Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

Standing Outside The Fire

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Last night was the last Freestyle class for Delilah and myself.   Ariane said it could be as long or as short as we’d like.  I figured if I could string three tricks together I’d be happy.  I took the four or five solid tricks she knows and plotted it out in my head, how I might be able to make them flow together.

All week I’d been thinking of the song I’d play for our performance, I was pretty set on “Hey There Delilah” by The Plain White Tees, but decided to go through my songs on the way to class and see if I found one I thought fit her personality a bit better.

As it turns out, I thought the lyrics to Standing Outside the Fire by Garth Brooks exemplified her zest for life pretty well.

We call them cool
Those hearts that have no scars to show
The ones that never do let go
And risk the tables being turned

We call them fools
Who have to dance within the flame
Who chance the sorrow and the shame
That always comes with getting burned

But you’ve got to be tough when consumed by desire
‘Cause it’s not enough just to stand outside the fire

We call them strong
Those who can face this world alone
Who seem to get by on their own
Those who will never take the fall

We call them weak
Who are unable to resist
The slightest chance love might exist
And for that forsake it all

They’re so hell-bent on giving ,walking a wire
Convinced it’s not living if you stand outside the fire

Standing outside the fire
Standing outside the fire
Life is not tried, it is merely survived
If you’re standing outside the fire

There’s this love that is burning
Deep in my soul
Constantly yearning to get out of control
Wanting to fly higher and higher
I can’t abide
Standing outside the fire

Standing outside the fire
Standing outside the fire
Life is not tried, it is merely survived
If you’re standing outside the fire

Standing outside the fire
Standing outside the fire
Life is not tried, it is merely survived
If you’re standing outside the fire

Normally I love to go first.  Not last night.  I waited.  We went fourth.  What I didn’t anticipate was a change in venue, from our little corner of the room to the center.  The center she associates with scent training.

Yeah, I lost her a couple of times.  But I promised you the video so here it is.  Ariane was filming and might have missed the first few seconds.

If the video doesn’t work, click HERE.

Next time it might be wise to let her scope out the food situation BEFORE we start the routine.  I do think she has some great spins and her leg weaves are coming along nicely.  We’re certainly not ready to step into a real ring!  Although I would like to continue working on tricks and work up a little routine.

I think she has potential, what do you think?

 

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  2. Looks impressive for a first performance to me! Being alone in the center of a big room trying to do tricks the first time would not be easy – Great job!

  5. I’m with Molly and Emma — pretty impressive for the first time at the center of attention!! There’s definitely great potential there! I love the leg weaves and Delilah’s dancing on her hind legs! Poor Callie and Shadow can’t stay up on their hind legs like that any more — the hip dysplasia/arthritis just won’t allow it. Ariane did a good job recording it all for you, too.

  6. PS. Love the song, too! It DOES seem to “fit” Delilah’s free spirit!

  7. You guys look great, so much fun. Does that tail ever stop wagging? I love your song choice. You really show your zest for life standing in that big space performing.

  16. That was awesome!! And the leg weaves were especially impressive. Delilah is such a big girl but you two looked so graceful together.

    If that’s what she can do in a space that she associates with sniffing out treats, I can’t wait to see what you cook up next.

    Good for both of you!

  24. COOL! Lots of Golden Claps!!! Glad you did not select the Plain White Tees song … we like them but that Delilah song is sad. Maybe we missed it … what’s the reason for having the leash? Definitely Lots of Potential. Keep it up. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

  25. She sure does have potential. Great song choice! I can only imagine that it takes a dog forever to get the first routine down pat and understand what’s being asked of them?

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