Happy Birthday-Happy Birthday

It's right around Strummer's 1st birthday and today seems good a day as any to declare it (since he's a rescue I don't know the exact date). He graduated from Advanced Beginners obedience class tonight but you'd never know it. He's currently having a full blown puppy fit, tearing around the living room full tilt, growling & throwing his toys in the air, doing 4 legged leaps onto the couch then launching off again only to start right over. I really should stop him but I'm laughing too hard, which only eggs him on. One thing we didn't cover in class-how to stop him from taking my shoes hostage. We're constantly in hostage negotiations-drop my shoe and I'll give you a bickie...no, you drop the bickie and I'll give you your shoe...and on it goes. I always win but he always gets the bickie so who really won in the end?

I've started teaching him stupid, hokie little tricks (roll over, sit up & beg, gimme five, etc.) and he's hilarious. He's still in the beginning stages of learning but he was amusing his foster mom today with his little routine. He's coming along well with the agility flatwork, going around trees when I send him, turning away from me on a hand signal, getting better with his sit & down stays. I was able to put him in both a sit and down stay and go out of sight in class tonight for the first time and he did great. Just 2 weeks ago simply turning my back to him while he was in a sit or down stay was stressing him out so that was some great progress. He's such a fun dog, I'm really fortunate to have gotten him.

As for my knee, it's coming along o.k. Walking feels almost normal though I still can't straighten my leg all the way. The doctor said it may be months until it's totally healed. The P.T. started me jogging on a trampoline and doing 'jumps' on the Home Gym weight trainer thingy. She's going to let me try running on the treadmill on Friday to see if I'll be o.k. for an agility class this weekend. I'm pretty sure I'll be fine. I entered a trial 3 weeks away in Albuquerque so I need to start practising again. I had decided to stay away from the agility field until I could run properly because it stressed the dogs out too much but I think I'll be o.k. for running short sequences in a class by the weekend. I'm still a ways away from being able to run run but I think I'm going back to the pool next week since I finally feel like I can push off the wall. I haven't been to the pool in a couple of weeks because it was way too frustrating so it's not going to be pretty when I hit the water again. I'm bored of the bike trainer and the strengthening exercises but oh well. Despite the gimpiness, my knee feels so much better without the cyst, esp. now that I can walk somewhat normally again. Funny, it's been so long since I've run (and even longer since it's felt good to run) that it seems like I barely miss it. Hopefully I won't turn into too much of a slug living this life of rehab leisure.