It’s Follow-up Friday. The blog hop that:
Let’s you wrap up your week and leads you right into the weekend.
Thank you to Jodi from Heart Like A Dog for hosting the hop!
Housekeeping Note: The darn linky tool kept going off line all day Thursday. I do not know what the problem was. Sorry if you tried to link up and were not able to.
Setting Goals
The dogs took a break from hunt test training during hunting season. They got out to train now and then, but for the most part free time was spent in the marsh or in a field doing what they were bred to do.
Hunting season is over so it is time to get back to training.
Each January hubby and I discuss our goals for the dogs for the coming year.
Thunder is retired from hunt testing and he won’t be running tests, but our goal for him is to keep him in shape and to maintain his training so that he won’t be rusty for hunting season in the Fall.
Our goal for Storm is to work on her breaking issue and get that under control. If we can get it under control, we would love to run her in some Master Tests and maybe in some HRC Finished tests. We may be fighting an up hill battle, but we will give it a shot.
She did very well upland hunting. Last year she hunted a bit too far out (or away from the hunter). This year she stayed nice and close, so maybe there is hope. 🙂
We have ambitious plans for Freighter. He will be in the show ring this year. We have him entered in some shows later this month. We also plan to run him in AKC Senior Hunt Tests and maybe some HRC Seasoned tests. Like Storm, we have to work on his breaking. We plan to get back into group training toward the end of the month and that is a good place to work on steadiness because they can actually practice sitting at heel while other dogs are running.
Since he turned two in November, Freighter has really started to mature. He still has selective hearing at times. (For example when you tell him to go into his crate as you are leaving and he looks at you like he has no idea what you just said.) But for the most part he comes when he is called and has a good grasp of the house rules.
Pinch Punch Post
Today we are also linking up with Earl’s World for his monthly hop which is a look back and a look ahead.
According to Earl:
Linking up to the Pinch Punch Post! Please link up – it takes less than a minute and if you wish, you can simply post one photo of what you have done with your dog over December 2013, and write one pointer of what you are going to do in January 2014
I did it a bit backward because I already said what we are planning for January. As for a photo of what we have done the past month…has to be snow!
The gang.
Stop by Earl’s World and check out the hop. It is open through today.
We are in the deep freeze, so no big plans this weekend. Have a nice one!
Thanks to Jodi for the Follow-up Friday hop. See who else is hopping!
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
Thank you so much for joining the PPP! I have shared and recommended your paw-some blog!
http://sumskersandearlskers13.blogspot.co.uk/
I love that your dogs have New Years Resolutions of sorts! I was just thinking about Freighter in the show ring the other day. He is really coming together nicely. I hope this is a good show year for you, and I hope Storm learns to contain her enthusiasm!
The problem is that many of the shows conflict with hunt tests and training. I also think he is still a bit immature. His adult coat is still coming in. Like his granddad, I bet next year he will look more grown up. 🙂
OMD stay warm. Everyone seems to be having cold weather except us but it is very windy and wet here. Good luck with all your plans for the year ahead. Have a fabulous Friday.
Best wishes Molly
We are looking forward to two balmy days above zero before we go back to below zero. We love winter but this extreme cold is starting to get under our paws! Stay warm!
Great FUF! Have you run any HRC tests, we like them because you can talk to your dog so that will be very helpful with Storm and Freighter but then it is like a double edge sword as when you run a AKC you can’t talk to them so you hope for the best. We have the same goals for Glory, she is entered in a show next weekend and want to run seasoned and seniors Gambler we want to run Masters. It is so damn cold here John doesn’t feel it is right to make them run and train in this weather so we might have to hold off but we really need to get a head start on it as we need all the help we can get.
Both Thunder and Storm have their HR titles, but when we were running them we tried to keep AKC standards. Thunder has a Finished pass. Storm has not run any Finished tests and Freighter hasn’t run any HRC yet. We do like the HRC tests because they can be a lot of fun!
Last Saturday was a perfect day for training, but hubby was busy clearing snow…lol. This time of year it is dark after work which limits training to weekends. Freighter is going to attend a couple drop in conformation classes to brush up on that. At least it is something. 🙂
Wow! Those are some big goals but I’m sure each of the dogs will come through for you. Best of luck. Much love, The Scottie Mom.
Love that you have goals all set for the dogs. This is the first year I really haven’t set any. I know we want to keep in shape and broaden our hiking adventures, but that’s about it! Happy New Year to you!
So is hunting season over until next fall now?
Good luck on all of your goals!
Can’t get enough of all of your photos of the ‘dawgs frolicking in the snow! Freighter’s ears certainly give him away as the puppy of the group, don’t they! So cute.
Great goals for the new year! I know you three can do it. And thank you for sharing more snow pictures. Maya & Pierson are jealous. 😉 BTW, I didn’t see a link to the Pinch Punch Post.
Nevermind. I found the link. The link was the same color as the rest of the text, so I didn’t see it.
That is the one problem with this theme. The links are the same color and I haven’t found a way to just change the ones in the post without changing all. I will try to remember to bold and underline them. 🙂
Sounds like your dogs are all doing really well! It’ so much work to do all that training, I’m impressed you can really stick with it. Out big goal is to enroll my dog Lucy in a general obedience training course this month. She did puppy classes, but can use a refresher. Especially to get her to stop jumping on everyone and everything!
That sounds like a great goal. We are still working on the jumping ourselves. 🙂
Roooo what pawsome plans you have for the coming year! waggy tail
I love that you guys set yearly goals for your dogs training, that’s such an awesome idea! By the way, what exactly is ‘breaking’?
Great goals! I’m sure the dogs are up to their challenges! Love the snow pics!
You have some really beautiful dogs there!
Wow what a lot of snow. I wished I could play in that snow.
Look at all of that beautiful snow! We’ve had very sunny weather this past week and now we’re left with icky mud. Not nearly as fun as snow.
You’ve got some fun and great plans for your dogs this year! Good luck and I hope you enjoy it all as well. 🙂
Thanks for joining the blog hop, it’s nice that you sit down with Hubby and discuss goals for the pups. I think Freighter may just be “THE” dog. Even at two, IMO he’s shown remarkable skills.
Love that photo of Storm, she is just a beautiful dog. She reminds me so much of Delilah who would probably break too. LOL
We have below freezing here, so not much going on outside, our walks will be short.
Have a great weekend and stay warm!
Good morning brown dawgs and family!! Sorry we have been so long in getting here to visit with you. Wow, do you all have some snow…or what? We can tell all that snow just brings on more fun for you three sweeties. Sounds like you have your plans all laid out and ready to go. We had to giggle when we read about Freighter and his selective hearing, Chancy does the same thing when he knows we are leaving. lol We will be looking forward to seeing all of Freighters winnings from the shows. Fantastic pictures as always! Wishing for you all a very Happy New Year and that the year be filled with all wonderful things. Hugs and nose kisses
It sounds like you have a great year ahead with lots to work towards. I hope the bitter cold has let up for you so you can have more fun in all that snow!
Good luck with Freighter’s showing, I’m sure he’ll do well. I’ve set out about 3 goals for my guys this year and will probably start training later on this month.