What FUN!!!

I had a hectic late afternoon. Left work early to get home and grab Betty and Cash and race to the vet for Betty's "well puppy" checkup. As I was getting ready to leave I tossed their leashes on the floor. Denny got my attention and said, "Look." There was Cash with Betty's martingale leash already on. I swear I tossed it on the floor and heard it hit, but somehow he had managed to get it on, and properly too. Too funny. Betty's heartworm test was negative, hips and stifles tested out great, fecal negative, heart and lungs sound great, eyes and ears clear. Yup, she's just about perfect!

And then off to rally class. Cash was his usual happy, generally focused guy. Not as much sniffing tonight, yay! Toward the end of class he tends to get somewhat disinterested and wants to go play on the agility equipment. Wrong night, buddy.

BUT, after class was the fun stuff! Cash and Betty got to race and run with the other smaller dogs and chase tennis balls on the padded floor with all the equipment cleared out of the way! They had a blast and what a great way to burn off some energy. There was Griffon (papillion) and his housemate, a little puff Chinese Crested whose name I can't recall, Milo, Levi, Lily and Otis (miniature schnauzers), Frisco (rescue pom/pap mix) along with Cash and Betty. The tennis balls and dogs were flying. Otis is only about 12 or 14 weeks old, but held his own with the "big kids" and decided that Cash's tug rope was just the ticket. I'm totally annoyed at myself that I didn't bring my video camera, but I'm sure we'll do it again. All of the furkids are now crashed in their crates for the night.

Last night of this agility session

Last night was our final class for this session of agility. I took both Cash and Betty and got there early to acclimate Betty. Not that I needed to by any means. She is a social butterfly and loves everyone. She greeted humans and dogs alike but it is clear she was well raised by her Mamma to be respectful of older dogs. I don't think she has ever met a person she didn't like.

I put both of them in a large crate while I helped set up equipment. They just laid there quietly watching people and dogs arrive and the activity around them. All that changed in a heartbeat once the first dog was flying through the course. Betty leaped to her feet and started SCREAMING to join in.

I was very grateful Katie stopped by to watch the class and asked her to take Betty with her and sit on a chair in the far corner so she could still see what was going on. I gave Katie some chicken from last night's dinner as a treat for Betty if she sat quietly. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me because the look on Betty's face from across the room was priceless. She had her eyes lasered in on every dog that ran. Katie said later that although she couldn't be heard from more than a few feet away, Betty was quivering with anticipation and making a high pitched, although quiet, squeal. Me thinks the girl has DRIVE!

She's going to be fun to train! She has already learned sit and down in just the short time she has been here, sleeps all night in her crate (THANK YOU BELINDA!) and is just a joy to have around. She will be accompanying Cash to rally class tomorrow night.

Although Cash had awesome weaves with several difficult entrances and solid contacts, he will once again be repeating the Obstacles class and not moving on to the Handlers class because he has teeter *issues*. Sigh......

I was disappointed for about a minute but decided that I would rather have him SOLID in all aspects than move on and have to go back and retrain something in the future.

The BIG NEWS!!!

Please welcome Impulse Inside Straight.


Yup, Betty is here! After much dithering on our part, Betty joined our family yesterday. We owe huge thanks to Belinda and Alex Miller for entrusting her to us.

My goal has always been to put titles on both ends of a dog's name. I have owner handled several dogs to their championships in my lifetime and put a performance title on another, but never on the same dog.

My plan is to work with Betty in rally and agility foundation while she is growing coat. So far Keegan and Cash have been okay with her. Keegan gets along with pretty much any dog. Cash's nose has been a little out of joint but he met his match for pure speed when the poodle zoomies started this morning and Betty joyously joined in. That seemed to solidify her place in our little pack. We've only had one small skirmish when Cash approached Betty while she was busy with a bone. She left no doubt WHO the bone belonged to and Cash backed off.

The only down side (not really) is I now have TWO velcro poodles. I put a few photos on Flickr for those who would like to see them.

Just a quick note....

Haven't posted in awhile as it's just been NUTS at work and my energy is drained after work, getting home, doing a little training each night, going to class with Cash a couple times a week. I'm pooped.

We haven't received any instructor recaps for the last couple of classes. I miss them as they give me focus for what to work on between classes. Cash has redeveloped teeter *issues*. He is running the chute well. Weaves are solid, tho entrances are somewhat spotty. Contacts are still solid. We have more good things going than bad, so all in all, we're doing okay.

Next Wednesday is the last class of the session and I am hopeful we'll move on to the Handlers class.

ALSO.....

We hope to have BIG NEWS very soon, but until it actually happens I'm keeping the details to myself. Trust me that as soon as it happens, it will be announced...... ;-)