Allergies, Bugs and New Goals

I live in Houston and that means I deal with poor air quality, an endless supply of allergens, humidity, heat and worst of all bugs. As a result my dogs tend to go a little naked during the spring/summer months.
I've learned to watch for the signs and stock up on their shampoos, meds, sprays and other necessities and just brace for impact. I'm never sure who is going to get the worst of it.
This time around Violet has it the worst. One flea bite and she has become a bright pink, half naked animal that slightly resembles a naked mole rat.
Phlox also had a reaction to something in the yard. This time I caught it early and have manged to keep his fur on his body. I'm pretty sure he wont be able to be shown for a while but he isn't itchy and that means he can still train.

Ticks have decided to move into the house because I guess the yard was not suiting them any more. They have popped up in two of the most unlikely rooms. The bathroom and my sons bedroom. Both of these rooms almost never get visited by the dogs so I don't understand how or why they love them so  much.
I've tried sprays, vacuuming every surface and washing bedding excessively. Nothing has slowed them down. So now I get to remove all living things from my home and bug bomb it. The dogs and humans are easy to get out but moving the birds and the fish is a whole other story.

My goals for training this year where a little too lofty to reach so I've had to pull back and re examine things.
Badger and Charlie will most likely only be shown this July. It's a huge show and they both only need a leg or two for their CD title.
Phlox is going to do conformation but I have decided not to put him in the obedience ring until Spring. It's not that he needs to mature or that I don't think he could qualify and kick some tail doing it I just want to make sure that we can move from one level to the next with out having to retrain anything. I would like to move from Novice to Utility in as short a time frame as possible. We are still going for our BH in November.
I am still going to try Violet in Utility but her age has me questioning weather or not she is just too old for that much jumping.
All in all this just wont be as big a year as I had hoped. With luck we will still come home with a hand full of titles.



On a side note my due date is very quickly approaching so you may be subjected to baby pictures and other such non pet, dog and training related things in the weeks and months to come.