Summer Days Slipping Away

Seems like just yesterday we were waiting for summer to get here and then BOOM it was here and now it is almost gone, it is September already!

Maybe it is from living in the desert all those years or maybe it is just the hot weather in general but the Solstice dogs seem to typically take it easy over the summer and this summer was no different.  The dogs spent the summer laying on the deck, chasing squirrels, eating watermelon and just being dogs.  They were champions at those activities.  We did very little training and most of the gang hasn’t left the place since May.  Even our Obedience club took the summer off.   I will say that I kept the gang home from some public events because of the Canine Flu/Kennel Cough that has been so prevalent this spring and summer and everyone has had a healthy summer.

But now it is September and I had a phone conversation last night with my good friend Kathy Davis, (Kathy is PJ and Frosty’s co-owner who lives in Arizona) and she asked me about what was going on with us here in the ATL.  I realized that for the rest of 2015 is going to be a whirlwind!  We have a pretty quiet Labor Day weekend but after that it is on like Donkey Kong.

Next weekend we will be heading up the road a piece to Chattanooga to try our paws at CAT (Coursing Ability Test).  I am going to let Bailey give it a try.  Here is the description from the AKC http://www.akc.org:

Coursing Ability Test

The Coursing Ability Test (CAT) is an introductory event fashioned after the sport of lure coursing. It tests a dog’s basic coursing instinct or hunting-by-sight ability. The dog chases an artificial lure, and the test is a non-competitive pass/fail event with dogs run one at a time. To pass the test, a dog running alone must pursue a lure, completing the course with enthusiasm and without interruption within a given time. Most dogs will happily go after the lure! The CAT provides a lively and healthy activity attractive to many dog owners.

The weekend after that the North Georgia Herding Breeds Association is having a Herding Fun Day.  Bailey and Frost have it marked on their calendar along with Cody and her two kids, Charlie and Bonnie. I’m looking forward to it after I saw how much fun the dogs had when they passed their Herding Instinct Test at the CWCCA Nationals.  I hope I learn some new things as well.
We still have one more weekend in September and the will be taken up by Barnhunting!  We haven’t been to a hunt since President’s day weekend, Bailey will start her quest for her Master’s title and now that Lindy has learned she can jump onto the bales we are going to try for her Novice title.

If the dog stuff wasn’t enough we have a Book Festival, an Arts & Craft Festival, A Food Truck Day, a trip to the Botanical gardens, training classes start and my club’s agility trial.  Whoa! September is going to be BUSY.  October is just as packed!

In October the humans have several festivals, including the Cheese Festival, some sporting events, and another club agility trial to work, club meetings, board meetings and a big barnhunt at the end of the month along with some local dog shows that may need attending.

So I guess with this weekend being the unofficial last day of summer, the dogs better chase the squirrels because they are going to be busy doing other things for the next few weeks.
Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend.