Change is Good

Well, alot has changed since I last posted.  We (me and the dogs) have moved to Maryland to accept a new job in Gaithersburg, MD.  So we have a new address, a new home, and an entirely new lifestyle.  For the first time in my adult life, I have a back yard and a garage and a washing machine and dryer ...  All things that I am really loving.  The dogs love the yard but still love getting to work with me on a daily basis.  So the yard makes it a little easier but it doesn't change that much.

It has been HOT, HOT, HOT since moving out here.  We drove and about the time we got to western Nebraska the heat index soared to 115-degrees Fahrenheit.  It seems like it has been that ever since, though I know there have been a few brief breaks.  We are all having a tough time adjusting to the heat.  Gata is really having it rough, though, and has had 2 close bouts with exercise-induced collapse (or something like it).  I need to revise my system, I'm not stopping soon enough with her.  The warning signs in CA (trotting back to me with a ball) are too far along for the weather here.  In CA, once I stopped her she would start cooling off.  Out here, because it is so much hotter, she just keeps heating up, and has come close to collapse several minutes after we've stopped working on 2 occasions.  The latest was on Sunday.  The humidity seems to be a key factor with her.  Both times happened on days where you could almost feel the rain and pending thunderstorms in the air when you stepped outside.

Since we're still in the process of settling in (less than 50 boxes left to unpack, yay!) we haven't really gotten to meet many dog people yet.  We've attended a Schutzhund seminar with Peter and Conni Scherk and Florian Knabl (more on that soon) put on by Hardy Ernstein's group and have gone tracking and practiced obedience one day with Marty Segretto and some of the folks from the Alexandria Schutzhund Club.  We're hoping to get a little more focused soon.  But with the heat, the move, and Gata's heat intolerance I guess I'm not in a big rush.  We're definitely looking forward to getting more connected to the dog community out here in the Poolesville, MD area.  If anybody knows of anyone doing anything fun out here let me know :-)