Made it through one day!

Well, we made it through one day, barely.

Started off with Gamblers, nice speed in the beginning, got in about 24 points in a 1-2-3-5 course, then the buzzer sounded for the Gamble. It was a doable Gamble, but I took an unplanned course just as the buzzer sounded, we headed for the first jump of the gamble, then it was an out jump with layered weaves, I turned in to the weaves, so we were out. Next time!

Next up was Standard (this was the one I needed for my Standard Agility Master title. Got it with a sloppy run, just barely. I was speedy in parts and slow in others, but at least Mum improvised well this time and we made it through. So I got my SAM title today.

Then it was time for Steeplechase. And I was much slower in this run than I've been in my runs the previous two weekends. Mum's not sure why, accept that she really hurt after running me in this run. Maybe I'm sensing that she's hurting. I took a wrong tunnel entrance staying too close to her, and we were out. Mum went limping off the course.

We were supposed to run Snooker after, but Mum knew she wouldn't be able to make it through, so we headed home to heal her up.

She iced herself down, took some Advil. I took a short nap with her. Then about four hours later her back started to pop and now she's feeling better again.

We're going to give it a go again tomorrow. Mum promised that if I ran, she'd run no matter what. So here's hoping for some good, speedy runs for me and Gracie tomorrow!

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

We're gonna give it a go!

Here's another great pic that Anthony took of me last weekend. He does such a great job with me being so black - probably the most difficult of all the shots. I love how you can see each individual strand of fur on me.

We hope he forgives us for not getting with him this week, but Mum has been feeling bad, bad, bad. Her back is really messed up from the fall last Saturday running me. She's been to the Chiro twice this week. Doc V. worked on her a lot.

Doc V works on lots of football players, including some of the Colts. So he knows all about Mum's injury.

He twisted and poked on her 'till she said ouch. He used an industrial strength massaging machine on her back. He released her psoas muscle (that's the one that helps keep your leg attached to your hip). And he gave her all kinds of stretching, warm up, and icing instructions. Hmmm...this is starting to sound kind of R-rated!

She worked me and Gracie out one hour each at class on Wednesday and felt pretty OK. But then she worked Gracie on weaves last night, and me on teeter and distance. This morning she couldn't walk. But after today's Chiro visit, she's feeling a lot better. Not top notch by any means, but Doc V said that she could run, just to do all the things he said to do.

Mum's got her new shoes ready for slippery conditions. I'm raring to go, as usual. And Gracie isn't gonna know what hit her. She is scheduled for one run on Sunday - her first in USDAA for over a year (a standard run). There is no way Mum is going to miss running either her or me; or waste the money. She's been through back trouble before, and although it may hurt before and after, her adrenaline will carry her through our runs.

So this weekend I'm entered in GP and Steeplechase, Gamblers, Snooker x2, Pairs, and Standard. We decided since I recently got my JCH, we'd forgo Jumpers for this trial. Gracie is entered in Standard on Sunday.

We'd love to pick up a few Q's - here's what we need for ADCH - Standard and Pairs Q (need 1 each), SQ's (need 3, that's gonna be tough), Gamblers Q (need 3). So considering the circumstances, we'll take what we can get!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Bi and Silvia!

You probably know that our friend Silvia Trkman got a new puppy recently. Bi's the name!

We've been paying loads of attention to what they've been up to. And Silvia has been incredibly gracious in sharing her techniques of shaping, tricks, foundation development, and lots, lots more. You can share in all the information on her website.

The other day we were emailing back and forth a bit with Silvia, catching up. Most all of the work that Mum did with me when I was working to gain my confidence back after my injury last Winter, we credit to what Silvia taught us at the seminar last April. Thanks to her methods, I'm getting faster and faster all the time.

With the past few weeks she's posted new videos of Bi, her new BC pup. So we just had to share 'em. And don't forget to stop over to visit her YouTube channel, it's packed full of great vids.

More vids from FCI!

Nearly every night before a trial, Mum and I like to sit down and watch some amazing runs on YouTube. Gets us sooo motivated!

We found some more vids from FCI a few weeksends back.

Here's a couple we wanted to share. First, Susan Garret's amazing run with Encore:



And Sheltie Adrenalina from Russia, the winner of the Small Individual Jumpers.



To see lots more visit Fanny's channel and Gail's channel, and be sure when you get on the video page to click on the 'watch in high quality' link.

The ups and downs of agility!

What do you think of this pic? Our good friend Anthony Mosley took this pic this weekend. He was the one taking pics of Gracie and me at the Show N Go a few weekends back. We're going to purchase it from him tomorrow!

We're late posting about our trial this past weekend, mainly because Mum is hurting still. During my first run of the weekend (which was a nice speedy Jumpers run), Mum slipped and fell helping me with a rear cross. Her feet went right and her body went left and she landed smack dab on her hip.

She felt OK after, felt like she'd have a nice big bruise. We finished out the run, and then she ran me a little later in the day in my Standard run, and even ran me on Sunday in both my runs. But come Sunday night and Monday the ouch started to really set in.

This time Mum got to go to the chiro yesterday, instead of me. And found out that she's pulled some muscles in her hip area and really bruised her tensor fasciæ latæ. She's doing better with lots of icing and some Advil; but still has some swelling in that area, a little less strength in her left hip and leg, and some ouching in her lower back on that side.

We went to practice anyway this morning, because Mum needed to see how she was feeling when she ran Gracie and I full out, since we have a trial this coming weekend. She had some trouble in the beginning, but felt better after a few runs.

So back to the trial from last weekend.

Mum's pretty bummed about falling. She's fallen in practice, but never in competition. She tried to keep me with her so we wouldn't get a refusal on the run, but it just wasn't to be. And it was such a nice little run! Even with Mum's fall taking up some seconds I still ran it it just a little over 4 YPS. Woulda been a really nice Q.

Mum led out to the side of two, and sent me to the tunnel, got a front cross in before 4 and stayed on the right of 4-6. She reared 6, which was her downfall (Ha!), then was on my left during 7 and 8, she got in a front cross before the weaves, and then pushed me out to 10. It was a straight shot from 10-13. She planned a front cross after 13, but I was speedy and she couldn't make it, so she stayed on my right and rear crossed 15 with a big come. She pretty much just stayed in one spot from 15 through 17 as I barreled around the jumps, then took a step back and ran with me through 18-19.

Oh, so wish we had that Q! It was such a nice run. Next time!

Here was our first day standard course. Not the most fun as courses go, lots of places where Mum ended up really having to work me, which doesn't make for the speediest of runs, but there were just too many off course ops, especially around 3-4. But we managed it. Mum loved my frame and turn into the tunnel, couldn't have been smoother. But after the tunnel, it was uphill to a triple, which isn't the easiest, but it worked. After falling, Mum was extremely cautious in her running so she stayed on my left from 9-11. I didn't go down very fast on the table, but 12-14 was nice, and Mum loved my turn from the tunnel onto the dog walk (the tunnel in person was actually even with the dogwalk, much safer). Mum stayed on my left from 16-17 and reared 18, then on to 19. We finished up 2nd place for this run; even though Mum didn't think I was very fast in this run.

That night Mum wasn't feeling very good, kind of sick (like the throw up kind). But we all took a quick nap when we got home, and Mum felt so much better after that. She took off to the store and got her some Merrell Moab Ventilator Hiking Shoes. So she was set for Sunday with more grip to her soles.

We started again on Sunday with Jumpers. A nice course. Mum led out to two, sent me to 3 and then front crossed before 4. She stayed on my left through the weaves, then went way out from the weaves and did a front cross just before 9 (that always makes my weaves speedier). It was a haul butt from 10-12, then a quick front cross in front of 13. Mum stayed on my left and then reared 15. She planned a nice front cross before 17, but I was too fast and she couldn't get it in. Then the line was bad and I ran past 17 - ahhh, refusal. So NQ on this one.

Standard was a tricky one for a lot of size dogs. Three to 4 was really tight and some dogs missed the up on the teeter because of it. Then the immediate turn from 6 to the weaves was tough for lots of dogs if their handlers didn't get in a front cross after 6. I wasn't as speedy on this run, so Mum decelerated at 3 and I turned right to the teeter. Since my teeter is kind of slow (still!) Mum got in a front cross after it, and then another front cross after 6. The chute didn't look obvious to many dogs, but they managed it. I was super slow in settling on the table Sunday, kept looking at the judge.

Mum led out some to 10 and got in a front cross before the frame. She let me take the frame completely independently, since she had to hurry and get in a front cross after 12 to get me in the tunnel. She said my frame was beautiful!!!! Loving that independence.

Because she was so far ahead of me coming out of the tunnel, I made my contact. She then sent me to 15. And, just like the set up in the Jumpers run, she didn't get in a front cross after 16, but she was prepared this time, and she reared 17, with a bit of a push out to 18. Not my speediest by any means. But we got a 4th place.

So after these discombobulated runs last weekend, and the fall, Mum wasn't feeling very; well not sure if confident is the word, but...it's one of the reasons she wanted to go to practice this morning, even though she still kind of hurt.

At practice during my class we worked on gambles, some really difficult ones. The first, easier ones I got right away, the harder one which was layering the dog walk with jumps about 10-12 feet away on the other side of the dog walk, took a little more practice. But once Mum got her directions clear I did great. She knows I'm a great gamble dog, if she can get her moves right.

By the time Gracie's turn was up in practice it was drizzling a lot. But they took it in stride. Gracie started off a little unfocused, but after getting wound up, she was doing her thing. She ran off once to try and play with a BC in the ring, but came back to Mum. She made her weaves well today, all but one time. And she got her Frame and dogwalk contacts today. And she was focued 90% of the time. So we can't wait to see how she does on her run on Sunday.

Ok, gotta go, Mum needs to get more ice on her hip!

Purina Incredible Dog Challenge national finals start today!

The finals for the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge start to day in Grey Summit, MO. Here's a link to the schedule.

The competition is broadcast later on ESPN and ABC. Here's the broadcast schedule going forward:

Sunday, October 5th, 2008
2:00pm - 3:00pm
ESPN
Sunday, November 9th, 2008
4:00pm - 5:00pm
ESPN2
Sunday, November 30th, 2008
3:00pm - 4:00pm
ESPN2
Sunday, December 14th, 2008
5:00pm - 6:00pm
ESPN2
Sunday, December 21st, 2008
2:00pm - 3:00pm
ESPN2

2008 National Finals
Saturday, January 24th, 2009
2:00pm – 3:00pm Eastern Time
ABC

Want to see who's competing today. Here are the regional results.

Good luck to all the competitors!

Gracie's new favorite video!

Just had to share Gracie's new favorite video with all of you! It's a dog toy symphony. And you know how much we love symphonies, being named after composers and all. Enjoy!

Pawsome practice yesterday!

Gracie and I had a pawsome practice yesterday at our Trainer's house. We joined a class, one for me and one for Gracie, since Trainer was going to be out of town the rest of the week.

I got to go first this time. We worked on some sequences, no full courses. Mum needs to get in some better handling of me since I'm getting faster.

Trainer set up a couple of jumps into a fairly straight tunnel going to the left (my left), then a tire arcing to the weaves, a jump and then turning to the Frame. I did my lie down start again, and have to say Mum is really happy with this new start line routine. She can lead out confidently (her confidence always helps my confidence), and release me when she's ready. And I'm faster coming off the start in a down. I did break a couple of starts during the hour, but it was because I was feisty, and Mum wasn't definitive in her commands. No worries though, she can get me to keep my start line at trials.

I did the sequences fairly speedy, and Mum was happy with them. Trainer and Mum are super happy with my running Frame. Mum ran out from it, and I still nailed the contact - so we are pretty certain that it's independent now. Yeah! Now on to the independent dogwalk, which is taking some time.

After that sequence we ran another with four jumps to the teeter. That third jump was straight away past the tunnel entrance I took before. I had patterned myself on the tunnel, so Mum had to give me some big comes. After a couple of off courses, Mum led out to the third jump. With that I didn't even look at the tunnel, so Mum learned some good tips there to keep me from off coursing.

After the teeter, there was a serpentine, then a double, wing and quick back to the dog walk. First time I was wide in the serpentine, but the second time Mum got me tighter. But I started to almost run into her, so we need to work on our timing.

I made my dogwalk as long as Mum stutter stepped when I neared the end, whereever she was. But the minute she ran on from the dogwalk, I bailed. So more work to be done. And I don't think she told me to 'get it', (my mouse pad) duh!!!!

After me it was Gracie's turn. She did great in the class environment. Motivated but yet really focused on Mum. She didn't run off but once when Mum tried to set her at the start with her back close to some other pups.

Her running Frame needs lots of work, as does her dog walk. She got her frame, but barely. And she missed all her dogwalk contacts. But they'll keep working. Mum's going to get that contact board painted this next week so we can work the board on the ground, she promises!

About midway through the class, one of the students from my class went out to the adjacent ring to work our Trainer's sheep. Did that ever get Gracie going! She was doing her screeming banshee immitation, watching that BC work those sheep. Mum thought she had no chance of keeping her running during their next sequence.

But to everyone's amazement, Mum kept on top of Gracie through the entire sequence, and Gracie was incredibly, incredibly focused on Mum - she even made her weaves the first time after looking back at the sheep a little.

Gracie was so on top of Mum, she was running into her. And Mum had trouble getting her to go on to some jumps. It really confused Mum, because Gracie is a great work away dog - and Mum really only has trouble getting her to come in to her.

So between runs, Mum took Gracie over to the other ring away from the action, and lined up some jumps. She ran Gracie through a couple and then sent her over the last one throwing the treat bag and telling her to go jump. Gracie picked it up immediately.

Then they ran again in the other ring and Gracie did some go on jumps very nicely.

Mum really has to change how she handles Gracie nearly every run. One day she's running off, the other day she's working away like a pro, and other days she's a velcro dog. But the great thing is that Gracie is doing her job on the course 95% of the time now. Mum's hoping with all the different Gracie's she's learning to run, that she'll be able to handle any Gracie that shows up at her upcoming trials.

Before Gracie's two USDAA trials coming up later this month, Mum is going to work more on her weaves to get them more consistent. They are also going to continue working on the 'get it' mouse pad for the dog walk and frame. They need reminding work on rear crosses and sending to jumps. That's plenty to work on.

My next trial is this coming weekend. An AKC trial about 30 minutes from here. Again there are only about 10 dogs in my class; so I can't wait to see what I can do this weekend.

What's for dinner?

Dinner time around our house is like an event!

Right around 3:30 PM the cats start getting antsy, jumping up on Mum's desk and getting in front of her computer screen. Gracie starts her arrrooooing. I wait patiently like the good dog that I am. :)

Finally at dinner time, which is 4-4:30 at our house (since we get up at 5:00 every morning). Mum lets us outside to do a little business, if we need to.

Then we come in and Mum starts getting all of our food ready. She gives the kitties their wet food (since that's all they will ever, or ever want to eat. Finicky cats, what's up with that?

Gracie and I get some kibble (we eat kibble since we travel so much), but Mum is always adding in some great stuff to our dish.

The other night we got a special treat. Mum had purchased some talapia fish at the market for her dinner and we got to share in it! We sure aren't going to need any acne treatment with this wonderful diet.

Can you tell what's in there?

Fromm Chicken A La Veg and Fromm Four-Star Nutritionals Surf and Turf Formula Dry Dog Food, organic steamed carrots, green beans and zucchini, blueberries and apples, lowfat yogurt and cottage cheese! Oh, and the best part? A little Tilapia!

YUM!!!!! That was some good eating!