Pasadena Kennel Club Agility Report

Saturday:
Fancy- QQ. I did a serp in jumpers where no one else had yet attempted one.  I was the last 16 inch dog to go, and all the 20 inchers were watching while waiting to walk.  We got a good amount of  applause for our run, which is unusual since our runs are usually not particularly noteworthy.  I think they are great, of course, but I am biased.  I watched the 20 inch class and a lot of people tried our move!  I set a trend.  It worked for some teams and not for others.

Pie- Double NQ.  Refused weaves in standard, then bar in jumpers.  I was saddened by the weave refusal.  Not because she chose not to do them, but because I was worried it was a sign her agility career was over.  I did not make her go back and do them, because if she is refusing them, it is probably because her back does not want her weaving.  In jumpers I told her weave and she made the entry as she had in standard, glanced at me, and then kept weaving.    I walked next to her, encouraging her to go slow if she wanted to.  Maybe we have a few runs left in our career.  If weaving does become not fun for her, I'll let her run jumpers in USDAA- no weaves!

Dottie- Double NQ.  One bar in each run.  After running 9 runs last weekend at 26 inches, and only knocking 1 bar when I called her over the jump, how did she knock 2 bars in 2 runs?  However, even though it was NQs and I was a bit mystified as to the reason for the bars, I was VERY pleased with our teamwork, and Dottie's "I'm trying hard" attitude.

Sunday:
A very good friend who I haven't seen since I lived in the house in the boonies (2 years?) heard I was going to be at the park and came to watch us!  Always great to catch up with old friends.

Fancy-  Not entered.

Pie- QQ.  Number 14 I think.  She did both sets of weaves, again with me walking next to her.  I'd say the vet's prediction that we "would not be very competitive" has finally come true.  Pie was never "World Team" fast, but at the local level most of her runs were placements and most of those placements were first or second.  But she has slowed down, and especially with me telling her to go slow in the weaves, those are very slow (for her.)  Anyone who has been doing agility for any length of time can tell you that anytime you and your dog are both healthy enough to run is a good day.  Pie is so fun to run and she loves it so much- placements and being "competitive" is fun, but our time for that is past.  Now it is about Pie getting to run as long as she is enjoying herself and not getting injured.

 Dottie- again 1 bar in standard, but clean in jumpers!  (Still can't break the curse of Qing in standard though.  Darn!)  Again, even though it was hot, Dottie kept her mind on the task, and seemed to care about running agility.  I think that perhaps a little bit of mental maturity has helped, and that I realized she needs emotional support before, during and after our run.  She needs to feel powerful and excited before hand, correct during the run (even if she is not) and fawned over afterwards.  Of course I have always tried to do these things, but I needed to step it up a notch or 2.  Hoping her new positive attitude continues.

Dottie's runs are below.

A New House Guest

This is Espresso.  She says Hi.

I picked her up at the agility trial on Sunday, and she is staying until Friday.  On Friday, I'm driving to the Sacramento area for Dogstock.  Dogstock is a gathering of IPO people (and their dogs) and a lot of IPO helpers, and you pick the helper you want to work your dogs.  So your dog gets exposed to new helpers and maybe new ideas, and you get to watch a lot of dogs work, and then there is a tournament on Saturday night.  Not quite sure what goes on for Sunday.  I heard about Espresso trying to get north to her new home, and since I was heading that way, it worked out that she would come with me. 

She is 12 years old, and quite a sweet, well behaved girl.  A lot like Pie.  But older.  I think I've had a glimpse into the future with Espresso.  She is Pie in another 6 years!  She has a few quirks, like she wants to bury her food rather than eat it, and if she finds a bone in the house, she noses it around until she can put that under something too.  She's been no trouble, and I'm very happy someone is opening their home to this old lady.

I didn't tell my landlady (who lives next door) about her.  I'm just passing her off as Pie, not putting the 2 of  them out together!  If people (some of them dog people!) can't tell Pie and Dottie apart when they are not standing next to each other, I'm confident I can get away with this deception as well.  Plus, it is only for a few days.

I haven't gotten any cute pictures of her.  She seems to be one of those dogs who doesn't like the camera, and she looks afraid in all the pictures I got.  I stole the above pictures off Facebook.

Pie on the left and Espresso on the right.  I'm hoping to buy a dual reclining sofa (my current- very old- loveseat is not big enough for all the dogs) but in the meantime I have dual reclining Malinois!

Memorial Day Hike- Fish Canyon

I've taken so long to post this that is is quickly becoming old news.  I'd better get to it!


I took the day off of showing on Memorial Day and Dad and I and my 3 dogs took a hike.  This is the same hike that just Dottie went on last time.


Due to ticks, foxtails and rattlesnakes, the dogs stayed on leash most of the time, although they did get to run a little.  When Pie and Fancy were on leash, Dottie actually remained off leash since she just trots along right behind me.  No reason to put a leash on her if that is where she stays anyway. 


The weather was very pleasant.  At first it was a bit warm, but as we progressed, a breeze came up and cooled us off.  The dogs were happy when we came to the first creek crossing and had a drink and a swim.


Happily, we did not see any rattlesnakes, but we did see ticks and foxtails.  Despite the tick spray, Fancy had a tick crawling on her after the hike, and I detached one from Pie's neck.  Yuck-o.


Water and rocks or concrete never are a good thing for my dog's pads, and as expected, Pie and Dottie both came back with a worn pad.  Interestingly, Fancy did not.  A day or 2 of rest put them right again.

Off leash time!

On leash.

Refreshing dip.

Dottie poses with a tree with exposed roots.

I pose with my dogs and forgot to tell Dad to not rotate the camera since Blogger doesn't let you rotate photos.

Fancy stood on this rock during our lunch break.  The whole time.

Dottie was eager for something to happen.

The cemented in section, where you used to drive through.

Pie swims.  Very clear water.

Not our truck, but the dogs used it for shade at the end anyway.

Unexpected Loss

The BLM Mustang I rode on a trail ride a few months back was killed in a trailer accident today.  His owner and owner's friend and dogs are all ok, but his owner's other horse who was also in the trailer was injured.  I read about it on Facebook.  I had the pleasure of riding him since his owner was too ill at the time to ride, and she needed other people to exercise her horse.  She is now well enough to be riding again, which is a blessing, but to loose a horse in an accident, especially after being so sick, is a terrible thing.

I believe animals get to live on after death.  I don't know if this is true for every mouse in the field, and every hawk in the sky, but I do know that love is the greatest force in the world.  Love is sharing your heart and soul, and if an animal is lucky enough to be loved by a human, or to love a human, a part of our soul is shared with them, and through that human soul, they live on.  Maybe that is sacrilege, but that is what I believe. 

Tragedies like this remind us to treasure every minute we have with our animals.  Maybe they chewed off a piece of the cabinet, (and maybe they didn't), maybe they ate the Pope Rosebush, and maybe they went for an unauthorized swim in the pool, but when the years have passed and the pet is gone, it isn't the chewed cabinet, eaten rosebush or fuzzy pool that will be remembered, it is all the times spent snuggling on the couch, all the hikes hiked, and comforting presence that will be remembered, longed for and missed.

Until you meet again...

Sunday of Happy Dog USDAA

Our runs from Sunday, minus Pairs.  We Qed in that, and ran clean, but the batteries died, so it didn't get recorded.   The last run is filmed on my tablet.  The quality is very clear, but you can't zoom in.

Dottie was good AGAIN today!  No running around jumps, blowing me off, acting disinterested- none of it.  She got every single weave entry AND stayed in the entire time, minus one.  That is really good since USDAA has a million weaves for a weekend.  I'm so proud of Dottie!

4 Qs per day!  2 standard, 2 jummpers, 2 gamblers, 1 snooker and 1 relay.

Fancy was not impressed with the lack of cookies.  She did get some, just not as many as she would have gotten if she was entered.

Dottie snoozing on the couch (loveseat, really) after her long day of agility.

Dottie's Happy Dog USDAA Videos

All in one.  She was so focused today!

Another One Bites the Dust

I caught yet another gopher today.  This one eluded me for a while, and I was concerned I was outsmarted at last.  He made several mounds right outside my grassy area and I attempted to get him then.  But he always back filled his tunnels, so I couldn't find a place to put the traps.  I gave up, hoping he'd go away (I know..., but what other choice did I have?) until he came back and put a mound in the grass.  Darn.  So I dug that mound up, and found only 1 tunnel leading from it.  I put the trap there, and BAM!  I got him!  I'm concerned I'm weeding out all the less intelligent gophers, leaving the smarties behind, which is why he was more difficult to catch. 

Pie was impressed with my catch, but I didn't let her close, because I'm sure it had all kinds of gross diseases or bugs.  Perhaps not, but I'm not taking chances.

USDAA Today

Today was a bad day for Belgians hurting me.  First Dottie's dew claw struck again, leaving me with a bloody gash on my inner thigh.  Probably I shouldn't play tug without pants on.  But sometimes it is too nice to be in pants!  Next I was trying to make Pie feel better (since she wasn't entered) and I had her out playing tug with the leash and she came snapping up the leash and snapped my bosom!  And on top of that my right bicep was sore, which I thought was odd since I didn't do anything to make it sore, but then I remembered that is where Pie bit me (accidentally, of course) the other night.  It only has a light bruise.  Next time I'm getting a papillon.

In better news, Dottie was so good all day!  She will never be the fastest dog, but she was focused and listening and running at a good speed for her.  She Qed in everything except Grand Prix (which is a tough standard course with no table) but even then she did everything right, I just called her over a bar and it came down.  Good Dottie!  (Everything= starters standard, jumpers, gamblers and snooker.)


Neither Fancy or Pie were entered for 2 reasons.  1) Focus on Dottie and give her the time and attention she needs to be the best she can be.  2) Save money.


I put Dottie in championship, which jumps 26 inches.  That means the legs we got at 22 inches don't count so we are starting over.  She jumped 26 inches fine.  She really is a nice jumper.  I think her poor conformation actually makes her a nice jumper.  I know that doesn't sound like it would be true, but she doesn't jump like other Malinois, nor is she build like other Mals.   So that is the conclusion I came up with.


Tomorrow is USDAA again, then we are taking a hike on Monday, if all goes according to plan.

Dottie Turns 3!

 If you want to see all of the pictures- click here. 

 Actually not until June 1st, but I got confused and thought today was June first. I already took the pictures so I thought I'd post them early!

Not bad for three years old: IPO 3, CD (1 CDX leg and just need to enter another show), TD (ready for TDX, couldn't get in any trials), VCD 1, AX, MXJ.

But first, a review of what she used to look like:

Her first day out of quarantine at 4 months old.

Looking very cute on her first beach trip as a puppy!

Being small next to Pie. 

Bacon (who is now living in Boston) and Pickle help celebrate her first birthday.

Looking  more mature at 1 year old.

 

Dottie at 2 years old.  I think she looks the same as she does at 3.

3 years old and looking good!

Maybe if I look happy it will be over sooner?

I'm guessing she will get revenge at our next big event.

I am SO done with this!

Her sisters help her celebrate.

Fancy starts to loose her hat.

Going....

Going.... more....

Gone.

Poor Fancy.

 

Now I'm happy.

  

I brought a cake to training night.  Any excuse for a cake!
There was only 1 cake, but Blogger is odd.

Dottie took the jump in her hat, but the low light made it blurry.

Some of the club dogs also helped us celebrate.

See the link at top for those pictures.

Graduation!

My youngest brother graduated from High School on Wednesday! The class of 2012!!! (He is 12 years younger than me, for those who were wondering.)


Congratulations to YB! (Youngest Brother.) He is a fine young man and upstanding citizen, AND an Eagle Scout.

Crowd of well wishers.

Hi!

All nice and orderly.  Over 500 graduates.  And that is just one of the local schools!

Shaking principal's hand.

Brother and parents.

Brother and sister.

Brothers.

L to R- family friend, brother, graduating brother, Mom, me, Dad.

After the graduation we headed out for a late dinner.

He liked the smilely face I drew.

Free sundae and I brought the giant balloon!

He is now off to the local community college where his 3 siblings started before heading to the 4 year university.

Eclipse

Here in Southern CA we didn't get to see the Ring of Fire.  I did see a chunk out of the sun, but it never got very big.  I know you aren't supposed to look right at it, but I did, just a little.  I couldn't figure out the paper poking thing.  I had sunglasses on.  The best view I ended up getting was through my big camera.  None of my pictures turned out.  Although I did play around with the contrast on one and even though you can't see the eclipse, the picture is kind of neat.

Picture of the sun, but the eclipse did not show up.

Fancy and Pie were not impressed.

The next 2 pictures are from today...

Fancy enjoys laying in the shade in the dirt when it is warmer outside.

Ahhh!  I'm a weirdo!