NADAC trial today

A number of people decided not to compete today so we were home by about 12:30. Today the arena seemed actually warmer than yesterday. Either the snow we got overnight helped insulate the roof or my blood is getting thicker and I don't notice the cold as much.



Today we again went 3 for 6 in the Q department with a Q and 2nd place in Regular, another Chances Q and another Tunnelers Q and 2nd place. There is an extremely fast Papillion running in Novice that once again kicked our butt today. Oh well, Q’s are much better to me than placements!


We did have some outstanding things like Cash's start line stay in Tunnelers. After we were told to Go and I did a 30-35' lead out just to be told "Oh wait, there's a loose dog on course." The Corgi ahead of us got away from his handler after they finished and proceeded to take 4 or 5 more tunnels. I kept laser-like eye contact with Cash and he didn't move a toenail. Good Boy!

His start line stay in Tunnelers with a loose dog on the course made my WHOLE weekend. We worked so hard to make his SLS rewarding to him and it paid off in spades. He probably would have had his fuzzy butt glued to the ground if the Corgi charged at him through the tunnel he was in front of. I was SO proud of him! Two of our instructors were there that knew how hard we had worked, saw his rock solid SLS, and were just elated for us.


He also Q'd in Chances with another evil side-by-side tunnel requiring him to take the far one (of course) and he nailed it.



The NQ’s were again my fault. My timing sucks and I need to get Cash information faster, but sometimes I just can’t spit out the words. It's a work in progress. His biggest handicap is his handler. Seems like the more we do agility the more there is for me to learn! But it's fun and I enjoy the sport and the camaraderie with other handlers.

Here are some videos. The first one is his Tunnelers run (apparently featuring my big butt at the start). The second one is the Chances run and the third is our Regular run. Enjoy and feel free to comment. Not on my big butt! On my handling.

NADAC trial this weekend

Once again I lost my mind and entered all 12 classes available at the Companion Dog Club's two day trial with the very personable Matt McCarter as our judge.

January in Nebraska can be EXTREMELY COLD! The high temperature today was 15 degrees. Our trial is being held at a nearby horse stable with a huge indoor (unheated, but insulated) arena. The attached crating area has three propane heaters running, so it is chilly but livable.

The 6 or 8 barn cats have discovered that agility dogs get treats after they run and one little grey one in particular decided my crate area was a great place to hang out. We would return from a run and little grey guy would be sitting in my chair. Cash jumped into the chair and gave him a hip check to move him over and they shared some leftover filet mignon.

We went 3 for 6 today totally due to handler error. Cash read my body language perfectly, unfortunately it was directing him to the wrong obstacle in a discrimination. One little bobble toward the end of otherwise beautiful runs ended them in NQs.

We got our first Chances Q on a course with two tunnels side-by-side and of course the correct one was the far one. We got it with me teetered just inside the line, directing "Out. Tunnel." Bless his little heart, he zoomed into the right one! One of the BC handlers in Open had a fabulous run going when she directed "Out. Tunnel." and he took the tunnel 20 feet into the next ring. Well, she did say, "Out. Tunnel." and that was the furthest tunnel out.

We Q'ed in Jumpers and are now one Q from his Novice Outstanding Jumpers title. Crossed fingers for tomorrow.

We also Q'ed in Tunnelers and gained Cash's Novice Tunnelers title.

Six more runs tomorrow in frigid weather with 3-4" of snow predicted tonight. Oh joy!

It's my birthday!

Yeah, mine. Not Cash's.

Actually it is the 16th anniversary of my 40th birthday....

Last night Denny and I went to his office Christmas party at a local restaurant that also has an arcade. I did pretty well and won this:

A poodle! Imagine that!

Denny, Katie and I are going out to eat tonight so a pretty low key celebration.

My biggest excitement of the day is that I mailed Betty's registration to the AKC today. Hopefully I will have it back within a couple of weeks and can start planning our 2009 show season. I'm thinking of bringing her out at the Greater Wichita Poodle Specialty in early April. She is in need of a shave in the picture but you get the idea of how pretty she is.

I'm a total unknown in the breed ring, having been away from it for 40 years. Although I did have the #4 Cocker Spaniel in the country owner handled back in the 70's.

This ought to be a hoot, an older woman with a stunning, typey bitch that has never been seen in the area. What fun!!!!