July 6...Thursday...high of 79°F...trained in the morning and finished before 10 am. The setup was six standalone singles "in the shade", mowed the airing yard and began removing the Creeping Charlie vines from a small pine tree in the yard (after an afternoon nap). Given enough time it will kill a tree.
Goal - Feed Once A Day – 45 minutes/half Hour... After Training with no issues.
The Plan
For A Month – down time from any heavy exercise/feed equal amounts twice a day
9 am & 5 pm (7/11 – 8/11)...1 cup each time
Then Begin Field Training (once every other day...easy)
8/11 begin feeding once a day after training (or same
time when there is no training) 9-11 am 2 cups
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July 28 Friday high in the 90's....I have been questioning the need to have Pounce run Finished tests, but staying the course seems to be something I (we) must do. Four more weeks and the answer will arrive.
Today was "give away" day. Rather than wade through the process of selling "stuff" on the Internet, all my training equipment was gifted and it was a truck load - six wingers and remotes (need new batteries) plus a rather large pile of "stuff" in the garage (more than a truck full).
July 29 Saturday...again in the 90's...the heat and my pacemaker are "at odds". Air conditioning is cool.
July 30-31 Sunday-Monday...This has not been an easy month. August is usually the same. The month long plan to not train Gigi and deal with her digestive issues appears to be working. The "jury" is still out on that issue. As for training, I am fairly certain that exercise with Pounce and Gigi will becomes less likely to resemble training. What is the normal activity load for an 83 year old man....with bad knees and a pacemaker?
July 16-17...highs in the low 80's...It has become obvious that formal retriever training is over. Resignation came slowly. Somehow the phrase "Make the best of it." is not acceptable. However, it is being forced.
July 18-19...decision...Gigi did not train...Pounce ran a few Stand Alone/Send Back singles
July 20...Pounce was taken to Bull Valley Retrievers for training and running four HRC tests (last chance?). Gigi is home alone for the first time and never been without her best buddy "Pounce"...keeping her company. I moved one crate to my bedroom to smooth out the evening. She has NEVER been this quiet.
note: I lost my programmed key to the Van. Loosing the spare would require an expensive tow.
In the past I drove 90 miles (round trip to the dealer) to get one new key for $250. This time
a drove to a locksmith (much closer) resulted in two new keys for less than $80.
July 21...high in the 80's...Pounce is entered in two Badger State HRC Finished tests. She is being trained and handled by pro trainer Joe Scarpy (Bull Valley Retrievers). The summer heat will prevent me from
even going to any tests to observe. Getting old "sucks" big time. Then again, Pounce is better off being
trained and handled by someone with more skills. No news other than a question about whether I use "Here!" or "Come!". So that would suggest there are no real issues...yet. Mowed the lawn today (riding mower). It was not that warm. However, the heat got to me at about the time I finished. Meanwhile, Gigi seems to be gradually getting use to no Pounce in the house.
July 22-3 Saturday/Sunday...Gigi appears to be a bit perplexed with being the only dog in the house. She seems to be relaxing a bit more and either sits/stares at me or takes long naps. That is kind of unique for a dog that is usually high strung (which cannot be a "bad thing"). We are still on the controlled diet and limited exercise routine. In about two weeks, easy exercises will begin...every other day.
note: As for the "after pacemaker implant" routines, I can do some things for a short time and
take brief breaks sitting in a recliner or doing a "power nap" session in the afternoon.
note: Sending Pounce off to be handled/trained by a Pro has been a relief.
note: I need to renew my driver's license...soon. With not having any accidents and/or tickets
for well over sixty years. It will not be a problem. Just in case, I had my eye Doctor do
an update exam with results indicating nothing has changed. The same eye-glasses are
just fine and I can read my Aetna Insurance bills without them. There is a lot to read.
July 24 Monday...high of 88°F...finish cleaning out the van...I have six Gunners-Up wingers plus a lot of "stuff" that will be gone soon.
July 25-27 Tuesday-Thursday...hot (too warm)...sorting and gifting equipment...Pounce is with a Pro trainer preparing for HRC Finished tests. I miss her and often wonder if I did the right thing. I am sure she would care less about an HRCH title. Gigi does not seem to mind that her "buddy" is gone. In fact, her character has changed dramatically...calmer, quiet and relaxed. It will be interesting to see what happens when Pounce returns.
Awhile back I lost the expensive remote key to my van. I decided to cease going to the dealer for a new one and the local locksmith quickly made two (now had three). The remote key is kind of useful, but not necessary. Thursday, the garage was being cleaned and "stuff" given away on Friday. Thursday, I picked up a box to move somewhere else and there was my expensive van remote on the floor. Now I have four van keys.The one last issue to deal with was my four shotguns. A dealer would have given me wholesale values because his gun racks were full. He really didn't need more. Therefore, I gave them to my son.
July 15...Saturday...high of 84°F...Eventually, we will begin walking exercise in the grassy area east of the Kelly Myer Recreational Area note: cortisone shot has reduced pain issues in right shoulder
July 1...Saturday...high of 82°F with a 40% chance of rain....With a hazy, cloudy "weather window" around eleven am. "Pounce" and "Gigi" ran five "stand alone/send back" singles in the north-east section of the Riverside Park DTA. Each single was "across the road" (easy, fun and fast). A little breeze helped me with any heat issues. Getting back to the cool, air conditioned house riding in my a cool, air-conditioned van made things easy. Two Endless Breeze crate fans helped keep both dogs cool.
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July 7...Friday...high of 77°F...dogs' day off...I worked in the yard around noon There was no shade and I got about 75% of the weed vines ripped from the pine tree when my thermostat said, "Quit now!" The cool house was perfect for a quick recovery. I should have done this earlier in the morning (cooler with shade).
July 8...Saturday...high of 78°F...trained/exercised around noon during a cloudy weather interlude. Looking for something different, my human rationale conjured up an idea to do a competitive setup. Pounce and Gigi have often run a 195 yard pattern blind....just for the fun. They both "always" run it fast. So with each on either side I sent them. "Gigi" fired and "Pounce" immediately went into sulk mode. "Gigi is faster than me so why bother?" She continued on a slow trot (something very much not like her). In a short time frame, Gigi was back with a retrieve before Pounce finally picked one up. She just trotted all the way back. We will not do that again.
July 12...Wednesday...high of 81°F...no training today...My knees have continued to be a nagging problem.
July 13...Thursday...high of 81°F...no training today...Doctor's appointment in the morning...freeze killed
several skin growths, got a few answers about the progress in adjusting to life with a pacemaker and had a cortisone injection in my right shoulder (rotator cuff pain). Both dogs and I will begin going for brief walks.
note: The effort to solve Gigi's digestion issue continues.
July 14...Friday...high of 83°F...day off...no motivation...trouble dealing with heat
July 3...Monday....high of 87°F...stayed indoors
July 4...Tuesday...high of 89°F..."too hot" to train...could not justify why
July 5...Wednesday...high of 90°F...no training....stayed in cool house
Good Memories: The following link is from many years ago when I made my own Kwick Remote Wingers.
"I'm beginning to learn that 95% OB is not
enough...and 85% is much worse......but
75% is pretty good."
KwickLabs Sept., 2006
July 11...Tuesday...high in the low 80's...no training...Today marks the beginning of a plan to solve the ongoing diarrhea issues that have plagued Gigi's training problems. The plan revolves around when and how Gigi (and Pounce) are fed relative to digestion times vs. exercise. Daisy does not seem to be having any issues. However, I want both to be on the same schedule. Digestion takes time and for some reason Gigi has not done well. Therefore, the plan is to create "square one" in the process by eliminating any training/exercise. Today both were fed at 9am and 5 pm. Both were aired at 7 pm and Gigi had diarrhea. She was not cured in one day.
July 2...Sunday....high of 81°F with 60% chance of drizzle...day off from training. The following link is to a feeding informational digest (pun intended) possibly related to Gigi's digestion issues.
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July 9...Sunday...high in upper 70's...a day off for everyone...Gigi's intestinal issues continue to suggest that it is not going to heal (if we keep training). She woke me up at midnight with some loud panting and whining. It was clear she did not want to "go" in her den (crate). We got to the door which exits to the fenced in airing yard in record time and she immediately had some "explosive" diarrhea. This evening everything went well (relaxed and quiet). Until detailed visit(s) to the Vet's office are completed, she will no longer be exercising.
note: refer to July 2nd link
July 10...Monday...high of 85°F...a day off...expecting call from Vet about Gigi...maybe tomorrow? I Found my old elastic knee brace and slipped it on. Surprise!!! There is a noticeable difference and less risky than two shots of Cortisone. On a different note, the empty lot across from our house was the only one left. We moved into our house about thirty years ago. Tree removal equipment is "tearing onto it". This will prove to be an interesting several weeks.