Dogs, and Weddings, and Version 3, OH MY!

Okay, okay.... yes, it has been FOREVER (well, 3 months) since I last wrote anything into my blog.  It's not that there hasn't been anything interesting to blog, it's just that there has been TOO much going on!  I've taught 2 days of Silhouette classes (with 2 different projects to design), had NATCH poles to make, a wedding to attend (with a card to design), and a bunch of dog issues to deal with (more on that later).

And to top it all, Silhouette America has updated to a new (and VERY buggy) Version 3 (v3), which has been the bane of my existence the last month or so since it's release.  I recommend to anyone who has NOT updated, to WAIT until the new version's bugs have completely been worked through.  Print and Cut is quite buggy, some people are still experiencing Library problems, Test Cut is non-functional (and not usable for Portrait owners!) and there are other functions that are still "not quite right".  Version 2 (they call it Legacy) is available on the download page if you have already updated.  Uninstall v3, then download and install Legacy.  It will save you a bunch of headaches until they've worked all of the bugs out of v3.  Trust me, you don't want to deal with the v3 headaches right now...

In the next few days, I'll post pictures of the projects I've worked on in the last three months, and more details about the wedding :-)  And yes, I promise!  I've said that before...  but I'm determined to get caught up!

And now about the dog issues...  Alva, my heart dog, my deaf agility dog wonder, is injured.  He had not wanted to weave for awhile, and at his last trial at the end March, he didn't even want to run.  I knew then that he was in a lot of pain, somewhere.  His chiropractor diagnosed a stress fracture in his right hind foot (which I think just put things over the top for him).  Also, after many doctor visits, he has been diagnosed with medial shoulder instability in his left shoulder, as well.  The doctor wants to have a scope done to determine how much tissue damage is in his shoulder, then a rehab/ strengthening regimen will be established.  The only "cure" would be reconstructive shoulder surgery, but at his age (9.5 yrs young), I really don't want to do anything that major.  If we can "retire" him, and do rehab/strengthening to make him comfortable for the rest of his life, then that is my preferable choice for him.  Of course, that means he (and I) are grounded from agility for awhile, maybe forever...  I was told I can't make him worse right now.  After 2 months of rest, he's a basket case, and feeling REALLY GOOD.  My guess is, the stress fracture has healed and the shoulder inflammation has gone down.  I'm going to run him in a few ground games at the next NADAC trial (no weaves, no jumps, no contacts) until I can get an appointment for a scope scheduled.  At that point, he's going to be in recovery, wearing a hobble restraint (a contraption that keeps his shoulders square, so he can't extend the joint in any funky way) for at least 3-5 months.  It will probably be longer.  I'm quite sad that I've lost my agility partner, but I also feel very good that he'll finally start healing for real, and be pain-free.

In the meantime, Tesla has been developing into a very fast, but crazy, agility dog.  She has her OWN ideas about what the course design SHOULD be :-p    It also doesn't help that her mom is too slow to keep up with her so that she gets timely handling cues so she does stay on course.  When we disconnect, she is off to the races!!!  It's funny, yes, but she really does need to learn that we run agility as TEAM, not as a "I know where I'm going, you aren't stopping me!" BRAT...  at least I know SHE isn't a velcro dog!  She is quite confident in going 10-25 ft. away from me taking whatever she sees in front of her!  Unfortunately, those obstacles aren't part of the course...  she is going to be blast to run, regardless of how things are SUPPOSED to go...  but she is soooooo not ready for prime time!

Hutch is doing as well as Hutch can... he had some very nice runs at our last trial in Ramona, in an indoor horse arena.  It surprised me how well he did... Here is one of his runs from that weekend, EGC Hoopers, Novice:

I have some hope that he may someday progress to the point of actually doing more than 2 runs a day.  But he will never go past Novice, nor will I push him.  He will progress as far as his fears allow him, and he has come so far already.  I'm quite proud of him, actually.  In the above video, he gave me his "POP" behavior at the end of the run, which he only does when he is happy and comfortable.  Conquering his fears has been his greatest accomplishment, and he has many more fears to work through, but so far, he has been a champ, in my eyes.

Look for more posts in the next few days with projects I've done...   PINKY SWEAR!!!
-Dayle