Day 4: What Fun We Had!



Dancer's first (long) weekend at Patty's Camp Flyball was a great success, if I do say so myself.  By Day 4, her retrieve was pretty solid, and with lots more speed on the run back (I mean, very nearly pants-o-fire!)  She got along well with Neena and Raffy, and she learned to stay out of Wyatt's way b/c he is absolutely no fun.  And she wrapped my husband securely around her little paw (like we didn't see that coming, right?)  She heads home tomorrow, having made some new friends and taken a few beginner steps down the Flyball lane.

Meanwhile, here is her Graduation Video, from our round of fetch this evening...all the throws I could record--there were actually more than what you see here (so she's apparently okay with repetition...which is something many Kees can't abide):

I'm not sure when she'll be able to come back--Judi and I will have to work out that schedule.  But when she does, we'll work on dead ball retrieves (I got lazy and didn't progess to that this weekend), jumps with no height, and turns off the training board on the flat.  Can't wait til she's a year old so we can start the repetitive jumping stuff (wall work, actual box work, u-turns over boxjump, and actual flyball jumps, etc.)

Dancer with green fig, booty from the backyard.

And so, to wrap up this round of blog entries, I'd like to list out what I call:

INSANELY CONSISTENT KEESHOND TRAITS

Dancer is the 5th Keeshond in 16 years to take treats under our roof (granted hers is a temporary stay), and both my husband and I were once again struck with the funny little ways that most Kees possess.  Things like....

1) Vertical leap:  Keeshonden are said to be good dogs for living in small spaces because they "exercise vertically".  And boy, is that ever true.  In the kitchen, bouncing straight up and down in excitement when treats are being dispensed; in the living room, bouncing right over the back of the couch and onto the unsuspecting human's stomach; in the backyard, bouncing up on backlegs to fling chest-first at the opposing dog.

2)  Climbing:  Got a rock wall?  Back of the couch?  Anyplace where the Kees can get higher than the rest of the creatures in its presence?  Well then, the Kees will go there, nimble as a little mountain goat.

3)  Perching on human heads/shoulders:  This is part of #2, I suppose.  When a Kees gets tired of prancing around on the back of the couch, they're likely to perch on the head or shoulders of any human sitting there.

4)  Sleeping on cold, hard surfaces:  If there's a lovely dog bed sitting right next to the cold stone hearth, the Kees will invariably choose the hearth.  Or the linoleum floor.  Or the wood floor.  Even better is to lie frog-dog over the A/C vent when it's blowing cold air.  I suppose when you carry your own fluffy bed wrapped permanently around your body, you have little use for additional padding and warmth.

Dancer "snuggles up" on the hearth.

5)  Licking human feet:  Okay, so what in the heck is up with this one?  This is not just a "oh, look, your foot...lick, lick...done."  This is:  "See foot--must lick--can't...stop...licking...nom, nom, nom."  This one drives me crazy because I just don't like soggy toes, plus I'm ticklish!  So stop already!

6)  Fast Twitch Muscles:  These guys have the quickest reflexes I've ever seen.  They're like rattlesnakes (only fuzzier, and not scary).

7)  Laughing:  Kees do that loud panting thing that some say is dog laughter, and they do it A LOT.  These guys are almost always smiling and laughing, and when they're not, it's just because they're getting ready to smile and laugh.

Raffy says, "Mom, I like this pretty girl a LOT!"

So until next time, Dancer and I wish you lots of Keesie laughter and Keesie kisses (except, not to the feet...nope, nope, nope....)