While the uncertainty going on with the whole COVID outbreak is scary, look on the bright side. Many of us are now forced to stay home and train our dogs!

I work with the military health system from home, so I am still working. But as of tomorrow , Paul will be home indefinitely. I told him now is his time to stop being the untrainer. He has been tasked to train Eleven. His first is to make her wait at the door and not jump. She knows this behavior and does it flawlessly for me, but not with Paul.

When I have time, I will be working on tracking with Fennec.

What is everyone else going to be working on?

Maybe we can turn this thread into a training log. We can link to videos for feedback.

Thoughts?.

 Quote: Kelly

While the uncertainty going on with the whole COVID outbreak is scary, look on the bright side. Many of us are now forced to stay home and train our dogs!

I work with the military health system from home, so I am still working. But as of tomorrow , Paul will be home indefinitely. I told him now is his time to stop being the untrainer. He has been tasked to train Eleven. His first is to make her wait at the door and not jump. She knows this behavior and does it flawlessly for me, but not with Paul.

When I have time, I will be working on tracking with Fennec.

What is everyone else going to be working on?

Maybe we can turn this thread into a training log. We can link to videos for feedback.

Thoughts?.

What a good idea, Kelly!

Sounds great! Even covering the basics can do all of us some good. For me personally, my now only dog Trooper is almost 13. Deaf and not getting around well but still a happy go lucky clown, Freshening up on my hand signal basics with him makes would be a great idea at this time. .

It is a good idea, Kelly. I like the idea of having a current thread where we can all keep in touch and talk about our dogs.

Mine are both elderly and have health issues, so I haven't done much formal training in a long time. Still, taking care of them involves a lot of time in a given day, so they are keeping me busy!

I know they are getting bored, too, but, thankfully, the weather, for the most part, is warming up, and we do get outside in the yard for a play session most days. My older one doesn't really play or chase the ball much anymore, but she loves to have a good look around her territory and make sure the yard is free of squirrels.

Between the two of them, they each have different diets, and one takes 5 (!) different prescription meds, and the other takes 3. And then my husband and I each take a few prescription meds, plus supplements, so just keeping track of all the pills is a major challenge!

Tasha will turn 13 in a few days. Logan will be 12 in a couple months. One day at a time...…..

Somber reflections

So, playing on the numbers game, there are all sources of dire estimates of the possible number of fatalities being bandied about.

The flu season of 2018-2019 resulted in 60,000 fatalities, down from the previous season. And there was a vaccine available during those seasons.

One recent low number projection has this virus claiming up to 2,000,000 fatalities. Put another way, about 33 times the fatalities associated with the normal flu season , and without a vaccine.

Some numbers estimates suggest a worse case of between 6,000,000 and 18,000,000, in the absence of a vaccine and personal protection protocols widely followed.

My brother-in-law, the Doctor, painted a bleak picture the other night in a phone call. One concern had to do with the asymptomatic flu virus carriers being casual, even scornful, of the dangers. That attitudes, like the ones exhibited by the Spring breakers who partied on the beaches in Florida, poses a great threat to transmission of the virus. Party like its 1999, a song by Prince.

So, here I sit, uncomfortable in knowing or thinking I do, of the production cycle associated with providing an effective new vaccine for the population of just our country. Certainly measured in months, if not over a year. Reason enough for me to putter around the house, and yell greetings to my neighbors from a distance.

And I think of my daughter the cop, and the lack of protection. And wonder when she will come down with the flu. Doctors, nurses, techies, firemen, cops; limited beds, supplies, facilities, and the list goes on, are all put at risk daily, and without a vaccine.

If by some miracle there is a simple vaccine already available, I will be the first to note my gloom and doom cynic's view of the world.

Til then, my mantra is, I would rather be paranoid than surprised. And check on my neighbors, especially the older ones, just in case.

You all be safe. We have to watch out for one another.

I'm with you Mike.



"Til then, my mantra is, I would rather be paranoid than surprised. And check on my neighbors, especially the older ones, just in case.

You all be safe. We have to watch out for one another."

 Quote: Cheri Grissom

It is a good idea, Kelly. I like the idea of having a current thread where we can all keep in touch and talk about our dogs.

Mine are both elderly and have health issues, so I haven't done much formal training in a long time. Still, taking care of them involves a lot of time in a given day, so they are keeping me busy!

I know they are getting bored, too, but, thankfully, the weather, for the most part, is warming up, and we do get outside in the yard for a play session most days. My older one doesn't really play or chase the ball much anymore, but she loves to have a good look around her territory and make sure the yard is free of squirrels.

Between the two of them, they each have different diets, and one takes 5 (!) different prescription meds, and the other takes 3. And then my husband and I each take a few prescription meds, plus supplements, so just keeping track of all the pills is a major challenge!

Tasha will turn 13 in a few days. Logan will be 12 in a couple months. One day at a time...…..

I completely empathize about the time-consuming responsibility of senior dogs (and of course the extraordinary rewards we experience).

It is a relief that spring is either here or on its way!

Today’s tracking adventure with Fennec was cancelled due to 4” of snow.

Paul, however, has taken a few moments to actually expect a sit at the door from Eleven. Baby steps.

 Quote: Kelly

Today’s tracking adventure with Fennec was cancelled due to 4” of snow.

Paul, however, has taken a few moments to actually expect a sit at the door from Eleven. Baby steps.

Well, that's a good start, Kelly!

(Not the snow.... )

True on the elderly dog issue.

Trooper will be 13 in little more then a month. He's always been an outside dog but I do spend daily time with him out there. No more fetch because of his inability to stop and turn quickly and his still strong desire to do just that.
Also almost completely deaf but but if he's facing me he still responds to hand signals as I've always taught my dog for many years. Still a happy clown so he will have a place as long as that holds. This confinement has slowed down my working with my son's now 1 yr old Rot x Heeler that I did once a week at sons house. SUPER fast learner with a natural retrieve. The natural or as close to a natural retrieve has always been on top of my puppy testing musts. It tells me the dog is willing to work with the handler. Doing lots of reading. Half way through one of my numerous dog books. James Herriot's DOG STORIES. Already buzzed through a number of old dog training books. Some go back to my early days of training in the 50s and 60s. Keeping in touch with sibs, kids and grandkids through texts and face time on the cell phones. I really miss hugging them for sure. Wife is scaring me. She was in the garage and my work shop wondering how long it would take to tidy up my totally unorganized tools and "stuff".