Some Pictures

We have had a lovely, laid back weekend! Two weekends in a row of no competitions and I have to say that I'm in a happy place and the dogs are too.:) I don't really have anything to report on. We've gotten some good training in this weekend around the house. Had lots of fun with that. Bess and I did have drill team practice last night and aside from me not seeming to be able to understand simple instructions (repeatedly), it went well.;0) Probably the best part of the weekend was heading out on a little hike with Adam and the dogs this afternoon. It felt so good!! I actually let Heffner off leash because he was behaving himself so well. He remained a very good boy and I didn't have to moderate his activity. Bess was her usual self. The entertaining part was that Adam isn't used to hiking with Bess and therefore isn't used to what's normal for her. Every time she started to go off trail, he'd start to call her back. He'd worry a little bit if she didn't turn around right away. I try to only call her back if I'm worried about where she's going or I know that she'll listen. I don't want to condition her to ignore me when she's called (though I do occasionally catch myself still doing this). She just likes to go and investigate things. And apparently has a great nose for finding things. Alive or dead.....
She darted up a steep embankment to find this "stick." Do you see where this is going? That's no stick in that crazy bitch's mouth, that'd be a deer leg. Apparently a rather young deer judging by the size of it. She seriously has knack for finding dead remnants! She was also quite proud of herself for finding it!
Adam initially tried to grab it from her. Although why he would want to touch that thing, I don't fully understand. Bess happily scampered away, proud that she was able to entice someone into a game of keep away. Heffner was rather bored her find and wasn't cooperating. Adam was perplexed as to how to get her to drop it. I told him that she was just going to have to get tired of carrying it. Which could take a while. She has a history of finding bone segments and carrying them along on hikes for long stretches. Eventually she tires of it, but getting her to willingly drop it before that point can be difficult. I used the opportunity to snap some pictures. While taking the pictures she dropped the leg on the ground in front of me so she could either adjust her grip or start to gnaw at it. And that's when I put my foot down. Literally. Adam held on to her collar and we spoiled her fun by taking her deer leg. I chucked it far down a hill side and we walked back towards the truck while hanging on to her Craziness so that she go leaping after her beloved leg. After a short bit she was released and thankfully didn't go charging after the leg. The rest of our jaunt was uneventful, but lovely.

The only other thing I have to mention is that Heffner's advanced rally picture came yesterday! I don't normally get pictures taken unless they're titling pictures, but since the boy got a freaking first place, I had to get a picture to remember it by.;0) The only thing that spoils it for me is the fact that he's biting his upper lip, otherwise I'm happy with it! My favorite photographer was at Westminster that weekend and she's REALLY good at catching those things before she takes the picture.
I hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend! And any of you who have to work on the holiday tomorrow, high five! 'Cause so do I!:0P