Old dog agility and fun day!

[Carolk9s]

Today I met with a friend to practice some agility with our current
competing dogs. For each of us, we are working with our 3rd agility
dog. We had to reminisce (sp?) a bit as we both started agility at the
same time, about 10 years ago, with our big black dogs. Of course my
big black dog is Jesse, his is a Lab/Weim mix named Zeus.
We are both a bit sad that we cannot RUN with our 1st agility dogs anymore. We agreed that our 1st agility dogs taught US so much and even with the mistakes WE made, these dogs set the bar fairly high for the others to follow.
We each had brought all of our dogs with us, after working with the
younger girls, we brought the old boys out for some fun. Jump bars
were at 8 inches or just dropped to the ground. The old boys got to show
us that they still knew the game and were willing to play even though
at a far slower pace than yesteryear. Very low jumps, big tunnels,
and modified weaves, that is all Jesse can do anymore. Well, he could
do an Aframe if it was very very low! I lure him around every SECOND
pole in the weaves, so he still is flexing but does not have to
contort his body as tightly as for every single pole. He would most likely
fall if he tried.
It is very obvious that Jesse enjoys coming out to play and it brings
me such joy to see him smile.
I dropped the girls off at the house and took Jesse to Petsmart afterwards. He gets so excited going in there, he loves to meet and greet. Too bad Walmart won't hire him.
We were walking through the food aisles, passing by the bags of Science Diet. Don't know what's going into S.D. nowadays but I had to DRAG him away, he was sniffing the bags with huge interest, even poking at them with his nose.
At the register, the clerk asked about giving him a cookie, I said sure just watch your fingers! Jesse tends to overreach just a bit, or is that bite? 8)
The clerk barked out 'SIT' to him, I said "this dog is almost 14, he does not have to sit for cookies anymore! "

[JackieMaya]

How cool! I love hearing about senior dogs having fun!

[BuddysMom]

[quote name='Carolk9s']The clerk barked out 'SIT' to him, I said "this dog is almost 14, he does not have to sit for cookies anymore! "[/quote]

Great story and I LOVED that part! Good for you!!

[imported_Kat]

it sounds like you had great fun. I know what you mean about your first dog teaching you. Its the same with Meg. She taught me more than I ever could have hoped for and now I hope to do Kes justice by bringing her to the same level that Meg reached. :wink:

[Horsefeathers!]

[quote name='Carolk9s']The clerk barked out 'SIT' to him, I said "this dog is almost 14, he does not have to sit for cookies anymore! "[/quote]

Love, love, love that! 8)