Tricker Treat!

Well Blue made it possible for us to go tricker treating with the Lambert's! The last time Erik had gone tricker treating was when he was about 2 years old. I tethered Erik to Blue and off we went! Blue did awesome! I was so proud of him! Erik was flopping on the ground and pulling on him but he handled it like a champ and laid down when I told him down and everything! He also did a good job at trying to ignore other dogs that were out and about!

The boys got to play outside at the Lamberts and they both LOVED it! Erik and Blue both enjoy have friends to romp around with! We ate pizza then it was time to get everyone ready! Erik was a farmer and he was so stinking cute!!! Kelly (Carter's mom) loaned us a pair of overalls and boots! I added a flannel shirt, bandanna to the back pocket and a camo ball cap and I had the cutest farmer ever! Erik hasn't worn boots in a very long time! When I put them on him he held up his foot to me and said AHHHH! I told him he had to wear them and he kept yelling at me! I finally won the battle after putting them back on 5 or 6 times but it was worth it! Justice was a solider and he won the battle of not having to wear his new helmet but instead wore a soft Marine lid with face paint! Riley was a precious Fairy Princess!!!! Finn was a leopard! Mark started out as a Nun but somehow turned into Hannibal Lector and Ricky did the opposite! Laura was a solider as well! I decided to find my overalls and go as a farmer with Erik! I put my hair in pig tails, no easy feat when you have short hair! We had such a good time! Laura said that this trip was the longest tricker treating trip that Justice has ever lasted and they got to be the first to take Erik on an official trip! We are already planning next years!

We had another amazingly successful track with Blue! It about kicked my butt! I have a horrible cold and am hacking my brains out so at the end of the quarter mile track I thought I was going to die but Blue did it! I was frustrated at first because as soon as we got outside and I had Blue hyped and hooked up he took a dive for his throw toy! I told him to leave it, he wouldn't! I finally grabbed the thing saying multiple curse words which made Blue sit and look at me with his lil ears down and the "Oh Crap, I'm Sorry" look and I told him to track again and off he went! This dog has an amazing nose! I was so proud of him! It was an extremely long track, we hurdled fallen trees and went through brush, nothing else side tracked him! I felt bad about the toy because he had been with me all day long and no play time! So I can't blame him for wanting to play, but as soon as he knew that I meant business and that we were tracking he was totally cool with playing the Tracking Game instead of his throw toy!

Halloween Fun

What a great time we had yesterday when some of our friends came over and goofed off with us! We made such fun food like a Snake Sandwich, Ghost cookies, Gollum Guts, a Grave Yard with the kids names on cookie grave stones and so much more! We carved pumpkins, played football and went on a fall hike through the woods! Check out the slide show of our Halloween Fun!!!

There were 4 families here and the kids were amazing! Laura, Mark, Justice, Riley and Finn came and brought Zoro! They also brought Pumpkins to carve! We did a practice track with Zoro! Laura talking Zoro up to get him ready to track Justice (she had said earlier in the day that Zoro doesn't get excited over much and that he didn't pull like Blue does in a track)! Well Zoro decided to prove her wrong! Zoro took off like a bat out of H*** and Laura totally about biffed it! I saw feet, legs and arms flailing! You should have seen it, it was soooo funny! I have to give Laura kudos's she didn't do a face plant and she held onto the leash! She used a line out of one of Jeremy's stories, when they got back from the track she said "I no let go"!

Kelly, Carter and Connor also came and they were able to watch Zoro's track and one of Blue's tracks! They are going to get Carter a dog from 4 Paws in Dec!!! We cannot wait! Connor and Mark had so much fun playing football and Justice was learning to punt! Carter came baring his Vampire teeth and looking cute as could be, and Kelly said she was dressed up for Halloween as a redneck girl, she looked adorable in her overalls!

My friend Donna her daughter Rachel and son Jonathan came up from Warner Robins to hang out with us and I am so glad she was able to make it! Her son Jonathan has autism and goes to school with Erik! He has many of the same issues Erik has and it was awesome that she got so see a track! They are considering fundraising for a dog for Jonathan! Rachel learned that she likes lizards! The two girls at the party, Rachel and Riley, were the ones playing with the lizards! Laura caught 2 baby lizards and the girl ran around half the day with lizards attached to their shirts! They were so cute! Rachel wants a lizard for a pet now!

Papaw is officially the kiddo whisperer! All the kids loved my dad and he helped watch all of them! He pushed them around in the car when the batteries died and baby Finn and papaw are best buddies since Ohio!

Speaking of my dad we did two amazing tracks with Blue yesterday! The first track Blue hit the scent and off he went, he took off so quickly we left some of our followers behind, he didn't veer to the right or the left he just tracked straight to Dad and Erik it was so awesome and really renewed my faith in Blue! I had really wanted Donna and Kelly to see a track so after Blue rested and chilled out we did another track! I told dad I wanted to do a short track because I didn't want to over do it with Blue! Dad took off back towards the subdivision where we had our not so good track! I waited a few minutes and off we went with Blue! By the way, don't track in Croc's! They fall off when your dog takes off!

Blue was on the scent then he kind of lost it and went in circles and came back to me! I let him work it out and got him motivated again! He hit the scent after a few diversions and off he went! Blue drug me through the path into the subdivision and drug me up the street! He did some air scenting at one point and got directly on the track again and pulled me through a gully and up a hill! Donna and Kelly are thinking that he isn't on the trail, they told me afterward, because this was supposed to be a short track! We came out of the woods onto one of our trails behind my house and Blue pulled me to Erik! He was dead on it the whole way! Donna and Kelly were totally amazed! Dad had done a circle and made it a longer track then I had planned on, and one I had no idea which path they had taken! I am doing a lot better at trusting Blue and letting him lead me as well as shutting up and letting him work things out! He did amazing! Way to go Blue!

Blue Goes to South GA

This weekend we went to visit my Aunt and Uncle in Dexter, GA! It was really nice to see them, we haven't seen them since January! About 4 months ago my Aunt was diagnosed with the return of her cancer and the Dr's said it was in 11 spots in her body. The prognosis was not good but with treatment the Dr's believed they could buy her 3-4 years. She recently finished the treatment and went for a check-up and she is in remission! It is a complete miracle and we are all so excited!

It was not a very fun trip for Blue but he did good! Most of the time we stayed in the house and he had very little outside play time. I was nervous taking him outside because they have had some incidents of rattle snakes around the area. Blue is starting to behave better for me! We need to work on his obedience for my parents. They just need to practice with him! My parents just returned from a cruise to the Greek Isles and had a wonderful time! They have some amazing pictures and video! I will try to post a link to their pictures once I have them up!

We have tried some practice tracks with Blue that have been a little rocky. We did a track in a subdivision and Blue couldn't keep on the scent and seemed to just give up! We tried to coax him up and get him back on scent but it didn't go well. We also tried a track in south GA. Blue back tracked to the beginning of the track and I couldn't get him to leave the area! He drug me down a path that Erik didn't take but ultimately we made it to Erik with a lot of direction and talking up! I think we are going to have to up the reward at the end, and keep practicing! Please pray I do the right thing! Blue knows how to track and all his obedience I just have to work with him and keep him interested in tracking.

Hey ya'll!!! I got to go see my Aunt Shirley this weekend and play with my cousins! I had a good time! They have a cool tree swing that I love to swing on! Mom just wont push me as long as I want her too! Mom made Blue lay down in the grass near us while I swung in the swing! If I could have figured out how to fit Blue on the swing with me I would have let him swing too! They also have a trampoline! Mom said Blue wouldn't like to jump with me, but I think she is wrong! Blue loves to jump! Mrs Laura thinks that Blue is part Kangaroo!!!

I am so excited!!! This weekend we are having my friends Justice and Riley, and Blue's friend Zoro come over and play with us! Mom is making Halloween food (I hope it isn't anything like last year's bat wings, YUCK) and we are going to play and eat! Hope ya'll have a great week and have a lot of FUN!! Blue and I will talk to ya'll soon!!!

Anna, Momma, Erik and Blue

Erik's day at the Lamberts!

I learned that Blue can fish!!!

I went to bed early last night because I was soooo tired! I want to tell you all about me new friends Justice and Riley! We went over to their house yesterday to play and I had so much fun! They have a big back yard with a tree house, swing set with a fort, and a Koi pond! Well Blue and I loved the Koi pond! I liked to throw things in the pond and Blue, well, mom got really mad at Blue! Blue and I were playing outside when Blue decided to get in the Koi pond! He was completely standing in the pond and I guess he was fishing because when mom caught him he had his entire head dunked under the water! It was so funny! Mrs Laura said that she laughed so hard she about pee'ed on herself!

Justice is really cool and he loves Star Wars! He even played light saber with me! We ran around the yard together! Oh and Riley well she is a puzzle master! She even beat my mom at a puzzle putting together contest, and she is really pretty (don't tell anyone I told you that)!We did so much stuff, we slid down the slide, played in the tree house! It has a trap door and you can even raise the stairs so no one can get inside! It is built around a tree! I liked going out on the tree house porch and having Mrs. Laura pull me in through the window!

I can't wait to see my friends again! Justice even has a dog, like me! His dog's name is Zorro! Blue loved playing with Zorro! Mom says we are going to go hiking with Justice and Riley soon! I can't wait!

Today was a lazy day! We took Blue outside and played with him on his new leash! I wouldn't really throw the ball for Blue! Mom wanted me too and said it would help me and Blue become better friends! Blue is crazy with the ball so I just played around while mom threw Blue his toys! Then our friends Larry, Ann and Sara (another pretty girl) come over! We got to play with my toys and mom showed Sara how to play I Spy on the computer! I hate the stupid computer! I would rather be playing outside! Well it is my bedtime and mom didn't get around to giving Blue a bath after his fishy swim so she wants to turn the computer off and start that before it is too late! This should be fun! I will tell ya'll about it tomorrow!

Saturday with the Lamberts!

What we have learned from Blue: Do not gently toss the Kong after you put peanut butter inside! It gets very messy!

We had an amazing day today! We went over to Laura, Mark, Ricky, Justice, Zorro, Riley and Finn's house! Zorro and Blue got to play outside all day and wore each other out! They were so funny, they would both try to get one of the large squeaky tennis balls and both be holding onto it at the same time! For those of you who know Zorro, I actually saw him running around and active!

We had a rough Friday and I called Jeremy, I was very frustrated! Blue was not listening at all and when I put him in a down for the children at Erik's school to come up and pet him, he would roll over on his back and kick his paws in the air! He almost kicked a kid in the face! Jeremy told me it is going to be extremely important for Blue to get his puppy energy out! So we are trying to figure out a way to afford a fence! I brought him home Friday morning and hooked him up to the 100ft leash and wore him out! We played for almost an hour and the leash worked perfectly! I can throw one of Blue's toys a little over 100ft, don't ask how I know that :)

We have done a few more tracks, the second one I messed up! I did everything Jeremy told us not to do. I had a friend of ours go and hide with Erik in the woods! As soon as Blue and I got outside and I started pepping him up and hooking him to his lead, the bottom falls out of the sky and we are getting soaked! Blue took a few minutes to get going he kept going around me in circles! Then he finally started out and was on the scent! Then we got to a point and he lost it and was circling! He started slightly pulling me in one direction, well the direction he was pulling me was straight towards my mom's dogs! I took a few steps in the direction I though Erik had gone and I started arcing Blue again and he pulled back the direction towards the other dogs! I kept confusing him, he finally stopped and looked at me, I pepped him back up and convinced him to go in the direction I wanted him to go! He did make it too Erik but they had gone a completely different direction! So when Jeremy tells you that you will cheat on tracks, he is sooo right! I learned a really good lesson, trust my dog!

We did a track today at Laura's! Mark went with me to see a track and Laura hid with Erik! I started Blue out and he went directly where Erik had gone, but with the direction of the wind we overshot the exact path! When we got to the other side of these rocks, Blue lost the scent! I just let him work it out and he went in a few different directions but never pulled me! I got him restarted once, then he ran up through some bushes and hit the scent, then he was on it! You could honestly tell when Blue was on the scent! It was amazing the difference! Mark even noticed when Blue hit it, and this was his first time seeing a track! Way to go Blue! He knows exactly what he needs to do! I have to keep practicing!

Well hope all of ya'll are having a great weekend! Will keep you posted on Erik and Blue! Hugs and Puppy Kisses!

First at Home Track!

Today was supposed to be our first at home track! Well it rained all day! Then about dinner time it finally cleared up! Well Erik has been sick the past few days so I didn't want to have him outside in the rain to do a track and now it's dark!

Since it turned into a nice night Jerry was like lets do a practice track! I was like it's dark! He said lets do it anyway! So off Erik and him went! They walked to the end of my drive way turned to the right and then walked to the turning point of my parents driveway! I was so nervous! I got all of Blue's tracking stuff and we went outside! I was talking Blue up while I was hooking him up then I told him to track! He was so excited for a few seconds that he just ran in a circle around me but then when I told him to track again off he went!

Blue booked it to the end of my drive way and made the right turn about 1/2 way up my parents driveway he lost the scent for a second! Now mind you it is pitch black out here! There is no street lights, we live on 11 acres and the sky is cloudy so there is no moonlight, Oh and Blue is black! So I cannot see him at all when he is about at the 1/2 length of the lead. I feel him slack up so I stop he sniffs around takes off towards the woods, hits the end but does not pull me, then he gets back on the drive way and still isn't committed then he takes off again pulling me the whole way and goes straight to Erik and Jerry!

We are so excited! He did an amazing job and in the dark no less! Our first at home track was successful!

What I Learned from Blue Today!

I learned that Blue can down a whole Peanut Butter Sandwich and a few Potato Chips in less than 3 seconds!

Well! I called Jennifer just to make sure Blue would not get extremely sick or anything from the contraband sandwich, she said he may have diarrhea and to not feed him dinner! I will be giving Jeremy a call in a few days to figure out how to handle the sandwich thief!

Hey this is Erik and my mom has hogged my blog the past few days and I haven't gotten to say anything! My mom is such a chatter box! Ok well Blue came home to GA with us! I thought we were going to leave him at the hotel but mom put him in the car with us! I got in a bunch of trouble because I keep trying to poke Blue's eyes! Blue went everywhere with us, even into the gas stations! Everybody thinks Blue is cool so we have people stop to talk to us all the time!

Sunday was a bad day! I wanted to stay at home and play all day in my yard! I have missed my woods so much but mom wanted to run stupid errands! Blue didn't want to run errands either! We made mom cut her errand running short and bring us home! YEAH! I got to take a walk with my Blue in the woods! He was sniffing everything!

I wasn't feeling good this morning so mom kept me home from school! I really wanted to go to school and show off Blue! Mom said we will do that tomorrow since I am obviously feeling better! Today at lunch mom made me my favorite, a peanut butter sandwich! I usually dance around and watch Spongebob and eat my snacks! I turned around to watch Spongebob and when I turned back around Blue had eaten my sandwich! I went and told mom! Mom put Blue in the crate and made me another sandwich, I ate this one really fast so Blue could come back out and play!

Tomorrow I get to go back to school I am so excited! Mom is going to bring Blue for a little while so I will get to show him off to all my friends! I will tell ya'll all about it tomorrow! Have a great night!