Posting Slowdown: My Current Excuse (and other random thoughts)

Layering and delayering to go out in the snow. For me: hat, scarf, sweatshirt, down coat, waterproof shell, boots, and YakTrax. For The Eliminator: coat and Muttluks.



Also, we've given up on taking the bus to work. Bus service is simply too unpredictable. Some days we'd spend 20-30 minutes standing (freezing) at the bus stop. It takes about 30 minutes to walk, and walking is warmer. So we're now spending about an hour a day commuting. The upside is that walking a mile and a half to work and a mile and a half home every day is improving our health, slowly but surely.

On a related note, I've figured out that the most preposterous element of Stranger than Fiction is the idea that a Chicago city bus could be relied upon to arrive at your nearby bus stop at a particular time each day.

PoMonkey has had NBC's Clash of the Choirs on the past couple of nights. While this isn't really my thing, I'll have to say that I'm impressed at the contrast with American Idol, particularly in the panel of judges. In short, it's refreshing to see a group of people who are encouraging and uplifting one another, even those against whom they're competing.

Another thing I'm definitely not complaining about: we haven't turned on our heat yet. Yes we've had more than a foot of snow, single digit temps, and even lower wind chills, but living on the third floor and having a wall of south-facing windows does a great job of keeping the condo warm. I'm not even sure it's gotten below 70 in our unit. I worked from home today and it hit 77 inside around 2:00.

So that's what new with MrG. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Obedience School, Weeks 6 and 7

Well, I’ve gotten a bit behind on Obedience School updates, so I’ll combine the updates for weeks 6 and 7

Week 6 is trick week! We learned (how to learn) three tricks: Three Card Monte, Shake, and Rollover.

Three Card Monte is simply a variation on leave it/take it. Once the dog has learned not to immediately take a treat that’s in front of her or him, the human unit first places a treat on the floor in front of the dog, then adds more treats. Ideally, the dog takes whatever treat you point at.

The Eliminator does OK at Three Card Monte, particularly if I quickly gather the treats she’s not supposed to take.

Shake works on the theory that most dogs will bat at a treat that is held in front of them. When the paw comes up, the human unit grabs it, shakes it, and shovels the treat into the dog. Most of the class participants confirmed the theory. The Eliminator, however, does not. She just sits there looking at me. I'm guessing that one day she'll just start doing it, so practice, practice, practice.

To make a dog rollover, you first have them lay, then entice them to roll in the direction they’re leaning (as dogs generally lay with one back leg more under their body and the other leg to one side). By holding a treat just under the dog's nose and moving it so that they have to turn their head and, well, rollover to get the treat, they’ll eventually roll.

All of the dogs seemed pretty equally matched (inept) on this one, except for Roxie the tiny Shitzu, whose human unit had worked with her on it previously.

Week 7 was simply a review of each of the things we’ve learned in preparation for, as the handout has it, FINAL EXAM!!!!

License to Wed – F

Truly awful. Avoid it.