2022.10 October Fall Adventures
Titles earned this month....
- UKC NOSEWORK
- Novice Exterior (NE)
- Novice Container (NC)
- Novice Interior (NI)
- Novice Vehicle (NV)
- Novice Nosework (NN)
- AKC Scent Work
- Scent Work Interior Novice (SIN)
- Scent Work Exterior Novice (SEN)
Link to Mookie's titles
What is a title, really? (...a must read!)
October photos are in this album!
October videos are added to this album!
October was a bittersweet month. Lots of good things happening but centered in the middle of the month was Jake's passing which I documented also on Facebook. He was 13 and ready but I'm not sure Mookie was. After it happened, Mookie stuck like glue to me for the first week but then started doing things more independently. All of a sudden he had access to the whole house. Previously, I kept them separated because Mookie tried to play and Jake wanted to but physically couldn't. There would be stretches of time that we were all in the kitchen which was Jake's hangout and Mookie would contain himself for a time anywhere from 10 minutes to 3 hours and then all of a sudden, he would suck up to Jake and the game would be starting, Now, the Mookster is an only dog and is really learning new things all the time. I now have help tying my shoe laces, getting dressed and picking up everything and anything on the floor! He's learning to go out on his own through dog doors to the deck and potty area and exhibits more independence each day. In hindsight, it was just the right time to get Mookie - it cheered up Jake and Mookie learned a lot from him about living in a house, traveling in a van, hanging out at events and training and taking turns for activities. I feel the torch was officially passed when a Facebook memory (video) showed up on my timeline of Jake being the Demo Dog in excellent and master, interior and exterior runs at an AKC Scent Work trial in Greenfield WI. Coincidently, it showed up the same weekend that Mookie competed in his first AKC Scent Work trial... where else.. Greenfield WI with the same club hosting it.
Now on to the fun stuff....
Weekends were spent in Wausau at a UKC Nosework trial, in Greenfield at a AKC Scent Work trial, in Sheboygan Falls chasing rats in Barn Hunt, and helping out at a Sniff-n-Go in Oshkosh. Of course, we practiced scent sports during the week or we wouldn't have gotten the titles listed above! Mookie thinks it's the greatest sport. He loves searching almost more than telling me where the hides are so we're working on that by being super happy when he alerts and having a party in his honor!! He's getting faster and is no longer just so stinkin' cute when he alerts but also more efficient!
Next is my new favorite photo of Mookie taken during an exterior search where he noticed the photographer!!
Rally and obedience is coming along great! I think he'll be ready to enter trials in the new year! We'll see but our focus has turned to this since it's not always great weather to be outside now.
Herding... it's said when herding ducks that it's hard to look innocent with feathers in your mouth... While no damage was done to the duck, maybe Mookie won't be a duck herder. We'll see if next year he is past the teenage boy phase and if it changes things! I'm told that the Mudi dogs can be too much for ducks and are more suited for herding sheep! Time will tell...
