9. February 2011 by Khizmet.

The dogs LOVE to fetch and Tug….and here is proof that Tugging is Turbo’s greatest love……look at that puppy fly!!!

Here is a very happy Turbo!

Siren’s long hair collects the snow nicely, I like to call her Cap’n Snow Beard….

Siren likes to tug too….but she’s a girl…so a bit more gently…..

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18. October 2010 by Khizmet.

I’m excited to dance with Mandy’s troupe from downhips studio in their presentation for the  Belly Dance Bizarre this year….. the show is this Saturday October 23rd….

 I also must make this year’s installment of the continuing story of the doggie-devil beast adventures….mmmwah ha ha ha!

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30. January 2010 by Khizmet.

 these links are demonstrating how I brush my pup’s teeth.  I like the control I can get in this hold…..

brushing Turbo’s teeth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iAByofsZoI&feature=channel

brushing Siren’s teeth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBtipQfSneI&feature=channel

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25. December 2009 by Khizmet.

This morning I found a hungry Vixen and Dasher let behind!

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20. November 2009 by Khizmet.

Mid October, Alf’s parent flew out our way for a visit.  We went to the Toronto Minitaure show (1/12th scale doll house miniatures) because, well it’s an awesome show….and Alf’s Mom has been miniaturing for many years.  Alf’s Dad helped us start our kitchen renovations by adding upper cupboards and a new range hood.

 We went to the Stratford festival again this year.   We went to see Tom as Puck.           (I attended the University of Saskatchewan’s Theatre program with him…..ah good times good times….) He was once again…STELLAR!!!

Mandy of DownHips Dance Studio Hosted the “Belly Dance Bizarre”  show…. This year My presentation with Karma was entitled “re-HEARSE-al”  mwah ha ha ha!!

http://www.youtube.com/user/khizmetbellydance#p/a/u/1/Ijz1N_AG-kI

and of course this year’s continuation of my Doggie howleen video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANyZU_Yql0Q

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29. July 2009 by Khizmet.

If you have never driven from south western Ontario and across the top of Lake Superior…..I’m not sure you can call yourself a Canadian. It is 2 days of grueling persistence….luckily the landscape is so overwhelmingly beautiful….grueling turns into drooling….we are doing this trip with our 2 dogs… as you can see …Siren is very “paws on”

 between Marathon and ThunderBay is the most beautiful rest area.  The first time Alf and I stopped there in 1995, we understood  the group of 7 paintings so much more deeply!

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23. July 2009 by Khizmet.

He did it! He passed grade 3! Which means that my verbal control over him has gotten much better. OOOOh he was such a good boy in class….my leash was totally off, and his little drag line was tucked in his collar most of the class.  His most spectacular moment was once again…ignoring a little pug-cross who wanted to get all up in his butt….wait a second…I don’t mean it like that….puggy pup wanted to visit….not what you’re thinking….sick-o!  So that means on to grade 4…. in the mean time though I hope to teach him a new trick every 2 or 3 days….

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16. July 2009 by Khizmet.

  Turbie is doing so well in his class now!  I had excellent fun in the last class…once again he didn’t throw a hissy fit if another dog got in his space…he checks in with me… the funniest moment in class was our out-of-sight down stay…. most dogs were great…Turbie was super! He even held when other dogs were getting up to look for master…. we got back into the building and were told to just stay at the front wall….and then one of the assistants knocked on the door….well….. CHAOS ensued! My Turbie was up howling and searching desperately for me…. he looked so scared..and so cute!!  He was easily put back into his down… and the rest of the class went smoothly compared to that….my little guy even gave  ball retrieval a good shot in class!
Just look at how good he is over his little jump!!!

And now…for more beautiful Flowers….

Osteospermum up close…..how absolutely amazing!

this little weed is so pretty!

Liatris Spicata up close from the top…before it has bloomed…I have these in white and purple.

Crocosmia Montbretia  before it has bloomed as well….this…is my favorite flower in my yard

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7. July 2009 by Khizmet.

Woo Hoo! Turbo had a spectacular class! No Barky blowouts! and there was opportunity too!  That was the most fun class I’ve had in Grade 3, we had to do 1 minute out of sight, sit stays and down stays… turbo broke…I’m very surprised, he is usually stellar, it was the first task of the night so maybe he was a bit more anxious than usual. We proceeded to “go outs”..oh he was a good boy on those!! Next we did agility jumping…and the only fault was with me! I couldn’t go fast enough for  my boy! OMGosh he will be an awesome agility dog! My first run was really bad (my fault) so I did it again, better, but still my fault on any errors…and that was the opportunity for a bark fest when another dog got in our area and bumped him on the butt, but he was very responsive and just zipped right back to me….so happy!  the next task is a stumper for me… retrieval…. he rocks at home, he’s a fiend in the yard, but to go fetcha ball at class? …he doesn’t see the point of it… what a goof ball!  after our round of stations we went into more formal tasks like our visual cues, he’s a star at those too…I LOVE my TURBIE!!!!

Here is his victory roll over

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25. June 2009 by Khizmet.

busy week so far

Troupe rehearsal!  woo hoo! Dancing on grass is not easy…especially my lumpy lawn!
Khizmet and Karma & Rhaehana and Bella Luna will be dancing at the:
 Silverheights Neighbourhood Association 2nd Annual family fun day!
 We will start the show with  our little Hakim pop number and drum solo, then Rhaehana and Bella Luna will dance their classic piece and drum solo, followed by our “groovy” Shamadan (Candelabra on our heads),

then they will dance a “gypsy skirt” dance, next Donna, Rebecca and I will do some glow poi/ glow hoop.

Tennis… 30 C makes for a very sloth-like “slammy” <my tennis and juggling nickname)
ARRRR! my team is at the bottom of the standings (does that mean we are kneeling?)….I fear some of my Maties may jump ship…they be keel-hauled before they do….( just practicing my Pirate-speak for international “talk like a pirate day”….Sept 19th 2009)

…..doggie classes….I thought I had it figured out….I am so wrong…. my Turbie failed his last attempt at grade 3 because he is reactive… when he sees another dog he tends to take an aggressive stance…staring and then wants to get to the dog and it always ends in barking and growling…the task for me is to anticipate this behaviour and never let it get to the staring stage…. the second he looks away from me I’m supposed to get his attention back to me….we also have a big task working on his emotional control.
    The last few times in the park (a good place for distraction) he was stellar…I’m trying to wean him off treat rewards and the goal is to try to make myself way more interesting than other things.  He loves his toys…especially basketballs….he’s popped a few already…but a basketball is too big to take into class so I have a conventional “tuggie”.
   Arriving at class, I whipped out the tuggie, but alas he didn’t seem remotely interested…so I reverted to my habit, which is treat reward…about 40 minutes in….he was really losing focus…and so was I… we were both sweaty and irritated…and I forgot all about trying tuggie again….we had 2 barky blow outs….both totally my fault…and on the ride home, Alfie trying to console me because  98% of the class he was an awesome little guy, but those 2 barky moments were all I could think about and really upset at myself…. I feel like I’m failing my Turbie again….

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