We’re halfway through August, all of our big summer plans are behind us, so I can’t help but feel like summer is winding down. We haven’t had enough real heat for me to be longing for autumn – not yet, anyway.
I’m enjoying this quieter time though. I actually feel like I’m finally getting caught up on things. Luke’s nose work class officially started August 1st, but I knew I’d be running late because of my trip to Maine. Then when we had the issues with Sheba right after that, I just couldn’t focus enough to get started. That is the great thing about taking a Fenzi Dog Sports Academy class at their bronze level – I can take my time at it and it doesn’t matter if I’m behind. We started this last weekend, and Luke is doing well so far! Details to come.
Sheba’s most recent scare seems to be behind us for now. She’s been doing great; and she seems to take to heart the concept of “living life to the fullest”. I’ll be sharing some fun pictures and videos of her doing just that over the next couple of weeks as the Summer of Sheba winds down. We hope it leads into the “Autumn of Sheba” as well. September can be hot here in NH so we still have a few weeks of swimming weather left!
It wasn’t until after Luke came along and I started learning more about training dogs that I began working more with Sheba and Cricket to walk better on leashes. My walks with Sheba now are just pure enjoyment, whereas she used to be a puller. Her pace is sometimes brisk, sometimes a bit slower, but best of all she enjoys it completely. She picked up quickly on the fact that she can get a treat if she pays attention to me.
Now she is all about getting those treats. She frequently stops and looks at me, and I sometimes have to tell her that she needs to walk more than two steps before she gets another one! I give her a treat and then her pace picks up as if each treat gives her a little burst of pep. Other times she’ll walk forward a few steps, very slowly, and stop and look at me again. Of course, most times I indulge her, and I’m going to need to keep bringing more treats every walk!
Some Thank-Yous that are due:
I appreciate everyone’s kind comments on my last post about Sheba and her most recent vet visit, after which I was having a bit of a meltdown. We are officially done with tests for her now, even if she turns up new symptoms. From here on out it’s all about enjoying the time she has left with us.
Thank you to everyone that helped in my post about Samantha and the litter box issues the other day too; whether it was advice, commiseration, or just well wishes! We have a couple of new things now that we are going to try and we’ll fill you in as we see how it goes.
Last but not least, we won some fun giveaways recently:
A ZigZev headband from the gang at My Dog Likes. ZigZev has many headbands to choose from, in lots of great colors, but of course I had to get the pet-themed one! This headband is really comfortable. The material is lightweight and wicks away moisture, and it does not slip around either. Zev is the company cat, and each Zevband is handmade in New York. A portion of every sale goes to helping out shelter animals, and of course we love that.
We won a Companion Candle from the crew over at Barking from the Bayou. Sam insisted I get the Black Cat candle, she thinks I need more cat stuff (I’m not sure I need any more dog or cat stuff)! This candle is an all-natural soy candle and smells wonderful. I think there is a piece of jewelry inside there, but since the candle can burn for 100 hours it might take a while before I find it!
I’ve mentioned before how fussy our Samantha is. I took a risk when entering to win some Zuke’s cat treats from our friends at Cat Chat with Caren & Cody. But I knew if Sam didn’t like them, then I would pass them along to Cousin Nina. Surprise, surprise, Sam loves them (sorry, Nina)! The bags we received are salmon and tuna flavors, so that helps, since fish is Sam’s favorite. Maybe Sam just loves them because she knows they came from Cody – she has a bit of a crush on that handsome boy.
Thank you to all of our friends for these great giveaways! Do you enter giveaways on blogs? I’m not usually a very lucky person, so if I can win stuff, so can you and you should try! We love giving stuff away here at Wag ‘n Woof and hope to have some more giveaways of our own coming up soon.
How do you plan to enjoy the rest of your summer?
We love ZigZev and didn’t even know why they are named that! Mom didn’t see the paw one she may have to get it now. Love Dolly
Ohhhh you just made Cody’s day!!!!!!! He is HONORED to have a kitty as beautiful as Samantha have a crush on him!!!! He sends her kisses back!!!! xoxoxoxo
Sam is thrilled!! xxoo
I love that Sheba is so treat motivated–very Golden Retriever!–and I was happy to read that she’s doing so well. We’re happy that summer is winding down, too. It’s not our favorite season. We still have about two more months of miserable heat and humidity, and of course there’s the peak of hurricane season to live with. Mommy is a huge fan of that Green Day song “Wake Me Up When September Ends”!
I think the short summers here are what makes summer more appealing to us (though there are plenty of people even here who don’t like it!). I hope your miserable heat ends soon, and that hurricane season is quiet!
What a great haul you had in the give away, all cool products.
Where did the summer go? While we like fall and all the pretty colors…we’re not looking forward to winter. Of course, we still have a few months before that. 🙂
Winter always comes too quickly, doesn’t it? Fall is really my favorite season – the time when the cooler weather feels good; but it’s still comfortable out!
We are never big summer fans, so having it wind down is awesome! Can’t wait to hear how Luke is doing with nose work! Bert says to tell Samantha, he will take any food items she doesn’t want. He does that for Sophie who is also picky.
I think it’s just the fact that it’s so short that makes summer more appealing to me. Usually by the end of August I am done with it, but it just really hasn’t been that hot here and that’s probably the big difference.
Luke is doing SO well with the nosework – we’re having a lot of fun with it so far!
This summer has flown by! I am so happy that you have your candle! I hope it is a great piece of jewelry!
Sheba it sounds like you are going to have a fun time learning stuff. Don’t worry, treats will be involved
Lily & Edward
I’m glad to hear that Sheba’s still enjoying life to the fullest! Barley likes to try to trick me into giving her extra treats on our walks, too 🙂 It sounds like Sheba is more successful at that than Barley is! Can’t wait to hear about how Luke’s noseworks class is going–I was just thinking it’s about time to break out our scent kit and start focusing on that again.
Luke is doing SO well with the nosework! We’ve been able to move forward quickly so far. It’s hard to share too much about it yet, since I don’t really want to distract him by taking photos at this point; but maybe I’ll find a way to set up some video to share. (I have to catch the hubby in the right mood to get him to help).
It’s been so horribly hot and humid here that our temps have reached 100+ but the heat index has been 116 on several occasions. I SO want to move north into New England! I’m super anxious for fall to arrive. I didn’t get ahead on anything this summer, it was far too busy for my liking. I feel like I’m racing along just to stay relatively even. This definitely has to change!
I’m glad to hear Sheba is doing well and enjoying her special summer. And congrats on all the wins! 🙂
Usually summers are so crazy, and so busy! Ours did start out that way, but I’m so glad it’s slowed down now. That probably just means that fall will be busier! 🙂
I hope your weather cools down soon….the worst we get is high 90’s, I honestly can’t imagine what 100+ must feel like – I don’t think I’d be able to move!
I feel like I have never been able to catch up this summer. We have back to back hunt tests and we are working one of them so I guess I ill be behind until Labor Day then of course hunting season starts…. You can have our heat and humidity. I am over it.
The heat and humidity does get old quickly, doesn’t it? Ours just doesn’t last for more than 2-3 days at a time (not to rub it in!).
I’ve been thinking about you guys, wondering how y’all are doing. I’m glad Sheba is back to doing great! It’s so hard when they’re not feeling well! That sweet Golden joié de vivrè! Gotta love it! Callie is smiling down on your girl, as well as her sister – Shadow is feeling much better too (knee-wise) and itching to be off her leash restrictions.
Things here are slowly getting back to normal a bit more, too. I just haven’t been able to quite get caught up yet.
I’m glad that things are settling down with you, and so glad that both of our girls are feeling well!