January 17th – 19th was a three day holiday weekend with wonderful warm, dry weather. It was a big holiday weekend for Kant and Echo. They both had herding lessons on Saturday and Sunday. It was great working both dogs two days a row. Kant is working on driving. She is getting so much better on holding a line. Echo and I are doing better each time we go out. We are working on a stop which I am using a stand and putting words to the flanks. On Monday we took an agility lesson with Debbie Berkley of High Voltage Agility. Jordana and PITA shared the lesson with me, Kant, and Echo. This was the first time Jordana worked with Debbie. It was also the first time for me and Echo. We all had a great lesson, learned a lot, and it was nice to know that Echo and I are on the right path. This is what I ended up with after our three day performance binge. I love tired dogs.

I had a huge break through with Echo in agility Friday when we went out to the barn to practice. Echo responds so well to my body preassure and I was pushing past the contacts and weaves because I thought I needed to race her to the obstacle to "help her" when what I really need to do was trust her, hang back just a second and send her to the obstacle; we never missed a contact or weave entry after that.

This weekend the weather was typical for Oregon in January; grey, cold, rain, snow, and sun. Lora was in Washington at a herding clinic so I had ranch duty. I like it better when Lora is around but it is also nice to be trusted with the ranch. Both days we let the pregnant sheep out to graze around the parking area. Kant does great hanging out with me doing the chores. After working on cleaning up around the barn getting ready for lambs that are coming soon, cleaning waters, feeding, and putting the pregnant sheep back in their field then Kant and Echo got to play. Sunday Slick came along to play. I love playing fetch with the dog and watching them run. When they bring the ball back they all try to get it before me so I made them sit. Echo did not like that game but she quickly figured out the only way to get the ball was to sit.

Echo - agility class week 7

Last week was acutally week 6; with the weather, holidays, and being in California a week I competely lost track of what week we were on. Last nights class started out great with great focus. When we got to working the teeter Echo got so jazzed hearing everyone else doing it so I tried holding her. I knew I was in trouble when I went to put her down and her feet were running before hitting the ground. We had to take a little break and get her focused back on me and in a working mode. I was able to do that and we worked the weave poles and contacts and called it a night. Just like in herding the more I talk to Echo the more I can get her worked up. I need to keep commands calm and confident. We worked on start line stays, front crosses, the teeter, and weave poles. Gates, chute and table were introduced this week, all of which Echo knew but it had been a while since we did the chute. We had to have the chute held open a couple of times and then she was able to run through it closed a few times. We have gates at home and I love working with them, with the weather and it getting dark so early we have not worked much at home so Echo needed to be reminded what the gates were but she caught on quickly. I quit running with a toy this week and Echo was more focused on the obstacles then on me. We will keep working on having fun with focus.

GREAT WEEKEND – SUNDAY HERDING

The weather today was great for a mid-January day after the horrible weather we had a couple of weeks ago. And it was a perfect day to go herding for the first time in 2009.

We started today working Kant in the 200x300 field with last years baby lambs that do not get worked much. They are great sheep and show exactly where your dog is putting pressure. There was one lamb with too much pressure would turn and confront Kant. So she had to learn to move the other lambs and then stop and let that one decide to stay with the group.

Then it was Echo’s turn. In to the field that about 100x170 with 4 very nice dog broke sheep. Echo’s first step out was a very nice come-by, her better side. She started out a bit fast but settled right down in to work mode. Echo would have a very nice flank and I would think she was going to over flank but she would just catch the sheep’s eye and then fall back in to balance, it was amazing to watch. I am discovering the more I talk to Echo the more I get her worked up; if I do not say much she works incredibly. Echo responds beautifully to the slightest indirect pressure so I am learning to keep my directions and corrections small. When we got done I could not wait for our next lesson; I know I am addicted.

Here are a couple of pictures of Kant driving Echo’s sheep back to their group.

Driving home I was thinking about each of the dogs and their strengths and weakness and what an incredible journey we are on. I would not be on this journey if Lora had not opened Rocking Dog Ranch. Her ability to train herding dogs is incredible. And her methodology of having respect from the dog and respect for the stock and putting pressure on the ground not the dog works beautifully for me and my dogs. I like that she is honest with me and a bit tough on me because she wants me and my dogs to become the best team we can and we will!!

Just a note about the pile of limbs in the front yard, they were gone when I got back from the Ranch. The neighbor had said he was going to start hauling them to his place but I did not expect them all to be gone in the 4 ½ hours I was gone. Pretty soon the mess from the storm is all going to gone and soon forgotten.

GREAT WEEKEND – SATURDAY

Today was the first Saturday Jordana has not worked since she started her job at PetSmart so we had planned to get all the limbs cleaned up from the backyard. Before working in the backyard we had some inside chores to get done and my step-dad was coming over for dinner so I wanted to get that ready. Right in the middle of preparing dinner our neighbor from across the street came over and wanted to know if he could help with the backyard so we showed him the mess. He went over and got his chainsaw and within 2 ½ hours all the big limb were gone from the backyard and he cut up all the smaller stuff so I can just pitchfork it in to the yard debris bucket. Our neighbor went crazy with the chainsaw and as fast as he could cut the limbs in to about 5 foot sections I would carry them to the front yard. Jordana was inside fixing dinner and enjoying the fact that I was busy with the neighbor on her day off so she got to miss the fun of cleaning up the backyard. Of course when we were done I could not miss the photo opportunity and of course I had to get my blue girls in there. I can not thank the neighbor enough and he has no idea what a help he was. Jordana and I could have made a dent in the mess but not near as fast as a chainsaw and we could not have done anything with the few really big limbs. It is such a huge relief to have the backyard almost clear again. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!!

Gary came over to enjoy a home cooked meal the day after his birthday. It is always great spending time and talking with Gary. Since Gary and my mom spend most of their time in Indian Wells California and their time here during the summer is always busy for both of us our time together is never enough. I was blessed to be able to spend almost a week with them in California in November and we got together several times over the summer.

Happy Birthday Gary!!!

Echo at agility class…

Thursday was our 5th week in a 12 week agility class; each class is 30 minutes long. I was teaching Echo on my own and she knew most of the equipment going in to the class but I wanted her to learn to do agility when there were other dogs and people around. She watches the other dogs in class run but stays focused on me. We just started running to the end of the teeter while we control its drop and doing weave poles with wire. We are continuing to perfect the 2-on-2-off contacts; directionals; tunnel, hoop, and jump obstacles; and the start-line stay. Echo is a quick learner and likes to learn on her terms with little pressure from me. I am learning to teach her what I want and let her think that it is her idea. Besides Thursday night class Echo gets out to practice agility with all the dogs once a week. If she is ready I hoping to have her agility debut at our July NADAC trial in Newport Oregon.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

When the snow came the dogs thought it was great fun. It was when the ice came a week later that it was not so much fun.

What is it about snow that makes so many dogs go crazy? Kant, Echo, and PITA would have stayed outside all day running and playing. And chasing snowballs. I enjoyed the snow even though I do not drive in it.

When the ice storm hit it sounded like fireworks and the dogs did not like that so much but I did have some beautiful icicles.

There was no damage to the house or the cars but there were limbs everywhere. With weeks of clean up in our future after all the snow and ice melts.

More snow fell after the ice storm so it made the limbs a nice backdrop for a group photo.

I let the dog out in the backyard supervised so no eyes were taken out when the zoomies started and all those limps were down. They did not know their backyard could be so fun.

WAG NADAC Games Trial

A little snow does not stop agility folks. The drive to Paulus barn in Monmouth was a bit longer but we had no problem getting there. It was leaving Sunday afternoon that a 30 minute drive took over 3 hours. But the inside the barn was warmer then outside and dry and the dogs did not care about the weather outside as long as they got to play agility. Hershey, Kant, Slick, and PITA all got to play.

Hershey did not have the best of weekends; he was sure that yellow at the end of the contact would burn his feet. But he did finish his Superior Novice Hoopers with a smoking run with Jordana, thank goodness there are no contact zones in hoopers.






Kant had a great weekend qualifying in 10 of 12 runs and she also finished her Superior Novice Hoopers, that also gave her the Novice All Around Award. This weekend added 4 more titles for a total of 78 agility titles.



Slick had several seizures the week before the trial so he was not in to running agility on Saturday. Sunday he felt much better and was running so fast that he managed a couple of off-courses. But he did finish his Superior Novice TouchN'Go. He had a great weekend and that is all that matters!!




PITA did not get any qualifying scores in her runs but her focus was awesome. Jordana has been working so hard with her to keep that focus and it really showed this weekend. PITA was running so well that Jordana's handling was what caused not qualifying. Jordana is going to have to work on that.



All agility photos provided by Joe Camp; Thank you!!

December Birthdays

We celebrated three doggy birthdays in December. On December 12th Kant turned 6 and Echo turned 1. On December 15th Slick turned 5.

We celebrated their birthdays at WAG's NADAC Games trial.

We had a great time at the trial, more about that later.

More birthday photos:

The pictures of Kant and Echo were provided by Joe Camp.

First blog entry...

I have wanted to create a blog for a while now to keep in touch with friends and family and let them know what we are up to. And now I have!!

Thank you Lora for inspiring me.

This picture was taken on Halloween of all our dogs with a pumpkin my dad carved. We had a great Halloween with lots of Tricks and Treats.

I will give you a quick run down of who we all are and what we are up to these days. I am Traci and I still work at Oregon State Treasury, it has been 23 years. I still scrapbook, do some beading, and love training, working, and competing with my dogs. Jordana started working at PetSmart a couple of months ago and is a Senior at Western Oregon University. She likes her job and it inspires her to work more with her dogs. Now to the dogs: Casey is now 10 years old and still oversees everything that goes on in the house, she tolerates the other dogs. Hershey is 8 years old and went to NADAC Championships to compete for the first time in September 2008, he finished in 4th place over all in his division. Hershey is my first agility dog and he is a challenge to run, Jordana does a great job with him. Kant just turned 6 year old, we are still having a blast training and competing in agility and herding. I can not imagine my life with out her. Slick is now 5 years old and is still having fun running agility. He is still having seizures about every 6 weeks or so. He continues to fill our life with humor. PITA is 2 years old and her and Jordana are becoming an awesome agility team. She has been challenging but is very smart and most of the time wants to please. Echo is the puppy in training and just turned 1 year old. She is a bit of a pistol and is challenging my training skills every day. But she is also providing me with the most fun in training that I have every had, watch for this ones accomplishments starting in 2009. That is a run down of all of us. 2008 ended with a wild winter storm and I will post snow and ice pictures soon.