Back to School Blues

I'll start off by apologising for the absence of blog updates recently. I've been a little busy with school and life and, to be honest, I've not done anything too interesting for a while now.

I'm back at school now (6th year!!! Ahhhhh) and Oscar's had to adjust to another change in routine yet again. He's coping great this year though, no little whining sessions after we leave for school and he's getting used to the lack of exercise from Monday to Friday. He doesn't seem to care about not seeing me as much, and I'm not quite sure whether I should be pleased about that or not?

The biggest news since I was last on here is that my little buddy had his FIRST SWIM!!!! That's right, my water hating beagle, on the last day of the summer holidays, took it upon himself to walk into the river Slaney (perhaps not the cleanest choice of rivers...) and SWIM!  I only intended for him to have drink after our long 2hr walk around the town (silly me forgot to bring water, but sadly I couldn't drink from the river like Oscar and had to live with the dehydration for a little longer). There was no bribing from me either, Oscar did it all by himself! Needless to say I was over the moon, and that was clearly evident to the passers by who unfortunately heard my screams of " Good boy", "Who's the best boy" and "Yes! Oscar you little cracker!". (the last one was particularly loud). And for those who happened to miss the screams, they definitely saw me as I skipped down the remainder of the promenade with dog prancing along beside me.
However, and I'm still raging over this, I forgot my damm camera! I felt like the unfortunate parents who forgot the camera for their kids school play! Putting that aside though, I'm still super proud of my little Oscar!

Since then life's been pretty boring. We haven't done anything new training wise, although we are working on teaching heel (possibly for competitive obedience) and the newest trick which will be pushing a football into a goal. Progress with the latter is slow, so far all I've been able to extract from him is walking over to the football. Hopefully that will turn into pushing the ball with his head and then pushing it into the goal, mind you, where I'll get the goal from is another matter altogether!

Walks have been the usual lately so I don't have any pictures of him out and about but tonight we did a short training session, just a recap of his old tricks. You'll have to forgive the poor quality photos though, I'm a little out of practice with the camera right now.

Heelwork training. It doesn't look it but it is, I swear!

Back legs on the bowl.

I was attacked on the chair!

He looks like a retard in this! And its a poor example of 'put em up'

Bang, bang! You're dead!

The back legs on the bowl task is challenging for him. Most dogs don't realise their body continues after their shoulders, so any work involving their back legs, like putting them on a bowl, or even lifting one up, is very challenging to their brain and takes a lot of practice to get used to.

We're currently at my grandparents house for the night (we're trying to sell our house and their is a viewing tomorrow so Oscar can't be there). He's done nothing but walk around and around since we got here. All he wants to do it go out an explore the garden but he can't as it is, in no way secure. I think he's been on every chair in the sitting room by now, he even tried to get comfortable on the most uncomfortable, green leather couch their is! This is a dog who can get comfortable on a wooden bench outside in the rain and actually sleep, but he couldn't even lie down on this couch! It is truly a horrid creation!
As long as he sleeps tonight (he gets to sleep with me in my room here! But on the floor in HIS bed, not on mine. I can't take him up with me when I'm trying to sleep, he just wont move for me to get comfortable!) then he can do as he wishes for now.
I'm just praying that he doesn't cock his leg and piss on the wooden cabinet in the back room!

So, that's basically it. I'm sure other stuff has happened but I just can't think of it right now! I'll do my best to keep this updated, but I can't guarantee anything.