contacts and ball work

This morning I decided to start everyone back on balance ball work, including myself. I have the physio-roll, and I love it! I got each dog on the ball and did some bounce work and slight weight bearing work. I just had Bailey (who is 10) put her front feet on it and rock her back and forth, putting gentle weight on her rear end and stretching herin the process. She thinks it's a huge toy, so I have to watch her! Moxie did well, but I really see how much I need to work her hind end now. She got tired the fastest, and knowing she has hip dysplasia makes me even more motivated to keep up with consistent ball work. Sally did well, she stood fine and sat mostly, although she wasn't impressed with the down at all. She is in extremely good shape for 8 years old. Hustle, my youngest, was hilarious. He lept over the ball, several times, before I finally put it by the couch, got him on the couch and helped him up. He's quite the athletic little guy already, but I feel like he needs more core work before we do any real jumping. I just bounced him and rocked him some, nothing major. He takes everything in pretty good stride, so he should do this really well after a while.
 I also did some low jumping with Hustle this am for his breakfast. He is consistenly running UNDER the 20 inch bar, so I lowered it to 16 so he will think more about going over than under. He is also offering me everything under the sun except jumping. He even tried to retrieve hair balls from the carpet for me, and bit the upright several times. You can tell what I have been working, huh? Overall he did well, but I need to change up the plan for him some, before he is super convinced it is okay to go under bars.
 I worked Sally, Moxie and Hustle on a flat board today too, for running contacts. Moxie did very well, and cheated a few times. That is always good because the mistakes allow for the real learning. A few times she came off the board early and got no treat, so she learned very quickly that the end of the board was where she needed to run past. Hustle was his usual goofball self. I had to put boxes on each side of the board for him, to create a channel. Otherwise, he just jumped over the board, again and again and again. He is so funny! Really fun boy to train, he always makes me rethink the plan on the fly, which is great for me. Sally was a stitch, she is so goofy when she is learning stuff, and such a willing student. She did great. I did notice with her, the food HAS to be in the bowl, not tossed, or she will jump off the end of the board. Am I retraining her for a true running contact? Not really. I just want more speed down the boards, and her contacts has fallen apart so this might help her realize it's ok to RUN to the end, not step, pause, step, pause. Poor kid, I reallymessed up a nice 2 on 2 off with inconsistency. You live and you learn!
 I worked myself on the balance ball today, since it's a rest day from jogging. WOW! What a workout. I was amazed you can do so much by barely moving. I got a great appreciation for what my dogs go through on the ball.
 Tons of house errands to run today, and I might go take some more pictures. I think they have some of the siding on, a lot of electricity ran, and our tubs set in pace too. We are getting tons done, it just seems like progress came to a screeching halt since it isn't as measurable as brick! The building might get more work this weekend, weather permitting. I sure do hope we can, I really want dirt in there soon, so I can start training again. I miss my students!