SchH Club Trial

Last weekend was our SchH club trial.  We only had 2 dogs entered for IPO titles, but 5 dogs entered for RH titles, which is a Search Dog Suitability Test.  It involves basic obedience, some agility/ dexterity exercises, and a search.  Pie and Dottie were entered.  Fancy cannot participate since the obedience portion has gunshots and as she has gotten older she has gotten more sensitive.

We actually did the search portion first.  The dogs can do a basic track, a rubble search, or an area search.  We don't have a rubble pile big enough, and my dogs have already trialed in tracking, so we did the area search.  We had been training this last summer with Dottie.  At the end of the summer, I started training Pie also.  Pie only did about 2 searches last summer, while Dottie did maybe five.  The club has stopped training searches at weekday training nights since it has been dark and it isn't safe for people to climb through the orchard at night.  You could break your ankle.  The club held some Sunday day time training, but I couldn't make it due to agility.  I made it out to the training the day before the trial and we did a run away search with Pie.  That is the only type of seach she has done.  She gets to go watch the person run off, then she is sent to find them.

In the trial, the dog goes not get to watch the person leave.  So I took Pie out to the orchard and sent her to search, but she didn't realize what she was there for.  She ran off looking good, but then she started eating avacados!  Needless to say, she never found her victim and did not pass.  Too bad, but I wasn't disappointing since she just didn't have enough training.  With more training she should do fine since she does so nicely on the run aways.

Dottie's search was great!  She found her victim very quickly and barked nice and loudly until I found her and the victim.  Dottie saves the day!

I think Dottie got the highest search score of the day, but she might have tied with one of the other dogs.  All of the other dogs passed except Pie.  (insert sad trombone sound.)

In the obedience, besides the long down, and heeling on and off leash, the dog goes through a tunnel and stops on command, walks through a small pile of junk (unpleasant surface,) walks a plank, gets carried by the handler and passed off to another person, then does 3 jumps while staying in heel position.  Both Pie and Dottie did really nicely on all of these, except Dottie was really squirmy in the carry.  It was our helper carrying her and that was just a little too exciting for her.  She even knocked his hat off.  The judge said it was not very correct, but obviously it wasn't a temperament issue.  Pie and Dottie both got scores in the high 90s and a V (excellent) rating.  Nice!

After the trial we had a tasty lunch, and the trial helper (not our usual club helper who is injured) worked some dogs.  Dottie hasn't done anything since her IPO 3  trial in March, so I took advantage of a non-injured helper.  It seemed like Dottie hadn't forgotten anything!  She searched all 6 blinds, did good barking in the blind, a call out and an escape bite.  She was very good.  The helpers only comment was, "Wow, she's a light one."  Big difference between those big GSDs and little Dottie. :) 

Sitting on the unpleasant surface.

Carrying the gurfy dog.

Hand off and it is K's turn to carry.

Second jump for Pie, staying nice and close.

My dogs did so well staying close to me on the jumping!

I think this was the transition from fast to slow, hence the floppy arm.

Pie doing some nice heeling.

Crawl!

And then wait.

Now it is Dottie's turn.  Again, good jumping.

Boing!

Walking on the unpleasant surface.

Walking the plank.  Luckily there are no pirates involved.

Dottie was not too bad when I carried her.

But she was very squirmy for him!

Dottie came out and stopped dead.  Just as they like it.

Fancy: The Good and the Bad

The good: She filled in as the extra dog in a BH this past weekend.  For those unfamiliar, the BH is like a high level CGC in the Schutzhund sport. Fancy already has her BH, but another dog in our club was testing for his, and you always need at least 2 dogs. One dog does all the heeling and the sit and down in motion and recall, while the other dog does a long down. Sort of like the honor in rally. So Fancy and I volunteered to help out. She hasn't done obedience training since her BH 3 years ago, but she didn't forget anything!  I did practice with her the day before, but that is it.  Here is a picture from the on leash heeling.

The bad:  While tracking with Dottie today, Fancy was waiting in the car, and broke into the left over chocolate chip cookies I had in the car to take to work and ate almost all of them, probably around 10.  She left some crumbs and 1 entire cookie.  I guess that proves Fancy's appetite does have a limit.  I removed the dog cookies from the car because I knew she'd get into those, but I forgot about the human cookies.  They were in a plastic container that were no match for her badness.  She appeared to have a bit of an upset tummy on the drive home, and I don't want her vomiting tonight, so I used salt to make her throw up.  Only it didn't work.  I didn't want to O.D. her on salt, so I gave up.  I'm making her sleep in the kitchen tonight.  I don't want to wake up to that vomit sound, only to be too late to do anything about it.  As everyone knows, chocolate is not good for dogs, but this was just a few small chips, not an entire bar or anything.


Good:  doing nice obedince work
Bad: eating massive amount of cookies and refusing to vomit
Yep, that's Fancy!

More on the rest of the trial later.

Ps- of all my dogs, it is Fancy who understands heel position the best.  Pie seems to think it is a general area, and Dottie believes it is her rear leg even with my leg.  At least in the AKC ring, this translates to correct position since she "lags" a little and ends up in the right spot!

Facebook Photos

I had this image generated using a Facebook "app." It printed my 4 most "liked" photos of 2012.  Not bad!  Dogs and family- good times.  I just wish Pie had her very own picture like Fancy and Dottie.

Overload

For the first time since I've started training and competing with dogs, I feel as though I am trying to do too much at once.  I've always trained and trialed in multiple dog sports at once, but usually one sport is in maintenance mode (usually agility) and I can focus on training in the other sport while trialing in both.

In 2 weeks, Dottie's second attempt at utility is coming up.  I'm training her almost every day in articles (actually getting better) go outs, directed jumping and gloves (suddenly a weak spot.)  The rest of the exercises are pretty solid and I throw them in here and there.  Then, at the agility trial last weekend, I spoke with a friendly lady who reminded me the TDX season is upon us.  I quickly entered Dottie in 4 TDXs (2 on the same day, I hope I get in the one 3 hrs away and not the one 7 hrs away!)  So I've been doing obedience at lunch, laying a track also at lunch, then running it after lunch.  The next item I'm working on is the IPO RH-E.  This is the rescue dog suitability test and while we are doing it for fun, it means I'm training for it at SchH practice, rather than AKC utility.  That test is coming up this weekend, so at least that will be out of the way.  Lastly we have agility.  Dottie is not at the maintenance point yet.  I should be working weave entries and staying in the weaves.  I should be working serpentines, backsides, and 270s.  But I'm not, because I don't have time.  After the weekend of the 20th, we will have either passed utility or not, and if it is "or not" that is going on hold until after the tracking season is done.  At the end of Feb we will have hopefully gotten into and passed a TDX, and if that is also an "or not" we may have to wait until next season because then it is March and the AKC agility nationals and I'll be buggered if Dottie messes up her weaves at the Nationals.

So yes, I have too much going on with the dogs.  Not to mention a life outside of dogs that I also need to attend to (hard to believe, but true.)  In the future I will have even less time, and this month and the upcoming months have taught me that it is better to put things on hold than to try to do them all at once.  Because A) if you train so much it isn't fun, what is the point and B) if you don't have time to train everything and you end of failing it all, what was the point of trying to shove it all in?

Of course the "point" is there are very few close obedience trials so I am trying to  take advantage and tracking season is only so long, so I'm also trying to take advantage of that.  Therefore, I have my reasons, but I won't do it again.

PS- My goals for Dottie for 2013 are Mach, UD, TDX and FH2- possibly at the IPO Working Dog Championships in I think Iowa.  I'd fly her there.  Maybe.  Or maybe I'll just hope a local club holds an FH again at some point in the future.  So, what does that leave for the rest of Dottie's life?  ADCH, more Machs? and VST.  Crossing fingers on that last one!

Dogs At Play and Dogs at Rest

The serial photographer strikes again!

Pie uses Dottie as a pillow- for once.  Usually it is the other way around.

The aftermath of the '13 Christmas Toy Massacre.

I'm creepy and take photos of my dogs sleeping.

Dottie after an obedience session in the park.

Muffin not asleep but using my knee as a pillow.

Walking in LA

The song says no one (or is it "nobody") walks in LA, but whoever wrote the song hasn't met our family.  For what it is worth, we hardly did any walking, but sadly, Sister was sick, so the walking we did was plenty.  This was Christmas week when Sister was still here.  She has long since departed for her residence on the east coast, but I am just getting around to blogging about it now.

We took the train to downtown LA to sight see and visit oldest younger Bro at his place of employment.

All photos are taken by my tablet, so the quality isn't amazing.

Train riding.

Niece posing for Mommy's camera on the freeway overpass.

Thrilling view of the 101 freeway.

Impressive downtown building.

Walking.  In LA.

Heading towards City Hall.  That tall building on the right.

I give a "speech" in the room at the top of City Hall.

Pretty ceiling in city hall.

The intrepid LA Walkers, minus me.

Niece also gives a "speech."

The vies from the top of City Hall are worth the trip.

The tall redish building is Bro's office.

Tiny Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory.

Dad in Bro's office.  What a great view!  Jealous of his window.

Niece in front of Japanese American War Memorial. Some of her relative's units are listed.

Heading back to Union Station, the day is done.

As always when I'm with my family, it was a great day and a great trip.

Christmas 2012!

Posing with my dogs.  Dottie wanted a stomach pat.

Christmas 2012 was made great since my sister and niece were here from the other side of the country!  Christmas is for family and ours was all together.  We had good times, good food and good presents!

Posing with the parent's dogs.  Kerby wasn't too keen.

I love how Muffin is framed by Pie's ears.

The boys pet the dogs.  And there is no room for Laura on the couch.

My Godchild and I!

Fancy gets a tummy pet.

Fancy pat.

She loved Muffin and Muffin loved the pets.

My sister and I as seen by Niece.

Before Church pictures.  Fashionable girls.

The men minus Oldest Bro who hadn't arrived yet.

The girls.

The kids.

The whole family!

Christmas Morning- let the unwrapping begin!

She was very excited.

Out of order pic, back at Church.

Christmas morning was too early for Dad.  My new jumps.

What is Sister getting?? Niece looks on.

A great morning.

Mom opens presents.

Sister and Niece have to say goodby. :(

2013 AKC Nationals

At the last minute (entries close on Wednesday) ffluffy and I decided to enter the AKC Nationals.  It is back in Tusla, OK this year.  We have another road trip coming up!  We plan to see the World's Largest Mound- hoping it is finished this time- and the GPOL, Giant Pair of Legs.  Other than those 2, we do not plan on revisiting the other attractions such as the Red Giant Arrow.

I was surprised to see Dottie is qualified.  Who thought my "baby" would get to go?  ffluffy will run Pie again and I'll run Dottie and Fancy.  I'm already getting excited!

Last Agility Trial of 2012, First Agility Trial of 2013!

After my sister flew home (sad) I had Sunday free, so I went to an agility trail.  I had all 3 dogs entered.  On Saturday it had rained all day, so I was glad I wasn't entered then.  However, we were still suffering the after effects since the ground was quite soggy and it was rather cold.  Much to my dismay, I discovered I forgot my chair, and I had to stand all day since the ground was too wet to sit on.  The order of the classes was different than usual (open ran before ex- now called Masters) so I was standing (literally) around waiting for some time. 

Fancy did not double Q because she knocked a bar in jumpers after running clean in standard.  Since Fancy NEVER knocks bars, I'm guessing she slipped on some of the mud or perhaps the shavings they had put down on top of the mud in an attempt to make it less slippy.

Pie did not double Q because I forgot to be stern on her dog walk contact, and although she made the contact, she came off so much faster than I expected, almost had an off course before the weaves, came back and made the weave entry, but couldn't "hang onto" it due to the now extreme angle and her fused spine.  If she had approached it as it was supposed to run, it would have been fine.  So, my fault for getting caught flat footed at the end of the dog walk.  That was a fun challenge.  It was dog walk to weaves but the weaves, dw, chute and the panel made a box and many dogs went off course to either the chute or the panel.  Fancy barely made it through.  Pie did Q in jumpers.

Dottie did not QQ because I attempted to get lateral distance from a jump and she pulled off with me.  I forget that Dottie will get out and stay out and will go ahead, but if I try to ditch her laterally, I'd better be very clear she is supposed to take the jump and not bail to come with me.  Darn.  She also Qed in jumpers.

It was a long, cold day with no spectacular results.  The most excitement we had was when a gopher wandered onto the course and was almost trampled by a Bernese Mnt. Dog who never even saw him.

The next day, Monday, I took off work since ffluffy was coming for the New Year's Eve trial.  She ended up not making it in time for the trial, although she did arrive later in the day.  Pie had a very nice QQ and Dottie did not Q at all.  :(  She knocked a bar on the serpentine coming into me.  Anytime she feels I'm in her way or our paths converge, a bar is likely to come down.  I forget what happened in the other run, but I do remember that she did her weaves correctly each time.  Fancy was not entered.

After ffluffy came, we had a very yummy dinner at Denny's then retired to our Motel 6 room, and did not stay up to great the new year.  However, the fireworks at midnight woke us up, so I was awake to welcome in 2013.  Funny story about the Motel 6.  After checking into our first room, we had to request a different room because one of the beds was defective.  It was as if the springs were missing from a large area of the mattress.  I would have been sucked in never to be seen again.  It was a large depression on one side, but not the entire side.  We were given a new room with minimal fuss. 

Fancy and Muffin approve of this bed.

The next day Dottie had a great standard run for a second place, but we messed up jumpers.  Here is the video for standard.



We had a nice turn on the 180.  If I can speed her weaves up a little more, I think we could have more first places.  I was really happy with this run.

Pie ran past a jump in standard (the one before the teeter, I think with my front cross she just didn't see it) then jumped off the table early, then didn't stick the weave entry.  I'm not taking the time to post the video of that run, but it is noteworthy in that you can see her breath in almost the entire thing!  You can also see how much fun she is having.  :)

Once again Fancy wasn't entered.  Poor Fancy.

Now it is back to work for me tomorrow and I'm working this weekend.  No agility for a while- the following weekend is an IPO trial, then obedience again, then probably USDAA.  I'd like to focus on AKC and get Dottie more QQs, but sometimes other things get in the way.

Happy 2013 to everyone.  I hope 2013 is an amazingly good year for all my family and friends, and anyone who is reading this!

Moon

A photo of the almost full moon taken with my new Cannon PowerShot SX500 IS (30x optical zoom!)  My old Cannon was failing in a few ways so it was time for a new camera.  Thanks Santa!

I will be blogging about my sister and niece's visit, Christmas, a trip to Los Angeles and other such goings ons at a future, less busy date.