Tell Me Thursday #3 (Yet again, on Friday)

Yes, I'm doing TMT on Friday yet again.  As many of you might already know, my family and I have been knocked on our collective asses this past week by a nasty stomach virus.  I haven't been sick in over two years, so this was a doozy for me.  I'm finally feeling better today, just in time for the big AFC Championship game this Sunday.  Go Ravens!

1. What is one lesson you've learned this week?


That eating like crap will make you sick.  The reason that I've not been sick in over two years is because I have been eating well for two years.  Well, except lately.  And that is why I believe that I got sick.  Not only sick, but sick for FIVE days.  My body just couldn't keep up.

I also learned that the next time I am sick, I am announcing to my family that they need to act as if I AM OUT OF TOWN.  I can leave town for a week to go to Nationals and everyone pulls together and gets by.  My husband goes to the grocery, does laundry, the kids pitch in and clean.  When I was sick this week?  Nothing.  If anything did get done it was because I had to ask for it, and then it was met with large sighs, eye rolling, and grunting.  Now if that doesn't make a gal feel better, what would?  When I come home from a trial, I'm usually met with a clean house.  Now that I feel better, I'm met with a dirty house and a shitload of laundry.  Fun!

Maybe I should just find a trial to go to this weekend?

2. Who or what might you have been in another life? What might you be in a next life?


Heck, I dunno.  I don't do so well with this type of stuff.  A turtle?  I like turtles for some odd reason.  So  I guess my answer is a turtle.

Next life?  A tree?  Wait, a dog could piss on me then.

3. What unusual things do you like the smell of but don't usually admit?


Gasoline.  I remember my dad having a can of gas in the garage to clean parts off with and I would sniff it.  Not like huffing or anything, but I would smell the top of the can if I was nearby.  That's all.  I know, that explains a whole lot.


4. What are your thoughts on continuing on vs. retiring when a trial run is going badly? How do you decide? Where do you draw the line?


If my dog is struggling with something, I will cross the handler's line/leave the post to help them.  I get seriously annoyed when handlers won't do this.  I also think that it would be great to start applauding handlers that do go help their dogs when they do it.


As far as calling a run, I'm a big fan of that too.  If my dog is being an ass, not listening, sniffing for pooty (Yes, Nash, I'm referring to YOU.), I'm going to stop my run and yank their furry ass out of there. Each trial is a learning situation and if they learn that they can get away with shit, they will do it.  If they learn that I will stop a run and the fun ends, then they'll realize it doesn't pay.


I'm not going to beg a dog to work for me in a trial.  If you need help, that's awesome, we're a team and I'm here to help you succeed.  But if you just want to dick around, I don't have time for it.  Sorry.


5. This is a call for questions or subjects you'd like to talk about - I'd appreciate suggestions (and please come link up so that I'll be sure to see your post), so here's your chance!


Hmmmm, not sure of how creative I am right now after being zapped for a week...

• Have you ever just not "clicked" with a particular dog?
• What do you do to prepare mentally for a trial run?
• Pet peeves in the stockdog/herding world?