The Weekend Was Fun

Three videos to wet your whistle. I'm too busy for all the dirty details. Suffice to say, the weekend was "da bomb!" Tazzie got a grand prix and Super Q! He is now a SCH-br (snooker bronze). Fin was amazing. 3 out of 6 q's ...two of them a little dirty, but the one that Laura ran her in jumpers....simply amazing!

Stories to tell about our hotel, and all the weird things that happened. But the weekend results should keep me happy for at least a week.

Still have a ton of training to do with Fin. Contacts...really not good. Jumping...oh yeah baby! Directional cues...good for the most part. Start line stay...perfection. Weaves...speedy and beautiful. Me...needs improvement.

Tazz n I super Steeplechase. Fastest weaves he's done in competition in a year!

One last one....me running Fin in Jumpers:

Tomorrow is a big day

VAST. Agility. Excitment. Joy.

Little Fin is going to the "Show." Called up from the minor leagues, she'll be starting for her team. Let's hope she does good and doesn't have to go back to the minors.

Things we'll be looking for:

• clear calm body language from mom
• strength, speed, from the fish
• zen like mind control from mom
• smooth transitions from the fish
• mom will remember the course
• Fin will not bite the mom
• mom will not celebrate early
• Fin will drive towards the end
• mom will not trip over her own feet
• Fin will not run between moms legs
• mom will not toss her cookies before the run
• Fin gets cookies before and after her run
• mom will get a good nights sleep
• Fin will not bark all night in the hotel

These are the rules. They are simple. Walk the course, run the course. Simple. No stress. Easy. Just like in practice. Just like my diet. Just do it.

Fun Match Report

First of all I want to acknowledge all the individuals that live where they can not do agility out of doors this time of year. Here in the SF Bay area, we had a chilly morning of frozen over buckets and puddles, but the temps got up to the low 70's by 1pm in the afternoon. I apologize for all the fun we are having.

But, fun is what they call it. Blue skys, amazing weather, and a fun group of people. Drove up to Ben Lomond (Santa Cruz mountains) today for a fun match at Heart Dog Agility. The facility is very nice. They've just opened some new space for parking that that helped quite a bit. There are two fields and we do jumpers on one and standard on the other.

Kel (my husband) came with me today so I called it a short day so he wouldn't get too bored. I got in 3 runs by noon and headed into town for lunch sitting outside with Fin at my feet. Kel actually enjoyed himself and said he'd definitely go again :)

Took a few videos (also available on youtube).

This is the first jumpers run. Had a little trouble on the first pin wheel (it's because I didn't support the jump enough) and then she got a little cranked up and flew past the jump after the tunnel, but all in all I thought we did well.

Here is the standard run. I'm not doing A frame and dog walk on purpose. Need a little work on the targeting and did not want to use my 90 seconds for target work. The first set of weaves is amazing. I just smile. Second set of weaves had trouble with my entrance. I was dumb and kept putting her in again and again. Should have just set her up for success. But, once in, zoowza! I'm not real proud of my finish, something I really need to work on (her going on with me bringing up the rear), but if we were perfect, it wouldn't be any fun.

The last video is another jumpers run. It is the same course as the first. I felt I handled it better even though we had trouble with the finish.

Today, learned a few good things, got some stuff to work on for home work, and had a blast. I guess I'm most proud that she worked all morning for treats or toy AND I left my cookies and toy at the finish line (I did run with a hidden toy the first run and pulled it out...but the rest ran pretending it was the real thing).

Starting Our Agility Day off on the Right Paw

Got up this morning and went for a quick walk.

Stackable shelties ready for a walk.

Brought along the camera for fun.

Lots of walking was happening....only one flying.

Tazzie stopped for some poopsicle breakfast.

Fin doing her model posing.

Frozen puddles are very hard to drink out of. The good news...too early for mud :)

Fin even got Maddie to play a little.

I can't get Tazz to tug when I train, but he LOVES to tug on mittens during frozen walks.

There was lots of running through frozen grasses this morning. Even old dogs had fun.

Packing to go home. This is like a math problem, how to fit 4 shelties into a PT cruiser with only 2 crates without having two boys next to each other. I'm glad Kel took calculus in school.

At the Airport

Kels home. He came back early. We picked him up. A nice training visit to the airport. Grandma came along for the ride. Fin was a little worried at first, but once I pulled out the empty water bottle and we played tug, she was fine. Our tugging game produced an audience. Mom said I should have put my hat out, I might have made a few bucks....always the jokster, my mom.
When Fin got in her chair and laid down, the lady sitting a couple chairs down gave us a dirty look and moved on. Move on "dirty look lady," move on. No room for dirty looks on our airport chairs. This is a happy place.
Fin carefully watched all the peoples coming down the escalator waiting for her dad. She made a few mistakes and greeted people who weren't "dad" but no one seemed to mind.

One lady came over while I was working on down stay and stopped to tie her shoe a few inches from Fin. She did EVERYTHING she could to try to distract my dog. Finally the lady asked if she could say hello and I released Fin and the girl got all she could hope for. There is nothing like a happy Fin hello.

Kel finally arrived and he got a greeting like he'd been gone a year in Iraq and barely made it back. Big smile. Glad to be home, he is.

Training Dec '08

First of all the cuteness that is Wynn.

Next, Fin: (this video keep failing...I'll try later)

Laura working Fin. Look for the nice serp to weaves near the end. Super girly. I can not tell you how much fun it is to watch someone else run my dog. I never thought I'd have a dog that would love agility so much that she'd work for someone else (well, Laura is her auntie, after all).

Me working Havoc:

Love this dog. Laura, you've done a great job with her.

A Fin Training Video

I know that you've been waiting for more Fin. Fin will start trialing in January 2009 so more video will be forthcoming at that time. In the meantime, all you get is one or two training videos.

Here we are back in Salinas as the sun goes down (Notice I actually have a sweat shirt on). I know that many of you think that here on the west coast it is always sunny and warm, but it actually does get cold. I think it was in the 50's last night (Brrrrrrrr).

Laura recommended to try to work pieces of the course rather than run a full course. Good advice. We start out and she misses her line. I reset her and changed my position and we got what we wanted. The rest is just working on her turns and making sure that she hit her entrances and contacts.

Some Fin Vids

Don't read this unless you are sitting down.

I have FINALLY gotten all of the parts I need and can once again download video to my computer.

The world is applauding! I can hear you!

These videos are from early November. We are at an agility class in Hollister. I haven't edited these videos so you can see the mistakes and what we do about the mistakes. It is the reality of running a baby dog on some difficult courses. You get to see the good, the bad, and the ugly.

These courses are devised by Rob Michalski. He is a devious sort that likes to test our skills in the most sinister of ways. Serps, threadles, impossible weave entrances, 270's, 180's, his courses have it all.

WE LOVE IT!

At Robs, I run Laura's dog Havoc and she runs Fin. We sometimes switch off, but most of the videos I have are with Laura running Fin.

First one:

Second one:

Third one (with me - last run of the night....we are both tired):

That's all for now. I'll upload more to youtube tomorrow....

Fun Class Tonight

Fin's teeter is ROCKIN! Fin had the nicest teeters tonight. She "flew" to the end, waited till it hit and pounced into position. Very cool indeed.

Dog walk. Awesome!

Mom...well, I did great on the contact drills. I'm still needing work on my handling during our jumping drills. Fins doing great, I'm just needing to have more confidence in her ability to do the things I taught her.

Everyone else got to stay home and relax.

Crazed Sheltie Knocks out Owner!

Went to Salinas today. I ran Havoc and Laura ran Fin. We are working on this because I don't want another dog that won't let Laura run her. So at Robs class, Laura runs her 3-4 times and then we switch.

Laura had some great runs, I really love the way Laura treats her as her own and takes the time to get the training in. Havoc was amazing for me and I was blown away that she and are are starting to have the confidence in each other to get around a course.

When we switched and I ran Fin, the first run was fabulous! It was a really difficult opening of jump, 270 to the tire, a front cross to jump and real difficult weave entrance. She did smashing! I'm so proud of my little girl. She did pop the last weave pole, but I was really driving (something to work on).

The second run of the day was a real difficult straight line across the field over two jumps, into a tunnel and then I needed to get into position to serp a jump to get her going in the right direction.

I wasn't where I needed to be, and she exited the tunnel, got the jump, but barrelled right into me. She only weighs 18 pounds, but knocked me down into the dirt! I could not believe it. Down I went.

When I rolled over on my back and said, "Oh girly where are you?" she streaked from wherever she was and bounced on my chest. This encounter did not phase her in the least. For me, it made me move my sorry ass faster to get out of her way!

So since I don't have my cable, I don't have video of our encounter. Laura is most disappointed in this fact. I believe she would have played a video of me falling at her christmas party instead of white christmas. Now she is stuck with finding some other way of entertaining her guests.

All in all a fun day. I'm headed for a nice hot bath.

A New Bait for only $9.00!

This is Kazee. She is a half sister to Fin and obviously her owner has found a cool way to make some quick cash.

I'm thinking it is a little cheap for such a cutie pie, but this is the east coast and I've heard there are great bargains on the east coast.

Fun Project

Today started off well with a walk in the field and a swim in the creek. Then we sat in the car (me and 5 dogs) waiting for Laura to drop off her van for repair. A quick drive back to Morgan Hill to start our project. Laura and her husband decided "no more procrastination." So today I found myself at Laura's house putting in a doggy door. Her husband was worried and suggested a handy man. Laura and me, we don't need no stinking handyman!

Saws are fun, especially when it isn't your house. This doggy door is going in the wall and the inside wall, insulation, and outside wall needed to be taken out so the unit could slip in.

We had a few helpers, here they are slacking off on the job.

Before we cut the precise outside cut, we took a moment to revel in the glory of two girls building something wonderful.

Laura got to work too. I let her determine the outside hole size. I didn't want to make the mistake :) She thought I was letting her do the easy job....little did she know, this was the hardest part of the job.

Another helper. Got wrench?

The unit comes with a depth for wide walls. Our walls were only about 5" wide. We had to "snip" the extra tin away. Oh, did I say about 5"? I'm one of those seat of my pants kinda handi persons. At some point I ask Laura if maybe we should read the directions. No worries, we were on the right track. Notice the girl handi person footware. No foot protection for us! no way no how...we might want to show off our sexy painted toes at any given moment.
I have this saw that I've never really used before. Boy was it fun. I'm thinking I need to do more sawing...anybody out there got a hole they want made?

The finished product. Laura will now have warmth in her house as she won't have to leave the sliding glass door open. I'm always suprised when these things turn out. I'm no less amazed we did it. Only took 4 hours. We did run into one small minor problem, there was an electrical conduet running right through our hole. No worries, Laura made a call and here comes a relative to save the day. Moms husband, and retired electrician, saved the day in a matter of 10 minutes had us back to work.

A fun fufilling day.

Congrats are in Order

Congratulations to Diane Patterson and her dog Catcher (Fin's Brother) who got the first agility title for our litter. Big boy catcher got his NA and is probably getting his NAJ today :)

Whoo Hoo! Big shout out to Diane for working hard and getting HiMarks Perfect Catch "Catcher" ready and out to his first agility trial at only 15 months!

Here are her words (Catcher is Fins full brother and Kazee is a half sister), "Today, Catcher earned his Novice Standard title! He did it in just 3 runs, all with 1st places, and an average speed of 3.7 YPS!

Kazee, asserting her place as Princess of All She Chooses, earned QQ #6 for MACh2, with a 2nd place in Standard and a 6th in JWW. "

Fin has come "catching" up to do!

Well we are coming up on a year!

I can't believe how far I've come. I have actually stuck with something (writing in this blog). There are many memorable blogs, but I think my favorite is also one of the first. "Garbage day - http://kvk9.blogspot.com/2007/08/garbage-day.html." Have I learned anything since that post? hmmm yep. Does Mads still bark every Thurs? Yep.

I also brought Fin home a little over a year ago. She arrived at the house on July 13 2007.

Such a sweet little bundle coming home from Florida flying under my seat and not making a peep (that has changed...the peeping I mean). My girls are definitely the talkers and Fin once going is very difficult to stop. Now at 14 months she is speed and energy, my little joy on springs.

Tazz wasn't doing his teeter a year ago, now he does them with gusto. He also went through a table faze, now is better and seems to enjoy it more.

Kel didn't have a job a year ago and now he works 5 minutes from home and enjoys his time there.

I worked on a project for HP a year ago...oh yeah, I'm still there.

Broke my toe a little less than a year ago...no broken toes now!

Weighed about 15 pounds more a year ago...good to see improvement

Lots of memories. I am very happy to have started this blog.