Sunday, November 29, 2009

Sunday heading home!

It was actually a pretty incredible weekend! Blyss ran clean 5 out of 6 runs! The only Q she didn’t make was steeplechase and she would have had that except I didn’t support the broad jump enough and she sliced it! Otherwise, we would have Q’d!
Beautiful Blyss earned 2 titles this weekend! Her Advanced Jumpers and her Advanced Standard! We now get to play with the big dogs!
Skah took 4th place in Steeplechase! Yeah, Olaf can buy lunch!
Thea did really, really well. Olaf walked her around a bit during quite times and today I put her on leash in the middle of the day and walked the perimeter of the grounds. Her tail actually came out from between her legs and she was wagging it! She still has yet to potty on leash… all good things in time.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Pals and Paws-St. Johns Fairgrounds-USDAA

Great Friday!
The facilities are very nice... covered, dirt, aisle between the rings. Bathrooms are very close. Parking is almost at ringside.

RV facilities are equally as nice. The RVs are close, or you can park farther away. There is electricity & water but no sewer... no big deal. It's quiet.

There is an area which is fenced off where you can run your dog.

The club is very efficient, there weren't many volunteers but that's ok, we got it done. I really hope to title here because the title ribbons are awesome pretty.

Olaf and Skah ran with Keith and Scout in Teams. They did an incredible job. Olaf had 4 out of 5 runs clean and they took 1st place as a team! They each got a "gold" medal and a lapel pin... oh and bragging rights.

Blyss had a great jumpers run. There were 3 serpentines in the course and she nailed all 3. I worked on running (instead of prancing) through my run. We got our 2nd Q in Advanced Jumpers and took a Blue Ribbon!!!

It was a good day

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!!

What I am thankful for...? My health... my husband... Kito, Kayla, Skah, Blyss, Trik, Prix & Thea who give my life meaning... Aja, Mojo & Blu who I put up with!

I'm also thankful to be able to break away from family today (not that I'm not thankful for my family but...) and be able to go play agility!

On to Elkton!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

IRDTC Vero Fairgrounds

On familiar grounds here.

The RV area was almost full when we got here at about 6 o'clock pm but we were able to find a space. The x-pens are set up in a dog run instead of anything even remotely resembling a circle because we are so close to the RV next door. That's ok, as long as the kids can get out.

The dogs should be running full tilt this weekend because the weather is beautifully cool! It was 60 degrees when we left home. It is so crisp. It is only the 2nd cool spell we've had this year. I hope it lasts throughout the weekend.

The new RV is so much more comfortable. It's QUIET!!! No rumbling and grumbling. The stablizers work great. I sure hope sleep comes easily and we aren't rocking all night. There is a ton more space... it's amazing what 2 slide outs and 2 extra feel will do for the space. We aren't stumbling all over each other, there is room to actually move around. I could fix all 7 dog bowls on the counter!!! YEAH!!

Thea is doing great. The ride was easier on her than the x-pen is. She seemed almost comfortable on the trip, laid with Prix most of the way and stood with her feet on the couch, no crouching, no hiding. She didn't even want to get into her crate. Now that we are stopped she wants to stay in her crate. We have to carry her out to the x-pen because she just can't handle getting down the steps and into the x-pen on her own. She will come around. This is probably very good for her.

Well, this is it for the evening. Wish me luck!!

Tomorrow we trial!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Mid Florida Golden Retriever Club Part II

Awesome day. The facilities here are great. There is a Men's and Women's room with showers plus a laundry room. The RV slots are far enough away from each other that you don't feel like you are sitting in each others laps. The rings aren't too terribly far away. The crating area is all along the tree line surrounding the rings.

Lots of good stuff today. Carol titled, Olaf double Q'd TWICE! It was Christine's birthday (shhh, don't tell her, we are getting a cake for tomorrow). Poor Carole Beth is sick so she couldn't make it.

Blyss took first in Standard! Yeah, my big girl! Her Jumpers run was incredible! We dropped the 2nd bar (oops) but after that she had steam and sailed through the course. It was pretty tricky too. I gotta say, we handled it like champs!!

Let's see what tomorrow will bring....

Friday, October 23, 2009

Mid Florida Golden Retriever Club

On to another trial… this time in Orlando. I just got back from a brutal conference there this week for my “real” job. Standing 8-10 hours a day and chatting up prospects and clients… This was Monday through Thursday. Home late Thursday night, on the road again Friday afternoon.

It is sure to be a great time because I will have two classmates who will be there this weekend. It will be nice to discuss courses and plot together and see if we can remember what we have been taught and see if we are skilled enough to apply it!

This weekend is hosted by Mid Florida Golden Retriever Club. The trial is outdoors, no cover. We have only a 20% chance of rain but we are supposed to have record breaking heat… YEAH! Hey, at least we won’t be shivering…

What will also make it an interesting weekend is that because I haven’t been home, I haven’t been able to work with Blyss all week. I’m hoping she remembers the high we were on when we left the last trial … after her AMAZING jumpers run. Of all the runs to NOT get on tape… :-( Oh, well… that’s what the memory banks are for.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Sunday at Tailwagger

Great day! The cold front finally arrived Saturday night making it waaaaay chilly in the morning which fired up the dogs... BIG TIME! They were running like the breeze. So much energy, you could tell they were feeling fine!

Congrats to Lisa who tore up the Jumpers course with Trigger.

Blyss also had a great jumpers run. I have never seen her so fast. She was nailing it and it felt so smooth. It gave me the adrenalin rush I get when John lets me run Hellion. She was sooooo impressive. We really feel like a team.

We are well into Advance and on our way to Masters! *Now if I could just figure out Snooker and Gamblers ;-)

Olaf did really well. Came in 3rd and 4th with Kito and Skah in Steeplechase!

We finished up early and got home before dark!

Now I'm off to Orlando for a conference... ugh, work! Then next weekend we will be in Orlando for an AKC Trial.