bikejoring looks good
So I'm feeling my confidence again. I've decided that training Pyper to pull like a sled dog will be a good direction to face. I can get her pulling a bike like a sled dog and it'll be a blast. Less exercise for me ultimately, but most mushers are pretty fit in spite of their dogs doing the work so there's clearly enough activity for the human in it. I've been watching videos on bikejoring and teaching sled dogs. I started just wanting to know how to put on the harness and opened a whole world of information I didn't realize I could access! The internet's like that and I love it.
I got videos showing lesson one, teaching them to pull tight and keep the tension on while waiting indefinitely for something to happen. That allows the musher to put the rest of the team on as well as preventing line tangles. Setting up a rig for the bike is harder to learn because most folks are using pretty primitive solutions and solutions that don't account for having a front basket and such. Still, seeing how everyone does it teaches me what parts of the process are vital and what parts are less effective. This one video the guy 3d printed the bracket for his bike. I really like that. I should see if I can bypass making it and just download it for printing. No rush, I'm not biking till spring. I can't. But next winter, oh watch us go! From what I can see, a single dog can easily do the job but if you want speed and distance then you team them up.
Walking last night went better, I get small improvements each day and it's only been 2 walks. I played fetch and clicker training yesterday and generally, she's more willing to just quit agitating for excitement and just hang out on the floor. Timmy too is having fewer outbursts. I got her to the vet yesterday and worked out she ought to be only 50lbs but is 65. So she'll be the right size when we slim her down. She's already getting sick of the food and quitting early in her meal so that too will help.
I spent the afternoon at a friend's house laying on the couch having hands waved around over me and rocks placed on me. It's reiki and he's very good at it and it really helped me a lot. I was so tired I kept crying over how tired I was. Last night I slept the whole night without even getting up to pee, first time in .... Well since before the cancer started taking over my life, so years. I slept through the night. the whole night. I still can't believe it. thinking about it fills me with optimism. I can become a normal healthy body again. I'm not crippled in spite of what I've gone through. I'm also incredibly grateful for this warm weather we're having. it's been above freezing and that means I can dress like it's bitterly cold and suffer no cold symptoms. We sat by the river with the sleeping geese last night and just marvelled at the stars and city lights. Pyper even seemed okay with just doing nothing awhile. She never quit watching around us as dogs will do but she'll gradually be more relaxed as she gets used to urban life. I'd like to find a locking dog collar and leash solution so she can't be stolen, although I find it absurd to think someone would. But then someone once stole Kira from me right in front of me and I had to leave my musical instrument on the bench to get her back. They just walk up, untie the leash and lead the dog away and the dog, being a good dog on a leash, just co-operates.
I'm learning again why other people's dogs piss me off so much. They lunge, they sniff, they stare, they've got no manners for strangers and you don't know unless it goes sideways whether it will or not. I like walking at night because there's so few people around to add to the confusion and those that are out know they've got no business getting chatty.
Well that's where I'm at. Got two blessed days off to get some housekeeping done and take a bath as well as continue the dog training shedule.
I got videos showing lesson one, teaching them to pull tight and keep the tension on while waiting indefinitely for something to happen. That allows the musher to put the rest of the team on as well as preventing line tangles. Setting up a rig for the bike is harder to learn because most folks are using pretty primitive solutions and solutions that don't account for having a front basket and such. Still, seeing how everyone does it teaches me what parts of the process are vital and what parts are less effective. This one video the guy 3d printed the bracket for his bike. I really like that. I should see if I can bypass making it and just download it for printing. No rush, I'm not biking till spring. I can't. But next winter, oh watch us go! From what I can see, a single dog can easily do the job but if you want speed and distance then you team them up.
Walking last night went better, I get small improvements each day and it's only been 2 walks. I played fetch and clicker training yesterday and generally, she's more willing to just quit agitating for excitement and just hang out on the floor. Timmy too is having fewer outbursts. I got her to the vet yesterday and worked out she ought to be only 50lbs but is 65. So she'll be the right size when we slim her down. She's already getting sick of the food and quitting early in her meal so that too will help.
I spent the afternoon at a friend's house laying on the couch having hands waved around over me and rocks placed on me. It's reiki and he's very good at it and it really helped me a lot. I was so tired I kept crying over how tired I was. Last night I slept the whole night without even getting up to pee, first time in .... Well since before the cancer started taking over my life, so years. I slept through the night. the whole night. I still can't believe it. thinking about it fills me with optimism. I can become a normal healthy body again. I'm not crippled in spite of what I've gone through. I'm also incredibly grateful for this warm weather we're having. it's been above freezing and that means I can dress like it's bitterly cold and suffer no cold symptoms. We sat by the river with the sleeping geese last night and just marvelled at the stars and city lights. Pyper even seemed okay with just doing nothing awhile. She never quit watching around us as dogs will do but she'll gradually be more relaxed as she gets used to urban life. I'd like to find a locking dog collar and leash solution so she can't be stolen, although I find it absurd to think someone would. But then someone once stole Kira from me right in front of me and I had to leave my musical instrument on the bench to get her back. They just walk up, untie the leash and lead the dog away and the dog, being a good dog on a leash, just co-operates.
I'm learning again why other people's dogs piss me off so much. They lunge, they sniff, they stare, they've got no manners for strangers and you don't know unless it goes sideways whether it will or not. I like walking at night because there's so few people around to add to the confusion and those that are out know they've got no business getting chatty.
Well that's where I'm at. Got two blessed days off to get some housekeeping done and take a bath as well as continue the dog training shedule.