Oriole Agility Trial = Snow. What is with that????

Tip and Bo had an excellent time at the Oriole Agility trial. Where once again it snowed and made the drive home very long, slow, and tricky. Who forgot to pay off the weather god?

Bo finished his Open Fast title on Friday, and got a bonus leg on Sunday, in which he FINALLY did the weave poles -- third time was apparently the charm. We also had a lovely run in standard, but NQed. (Yes, there will be much weave pole practice in our future! Once the snow and mud go away!)

Tip ran in Novice Preferred Jumpers with Weaves. First trial ever! He was GREAT! He even Qed! (I won't brag about getting first place, because he was the only 4" dog in the class).

Bo and Tip also got to go around the huge (and hugely crowded) Pet Expo. Tip thought that he was finally getting his due -- people had only to see him to rush over and gush over him. Let's be clear -- they were carried through the Pet Expo by yours truly.

We also had the great good fortune to get to see their breeder, Suzanne, and Tip's brother Tino. Tino was very very good and Suzanne finally got to see Bo run!

two bath morning

mud and papillons = not better together, especially if you throw some squirrels into the mix.

Then once your papillons are nice and clean and white again, you are loathe to let them out into the mudpit formerly known as the "back yard". Tip is on my lap, and Bo is in Tip's crate, at my feet. They are both entered in agility next weekend. Tip is in Novice Preferred JWW, mostly just to see how he does at a trial, since I have not been able to practice weave poles for weeks...

That was November?

Bo and I had one outstanding agility weekend and one dismal agility weekend. The excellent one was at the Capital City Cocker Club trial at Cedar Run where he finished his AXJ title and got his first excellent standard leg. The dreadful weekend was the Virginia Ruff Riders USDAA trial at Cedar run: many runs, many NQs, even at the starters level!!! Oh the shame!!! But even that had its bright spots, like the couple who went out of their way to complement me on what a great team we were.

Tip came out with us and even got to try the practice jump at the USDAA trial, once he got over his first initial nerves. I wanted to point out to Bo the nice stay Tip had...

Bo and Tip have a new girlfriend: Freedom the Canaan Dog. She is a nut. She broke Tycho's leather lead bolting after a squirrel! Luckily she's a good girl and came back when we called!

inattentive owner

Bo lit the afterburners and tore up two excellent jumpers courses, earning his first 2 AXJ legs. It was wet and cold, and pretty miserable. We also ripped through the standard courses, but unfortunately our courses differed slightly from the judge's courses. I will note that Bo's courses were running at a pace of 4.4 and 4.6 yards per second, and that is with him jumping 4" extra (I run him at 12" so I have a hope in hell of keeping up with him).

I learned two things:
(1) I need to collect myself and Bo before sending to the weaves, as he does not yet know how to collect himself
(2) don't leave the bed in the crate in a place where they wet down the running surface overnight, unless you want to put your dog in an icy-cold wet crate and then wonder why the poor thing never lies down. (yes, I discovered this upon PACKING UP!!!)

Tip had an excellent weekend at home with John (and then Paul, when the boy scout camping expedition got prematurely ended by the horrible weather). Tip also stole Bo's new orange stretchy lizard fuzzy toy, and spent the night with it in his crate. I discovered that in the morning, when he proudly but bashfully introduced me to his new love. That new love has since been eviscerated by Bo. Such is love.

Delusional?

The Judy Howard seminar has made me start wondering about teaching Tip obedience. hmmmmnnnn

scent articles

Bo is apparently remembering where the last correct article was and going there, to pick up the article placed there. He went so far as to find the scented article, eat the cheese off it, then go over and fetch the one located in the same spot that had been correct the previous time. Its a solution -- just not the one I want!

He also breaks concentration when someone is yelling in a nearby ring. Happened at the trial over the weekend and in class tonight.

Bo and Tip make the headlines

http://www.gazette.net/stories/09302009/poolnew164753_32540.shtml

Tip and Bo visit the new dog park and charm the news photographer into taking many photos of them. They got the front page of the Gazette and an inside page on the Washington Post!