Busy Weekend

The weekend started off with our dog club doing a demo at KidsFest in Thousand Oaks. We used my equipment and loaded it up in another club member's horse trailer. That works really well because then you don't have to lift stuff up high, and with the doors closed, nothing is going to escape- like a certain homemade chute that was never found during our last demo. Bad news for me was before anyone arrived to help load I picked up my cargo carrier that attaches to my trailer hitch since we are going to use it to take even more stuff to OK- and hurt my back. I did not lift with my knees, or even my arms, and it hurt as soon as I did it. Stupid. It is much, much better today.

My equipment looking good. (If I may be so bold as to say so.)

The demo went well. Lots of people watched and enjoyed the dogs. The dogs had fun, the crowds had fun and I had fun. I also had a funnel cake but for the record, the ones at Magic Mountain are better. It got really hot towards the end of the day and that wasn't very fun, but I survived. It was great timing to have a demo right before the Nationals because it gave us the opportunity to reward and train on course in a trial like environment, something that is not allowed at normal trials. Perfect pre-nationals warm up. Pie also got tons of Pie Pets, except from one very small child who's dad did not think it was a good idea for his small son to pet such a large dog.

One of the many lucky children who got to pet Pie. I make her lay down for pets so she doesn't overwhelm anyone and so children who do not like to be licked in the face can avoid if if they are tall enough. This girl did not mind.

Pie became extra silly but I made her stop because her claws can accidentally be dangerous.

A highlight of my day was when I got a free balloon and tied it to Pie's tail. Her tail is perfect for balloons, but she wagged it so much we had to rescue the balloon. I then tied it to her collar but it got caught on something and poped. Poor Pie. Then I secured another balloon and tied it to her tail again and played on the course between jump heights. I got a video of it. Beware of Dottie being obnoxious in the background.

Pie models her balloon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxFs8kwC8To&feature=youtube_gdata

The next day we had a regular agility show. Fancy QQ (not her fastest) and Pie one Q in jumpers, knocked a bar in standard. Pie was very excited and fast but the ground was wet and she was slipping horribly. I was trying to be careful so she didn't get hurt.

On the way home I stopped at a house in Simi Valley to purchase a used bike rack for my trailer hitch that I found for sale on Craigslist. $30 and it holds four bikes (I only have one.) I thought it was a great deal. Now I just need to find the used chest freezer on CL for storing of the raw frozen food.

We got home, I threw the ball for Dottie (she only chases Fancy if I throw it for her while the others are out) then did a little agility training, then got the other girls out and threw the ball for them.

I hope to go to bed early since I work on Monday then we leave early Tuesday for OK and lots of driving. We tested out the dog configuration in my car on Sunday and all 7 and two people and assorted dog stuff fit in the Rendezvous. The cargo carrier will be for our suitcases.

Dottie is napping with her head on my foot.

You can just barely see my foot.

The long weekend with ball throwing at the end seems to have worn everyone out. Fancy has fallen asleep with the moose antler between her front paws which is strange because I don't remember her chewing on it at all....

A quick shot of Pie asleep with her head off the bed. Again.