New Dog Day 10

Backfill: Nov 16 '03 Today I'm 46. I didn't feel old til a couple of days spent with Tika on a leash!

Now actually I'm thinking "it's good I'm getting her while I'm still young."

I gave her a bunch of big hugs for you & she turned to putty in my hands. She must really like you. :-)

I showed her to peggy clark last night at agilty class & peggy doesnt think she's a mix. Says maybe a working line or a puppy mill, but she doesn't offhand see that there's anything but all aussie--says there are some other tall thin aussies around & plenty of aussies with odd ears.

QUESTION for GINA: So now I'm curious when/how/who decided she was a mix?

Of course it would be against my principals to take a dog who wasn't a mix, so I guess she has to be a mix, no matter what peggy says. Or a cross. If she *is* a cross, she wouldn't be an Aussie, she'd be a Craussie, right?

Peggy says mixed breed dog club didn't used to take dogs that the AKC would IPL,and she's pretty sure I could IPL Tika, and I have no interest at all in having anything to do with the AKC, so that would be too bad.

QUESTION for GINA: I was trying to remember whether you told me what the deal was her first time at the shelter (at 4 mos); was she a stray? Or don't you know?

While she was out of the van last night at agility, she went ape-loco every time one of the agility dogs ran by--and we were standing about 5' away from the equipment, so it didn't surprise me. So I just did a lot of hanging on the way Rachel taught us to get her under my control at my side. Everyone came over & had to see the puppy. Peggy said "well, she sure does have drive!"

Actually all of that practice when other dogs were around for the last week made us the stars of our puppy class yesterday morning! She was SO good & settled SO quickly & comfortably against me. (This is still with hand under collar & arm over back, you understand, not loose.) So I guess we're both learning something.

Took her out to the park on a 20' line today to practice recalls and she did real good. Much better than Rem who, after several reluctant practices, took out over the fields & thru the woods & up a hill, chasing a squirrel or a gopher or a terrorist or something that went to earth in a cave in Afghanistan (or pretty close to that far away, anyway; some kind of hole under a rock) & made me walk a quarter mile to go get him & tell him what I thought about the whole thing. What a brat.

Anyway, it's much better walking her around in the open on a 20' lead than trying to walk around the block on a short lead. Problem is I don't have time to go to the park every day. Oh, well--Rachel says we might get around to walking on a leash next week.

My adjustable teeter base just arrived! Yay!

I think I might probably keep her. I think. Probably.

Backfill: May 6 2009: Tika's foster mom replied to this:

It sounds like Tiki or Tika (I like Tika) is settling in. She is learning that she isn't getting anywhere by being bad. Thank you for giving her a big hug for me. I think she is a wonderful and loving dog. As far as she is possibly being a mix. I had my Aussies breeder look at her, she has been into Aussies for 25 years. She felt she has something else in her. By the way her coat is and her long and narrow head we just kinda guessed smooth collie. I am not an expert but that is what we came up with. I have a friend that has a blue merle male that was also a rescue dog that she ended up keeping and she looks a lot like him except for the very short coat (he also has short coat but not as short as Savanna's) but she has a lot of white in her muzzle. I think most Aussie breeders would agree that she is a cross. As far as her past prior to 4 months. I asked the woman at the shelter if she was a surrender the first time or a stray. She wasn't able to provide me with that info. If you want I can ask Maureen (with Goose, Sonic, and Jitters) if she could find out if you would like? I really Am glad you are leaning towards keeping her. She is a wonderful dog and I am so glad she was given the opportunity to prove it. She is lucky that someone at the Shelter saw something in her to give her this chance. I think she is going to be an incredible agility dog that will never shut down on you.

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