Peace's Overall and Total Dog![]()
Peace's Best of Breed Top Ten Invitational![]()
Grace's Overall and Total Dog![]()
These photos will appear in the Bloodlines magazine in future issues. I wish they had told me my hair was sticking up, but oh well.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Busy week ahead
Next weekend is the herding group clubs agility trial. I am the worker coordinator, so I will be working, but I also entered Magic. I figured I am going to be there, I might as well play, right? It will be our first attempt at open JWWp. We still have no Standard Novice preferred Q's so we will try there too. I am not expecting anything though, its just for fun.
Before that on Thursday, Magic and I have an obedinece lesson and Magic has a job. I hope it goes well. So tonight or tomorrow Magic needs a bath!
I have a desire to make jam again, so tonight I might whip up a small batch of strawberry rhubarb. Yum! We will see.
Before that on Thursday, Magic and I have an obedinece lesson and Magic has a job. I hope it goes well. So tonight or tomorrow Magic needs a bath!
I have a desire to make jam again, so tonight I might whip up a small batch of strawberry rhubarb. Yum! We will see.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
UKC Premier
I had a wonderful time this last week. I could write a novel about it all but I doubt you want to read all that, so I will just give the basics.
Grace and I ran UKC agility together for the first time. She did wonderfully. For thiose unfamiliar, UKC agility is scored similarly to obedience where you start with a 200 and are marked points off for any issues that may occur such as off courses, or not entering or exiting an obstacle straight. Grace and I ran 5 times over the 4 days, earning qualifying runs all 5 times. We earned the following scores 200,195,184,200,193. A couple of issues we had that got points taken off were overshooting the table and falling off, then re-entering on the wrong side, bouncing off the side of the teeter instead of exiting straight off, and once she got caught in the chute so she backed out then barrelled through it. It was quite funny because you could tell she was mad that she got stuck, and in typical Grace fashion after she was out of the chute she turned back to bark at it for slowing her down.
.
On Friday Grace also ran one run of Level 1 rally where she also qualified. I had entered this because I was really hoping that Grace could maybe earn a total dog award, and when I sent my entries, I was not confident in our ability to run in agility. To do that a dog has to qualify in a performance event and do well in the conformation ring. Since I couldn't handle both Grace and Peace, Grace got to play with a new friend Mike who she showed her beautifully. So Grace got to be in the total dog parade of qualifiers and compete for the best total dog award.
Peace also did wonderfully this weekend. She placed 2nd in weight pull on Friday for her performance event so also was able to do the total dog parade and conformation contest. She did not ultimately place, but she did make the cut in the herding group for that. The steward told me afterward that the judge commented that he really had liked her. Peace also won BOB at the Top Ten invitational Thursday (I cried) as well as earning 2 wins towards a grand and BOB on both Friday and Saturday. Sunday she did not win, but that did not dim our excitement at all. 3 BOB's over a 4 day weekend was incredible.
There were so many people there from MN, WI and IA that it seemed like I was constantly running into people. Everyone seemed to have a great time. I met some new people, made some new dog friends and want to do it again. Soon. I know Grace does, she wants to play with Ryan Newman (Dwysans Hot Wheels) again. I have never seen her flirt with another cardi in quite the same way. She was smitten! Anyone else already thinking about Gateway?
Grace and I ran UKC agility together for the first time. She did wonderfully. For thiose unfamiliar, UKC agility is scored similarly to obedience where you start with a 200 and are marked points off for any issues that may occur such as off courses, or not entering or exiting an obstacle straight. Grace and I ran 5 times over the 4 days, earning qualifying runs all 5 times. We earned the following scores 200,195,184,200,193. A couple of issues we had that got points taken off were overshooting the table and falling off, then re-entering on the wrong side, bouncing off the side of the teeter instead of exiting straight off, and once she got caught in the chute so she backed out then barrelled through it. It was quite funny because you could tell she was mad that she got stuck, and in typical Grace fashion after she was out of the chute she turned back to bark at it for slowing her down.
.
On Friday Grace also ran one run of Level 1 rally where she also qualified. I had entered this because I was really hoping that Grace could maybe earn a total dog award, and when I sent my entries, I was not confident in our ability to run in agility. To do that a dog has to qualify in a performance event and do well in the conformation ring. Since I couldn't handle both Grace and Peace, Grace got to play with a new friend Mike who she showed her beautifully. So Grace got to be in the total dog parade of qualifiers and compete for the best total dog award.
Peace also did wonderfully this weekend. She placed 2nd in weight pull on Friday for her performance event so also was able to do the total dog parade and conformation contest. She did not ultimately place, but she did make the cut in the herding group for that. The steward told me afterward that the judge commented that he really had liked her. Peace also won BOB at the Top Ten invitational Thursday (I cried) as well as earning 2 wins towards a grand and BOB on both Friday and Saturday. Sunday she did not win, but that did not dim our excitement at all. 3 BOB's over a 4 day weekend was incredible.
There were so many people there from MN, WI and IA that it seemed like I was constantly running into people. Everyone seemed to have a great time. I met some new people, made some new dog friends and want to do it again. Soon. I know Grace does, she wants to play with Ryan Newman (Dwysans Hot Wheels) again. I have never seen her flirt with another cardi in quite the same way. She was smitten! Anyone else already thinking about Gateway?
Monday, June 13, 2011
Magic the ambassador
Saturday Magic and I went to a dog show, but not to compete. This was an AKC show, but one where they really wanted people to see dogs doing all the things that dogs can do. So there was a someone doing carting, there was a meet the breed booth, and we went to be part of a weight pull demo. To show people how much the dogs like to pull, as well as how any breed can pull. We wondered around in our harness and invited others over to give it a try. I was surprised at how many people did try it.
Magic met many people and I thought was a great ambassador for the cardigan breed too. He loved on the people, he let the babies poke and squeal, he shed on them and showed what a wonderful dog Cardi's can be. I can't tell you how many people who met Magic who were so amazed at how calm and stable and loving he was. I did explain that Cardis are supposed to be reserved, but that many cardigans are as social and loving as he is. I had several comment that they were so surprised he was not skittish. Apparently somehow up here the breed is getting a reputation for being spooky, which makes me sad.
When we were all done being the social butterfly, we took some time for Magic to be able to do what he really wanted to do-Lure Coursing! I hadnt really remembered that there was going to be coursing, but Magic clearly recognised what it was from quite a distance away. Magic ran the course twice (with an hour plus rest time between) and had a great time. the club that was running the demo/fun runs is having a CAT test in October. Magic and I plan on being there!
The only bad part, silly me, I forgot my sunscreen and now have a pretty sunburn. Fortunately, I was able to borrow a little baby sunscreen for Magic's scar so it did not get more than slightly pink.
Magic met many people and I thought was a great ambassador for the cardigan breed too. He loved on the people, he let the babies poke and squeal, he shed on them and showed what a wonderful dog Cardi's can be. I can't tell you how many people who met Magic who were so amazed at how calm and stable and loving he was. I did explain that Cardis are supposed to be reserved, but that many cardigans are as social and loving as he is. I had several comment that they were so surprised he was not skittish. Apparently somehow up here the breed is getting a reputation for being spooky, which makes me sad.
When we were all done being the social butterfly, we took some time for Magic to be able to do what he really wanted to do-Lure Coursing! I hadnt really remembered that there was going to be coursing, but Magic clearly recognised what it was from quite a distance away. Magic ran the course twice (with an hour plus rest time between) and had a great time. the club that was running the demo/fun runs is having a CAT test in October. Magic and I plan on being there!
The only bad part, silly me, I forgot my sunscreen and now have a pretty sunburn. Fortunately, I was able to borrow a little baby sunscreen for Magic's scar so it did not get more than slightly pink.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Trip Planning
While I love going away and doing things witht he dogs, I hate the planning. I always forget something, and I never am quite sure what to take. I am looking forward to going to Premier with the girls though. I just dont know if I am ready!
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