Tip photo fest

I got the order of photos from Jim Poor from the Golden trial at Westminster in October.   There are reasons to pay a professional:  like I could ever get those photos (well, no since I am out there running).  And even asking a friend to do it is asking a lot! We shall start with the most vibrant photo:  

Tip busting out of the chute! He was screaming out of there and I was out of the frame, calling him for all I was worth to turn him almost 180 to come do the teeter.  You can see he is starting to turn to his left in the photo.

Tip powers out of the chute.

Now, I have mentioned that Tip is a very earnest little dog.  I love this photo.  He looks like a very concerned little pony setting up for a jump.  Look at those ears and that expression!

Tip, looking very concerned, goes over a jump.

And in case you start wondering. "Does this dog like doing these things?  Here are a couple of photos to assuage your concerns:

Have you heard of a Tip Fly?

Weaves!

And remember:  an agility course is much longer for a little dog with 4" legs!  This photo gets that across, I think.

Little teeny dog off in the distance, flying over jumps.

And one last photo, because it is just that perfect:  Tip and the tire!

 

Nice smile!

Tip earns his Open agility titles!

Wow -- that was fast. 

I could have sworn we just started in Novice.  In fact, I have to contact Oriole and tell them to change Tip's entry from Novice to Excellent!

Tip had an amazing weekend at the Cocker trial in Fredericksburg.  (F-burg, to its friends): 4 runs, 4 Qs, 4 first places, two titles (OA and OAJ), and a Q his first time in the Excellent ring.  No faults are allowed in Excellent (other than some time faults in Excellent A).

Tip:  CH. Waytogo's Walk This Way CD BN OA OAJ NJP PCA-VP

 Tip is a little machine, and he takes things very seriously.  And you can see how hard he is trying to be good.  I was very proud of how well he ran, as he had never been in a place like the horse arena before.  And I worked very hard to remember to run him, and not Bo!!!!  I must say it was quite relaxing to just run around the course, with my only job being to remember the course -- no adrenaline-fueled terror! 

Friday night's crash-course in remembering weaves helped.  Tip had a couple little bobbles or uncertainties in weaves on Saturday, but on Sunday he did both sets of weaves very nicely.  He nailed the entrances and got some rhythm going through them (though not as fast as he can be).  He still can't do offside weaves, and we still don't really do rear crosses but apparently these are shortcomings that don't come between us and Qs.  He also has a fabulous start-line stay, but he is happier if we run together.

The last run of the weekend was Excellent Jumpers -- Tip's first time in the excellent ring.  He had just run his Open standard course and finished his OA title half an hour before (and spent the intervening time outside on Paul's lap in the sun, watching the hayfield in the sun).   It was a nice, flowing course.  I cheered Tip through the first 9 jumps, he got the weaves, then the remaining ten jumps I ended up running the crazy long outside line -- because it kept Tip going and I could.  It wasn't a very speedy run (44 seconds in a 50 second course), but it was CLEAN, and a Q, and BELOW SCT, and a first place!

I am hoping that as Tip gets more experienced with doing agility, he will be able to relax and I can even play with him a bit to get him revved up a little.  Right now I am respecting his need to understand and feel that everything is in control -- fluffing at this stage merely makes him feel that things are out of control.


On to Bo!  First day without any meds.  Another week in the crate and we can start doing more activity. No stairs etc for a month, but can start walking.  My plan is to take the next few months to get him back into condition, and see how he goes.  We will be starting tracking at Oriole.   If things go well, I will try him in a couple jumpers preferred runs in the spring, to see how he does.  That has no contact obstacles for him to leap off and hurt himself.  And he would be doing 4" in preferred; I  have a hard time seeing him hurting himself there, as there is nothing that he wouldn't be doing in normal life, to tell the truth.
 

I am keeping Bo company (not wasting time on the computer)

For some reason, John is not fully buying that I am being selfless and keeping Bo company...

The agility and obedience equipment have been stowed.  The kiddie pool is under the deck, and I have a Sazerac to indicate that happy hour has commenced.

I am not wasting time on the computer: I am staying here with Bo in his crate at my feet, keeping the incarcerated one company.  See -- it is a selfless act.

Tip was splendid this weekend.  2 Open JWW legs, and two wonderful open STD runs.  Today's should've been a Q and a clean run at 25 secs under course time, except the last 2 jumps I forgot what dog I was running.  instead of sticking with him, I sprinted way ahead (like he was Bo).  But when I do that for Tip, he tries to keep up, and ends up jumping flat ... and knocked the bar on the very last jump.  TOTALLY my fault! But he did great and nailed all his weave poles today. 

What was particualry impressive this afternoon was how well he rose above stress and feat to work.  I had worked the 24" excellent class, then there was a VERY fast course change (they only removed one jump and a dummy jump and moved the tunnel), So Tip as in his crate in the upper building for several hours.  I had him fully covered, in hopes that would keep him more relaxed.  Unfortunately, while I was working 24", the big 20" dogs arrived.  Even if he couldn't see them, the poor little guy could HEAR them all around him.  After I walked, I ran up to the upper building and grabbed Tip and some treats (and stripped off the extra clothes).  I carried him outside and he was visibly distressed.  He barely had time to pee, and I took him inside, during which we encountered several more big bouncy dogs, which terrified him more.  Just seeing him (they were perfectly harmless).  By the time I got him ringside he was pretty well shell-shocked, and I had about 1-2 minutes before our run.

Bless his heart:  I gave him a few bits of chicken, and did a couple little tricks, then just sat with him on my lap.  He got less terrified but was clearly not happy.  When it was our turn to go in the ring, he was clearly still a very stressed little dog.  What is most impressive about all this is how hard he tried to do what I wanted, in the face of being stressed.  That is why I am unhappy with myself, for going to fast at the end and blowing the valiant little dog's gift to me:  a perfect fast run, with no warm up, and while stressed and scared.  I know he was stressed, because he didn't light up at the end and was very happy to have me pick him up and hold him.  I won't be doing THAT again (leaving him alone crated in the upper building while it was loud and busy!)

So:  haul form the weekend:  2 Open JWW legs (4th and 1st).  Tip now has two Open JWW and one Open Standard leg!

for entertainment:  the video o Tip's Saturday's Open JWW run (I didn't realize we had Qed until much later!)

The whining will continue until ...

Well, the good news is Bo is feeling MUCH better.  The bad news is he has another 3 weeks of mandatory 24-h crate rest.  He is not a fan of this.  It was OK when he was still in pain, because he did not want to do anything but be a sad little dog lump but now ... Thanksgiving can't come soon enough!

At least he has gotten accustomed to sleeping in the crate next to the bed.  Maybe I will continue this.  What a luxury to be able to turn over in the middle of the night!!!!

On to Tip: Life gives and takes away.  What it is giving is a chance for Tip to blossom, even without the real impact of is best little friend Bo.  I was pleased at how well he handled himself this past weekend, without his buddy.  And in class, he gets my full attention, which I think he enjoys and is thriving under.  We have a few more agility trials then it goes quiescent for most of the winter -- time to polish obedience for the National!  reminds me -- gotta make those hotel resevation.  Maybe I will do that right now...

Ups and Downs

The sad news:  Bo has been diagnosed with some cervical disc issues and is on mandatory 24h crate rest for a month, as well as lots of meds.  I don't know whether he will recover to where he can work again or not.  However, I am glad to say he is already out of pain.  Last week he was walking funny and could not even shake his head! So I had to pull him out of the next 3 weekends worth of shows, and only Tip will be going. 

The good news: We just came back from the weekend of trials at Mattaponi, where Tip finished his NA and NAJ (with first places and clean runs that were 20-30 seconds under SCT).  He then topped off the weekend with a Q, clean run, and first place in Open standard!

CH. Waytogo's Walk This Way CD BN NA NAJ NJP PCA-VP

The first run of the weekend, I ran him like Bo, which stressed him and made him drop a bar and go visit the ring crew.  I then remembered what dog I was running and he did great -- he cannot take pressure.  Started off a bit slower (and controlled!) and after a couple obstacles sped up!  He nailed the weave poles all weekend.  In the novice classes I didn't always give him the perfect entry, but he slowed down and worked to get the entry and do the poles.  I was honestly dubious of his getting the 12 weaves in open, but he nailed the entry and did the weaves like the little machine we believe he is.

Tip is a serious little dog and doesn't want too much fussing before he starts, but man is he ever proud of himself when he finishes!  And I have just spent 15 minutes contemplating having a dog who is reliable but what if he isn't fast enough to make excellent course time!!!! arrrrgggghhhh.....

This weekend also showed how incredibly kind agility folks are.  I accidentally sprinted into a plexiglass wall ... I realized I was late for the class I was supposed to be working.  And forgot about the fact that I was in a plexiglass lined soccer field and slammed into the wall while sprinting for the far ring.  People were so kind and made sure I didn't have a concussion and got ice on it right away, so in fact I have no bruises on my face!  My knees are bruised and my left hand is a bit sore, but I came off remarkably lightly!

Tip does it again: CD in three straight shows!

Tip continues to surprise me.  OK -- so I knew when he was ready to show in conformation.  And I told Suzanne and Colleen that he wanted to show in conformation.  And they didn't quite beleive me until they took him to a big weekend of specialty shows and he brought home either WD or RWD every day.  Then he only needed one more weekend to finish his title:  with three majors.  Yeah -- that Tip!

Then a couple years ago I showed him in Preferred agility jumpers, and he Qed every run adn finished his title  bam bam bam!  Like that!  Then last year I showed him in Beginner Novice Obedience (doing the bad handler thing of scarcely training her dog before she entered him), and Q got 3 Qs and a new title.  Then a couple weeks ago I showed him in agility (not preferred) and he Qed almost every run (the NQ run was handler error).  And the there is obedience.  Much to my shock, that little dog Qed every time he stepped into the Novice Obedience ring.  It wasn't always pretty, but that little valiant heart did its darnedest to be good.  And his stays were perfect.  I don't think he has ever lost anything on a stay (stand, down, or sit).  Its like he freezes into place and just turns off.

Tip finished his CD at the Hyattsville DTC trials in Beltsville Maryland on Sunday September 23, 2012.

The huge newly minted CD smile, with Tip gazing lovingly at judge Don Levinson.

On Saturday, people said he was heeling quite nicely (even the judge), but he got a fairly abysmal score (173) because his "Sitter was broken".  Yup -- I had a handsome little dog who stacked every time I stopped on heeling and who stacked in front on the recall. On Sunday, I got a decent number of sits in heeling, but I lost him partway through the heeling pattern (he caught up with me after I executed the about turn after the fast, and finished nicely in heel position.  With a sit, as I recall.  He does have a lovely wait and recall, except he ends up stacked in front of me looking slightly confused.

Working out technical difficulties in the photo shoot.

Finally, Tip is facing the correct direction and the humans are not being silly!

 Here's to a valiant little dog:  CH. Waytogo's Walk This Way BN CD NJP!

MX for Bo!

Well that went far better than I had hoped.  Bo and Tip brought home a stash of ribbons and rosettes. 

Bo and Tip with their satin haul from the Belgian agility trial (September 2012)

I am not sure:  Was the high point the fact that Bo had a perfect start line down-stay on every single run (6 all weekend???)  Was it how spectacular Bo's runs were?  Was it Bo finishing his MX with a 4th place run that earned him 29 MACH points in a class of 22 8"Exc B dogs?  (A run that had the judge stop me later to comment on it?)  Was it the fact that Tip came home with 3 first place rosettes from Novice?  Decisions decisions.... I have no idea -- it was all good.

I realized the command "wait" on the start line actually means "jump up and down and bark madly".  Funny what you unintentionally teach your dog.  In all other instances wait actually means ... quietly hold position until I tell you otherwise.  But I put Bo into a down and a stay and he ... held his down until released.  I even did lead-outs!

Then there was little Tip.  He didn't Q in T2B, simply because he cannot do 12 weave poles in trial setting yet.  But he gained confidence all weekend.  I flubbed up our final run, because otherwise he would have finished his NA title.  However, despite my handling blunder it was a great run -- lots of energy and a fair bit of speed, and quite a bit of assurance.  Once we have those weave poles down, I think he will be meeting up with Bo in Excellent quite soon.  And I fear he will be quite consistent (unlike Bo who is so very brilliant).

Bo = Ferrari (Italian, flashy, fast, breaks down, but everyone wants one the second they see it!)
Tip =  Audi (German, machine-like, well engineered, reliable, very functional)