And a Happy New Year

Or anyway, its a happy new year for those without dogs that shiver and shake at the sound of fireworks. Koira spent the night curled up under the covers with me, trembling despite the TV noise. Pallo could've cared less as it turns out.

Well, recap of 2010.
January saw the first flyball tournament I've ever been to. Koira competed, running with our old team. I realized how seriously in over our heads we were, and while I had fun, we had a long way to go to get into more tournaments. I also decided that Koira's turn was the wrong direction, and began retraining her to the left.

I saw this pathetic picture of a corgi mix for adoption at the local pound in February.

Somehow I ended up in there, taking home a new dog, that very same Monday. Birthday present for myself.

Pallo has since began flyball training, competed in his first tournament where he ran completely clean all day. He fast became my reliable flyball dog, and now loves the sport so much its hard to see him a year ago, when he was just a scared, worm infested, ball crazy dog who worshiped at my feet from the moment I brought him home. He was trustworthy off leash at the unfenced dog park within a week (after the worms were cleared anyway). He even let this silly Aussie beat him up as much as she liked.


Pallo brought me lots of laughs, like the way he does a weasel dance when playing, just like a ferret does. And the way he gets scared of random things, bobs and weaves at them, then hits the ground and backs away as fast as possible.


Koira became obsessed with the water this year.

She started running the rapids with me whenever we went to the river, and enjoys swimming, facing upstream, at the bottom of a strong current in the middle of the river. She even started yelling at me if I was taking too long to get in the water with her.


Really the most memorable part of the year is how Pallo has come in and become part of the family with me and Koira and the kitty Martha. Its hard to believe its been less than a year since I saw his pathetic face on the county website. He is Koira's best friend, my best flyball dog, and has become a second heart dog for me.


We are looking forward to the next year of our lives, to see where it takes us, and what happiness we can find there.