tire---so I took her to the tunnel--seemed like waiting AND the tire was just too much. 

2nd video--she is showing how frustrating WAIT is!

On the left: Here she is showing her ability to do a combinatino of obstacles.
Right: Her wicked fast dogwalk w/out a leash!

Happy New Year and Hasten's Training

Hi folks! I am wishing everyone a HNY!
The agility training has started back. I had about a month off and mom took me to Love on a Leash on Wednesday night and I ROCKED! I was fast and very interested...I guess I needed a break!

Mom wants to take over my blog tonight to talk about...you guessed, it HASTEN. (Imagine snarly face here.) I guess I will let her. I have been liking Hasten more...see below for proof.

Hasten had a set of good experiences on her trip to Pensacola. She flew with us since she is not housebroken and asking any one to dogsit her for 5 days is asking too much. We had a great new dogsitter...Wendy took care of Deliah and Barclay. Both told me they were well taken care of. Check out Wendy's new website here:
http://www.peakperformancedogsports.webs.com 


She also met her first cows and horses. The cows really seemed to bother her...I guess all that staring makes her uncomfortable. She also found the goat "Stranger"  that showed up on my parents' property about 2 years ago. That was very funny--she actually did a double take(Which one of these is not like the other one). She handled all the new experiences nicely. 


She also went to her first beach. We went to Ft. Pickens and to the Gulf. 

The waves of the Gulf bothered her---they wouldn't stop chasing her! 

Tonight I took Hasten to the training building to work on a few things. We had some really great experiences. To start with, I should mention what I have been working on at home:
-targeting (touch and pounce)
-teeter banging (with teeter about 6 inches off the ground)
-running the length of the teeter (mostly flat)
-sending over a jump
-going through a baby tunnel
-running on flat boards to simulate the beginning of running contacts

So, at the building we started with her favorite thing...the tunnel. We 1st worked with the big almost U-shaped tunnel under the dog walk. Going toward the bottom of the  dogwalk, I forgot that she is just a baby dog---just turned 5 months and that when I step away to go around the dogwalk, she is going to see me out of the corner of her eye and go with me. So, we did the other end 1st a few times and then I tried the dogwalk end--but supported it with going into the slot a little--in two times she had the confidence and the know-how to fly through with great abandonment!

Then we tried the S-shaped tunnel under the Aframe. Again, she did fine with me on the same side of the tunnel--but not when I ran around the Aframe. I went back to supporting it, and she got it in 3 tries. I then added a jump at each end of the tunnel and worked on that combination. I did work on waiting. This is NOT Hasten's strong point...but she is getting better. She is trying to be patient.

Next we worked on 2 x 2's. I have not worked on these with her before--so we just started with the 1st step--and worked on turning it to a small angle. She caught on pretty fast---but I need more instruction before I can go any further.

As I was adjusting the 2 x 2s, Hasten became impatient--in her VERY operant mood--and decided to go take the whole indoor chute by herself...twice! She has done the chute about 8 or 9 times before but with someone holding it up, just a little. Clearly, we don't need the help anymore. So, I built from that---we added the tire. Hasten had not met the tire until tonight. She did very well--- when she was too focused on me, she ducked under the supports...but that only happened about 3/10 times.
So, now we have the chute and the tire in sequence. No problem---other than me needing to move my butt faster! I then added a 90 degree winged jump after the tire. She rocked it!

We then worked on her contacts. Scott had been out in the car listening to Sirius radio and the Packers game, but he came in to help me with backchaining her contacts on the dog walk. I brought out ham and I thought she was going to lose her mind! Scott held her on the lower end of the dogwalk and she wriggled and struggled freaking out to get to the ham!!! I waited at the end with the sacred ham. The 1st few looked pretty similar to dog diving...so we took her down even lower---right above the line between yellow and blue. That worked and we backed up from there and had great contact practice for about 20 reps.

We then moved to the aframe. Scott and I lowered it and began. We did not have as good as luck on the aframe---she got really hoppy--no matter how low we started her. There were about 6/10 good ones---so not awful--but not very consistent.  I realize that I am probably overly sensitive to the weaker contacts--but I don't want to have any bad habits starting.

Overall, it was an excellent time of working with her. She is eager and happy to work and is showing how more operant she is becoming every day. She is demonstrating one really funny behavior. When you don't give her enough information quick enough...or for instance, when I ask for her to "wait"--she makes these funny half growl/half yip sounds that sound likes she is saying "Hurry up woman and give me some direction! YOU are not fast enough!" She made Scott and I laugh so much tonight. She is a delight to train--I only hope we can keep this up! She never tired...never looked bored, would have worked forever--but she had received ALL the calories she needed!

Well, that is all for now. Happy New Year everyone!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

You guessed it folks...Christmas!
We got the cool fluffy stuff that makes this town shut down and I have had a great time hanging out it in. Hasten seems to enjoy the white stuff also...although she keeps eating a bunch of it--I have no idea why. I have been playing mouth wars with her daily--and have having a good time. I really don't like her in the house. If she want to live outside or not come into the living room EVER, that would be great with me.

Here is a video clip mom caught us playing in the snow....

In addition, today, mom caught us doing something...yes, I admit it...I did lay in the same bed that she was laying on....it is humiliating to be caught! This new tech world--you can get caught doing ANYTHING, ANYWHERE! (well, actually, if you look closer--you will see that I am in my own little bed NEXT to her bed!)

As for updates on Hasten's "training." Mom is working on quite a few things with her down in the basement...and it makes me SO MAD! I sit at the top of the stairs and bark but she ignores me. The are working on banging the teeter--which Hasten loves. Targeting, jumping and runrning down the teeter---it is only set at a 4 inch drop--so I don't know why they are so excited! In addition, she is getting a little better at "wait"---if you count milliseconds!

I have proceeded with my "get it" training. Mom changed from the nice soft stuffed dumb bell I was working with to a nyla bone--but I showed her that I could pick it up and bring it to her...it was weird though--I didn't like how slippery and hard it was to pick up--but I got it! Take THAT! Hasten!

Anyway, I wish everyone a Happy Christmas! I will enjoy the snow and watching the squirrels--I hope all the humans have a good holiday!

Barclay, the relunctant agility dog.

christmas directions, the clicker and other stuff

Well folks. It's final. She isn't leaving. 

Mom has been spending time with Hasten with the clicker and with...of all things...MY CHEESE! I can't believe it! She tries to be sneaky and take her downstairs but I can hear them and then I go outside and try to peek in the sliding glass doors! I AM furious! The littler twerp is getting treats!

So far she is learning some stuff like "target" and she is waving like a little freak. Mom is working on trying to get her to put her feet in a plastic box. Tonight was the 1st try and she could get two feet in...but mom had problems trying to tape and treat and the box keeps moving. HAH! Foiled! See? She isn't perfect!

We decorated our Christmas tree and we all helped. The brat was very interested in why Dad was under our tree with the lights. I know why he goes there---so I can lick his face! We are all VERY suprised that she hasn't eaten any of the ornaments..yet!

Some days--mostly in the mornings, I do actually like her. Here is a rare snap of us hanging out. That is as close as I want her hanging with me though.

That's all folks.  Mom, Dad and Samy are going away for a few days so I think I will sleep in and chase squirrels!

Barclay, Reluctant agility dog and brother of annoying Hasten

Updates...finally

Hello folks,
It has been a while since my last post as I have been very busy, loving my sister, hating my sister and eating turkey!
1st we had a HUGE crowd of people here for this goofy holiday where people cook this gigantic chicken and eat it and MANY other things. There are a couple of good things to note here: if there is cooking--then there is dropping something on the floor. Also, if there is cooking--that usually means we get a few tastes of leftovers.

My sister Samy did a great job folding these cloth things...I think you humans call them napkins.

Humans are really kind of strange. They spend HOURS on cooking and making a pretty table for this one day and then they eat really fast and then complain the rest of the day how full they are! 

 Clearly Urie is possessed this Thanksgiving day!

Anyway, we were allowed to come out and play with people near the end.

This person on the end(right) is my dog sitter Eleonore! -

Mom got a few presents for something called "hosting."

Overall, it was a good weekend. I spent some time making Hasten think I like her by ALLOWING her to chase me.

That's all for now. More on my sister and her "learning" later--since she  CLEARLY isn't leaving anytime soon!

Barclay, the reluctant agility dog.

Progress...but who cares?

On Tuesday, Hasten went to puppy class with Wendy. Progress was reported. Everyone made such a big deal about it and compared it to that scene in the Helen Keller movie/play when Helen can finally spell W-A-T-E-R. Anyway, she was able to sit. Dumb girl. I learned that fast!


Tonight she went to class with me and my older sister Deliah.  Hasten did do a BIG tunnel. Wendy held her at one end and Mom stood at the other--it was a 25 foot tunnel and was curled around and through the A Frame. She sniffed, looked around--never looked panicked and then saw Mom and ran happily out! (The humans were VERY pleaed.) The second time she didn't even pause--just ran straight through. I guess I am going to have to tell her how to go slower through those things or act less interested or the humans will use all that eagerness!

We celebrated Deliah's 16th birthday with cheesecake for the humans and treats for us. There was a baby Boxer puppy there too--Good Grief with the puppies already! I, however, was really good in agility tonight! I ran fast and had some fun!  Here is a picture of Deliah sitting with Miss Jan.

My Dad won this goofy prize at the Mosby Dog event. It is all these toys for a puppy. Hasten played with them today.

I am signing off,
Barclay Quinn---the best agility dog out there...ok--just a nice dog.

San Francisco

My mom abandoned us to go to a conference in San Francisco. She seems very happy. Her first night she went to her favorite chef's restaurant Fleur de Lys and had an amazing crab salad (which I didn't get), a shrimp dish (that I didn't get) and a Raspberry gratin (that I also didn't get). She also got to meet Chef  Hubert Keller.

The next day she went to his other restaurant and had a magnificent buffalo burger with a red wine reduction and sweet potatoe fries. Disgusting! She got to meet him AGAIN! He seated her at a special table and now she won't stop talking about it.

She had this amazing view of Union Square and preparations for the gigantic Macy's Christmas tree.

I figure she won't get home to play with me because she is going to be arrested for stalking!

Later people, nothing else to report. Hasten still lives with us.
Barclay Quinn