The Barking Lot

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T17:42:00.000-08:00

PUPPY LOVE!!!

And then there were two...

2012-01-29T22:01:00.000-08:00

Blaze, Blue, and Charlie left today

but Eris and True are staying!!

But they did not leave before the fun we had this week!

Last Thursday the puppies got their 2nd shot

but not before their last visit to my office

and play time with Tazz.

The puppies were very entertaining at the vet's office

and they got their shots without issue and passed their exam with flying colors!

Friday we had FUN IN THE SUN!

The puppies love playing outside

and they love playing with the big dogs!

Linda and her daughter arrived in the afternoon and could not wait to play with the puppies so "The Popper" and "Fishing" was played.

Charlie and Blaze loved "The Popper" best but everyone played.

Blue and Eris loved "Fishing" the best but again everyone played.

All that playing made very tired puppies!!!

Linda asked if I knew where we could get ducks for the puppies to see for the first time so I contacted Ken and Debbie Lyle and they were kind enough to let us bring the puppies down to their ranch.

Blue was a super star!

But Eris was also great!

But Star was the most shocking!

We brought Echo in to work the ducks

and the puppies were happy to see her.

So Echo worked the ducks

while the puppies watched.

Echo was glad to be working again!

Back to the puppies...

Blaze got in to it!

Nice down Blue!

Run Runner!

Syncrinized herding!

Thank you Carol for being such a big part of these puppies development

and thank you for coming with us to take such great pictures of the puppies on ducks!

And giving me the greatest last time with me pictures!

Blaze

Blue

Eris, formally known as Heart

Charlie

True, formally known as Star

Best of luck to Blaze, Blue, and Charlie!!

I miss you guys so much!!

Echo and Piper's puppies are 9 weeks old!!!!!!!!!

2012-01-24T17:50:00.000-08:00

I got a bonus week this week with the puppies!

Linda could not make it up through the Siskiyous because of snow!!

I don't think I will get as lucky this weekend!!

We had another awesome week!

I continued to take the puppies to work with me and they are great walking on a leash.

The puppies are very active and very hard to photograph.

So I end up with pictures like this

and this!

Eris thinks the very large Costco dog bed is just her size.

The true Beauty and the Beast!!

Star at a whopping 3.2 lbs and Charlie the moose at 7 lbs.

I have enjoyed going back through my blog and seeing how much these amazing puppies have changed!

Happy 9 Week Birthday!!!!!

Blaze

Blue

Eris

Charlie

Star

You guys are going to have so much fun in your new homes!!!

Echo and Piper's puppies are 8 weeks old!!!!!!!!

2012-01-17T18:42:00.000-08:00

This has been an AWESOME week!

I started taking the puppies to work with me 2 at a time,

to get them used to riding in the crate and new places!

Meeting new people and seeing friends and meeting Tazz my friends 12 week old pug

are bonuses!!

By going to work with me they are also getting to walk on a leash,

that has been fun!

They also started sleeping in crates,

2 in one and 3 in another.

That has been going incredibly well!!

They love their toys...

Sometimes they choose their own toys even if they are someone's shoe!

I play with them every chance I get!

But sometimes they sleep.

Star obsessed with Stephen's ear!

This weekend the puppies also got to see their first snow!

But all that snow to explore, eat, and play in...

makes for very tired puppies.

Charlie is the gentlemen that let all the girls have the bed.

Happy 8 Week Birthday!!!!!

Blaze

Blue

Eris, formally known as Heart

Charlie

Star

This is my last week with them and I am going to miss them!

It is official, okay it has been official for a couple of weeks.

Eris picked me and will be staying!!

My Girls - Kant, Eris, and Echo!!!

Echo and Piper's puppies are 7 weeks old!!!!!!!

2012-01-10T22:08:00.000-08:00

This has been the best week so far!

I love puppy wrestling matches but I keep getting beat up but than it is 5 against 1!!

I love watching them play!

Charlie is king of the box.

While some like to sleep in the box;

who needs fancy beds!

This week they got their first shots

and passed their exam with flying colors!

I spend a lot of time on the floor playing with the puppies

which gives me great photo ops.

Happy 7 Week Birthday!

Thank you Jordana for our new bling!

Blaze

Blue

Heart

Charlie

Star

This week we are going for walks on the leash and sleeping in a crate!

Should be fun!!

Echo and Piper's puppies are 6 weeks old!!!!!!

2012-01-03T22:19:00.000-08:00

The puppies are really starting to look like small dogs!!

It is still easiest to take pictures when the puppies are sleeping!

Too cute!!

This week the puppies completely moved out of the spare room and out of the kitchen.

Echo helped supervise the creating of the puppies new home.

And they seem to like the new home!

I like it because I can watch puppy play from the couch!

We still have great visitors!

Nothing better then a boy and a puppy!

The puppies are becoming a handful but the fun out weights the work!

Echo is still a great mom!

There have been a lot of firsts this week...

Echo played with her puppies for the first time.

We had a pee pad failure!

Blue was the first to finally get on the box.

Happy 6 Week Birthday!

Blaze

Blue

Heart

Charlie

Star

You guys are growing up TOO fast!

And are TOO cute!!

The end of 2011

2011-12-31T19:29:00.000-08:00

This year is ending quiet but busy with 5 five week old puppies in the house. The past couple of months I have had lots of time to look at my goals for 2011 and how many of them I accomplished or came close to accomplishing and why, and setting new ones for 2012! I have enjoyed looking back over my blog and seeing all the good times and bad!! I did a lot of agility and started working dogs on stock again; I spent great times with the dogs, friends, and family; I became a judge without supervision; Kant and I got NATCH2 and V-NATCH2; I started Volkswalking again; and I said Good Bye to Slick! I have the greatest daughter in the world who is doing incredible in Bend and we had some awesome visits. All my dogs ROCK and Echo blessed me with 5 of the most amazing puppies and one who became the newest Sheltie in our family. Breeding Echo consumed most of 2011. I have no regrets about breeding Echo and am very glad I did it and am loving the puppies but I am also looking forward to concentrating on Echo’s training in 2012 and helping her become the best agility and herding dog she can be!

I can already tell 2012 is going to be a great year filled with fun, struggles, accomplishments, and hopefully very little sorrow! So many puppy firsts and learning; preparing for NADAC Championships in October at South Jordan, Utah; and planning for the Sheltie Nationals in Albany, Oregon, Spring 2013. Bring it on, I am ready to challenge myself to become the best I can for my daughter, my dogs, my family, and my friends but always being true to myself! Thanks to Jordana and my parents I have a fun 5 year plan that starts this year.

May you live every day like it is a holiday, being thankful and spending time with friends and family, and looking hopefully to the future!

Happy New Year!! May 2012 be the best year!!

Echo and Piper's puppies are 5 weeks old!!!!!

2011-12-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

How could another week go by so fast?

This is the cutest group of shelties ever; I am not biased or anything!

This week they have been eating real food. They do not push or shove but just chow down.

They are still too cute when they sleep!

Echo continues to be an incredible mom!!

Friends and family keep coming over for puppy play, puppy snuggling, and puppy breathe.

And Lindsey and Tammy brought the favorite toy!

This week the puppies also had their first Christmas!

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS...

a puppy,

and a puppy,

and a puppy!

Happy 5 Week Birthday!!!!!

I cannot believe how fast you grow!

Blaze

Blue

Heart

Charlie

I am looking forward to seeing how you grow this week but please do not grow too fast!

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-25T20:39:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

Kant, Echo, and Hershey with Santa!

The puppies with Santa!

PITA and Oakley with Santa!

A wish for you at Christmas -

May your home be blessed with love and laughter!

May all your Christmas wishes come true!!

Echo and Piper's puppies are 4 weeks old!!!!

2011-12-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

Wow! 4 weeks old!

I cannot believe how fast they are growing!

Echo has been spending more time with them. They want to play with their mom.

And sleep with her.

The puppies now have teeth and they play more

but they are still too cute when they sleep.

They continued to meet people

and had their first "Puppy Party"!

This weekend they got play time in the kitchen with toys and got to meet the big dogs.

For their 4 week birthday they got their second nail trimming thanks to Carol

and got to eat their first real meal!!

Happy 4 Week Birthday -

Blaze!

Blue!

Heart!

Charlie!

Star!

Let the fun begin!!

Echo and Piper's puppies are 3 weeks old!!!

2011-12-13T21:12:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe that another week has gone by!

We have had another great week of growing!

Echo has started hiding under the bed. but she still comes out to take great care of her puppies!

The puppies are getting stronger, standing better,

and are sitting up.

Some of them think life is better on the other side of the whelping box!

I still love to watch them sleep and see all the different positions they get in!

I'm not heavy; I'm your brother!

Carol came over tonight and brought the puppies

their first lamb.

Blaze and Blue liked chewing on the lamb, what does that mean for their herding future?

Jordana came over to see the puppies and help me with this picture...

our first picture with Santa.

The girls are in Santa's hat while Santa holds the boy.

Jordana also brought each of them their own toy!

Blaze with her hedgehog.

Blue with her snowman.

Heart with her sock monkey.

Charlie with his penguin.

And Star with her sock bear.

I also weighed them today which they may be close to outgrowing my Weight Watchers scale.

Blaze 28.60 oz.

Blue 29.80 oz. - still the biggest.

Heart 20.50 oz.

Charlie 27.60 oz.

Star 19.10 oz. - still the smallest.

Happy 3 Week Birthday!

Looking forward to another wonderful week!

Happy Birthday Kant and Echo!!

2011-12-12T21:46:00.000-08:00

Today Kant turns 9 and Echo is 4!! Kant spent the weekend doing what she loves play agility while Echo stayed home to take care of her 5 puppies probably not what she wanted to be doing. Jordana came over to see puppies so this afternoon Echo is going to get a short break from the puppies to go on a walk with Jordana and her pack and me and Kant. Happy Birthday Blue Girls!!

WAG had their December Games Trial this past weekend and I was running Kant in all 10 classes and PITA is 6 classes. Both girls were Super Stars!! Kant Q’d in all 10 classes

earning her 900th Elite Weavers points and

earning 700 in both Elite Touch’N’Go

and Elite Tunnelers!!!

But PITA continued to amaze me!!! She started out Saturday morning with a beautiful Tunnelers run where she ran her fastest Tunnelers time ever at 6.63 yards per second! We have been struggling with weaves but not this weekend;

PITA did miss the entry to two sets but she never popped out not even on the set of 12 and got her first Open Weavers Q. Thing did not go so well in TNG

but there were beautiful pieces but no Q. Sunday she Q’d in all 3 classes earning her Open Tunnelers title, she got her 2nd Open Weavers Q with a wonderful run,

and her first Open TNG Q.

Her Tunnelers run was absolutely amazing with incredible drive and distance and showing she is “Perfect In The Agility”!

WAG knows how to put on a trial!! They bring in a great judge who brought fun courses!! It was a great weekend spent with my dogs and friends! Thank you Joe Camp for being there to provide wonderful agility pictures!

Echo and Piper's puppies are 2 weeks old!!

2011-12-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

This has been another great week!

Eyes are almost completely open!

They are wobble walking and sitting!

They got their first manicure and pedicure!

And we had great visits!

They still sleep a lot!

And it makes taking pictures easier.

I love when they use another as a pillow!

Or sleep face to face!!

And I absolutely love puppy paws!!!

I cannot believe they are 2 Weeks Old!!!!!

"Blaze" is growing nicely and is now 20.4 oz but is is having a bad ear day.

"Blue" is beautiful and still holding in as the biggest at 21.8 oz.

I hope she keeps those blue eyes.

"Heart" is a lovely 14.3 oz and is also having a bad ear day.

"Charlie" is a handsome 20.1 oz boy.

"Star" is the smallest puppy at 13.75 oz but she is huge in cuteness.

It is exhausting being 2 weeks old!

Happy 2 Week Birthday!!!!!

Can you see what I see...

2011-12-02T20:31:00.000-08:00

This is "Star" and the first to open her eyes

but her sister "Heart" and brother are right behind her!!

Can you see me now?

Echo and Piper's puppies are 1 week old

2011-11-29T22:14:00.000-08:00

Warning: PUPPY CUTENESS OVERLOAD

Here are some pictures from this past week!

First born "Blaze"

#3 has a heart on her belly.

On Friday the puppies had their first outing; they went to the vet to have rear dew claws removed.

The little girl had to get a band-aid.

Gotta love the blue!

Or a Tri!

Or three!!!

Okay I LOVE them all!!!!!

Puppy Love!

Look who is 1 week old:

She is now 12.8 oz.

The blue girl is now the biggest at 15.15 oz.

This little girl is still the smallest at 9.05 oz.

The boy is growing up very nicely at 13.3 oz.

And last but not least is the 9.7 oz girl.

I am having a blast with these puppies and am so excited at what a great mom Echo is!

I hope you enjoyed the pictures!

See you next Tuesday!

2nd NADAC Fun-raiser in Canby

2011-11-28T17:54:00.000-08:00

Another incredible NADAC Fun-raiser at Sunnybrook Farms!! Thank you again NADAC and Arlene for bringing so much fun so close. And thank you to all the people that brought all that incredible food!! The weather was still pretty good for November but it was COLD on Sunday!! I need to remember heavier socks and hand warmers for the New Year’s weekend.

Kant was entered in 4 Regulars, 2 Jumpers, 2 Chances, and Hoopers. I could not remember the Hoopers course sending Kant to the wrong hoop first thing Saturday morning. Kant knocked a bar in Saturday’s Jumpers but Q’d on Sunday; only 5 more to go for NATCH-3. Kant got both Chances and 3 of the 4 Regulars. I was so proud of her!!

PITA continued to be a Rock Star!! She was also entered in 4 Regulars, 2 Jumpers, 2 Chances, Hoopers, and Touch’N’Go. She got 1st Place in her 1st Open Hoopers! She got both Regulars on Saturday and we were over time in both rounds on Sunday because of weave pole issues. I ran her at the wrong level in Jumpers on Saturday but made sure I did not make that same mistake on Sunday where she had her fastest Jumpers run yet earning her Novice Jumpers Title. She did not get Chances on Saturday but had a beautiful run on Sunday earning her Novice Chances Title. PITA also Q’d in TNG earning her Novice Touch’N’Go Title. Count them up: that is 3 new titles for PITA this weekend!!!

At the last minute I decided to run both girls in Tunnelers, the last class of the weekend. I love ending a weekend with Tunnelers where you can just run for fun!! Kant had a smokin’ run that lasted 21.82 seconds. But not to be out done by Kant PITA screamed through the course in 24.82 seconds; her fastest Tunnelers time.

Poor Echo is just days away from having puppies so no agility again; not that she cared!!
Puppy update - Echo had her puppies 2 days after this trial; see post 11/22/11 posted on Thanksgiving Day!!

Friends, Scrapbooking, and a Road Trip

2011-11-26T20:33:00.000-08:00

Lee, Heidi, and I made our 2nd Annual Scrapbooking Trip to Bellevue Veteran’s Day weekend!!! I left my house at 10am to head to Dallas to pick up Lee and Heidi; after getting everything loaded we left Dallas a little after 11am. I got a text about 2pm wanting to know how Seattle was; I did not know how to tell them we were still in Oregon! We had planned to stop at Bobbi’s and have digital software training and I figured that would take an hour but of course shopping was involved. We got to Bellevue without any issues. We stayed at an Extended Stay Hotel again but it was a different one then last time and this one had elevators and luggage carts; both of those made getting all of our stuff up the room so much easier!!!

Thursday night was spent getting set up and catching up. Our hardest decision of the night was which kind of pizza to order. We decided on Chicken Garlic, YUM!

Friday morning we were up and at the Expo right before it opened. It was so nice having the Expo less than 2 miles from our hotel. I really enjoyed the Bellevue Expo and we all came back with packages of stuff. My favorite find was the greatest dog paper I found that included “dog park” paper!! I carried my camera through the whole Expo and not once did I take a picture. After the Expo we had our traditional Mexican lunch;

thank goodness for chips and salsa,

Strawberry Margaritas,

and great friends!!!

Scraping started Friday night and continued Saturday morning before we were interrupted by a fire alarm. Lee had just finished making a pot of coffee when the alarm when off. It took us some time to figure out what was going on and then we had to get dressed before we could leave. We grabbed purses and I grabbed my camera so I could take pictures

of fire trucks,

firemen, and flames, and we were out the door. Thankfully Heidi had instructed us when we first arrived where the exits were and she paid attention because when she was telling us all I heard was “blah, blah, blah”. Just as we got to the stairwell the Hotel Manager was coming downstairs and told us he had found the cause of the smoke, someone was cooking in their room and it got out of control but everything was fine and we could go back to our room, but the fire department had to turn the alarm off. We tried going back to our room but the noise was too bad so we decided to go to Starbucks instead. When we got downstairs we found my van trapped by a fire truck.

But they moved that fire truck to make room for the biggest ladder truck I have ever seen.

That truck stopped right before blocking my van so we were able to make it to Starbucks.

Heidi was still in her Tinker Bell PJs and I was looking my finest

so Lee went in to get our order. When we got back to hotel all the excitement was over and scrapbooking resumed. Lee and Heidi relaxed and enjoyed their time away from family and they both scrapbooked but I became a scrapbooking machine and got 55 pages done including 6 mosaic pages. Lee got about 30 pages done and Heidi did 16 after she put the “stupid” project life away!

We were packed up Sunday morning and home Sunday evening after stopping at Country Cousin in Centralia for lunch and Bath and Body Works for some shopping. What an incredibly wonderful weekend spent with the greatest of friends!!

11/22/11

2011-11-24T22:21:00.000-08:00

So the ultrasound showed possibly two puppies and I had mixed emotions; I was sad there were only two but than two would be easy to take care of; with two there were no choices. But Echo was sure getting big for only having two so last Friday I did an x-ray to see the size of the two puppies. You can imagine my surprise when this picture came up on the screen!!

I count more than 2 or 3 or 4!!!!! So how many to you see? The vet says 5, I think 6, and people have said 7. We will know soon!!!!!

Monday night I was able to complete my "Puppies Are Coming Checklist":

Quit eating - check

Start nesting - check

Start panting - check

Temperature drops - check

The fun started Tuesday afternoon,11/22/11, and friends, Barbara and Carol, were called and arrived quickly!!

7:40pm puppy number 1 arrived.

A Tri 9oz girl.

She came out backward and was huge; being first and having a wide blaze on her face she was called "Blaze"

8:05pm puppy number 2 arrivied.

A Blue Merle 8.4oz girl.

She also came out backwards and ended up being the only blue and non-Tri.

8:11pm puppy number 3 arrived.

A Tri 6.15oz girl.

She was the 1st to come out the right direction and ended up being the smallest puppy.

She has a dark face.

8:44 puppy number 4 arrived.

A Tri 7.9oz boy.

This one also came out the right direction and is the only boy.

9:24pm puppy number 5 arrives.

A Tri 8oz girl.

This one came out upside down and ended up being the last puppy.

As they were arriving we were putting them in a box.

I thought it would work but you have to be careful when you breeding working dogs;

they want to start working right away.

Very active puppies!!!!!

Welcome the latest Northligtht Shelties!

4 girls and 1 boy; 4 Tris and 1 Blue.

Echo is ready for them to be put in the whelping box

so she can take care of them.

Echo is a great mom!

And

the puppies are doing great!

THANK YOU Carol and Barbara!! I could not have done it without you and you two were amazing!!

The fun is just beginning!!

Happy Thanksgiving!! I have so much to be thankful for!!

1st of Many NADAC Fun-raisers in Canby

2011-11-16T19:45:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! And WOW! WOW!! is all I can think about saying about NADAC agility at Sunnybrook Farms the first weekend in November!

Thank you Arlene and NADAC for providing the Fun-raisers in Canby. Thank you NADAC for finding such an incredible location; plenty of crating room,

excellent surface, large well-lit arena, and lots of places to potty dogs and let them run. There were great courses, great runs, great times spent with friends, great food, and great weather!

NADAC Champs is coming to the west in 2012; an exact location has not been announced yet but all of the locations posted are a day’s drive. After talking with Jordana she wants to run PITA at Champs this year but with no NADAC in the Bend area and her working weekends she has asked me to get PITA qualified. So PITA has come back to live in the valley and play agility with me.

Kant and PITA were entered in 4 classes each day; both Regulars, Jumpers, and Chances.

Kant Q’d in 3 of the 4 Regulars, 1 Jumpers,

and 1 Chances.

I love running her; it is so comfortable and fun!!

After finding out there was a bonus line on Weavers I did day-of-entry for Kant; we crashed and burned but there were some great parts of that run. Bonus lines are addicting.

PITA has not run much agility in 2011. In July she practiced once before the WAG Trial and then ran with Jordana great at the trial. Since she has been back with me we have practiced 3 times before this weekend.

I was very proud of PITA this weekend!! We did not qualify on Saturday but had great parts in all our runs and we both learned a lot.

On Sunday she was much better and we got a Regular Q to finish her Open Title

and a Novice Chances Q with a run that I would have loved even if we had not Q’d!

I am looking forward to continuing to grow with PITA

and running more agility together!!

Thank you Joe Camp for all the great agility pictures that helps capture such a wonderful weekend!

Echo did not get to play since she is less than 3 weeks from having puppies. Her belly is getting so big!!

I am so looking forward to the next Fun-raiser this weekend!! And the one New Year’s weekend and having Marj back in Oregon for all the fun!! NADAC in 2012 is going to ROCK in Canby!!

Life is a Beach

2011-11-02T17:43:00.000-07:00

My furlough days have started again with one last Monday after judging at the WAG Trial. Jordana decided to come over and visit with their 3 dogs. The forecast was for a nice day at the coast so we made plans to go play. We loaded up all 6 dogs and off we went. The forecast held true and we had the best day!!

We started out at Gino’s Fish Shop in Newport for lunch where I had great fish and chips and Jordana had a Pulled-Tuna Sandwich; it sounded funny but was very good!!

And then it was time to play on the beach

and play we did.

And play.

Hershey even had a great time;

I kept looking back for him and he was right there with us.

Kant always loves going to the beach and gets to go pretty often.

Echo also has a blast chasing the seagulls but sometimes she does not pay attention to where she is going and gets too far out in the ocean for my comfort.

PITA just loves to run and greet people!!

Oakley seemed to have a good time running with everyone but she never let Jordana too far out of her sight.

Odin loved chasing the waves but I worried about his short legs running fast enough to get away from the incoming waves.

Thank you Jordana for coming over and making it such a great day!!

Echo is expecting!!

2011-11-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

It is official, after the ultrasound done last week it looks like there are two puppies!! I am so excited I can hardly stand it! We are going to do an x-ray around day 50 to get a better look at how many skulls and spines there are. I was hoping for more but two is better than none!! They should be here around Thanksgiving!!

I have gained a whole new respect for breeders and for my vet. I did not realize how OCD I was until I bred Echo. Echo has always been a finicky eater and I use her for my treat tester, if she likes them everyone will like it; yes she is a sheltie. So I was worried about her eating enough to support the puppies. Echo ate incredibly well for exactly one week and then went back to her old ways so I started scrambling an egg to mix with her breakfast and cooking hamburger to mix with her dinner. Echo seemed to really enjoy that and got very good and picking out the good stuff and spitting out all the kibble, even softened kibble, soften with low sodium chicken broth not just water. So after rolling her eyes several times my vet said 3 things: quit reading the internet but all that information is right at my fingertips; quit cooking for Echo she needs something more balanced then all that protein but she likes it; and quit worrying dogs have been doing this for years but not MY DOG. Of course I am listening to my vet and doing everything she said to do which is very easy since she told me to do nothing and I am struggling with that! My friends are checking in with me to make sure I am okay since they have not seen me for a while; I don’t want them to see how crazy have an expecting dog has made me. And we still have almost four weeks:-)

This weekend I really noticed Echo is finally getting a puffy belly. She is very tired and has gone back to licking her bowl clean. She is also very clingy; I love this little dog so much. And she is so cute!!

Happy Howlinween!

2011-10-31T18:06:00.000-07:00

Trick or Treat!

From our pumpkin!

From our Angel!

From our Red Hot Chili Pepper!

We are waiting for you!!!!

With candy!!!!

Just follow the Ghosts!

Cottage Grove Covered Bridge Walk

2011-10-21T19:13:00.000-07:00

I did another wonderful volkswalk this one was in Cottage Grove for the Covered Bridge Festival. Trinna came with me again after I assured her this was only a 10k. We had some foggy patches driving down to Cottage Grove but the weather was clear and perfect for a walk. Neither of us had spent any time in Cottage Grove and were surprised it was as big as it was.

This covered bridge was being rebuilt

and we saw both sides of it.

I have a terrible fear of height and struggle with bridges especially when there is movement under the bridge

so you can imagine my panic when we came across a suspension bridge that no only had moving water under it, very little railing along the side but it also bounced as you walked. Thank goodness it was short.

But of course I had to stop and have Trinna take a picture!!

We also got to see a small walkway covered bridge. I love covered bridges no matter their size.

Towards the end of the walk we went through a Saturday Market, past a scrapbooking store that was not yet open but we visited after we were done, and along a very nice bike path.

This was a great walk and I would come do it again!

Thank you Eugene Springfield Mossback Volkssport you guys put on great walks! See you next year!!

Pacifica or Bust…

2011-09-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

It finally happened – Echo finally when in to heat so the logistics were put in to play last week. If all goes well we should have puppies by Thanksgiving. Friday morning I got up and headed to Pacifica. After an uneventfully long trip down there we arrived around 6pm. Linda has a few call ducks at her place so we put Echo on ducks for the first time. She did great and Linda said she should have kept her!

Saturday morning we were up and headed out to work goats and sheep with Echo’s first rendezvous with Piper scheduled for mid-day.

Linda worked Echo’s mother, Lacey,

and Grandmother, Minka.

They both did great and were a pleasure to watch. Lacey is 11 and Minka is 15;

Minka would have worked all day even though her body was not moving as good as it used to.

I was very proud at how well Echo worked

and Linda says she is just like her brother Cody.

We met up with Piper and his mom in Half Moon Bay. Piper is a very handsome, small, very black bi-black sheltie and Echo liked him. Their first meeting went very well; two more to go.

Linda took me to this GREAT BBQ place in Pacifica for lunch. I got a pulled pork sandwich with Mac and Cheese as my side. The sandwich was HUGE and could have easily been split between two people but I ate the whole thing; it was SO good! We spent a wonderful afternoon watching herding and puppy videos. For dinner they went and got pizza and it was wonderful. I could be very happy in Pacifica if it was not for San Francisco traffic and earthquakes. Linda and her family were amazing hosts and made me and my blue girls feel very welcome.

I decided to save my vacation days for when the puppies are here and left for home Sunday morning with just Kant. It was so hard to leave without Echo.

We had another uneventful, long trip home and I only cried most of the way. I know it is just a very short week in her long life but I miss that little blue girl. I did not leave until we had made plans on when and where to meet to get Echo.

Last week on Tuesday I met with the couple that wanted to adopt Whisper, because Anne was on the East Coast. I had been fostering Whisper for the past few weeks. They drove up from Medford and spent a lot of time with Whisper and seemed like the perfect people for the shy BC. But I had my first foster dog adoption failure. I got an e-mail from them on Friday, yes just 3 days after having this dog that both Anne and I told them would take weeks if not months of work to get her comfortable in a new home, wanting to know when I would be go by their way so they knew how much time they had to decide if they were going to keep her. I tried to talk them in to keep her for at least a week before making that decision but that did not work. I got a call from them on Sunday that they were desperate for me to pick her up. So I did! I am not sure what their expectations were but they did not even give Whisper a chance to settle in; it took her at least a week to leave her “safe” place under my dining room table. I was happy to pick her up. We stopped in Rice Hill for ice cream and I did not know if Whisper would be relaxed enough to eat it or if she would even like so I got her and Kant a single scoop in a dish with an extra dish. I split it between the two and gave Whisper hers first, it was almost gone before I got around the van to give Kant hers, I guess she liked it! As soon as we got back to the house and let her outside she got the zoomies, my iPhone was in the van and by the time I got it and got in the backyard she was done. A little while later I saw her start up again and this time Kant was playing with her and I was able to catch it on video.

When I picked Whisper up the person that met me said she did not know how Whisper would ever get adopted as I was walking away. I left her question unanswered but thought about it on the way home. It is very easy to answer – Anne has been doing this for years with an amazing number of dogs each year if she did not think Whisper was ready to be adopted she would not have put her on the website and I trust Anne’s judgment 200%. Whisper is super sweet, funny, and is not a fear biter; she is quiet, gets along great with other dogs, and has never had an accident in my house. Yes she is very shy of new people and situations, does not like loud noises or thunder, and will probably never be an agility dog or do anything else that requires formal training but she walks great on a leash, is running loose on a long line at the dog park, and is a GREAT house dog. So yes she is adoptable to the right house and theirs was not it but the right one is out there and Whisper will find it. Check out the Pacific Northwest Border Collie rescue to see more about Whisper and other wonderful BCs looking for forever homes -

http://www.pnwbcrescue.org/dogs.php?ShelterId=OR.

Thank you Anne for doing such a great job with a not great situation, you are a saint!

2011 CAT Columbia Cup

2011-09-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

After not doing any agility trials in August, I was so ready for the Columbia Cup! My agility friends are the best; they cried with my over losing Slick (yes the thought of it still brings tears to my eyes) and they celebrated with me that Echo had finally gone in to heat!! It was strange and kind of fun only running one dog; it had been so long since I only ran one dog that it brought back memories from some of my first trials when you show up with a dog, a leash, a crate, a water bowl, and some treats.

Kant also liked being the only dog, she felt pretty special!! I entered in 5 classes each day; Jumpers and Chances because we need them for our next NATCh, the 4 Regulars because it is the Columbia Cup, and I threw in Weavers and Tunnelers in case they had bonus lines.

We started out strong getting both Regulars Saturday morning then we knocked 2 bars in Jumpers and did not get Chances. Our last class Saturday was Weavers and it did have a bonus line. It was a pretty technical course but I was going to try it since that was the reason I entered the class. We started out great then then got through the tunnel that led to the 3 hoop option and we did not choose hoop number 2. I got Kant back on course and we ended strong! I need to work on that middle command.

Sunday did not start so good and Kant took the Columbia Cup pressure off in Round 1 with an off course. We went on to crash and burn in Round 2

but then ended the day great with beautiful runs in Jumpers and Chances.

The Tunnelers course had a bonus line but it also had a serpentine of tunnels right down the middle of the course and I knew we did not have the skills to make those 180 degree turns off a tunnel so I did not try the bonus and we ended the day with a smokin’ teamwork run!!

Thank you CAT for once again putting on a beautifully run trial!! Thank you to two awesome judges that brought lots of fun and great courses!! Thank you to my agility friends, it is always so much fun to hang out and watch you run your dogs!!! Thank you Joe Camp for keeping me supplied in agility pictures!!!!

Thank you Kant for being such a great teammate; you ROCK!!!!!

Elexa turns 1!!

2011-08-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

My Great-Niece turned 1.

And our one sister had a party for her Granddaughter at our other sister’s house.

Elexa is too cute and knows it!!

She was a little shy with all the people around but she is a very bright,
well-loved little girl.

I am so proud of Tyler and what a great father he is!

We were able to get four generation pictures

on both sides of the family!

Rob was the BBQ Master!

What a great day spent with family and friends!

The kids grow up so quickly!!

Slick’s Memorial and Jordana’s visit

2011-08-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

Thank you Jordana for coming over and helping me bury Slick’s ashes. Slick it has been over a month since you left us and I miss you so much. I still get tears in my eyes every time I think about you, my sweet boy!

I know they are just ashes and that you are running seizure free but they have a loving place in my favorite backyard flower bed

that has 3 beautiful butterfly bushes from Spokane, 4 wonderful hostas from my good friend,

and my favorite bird bath that you are resting under. It is just a small tribute to a wonderful sheltie that had the biggest, kindest heart and soul. In loving memory…

Even if the occasion was not the happiest Jordana and I spent a great day together!!

Thank you again to the most wonderful daughter!!

Elkton Volkswalk

2011-08-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

“Nestled between the Umpqua River and forested mountains in the Coast Range, Elkton is a progressive town developing into a cultural and historic center. The walk route features an extensive garden with tall outdoor sculptures, a butterfly house, an out-and-back through a forested area along Elk Creek, the town center, and the newly-reconstructed Fort Umpqua along the Umpqua River. Mostly paved surfaces, but some gravel and grassy areas; mostly flat, but a few short hills.”

After reading how the Eugene Springfield Mossback Volkssport Club described this walk it was one I wanted to do. I was sick the week before this walk and probably should have stayed home but I felt better when I woke up Saturday morning so I loaded up Kant, Echo, and foster BC, Whisper, and off we went.

The Start/Finish for this walk was at the Community Center next to the beautiful butterfly garden.

Whisper struggled the first 3 km but then got the hang of walking.

It was so peaceful along the Umpqua River

and Elk Creek.

And the sculptures and

garden were beautiful!!

The dogs did great on this 10k walk but I am not sure they enjoyed it as much as I did. But I was very happy to bring home 3 very tired dogs and I was also a bit tired and enjoyed an afternoon nap.

I would do this walk again; thank you Eugene Springfield Mossback Volkssport Club!!

Reno, Great Dogs, and Great Friends

2011-08-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

I love a good road trip especially one that includes good friends and agility!! The agility club mdt puts on great one ring trials in a beautiful location at the University of Reno. Their July trial is a fundraiser for Canine Cancer called the Pepper/Sampson Memorial. Jordana and I went and ran in this trial a couple of years ago; I had so much fun I went back in September of that year and ran in the 3 day trial. I could not make it last year. This year I talked Anne in to coming with me!! Debbie also made the trip from Oregon to run at the trial.

I get to Reno via Willamette Pass through Klamath Falls, Susanville, and in to Reno. It is a nice scenic drive. It takes about 9 hours to get there with a couple of stops. Friday morning I picked Anne, Zelma, Zeta, and Ivy up and off we went. We stopped to potty dogs at this parking area along a canal; my girls went off for a little walk together but without me, they were very cute trotting side by side.

I know Kant was looking for a way in the canal, thank goodness she did not find one. We arrived at the University in plenty of time to set up our crating area before our 2 Touch’N’Go classes and it was only about 99 degrees but a dry heat. We ran the first class and were half way through the second one when a HUGE Thunderstorm BLEW in. Shade tents and tunnels were flying all over; the trial was stopped for the night and our already broken shade tent took a big hit. There was lightning all around us starting fires and it even rained huge rain drops. Both Kant and Echo got both their runs in before the storm and they each Q’d in one of their runs. Not a bad start after being in the car all day!!

Saturday morning it was blue sky and beautiful; it did get hot in the afternoon. Kant was running all 14 classes but Echo, who I had hoped would have gone in to heat already was only entered in 10 classes. Kant got both the Regulars on Saturday but did not get Chances or Jumpers and I scratched her from both of the Hoopers classes; I know I was hot and was sure she was and I wanted to save her for Jumpers. Echo got a Regular Q on Saturday and a Chances Q to finish her Superior Novice Chances. That was her last Novice Q needed to finish her Novice Triple Superior Award, Novice Superior Versatility Award, and All Around Award – Novice!!! Another thunderstorm blew in again after we were done for the day but not as bad as the evening before. Anne, Debbie, and I enjoyed a wonderful salad potluck in Debbie’s air conditioned RV. A great end to a great day!!! Also Anne’s foster formally known as Ivy found the perfect forever home!

Sunday morning it was a bit cooler and we Oregonians loved the weather. Because it was a bit cooler, low 90s, I ran Kant in all 6 classes and she got both Regular Qs, getting all 4 over the weekend; Weavers and we had a great Tunnelers run but no Chances or Jumpers again today. Echo’s’ only Q out of 4 classes was a beautiful Jumpers run; one of the best we have ever had. We had great pieces in the other runs but just could not put it together. We were having a great Regular run and I went and put a front cross in when I had not planned it and put Echo beautifully over an off-course jump. We are definitely going home with some things to work on.

My poor, won in a raffle shade tent kept us covered for the weekend but only because of duct tape and bungees hooking it to the fence and it stayed in Reno!!

We were packed up and ready to head half way home Sunday afternoon as soon as we were done running. After Good byes and Thank yous we were on the way to Klamath Falls for the night.

When we were on the way to Reno I was telling Anne about the Shoe Tree and just as we were passing it I got a text from Tammy to take a picture of the Shoe Tree so of course we had to stop and take pictures.

I had Anne take a picture of me with the tree for Tammy and Anne said aren’t you getting the dogs out, you always take pictures of the dogs so here they are…

The Shoe Tree – why is it there? I have no idea but next time by I am going to have to add a pair of shoes.

We stopped at a state park to let the dogs out and there was a creek that Kant could get to…

What a great weekend, great road trip, and a great friend!!!

Corvallis Volkswalk with Trinna

2011-08-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

Early July I got to think about volkswalking and all the places it took me and friends and how much fun we had. I ended up looking it up online and saw there was a walk on July 17^th for de Vinci Days in Corvallis. I called up my walking buddy and asked her if she wanted to go, she said yes. That morning I got a call from her because it was raining, I told her that just because she was retired and could walk any time if I did not that day then I would not walk until the next weekend. But I also told her she did not have to go that I was very capable of walking by myself. She decided to grab a poncho and walk with me. It pretty much rained the whole time but we still had a great time. I forgot how much I enjoyed walking. My first volkswalk in probably 10 years and it was a 12k.

Kennel and foster service

2011-08-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

I felt like I had a revolving kennel door; I had my parent’s Cocker Spaniel, Charlie, for a week while they were in Alaska. And the morning Charlie left I got OZ in the evening for a week. Neither of them are any trouble and they both fit right in. They have been at the house enough times that they know the routine.

My friend Anne that runs Border Creek Border Collie Rescue asked me to take Louie to be neutered and keep him while he healed. He was not a problem for an eight month old puppy and took to crate rest very nicely.

While I had Louie I was also fostering 2 Malamute/Husky mixes that I got when they were 4 weeks old and I had them until they were 9 weeks old.

I called them Thing 1 and Thing 2 since they were not staying but mostly just called them “pup, pup, pup”. They were pretty small when I got them

and I could easily carry them both at the same time.

I enjoyed having them

and so did Louie while he was here.

He played so nicely with them and let them climb all over him.

My dogs just tried to ignore them hoping they were not staying.

They got huge in the 5 weeks I had them;

when they left they were bigger then Echo. It was so much fun watching them grow and learn but that last week they just got in trouble. They did great at Newport where we set up a huge x-pen that ended up housing them, Oakley, Odin, and one of Anne’s fosters, Ivy. Everyone got along great and it was fun to watch them all play.

A WAG member was at Newport competing and she had brought a friend for the weekend that does not do agility. The friend, Shari, fell in love with Thing 1 and ended up adopting her. She named her Grizleena. I did not expect to find a home for the puppies and then to find such a perfect home. I am so happy for Shari and Grizleena!!

July WAG NADAC Newport Trial

2011-08-04T14:22:00.000-07:00

The Newport Trial is definitely my favorite WAG trial and this year was probably the best ever! Julie and Jean do an amazing job of securing the site, organizing everything, and bringing in the best judges!!! And WAGgers are the best! The weather this year was perfect; no rain, little wind, and perfect temperature. Jordana took the whole week off and came over early to help me get ready for the weekend. We traveled to Newport with my 4 Shelties, Jordana’s Border Collie and BC Mix, Stephen’s Corgi, and my 2 fosters; yes that was 9 dogs in the van. My mom came over on Saturday to sell her crate pads and books. I was busy running 3 dogs, being Co-Chief Scorekeeper, taking care of the 2 foster puppies I brought, and enjoying the trial. Judges Doug and Rachelle were awesome and brought great courses!!

Jordana ran PITA in all the classes and PITA did amazing well for not being worked since Jordana moved to Bend. PITA had some “not listening” moments but Jordana handled them great. But when they were a team they were amazing.

PITA was entered in 14 classes and qualified in half of them including

both Weavers

and her first ever Chances; she earned two titles,

Novice Outstanding Tunnelers,

and Novice Weavers.

This might be the only trial they run in a year but I was very proud of both of them.

Kant got her 2nd Bonus Line; this one was a 20 point bonus in Tunnelers, the last class on Sunday. We have been working on the turn away from me and go on and it showed on this course. I was so proud of her!!! Stephen ran Kant in the first Tunnelers on Friday night beating Echo and me by less than ½ second and getting 1st place. We got both Regulars on Saturday and one on Sunday. We got the Chances on Sunday but did not get either Jumpers.

We also got the last Hoopers points we needed to finish Elite Superior Hoopers and earn the Elite All Around Award.

Great job Kant!!

Slick was entered in 2 classes each day and he qualified in 4 of them. He had one of his best weekends ever. Little did I know that it would be his last agility weekend. Slick is not the most exciting agility dog but he is so excited to run with me and he ran incredibly fast this weekend.

He still likes me to run to every obstacle with him;

he made me run as fast as I could and see parts of the course that I never get to see with the girls.

Thank you Slick for bringing humor to agility

and being the best teammate!!

Echo and I are still struggling! She was entered in all 14 classes and qualified in 5 of them.

She is knocking bars; some my fault, some hers.

She did get her 1st Elite Tunnelers Q

and was a crowd pleasing speed demon in Weavers.

I just love watching her weave.

She needs to hurry up and go in to heat and have babies so I can spay her and hope that it settles her a bit or at least I will have quit using that as an excuse.

Thank you Jordana and Stephen for coming across the mountain to spend the weekend at the beach doing agility!! I had an incredibly awesome weekend!!!

Thank you Joe Camp for the incredible agility pictures! I always love the pictures you take but after losing Slick so suddenly and so young I really appreciate having all those great pictures to look back on!

Sweet, Beautiful Slick 12/15/03 - 7/21/11

2011-07-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

Weathermans Black Ice CGC S-TN-O OJC S-TG-N O-HP-N (12/15/03 – 7/21/11)

My dear Slick you dropped in to our life on a temporary basis when you were 15 months old which quickly became permanent and changed our life. You certainly had your issues and the most serious was your seizures which finally took your life this morning.

You fit right in with our pack and added nicely to it.

Kant was always your favorite and you looked up to her;

she misses you too.

You were not the most exciting agility dog but you were so excited to run with me and I loved every run with you.

Your last trial was the wonderful weekend in Newport at the Willamette Agility Group’s July NADAC trial;

you had 6 runs and qualified in 4 of them, getting you Open Jumpers title. I never taught you to weave so you only got to play in classes without them.

That never seemed to bother you.

and you loved contacts.

I knew you would never earn a NATCH-S but you have been running so well I set a goal to get your 1000 Lifetime Points Award.

We did not get there but you had an incredible 570 Lifetime Points!!

I know I have other shelties at home to help fill that huge void you are leaving behind but I miss you my sweet corky boy.

I will miss that de-barked bark of yours;

my shadow on walks at the park;

how you could get so panicked at the littlest of things;

your love of life,

Jordana,

and me;

and that beautiful sweet face and dark eyes.

You were a great house dog and loved to go wherever we went.

But when we were away from home you were never comfortable potting if anyone was around so we had many middle of the night or early morning visits outside. And when nature said you could not hold it any more we had marathon potty sessions including the unforgettable one in the ring in Medford at the RCA trial last April.

I miss you every day!! When I take the dogs outside I keep looking for you, when I go to feed I miss your enthusiasm, and when I go out the front door I miss you racing me to see if you are going.

Through my tears I can smile at all the wonderful memories you have left me with!! I know you are now running seizure free with Casey!! I love you Slickie and miss you terribly!!!

I have heard from lots of family and friends that know what we are going through and knowing they are thinking of us and you gives me some comfort.

A common description of you is that you had a kind soul; so true!! Thank you everyone!!

Slick I miss your kind soul!!

June NADAC Fun-raiser in Corvallis

2011-07-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

Arlene Courtney works very hard to bring NADAC Fun-raisers to Corvallis each year and NADAC folks thank her by entering and filling the one ring trial. Most of the Fun-raisers across the US are small, laid back, and don’t start before 9am. Not Corvallis it is full and starts at 8am. I missed the first one this year because I was judging in Reno but I was entered in the second one. Arlene did EGC on Friday night and that was a ton of fun. There is no room for handling errors!!

The blue girls and I saw EGC for the first time at Champs in September. I only entered them in the Extreme Tunnelers (now known as Extreme Gaters) and they both did excellent. Both of the girls’s runs scored over 100 points each. In Corvallis Kant scored in all 6 Extreme runs getting here Extreme Gaters Novice title. Echo and I had a complete meltdown in Extreme Chances, that is what happens when your handling sucks and the dog gets confused but she was great in the other 5 classes also getting her Extreme Gaters Novice Title. I like the Extreme Game Challenge but would not drive across the country to run it like I would a regular trial.

Since Arlene and I were the only NADAC Judges at the Fun-raiser and we were both running dogs, we were very busy!!! The Fun-raisers do not have a formal running order which works better for a smaller trial. It is very frustrating to be waiting for the jump height to end, seeing there is only a couple of dogs in line so you go to get in line and a dozen people show up to cut in front of you. I love agility and will attend the fun-raisers to help out but it is too frustrating on me to run that way and that frustration goes down the leash to my dogs who did not ask to come there. The girls did great and we had a blast!

When I was at the Judge’s Clinic in Gillette I met a wonderful lady that was there to become a judge. She has a wonderful personality, is a hard worker, a quick learner, and would make a great judge, she just needs more experience. Semi-jokingly I told her she needed to come to Corvallis Oregon and work the Fun-raiser. I did not think she would do it since she lives in Montana but after thinking about it for a bit she said she was coming. AWESOME and plans were made!! She started her journey to Oregon on a Thursday and arrived in Salem Friday morning. And the whirlwind started. After a quick hello we were back in the van on the way to the Pacific Ocean.

We had a great lunch in Lincoln City

followed by a walk

on the beach.

We drove down the coast stopping in Depot Bay for salt water taffy before turning away from the coast at Newport to head to Corvallis for the Fun-raiser.

Saturday morning did not start out very well and got worse. My friend had a pain in the lower back and it was not getting better and she has a high tolerance for pain. We finally made it the fairgrounds for the fun-raiser but the pain was getting worse. At a point mid-morning I went to find her and could not find her anywhere; I finally found her lying in the back of the van unable to move. Thank goodness agility if full of helpful folks some in the medical field; after asking one to look at her we were sent to Urgent Care. Urgent Care was close and awesome; they quickly got her in a room and asked her if she had ever had gall stones which she had not. She sent me back to the trial since there was nothing I could do at Urgent Care so I left after I made sure everyone had my number. She called a couple of hours later and it had been confirmed gall stones and there was nothing Urgent Care could do so they were sending her to the hospital. My mom was at the trial so she transported her from one to the other for me. After much teasing from friends about breaking my friend and if I thought she would not make a good judge that there was easier ways to tell her and my freaking out about her here in Oregon and how she was going to get home; of course she could stay with me as long as she needed. She called again late afternoon and it was all over and the hospital was sending her home. So my mom went and got her and she walked in to the fairgrounds pain free, amazing!! How something so small could cause SO much pain and then go away so quickly. I was so relieved to have not broken my friend! Sunday she was MUCH better and I still think she would make a great judge!! And I hope she comes back to Oregon to visit so we can see more of Oregon and less of the medical care!

Thank you Arlene for bringing so much fun to Corvallis, WAG for supplying the equipment and all the wonderful workers, and Marie for making that trip from Montana to come work with us!!!!

Tipping toes and paws through the tulips

2011-07-22T21:46:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to take the dogs out to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Woodburn Oregon

and every year I would forget until I saw other’s beautiful tulip pictures.

Years ago I did the annual volkswalk through the fields during the tulip festival and have pictures from them. I thought it would be fun to have pictures of the dogs with all those tulips. This year I remembered but was afraid the weather would not clear enough to go get pictures. One afternoon it cleared and I grabbed the dogs and Tammy and off we went.

It was a blast and we got lots of commits about the dogs and I actually had a lady take a picture of my dogs.

What a beautiful group!!!!

Hershey

Kant

Slick

Echo

I just love that they let me put them anywhere and just put up with me and my camera. Of course when it was all over we had to have a play session since everyone did so well!

Thank you Tammy for going with me and take such great pictures while I managed the dogs!! This might become an annual event!!

Bend or bust…

2011-07-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

My first trip to Bend after Jordana moved over there and the snow was gone from the roads was in April to take a couch and some stuff over.

The dogs thought having a couch in the back of the van was a great idea. I got over to Bend as Jordana was getting off work and

Oakley also thought the couch in the back of the van was okay. I stayed the night coming home in the morning after Jordana left for work.

What a great day and great views of the mountains.

Stephen stayed at the house with the dogs but I am not sure where he is going to sleep.

Trip number two was in May to take some more of Jordana’s stuff and to move some of Stephen’s stuff.

This time Stephen also came over with one of his parents cars loaded.

It was an over and back trip

so I took a pair of great co-pilots.

We had snow along the sides of the road so of course we had to stop and let the dogs play.

This was Odin's first snow.

And Echo just wanted to eat it.

We unloaded the van with some help

and had a little play session before heading back.

Of course I stopped at Godfrey’s Nursery since it is on the way and the back of the van was completely empty so there was plenty of room for all those hanging baskets and flowers.

The final trip was in June to move the rest of Stephen’s stuff that was moved from his apartment to my spare room. And this trip was done early in the morning, arriving in Bend in time to have breakfast and then head back home.

I am glad I enjoy that drive to Bend!

Versatility-NATCH 2 Kant and a NADAC Judge

2011-07-18T21:43:00.000-07:00

I got home May 16th and am finally able to breathe after a crazy busy 2 weeks!! Why is it that it takes so much work to get ready to go on vacation!?! I was off work for 6 days and had to make sure everything was covered. I was leaving for Gillette Wyoming for 9 days and only taking two dogs and leaving 2 along with 3 cats with a house sitter.

I am so excited to announce Kant earned NATCH – 2 and Versatility NATCH – 2 on Saturday, May 7th, at the CAT outdoor Canby trial.

I did not think she would get it outside on the wet grass but she ran perfectly

and only gave me a little scare right at the finish when she started to go left and she was supposed to go right but it was a beautiful run!!

I never thought we would get 1 NATCH and I am so proud of Kant and cannot believe we are celebrating our 2nd NATCH!!

I hung the beautiful ribbon from my rear view mirror for the trip to Gillette and smiled every time I looked at it!! Thank you to all that were there to celebrate with us!!

Thank you Joe Camp for the agility and NATCH pictures.

Sunday morning I took off for Gillette Wyoming to attend a Judge’s Clinic.

The weather getting to

and in Gillette was crazy

but we arrived without any trouble and survived camping very nicely.

From my campsite looking west

and looking east.

There were 29 great judges at this clinic and I had a good time meeting judges for the first time and visiting with ones I knew! I went to this clinic as a judge under supervision and I was hoping to leave a judge! Well I did something right and I am now a NADAC Judge!! I do love being a judge and have enjoyed all the judges I worked with and learned from under supervision but I am excited to be a “real” judge!! Thank you Arlene for believing in me, mentoring me, and helping me get here, I could not have done it without you!!!

The world's greatest co-pilot.

WAG April Games Trial

2011-07-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

May was super busy and June turned out to be busier then I expected but life is slowing into a nice manageable pace. And I am finally able to get caught up on a bunch of blogging!!

April 23rd and 24th was the WAG Willamette Cup Games Trial. Arlene Courtney was delivered in great style and brought fun courses. Kant got 11 out of 12 Q’s and got 2nd place in the largest Willamette Cup Class, Elite Medium Dogs.

We ran very well together. Kant earned her TNE -600,

points for NATCH-6 in Touch’N’Go,

and points for NATCH-8 in Weavers.

Echo also had a great weekend getting 9 out of 12 Q’s and beat Kant in all 4 Weavers.

Echo finished her Open Superior Tunnelers and then got a couple of extra point runs

and she was running in Elite Weavers for the first time and got her Elite title.

Slick even add a few more points to his lifetime points with a Q in Tunnelers, Hoopers,

and Touch’N’Go.

This was Artemis’s debut trial and he got a beautiful Q in Touch’N’Go!

He did awesome for his first trial and was a bit distracted by the crowd. He and Stephen only ran on Saturday.

Thank you WAG for putting on a GREAT Games Trial and thank you to the Willamette Cup scorers for doing all that extra work. Thank you Joe Camp for the pictures! We had the BEST time!!!

An Agility Birthday

2011-06-11T07:01:00.000-07:00

I entered the CRAC, Columbia River Agility Club, agility trial in Albany on my birthday weekend. This was Echo’s second AKC agility trial. She is still having bizarre teeter behavior so I entered her in Jumpers with Weaves and FAST on Saturday and Jumpers with Weaves and Standard on Sunday. We were able to avoid the teeter and qualify in FAST and on Sunday she had a pretty nice teeter because I was able to be right there to remind her we do not attack the teeter for moving. Echo qualified in all 4 classes, earning her Novice Jumpers with Weaves title!!! I have been thinking about taking a break from agility with Echo but am now wondering if we should just do more AKC for a while. Kant was not so nice to me on my birthday weekend and only qualified in Jumpers with Weaves on Saturday. I think she is telling me she is done with AKC agility; not to worry Kant I am listening!!

I had a very quiet birthday; my favorite kind!! With lots of wonderful birthday wishes from friends and family!!

I usually spend my birthday weekend at the RCA trial in Central Point but this year it was the weekend after my birthday.

The location for the RCA NADAC trial is great!! It has lots of great crating room that is above the arena. Besides having to go down stairs every time you go to the ring the view is great. Jill works so hard to keep this trial going and I am happy to come down and do the scoring. It feels like a WAG trial because of all the Waggers that travel down to that trial!

On Friday night Kant and I tried another bonus line and it was flawless and breathtaking earning our first 15 point bonus!! A bonus line is a line at the front of the course that you cannot cross while directing your dog through all the obstacles and the dog has to stay on the path without any redirects; at the furthest point Kant was about 66 feet from me. It was addicting!! Going in to this trial we only needed 1 jumpers for NATCH-2 but we had an off course in Round 1 and a knocked bar in Round 2; bummer, maybe next time. Kant did have some awesome runs and I really felt like a team with her this weekend; she got all 4 Regulars, a Chances, two Tunnelers, and of course that beautiful bonus Weavers run.

Echo also had a great weekend only have a complete meltdown, disconnect in one run. But she finished her Open Superior Weavers title, got her first Open Touch’N’Go Q, and got her Open Outstanding Regular title.

Slick even managed to add 10 more points to his lifetime points with a very nice 1^st place Open Jumpers run. He also had a marathon pee in Tunnelers! In the 10 years I have been doing agility this is the first dog I have had potty in the ring and that pee made up for everyone else!!

Thank you Dwayne for some great judging and courses!! Thank you Jill and RCA for continuing to put on the trial!! Thank you to all the WAGgers that traveled down to Medford for some fun with your dogs!!

Cherry Blossoms

2011-05-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

I was not sure Heidi and I would get our cherry blossom pictures this year with Amelia and the pups, the weather was just not cooperating. The blossoms were perfect but the weather was not.

We decided to go for it and just as we started taking pictures there was a patch of blue sky and that patch just got bigger and bigger and it turned out to be a perfect day.

Kant

Echo

Amelia

Amelia was perfect this year and she knew right where she wanted the dogs to be!!

Echo is Amelia’s favorite!

Thank you Amelia for helping us continue this tradition!!

We love you!!

Jordana’s Birthday

2011-05-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe my baby is 24 years old!!

Happy Birthday Jordana!

I was glad we were still able to squeeze in a little birthday celebration even though you live in Bend!!

Jordana I am so proud of you and the incredible young lady you have grown in to

and I am so happy that you love living in Bend!!

We miss you!!

My wish for you is that you dream BIG and that all your dreams come true!! I love you!!

Jordana has been talking about getting a puppy since she moved to Bend. She wanted a Cattle Dog. When I saw the Border Collie/Cattle Dog puppies Anne got in to rescue I knew one would be going to live with Jordana. Oakley was the chosen one. She is a smaller, loving girl that has found a wonderful forever home. She spent one night at my house before going across the mountain and she was perfect. Jordana is very lucky to have such a wonderful puppy! Good Luck Jordana and Oakley!! I am looking forward to watch you grow up!!

Lewiston, ID

2011-04-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

I have seen Kelly and Fredrick at NADAC Championships but I got to know Kelly better this past year at Champs after Fuzz got injured in Round 1 and was done for the rest of Champs. Kelly and Fuzz were on a Veterans Dog Team with Lynda and Robby, and Kathy and Dusty; when Fuzz got injured they asked if Kant would be Fuzz’s replacement. She ran very well in honor of Fuzz!!

Lynda had talked about how much fun Kelly’s trials are and I should go, so I did. It was about a seven hour drive to Lewiston Idaho. Right after I got off I-84 and on to I-82 before crossing in to Washington I turned east and went through an area I had not gone through before. It was a very pretty, easy drive.

I arrived with plenty of time to set up my crating area before Tunnelers and Weavers that night. Both the girls had beautiful runs and Q’d in the four classes. Slick was a little over time in Tunnelers but he ran well. I was camping on site and went to dinner with Lynda and Kathy. We had a great time visiting!

After a greats night sleep I was looking forward to a fun weekend with the dogs!! Kant and Echo were all 6 classes and Slick had 2 runs. Kant was a super star and Qualified in all 6 classes!!!!!! Got much needed Jumpers and Chances Qs. I felt a great connection with Kant; we tried a bonus line in Weavers and came so close to getting it just one little, tiny redirect. Echo also had a great day; getting a much needed Chances Q, she was one of only two Novice dogs that got it, a Weavers Q, and a Touch’N’Go Q that finished her Superior Novice TNG. Slick got his 1^st Open Jumpers Q with a 1^st Place; we had an off course in Touch’N’Go but he was still fun to run!!

I was camping out of the van and Saturday night it got so cold that the van doors froze shut. For a moment I had visions of being stuck in the van but I was finally able to get on of the sliders open. I was toasty warm in the van with 4 dogs but it was certainly cold outside. The dogs loved the cool weather and were super frisky! Overall we had pretty nice weather considering the weird weather we have been having.

Sunday did not start out as great as Saturday. Kant and I could not get it together for Regular. And Chances was super tough; only 2 Novice dogs got it out of all the dogs entered. But she did give me a lovely Jumpers; only 1 more for NATCH 2 and V-NATCH 2!! We also got a very nice Hoopers; only 3 more for our Elite Superior and Elite All-Around!! Echo was still running with what looked like very little control and a lot of franticness; the only Q she got on Sunday was in Hoopers and she had a smokin’ run beating Kant by 3 seconds. Slick had a great Jumpers run but was overtime by .18 seconds, bummer, but he also had a great Hoopers run getting another Q and another 1^st Place. I was very proud of him!

There were only 5 runs on Sunday so we were done early. I got packed up during the day so when we were done I said my Good Byes and we were on the road. I had planned on staying the night in The Dalles but when I pushed the Go Home button on the GPS and it said we would be home at 10pm I cancelled my reservation. I was home by 10pm with no problem and happy to be in my own bed. This was one of the most relaxing trials I have ever been at and I am already looking forward to going again next year!!

Thank you WOOFF; you guys ROCK!!

Welcome Odin!!

2011-04-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

Stephen finally got a corgi!!

Stephen is doing a great job with Artemis but Artemis has issues with men and they are struggling. Artemis was Stephen’s first dog and he loves him but as hard as Stephen tries Artemis is still afraid of him. When Stephen first got Artemis I questioned if Artemis could ever be a one dog family dog and I am even more convinced that Artemis needs to be in a pack.

So Stephen found a litter of corgi puppies in Sweet Home and when to just look.

Right like that was going to happen. He saw the pups and Odin was the one!! Odin is a spit fire and Stephen will have other challenges with him but Odin is not lacking confidence.

I cannot wait to see what a team they end up being.

Artemis likes his little brother and is doing a bit better with Stephen.

Welcome Baby Odin!!

Scrapbooking Retreat

2011-04-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

I have lost track of how many years we have been going to the beach for a scrapbooking retreat but each year is incredible. The last couple of years we have gone to the beach Friday afternoon after the Scrapbooking Expo; this year Expo was during Spring Break and too many people had other plans during that time so we could not go to the beach. But that did not stop us and we went the last weekend in February which worked our even better because we went over Thursday night and had an extra day of scrapping!!

The day before we were going I was not sure I was going to make it because there was snow on the valley floor

and in the coast range and I do not drive in the snow but the roads were clear by Thursday afternoon.

The drive through the coast range was beautiful with all that snow.

As always we had a perfect time at the beach

and even made it down for some tide pool exploring.

This year the tide was further out and we got to see starfish.

I got over 50 pages done; most of the pages were for Madison and Isabella but I did manage to get some of my pictures scraped.

This is such a great group of ladies; we are all so different but come together with a common hobby!!

Some go to bed early and some stay up late, some sleep in and some don’t, some stay in their jammies all day and some have to shower and be put together before they can face the day. But we all like to eat and share our pages!!

Thank you ladies for another perfect weekend!!

RAT Elma NADAC Agility Trial

2011-04-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

The location of the February RAT Trial is one of my favorite; who doesn’t love a clean, heated crating area in the winter!! I almost did not enter this trial because I was hoping to be anxiously awaiting the arrival of Echo puppies but that did not happen (yet) and is another story. But at the last minute I entered and there were only runs left on Sunday. Because of dogs pulling I ended up getting a few runs on Saturday. RAT is a fun club that always puts on great trials and this Sweetheart Trail is no exception. They have a great time with the Valentine’s theme. This year just a week before the trial I got an e-mail about a canine cancer fundraiser that RAT was organizing and people/instructors/clubs/groups where sponsoring breeds/classes/days; I thought it was a GREAT idea and responded right back that I would sponsor Sheltie Qs! What a great idea!!

Kant ended up with 8 runs for the weekend and Q’d in 5 of them.

And the best of all is that one of those runs was a Jumpers that finished her Superior Elite Jumpers Title and

Elite Triple Superior Award,

Triple Triple Superior Award,

Elite Superior Versatility Award, and Triple Superior Versatility Award!!!!

I am so proud of my Kant and once again she proves she can!

Echo had 9 runs and Q’d in 5 of them. Echo and I are still working on being a consistent team; we have moments of brilliance

and moments when we crash and burn, nothing in the middle.
This was Echo’s first trial in Proficient jumping 16 inches; I started her in Skilled jumping 12”.

I learned we need to work on some jumping drills and focusing forward;

it is hard to keep your feet up when you are looking back at me. I will also work on better directions and being in front.

I love running Echo and know when it comes together watch out!

Thank you Joe Camp for the agility pictures!!

Over all it was a great weekend despite the flooding rain!

Camp Sheltie

2011-04-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

I helped a co-worker and his wife get a sheltie a few months ago; after he kept threatening to take one of mine. Her name is Kasey and she is a tri just like Slick. She is also very shy like Slick.

They went on vacation the first week of February so Kasey came and stayed at Camp Sheltie for 10 days. Kasey is a shy little girl but loves to run and play with the shelties and Artemis.

She got more and more confident each day she was with us.

We went for long walks at the park and I worked her every day in agility.

She is a snuggler and Echo was not so happy that she was taking her “spot”. Kasey quickly figured out our routine and fit right in. I cannot wait for her to visit Camp Sheltie again.

Party, party, party, work, work, work!!!

2011-01-18T17:27:00.000-08:00

Friday night I was invited to a Celebrate Home Gathering by a co-worker, I almost did not go because I did not have extra money to spend and there was really nothing I needed since I have been spending the last several weeks cleaning out the house. But I wanted to support my friend so I went and I am glad I did, I had a blast! There were several demonstrators there and lots of people. They had bingo for prizes, quarter auctions, cash and carry items, and raffle items. We played 12 games of Bingo and I actually won a game getting a wonderful smelling tropical jar candle. I sat next to my friend’s daughter who was having so much fun but needed a little help with her card and I also got us an extra card to share. I did not get any of the $.25 auction items but it was fun bidding on them. I did buy two raffle tickets for an organization item I have been eyeing in the catalog and won it!! It was a fun evening spent with friends.

Saturday morning I was up and in Dallas for a card making gathering. I have been invited for about a year and kept forgetting or I was not available on the days it was being held. But this Saturday I remembered and was able to make it. After spending $7 on two cards the day before I was looking forward to making four cards for $5.

We made two valentine cards, a birthday card, and my favorite was an all occasion card on transparency.

My friend Heidi goes all the time and when I asked her if she was going Saturday and she said yes, she was surprised I was going to go. Becky was a great hostess and it was a very nice group of ladies. They made me feel very welcome and I am looking forward to the next one.

But my fun did not end there; Jane was having a birthday party for Papa Gary and Shon.

I cannot believe Shon is 16! He is such a great young man. It was fun getting together and seeing everyone. Jane fixed a wonderful dinner which was enjoyed by Papa Gary, Randy, Jane, Shon, Salva, Keely, Salva Jr., Karissa, Tyler and his beautiful baby girl, Elexa, and of course myself.

This was the first time I have met Elexa and she is a wonderful baby.

She was getting passed from person

to person and taking it all in.

She also entertained us.

I had a great evening getting caught up with my wonderful nieces, nephew, sister, and their families.

I went home very tired and had a very lazy Sunday enjoying several movies on Showtime’s Free Preview weekend including Twilight and New Moon which I have never seen and enjoyed.

The next weekend was a holiday weekend so it was a three day weekend. I thought about all kinds of fun things that I could go do but it was a very WET weekend and I ended up working, working, and working. I am sure enjoying all the extra room I have with Jordana moving out and I am spreading out very nicely. The dogs now have their own room and we are not sharing my craft room. I asked Jordana to come over since we both had Monday off and I could use her help moving some heavy stuff and helping me get rid of items she would not want, and help with some yard work if the weather permitted. The weather Monday ended up pretty nice and dry so we were able to get the roses, blueberries, lilacs, and apple tree trimmed. Some of the branches on the lilacs were too heavy for me to cut by myself so it was great to have Jordana’s help; we packed the yard debris bucket and I have lots more to fill it for weeks. The dogs also enjoyed being outside for the first time in days. I could not believe how tired they were from watching us work. Monday evening I kept looking around in amazement at how much we got done!! Thank you Jordana for taking a day out of your busy life to help your mom!!

Thank you WAG!

2011-01-03T21:12:00.000-08:00

I cannot think of a better way to start out the year but with friends and their dogs. On Sunday WAG hosted an agility fun match. WAGgers sure do know how to have fun!! I designed the courses and enjoyed watching the teams run. And I also had a blast running my blue girls.

But the best part is I brought home a couple of very tired dogs!!

What a great start to 2011!! But this ends blogging for a couple of weeks while the computer and daughter go back to Bend.

Happy New Year - 1/1/11

2011-01-01T17:31:00.000-08:00

1-1-11 was a great day.

And I have very happy dogs.

It was a bit cold today which explains these sheets of ice.

But not raining so I packed up the dogs and headed to the park.

I love taking the dogs to the park to get some exercise and have some fun

because I bring home very tired dogs.

As 2010 comes to an end…

2010-12-31T21:24:00.000-08:00

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year; I love the music, the lights, the decorations, the smells, and the goodies. I don’t even mind the weather. But I look forward to the week between Christmas and New Year’s; the hustle and bustle of Christmas is over, things are quiet at work and home, and I have time to look back over the year and plan to next one. I did great on my goals from 2010 and am looking forward to setting new ones for 2011.

As I look back on all that I did and accomplished this past year all I can say is WOW!! This is why I blog!

Here are just a few of the highlights:

I love being an agility judge and have had some great assignments!
Kant got her NATCH and V-NATCH!!
I went on the most amazing kayaking adventure with my mom, aunt, and Susan; a trip of a lifetime!!!
Kant and I won NADAC Championships, for the second time!!
Echo and I had an incredible year in agility and our first herding trial!
I spent Thanksgiving in New York with Erin, Madison, and Isabella!!!
I became an empty nester!

The year was not without struggles, frustration, heartbreak, and mistakes.

This year I questioned friendship more than ever since one was tested and broken. Lee wrote it perfectly, “What is friendship? As soon as we meet our friends this question gets answered automatically. The answer to what is the meaning of friendship lies with our hearts, because true friendship can only be felt, and not expressed. Something so pure and essential is not always visible to the eye, but is felt by the heart. You..are my friend.” I will treasure these words and our friendship FOREVER!! I am very lucky to have such great friends in my life!!

Here is to another incredible year filled with all that can be dreamed!! It will not be without learning, struggles, frustrations, heartbreak, and mistakes but I hope that I use what I know, tools that I have, and handle them to the best of my ability.

Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T20:42:00.000-08:00

Christmas was a quiet one this year at our house. Jordana made it over the mountain Christmas Eve; the dogs were very happy to see her and PITA, and so was I.

My dad and Stephen came over for Christmas Day. Presents were not a priority this year but I did get a beautiful candle from Stephen. We had a great afternoon playing games before dinner. With Jordana not living here and coming “home” for Christmas it made it feel more like Christmas.

I hope everyone’s Christmas Dreams came true!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Agility and Birthdays – What a perfect combination!!

2010-12-13T18:59:00.000-08:00

Kant and Echo spent their birthday weekend at the WAG NADAC Games Trial. Both the girls were entered in all 10 classes. Echo ran in Elite Hoopers for her first Elite class. Echo qualified in 9 of the 10 classes getting her Open Weavers, Outstanding Open Weavers, and her 1st Elite Q. She has come so far in her first 3 years and only 18 months of competing in agility. I am so proud of her. Kant is not showing her age, running just as fast as ever and having a great time. We had a smokin’ Tunnelers run where Kant ran 147 yards in 22.27 seconds which worked out to 6.6 yards per second; Echo also showed her speed running the same course in 23.05 seconds.

The weather was wet this year but no snow or flooding. WAG as always put on another amazing trial! A great judge brought great courses!! What a perfect way to end the agility year!

Happy 8th Birthday Kant and 3rd Birthday Echo – December 12

Happy 7th Birthday Slick – December 15

Empty Nester!!

2010-12-13T18:39:00.000-08:00

It is official; I am an empty nester and loving it!! Jordana took a job in Bend which started December 1st, what a great time to move to Bend. She purchased studded tires and chains packed up her room

and moved in to a very nice 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with a great roommate. I have talked to her several times and she loves living in Bend and being on her own. But back to me…I am so happy having the house to myself for the first time in 23 years. The dogs have their own room and I have a craft room that I do not have to share with the dogs. Jordana asked where she was going to stay when she came to visit and I told her where all my house guests stay…at the local motel. Just kidding I can put an airbed in the office temporarily! The dogs are struggling to adjusting being in crate more hours than usual but we are getting in to a routine.

Congratulations Jordana; I am so proud of you!! Best of luck on your new adventure!!

Thanksgiving in New York

2010-12-13T18:32:00.000-08:00

I got to go to New York this year for Thanksgiving!!

I arrived on the Tuesday before Turkey Day; it was great to see Erin and the girls. I could not believe how tall the girls were.

Madison is as tall as me and

Bella is no shorty.

Wednesday the girls had half a day of school so Erin and I ran around in the morning getting the shopping done. It was a beautiful day so after lunch we picked up Madison’s friend and headed to the park.

It was so great spending the day with my sister and nieces.

Thanksgiving started out nice and lazy

but Erin, Bella, and I did get a 3 mile walk in.

It was fun walking through town and along a creek where we saw

geese,

ducks,

and more ducks.

Along our walk we went past Old Navy and it was open. I needed some jeans for the weekend so Madison and I went shopping before dinner.

Nanda and Carmine came over for a wonderful dinner that Erin prepared.

Like most Thanksgiving meals there was way TOO much food. But it was all incredible and I ate way too much.

Friday we were up and out of the house heading to Hershey, Pennsylvania.

We only had a couple of hours to spend in Hershey and we made the most of it; taking a fun tour of where chocolate comes from

and the process to become candy. We also got our picture put on a candy bar

and syrup bottle. Hershey was a fun place and worth going back.

While I was judging in Maryland, Erin and girls went to visit friends and tour Washington DC. They had a great time!

Sunday afternoon we drove back to New York and I flew home on Monday. It was a quick busy trip but I was so glad I was able to make it out to visit; it had been way too long since I had seen the girls. I had a great time!! Thank you Erin, Madison, and Bella for such a great week and I miss you so much. Love you all lots!!

Scrapbooking with FRIENDS!!

2010-12-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

A group of us have been going to the Portland Scrapbooking Expo for years and we get notices for the Expo in Seattle. This year when we got the notice for the November Scrapbooking Expo in Bellevue Heidi and I started planning a weekend of scrapping in Seattle; we quickly invited Lee and she was able to make it. Thursday was Veteran’s Day so I headed over to Dallas in the morning and picked up Lee from her dad’s house and Heidi from hers with ALL their scrapping stuff, too much food, and a few clothes and we were off for the weekend. Of course we had to stop at Bobbi’s a do a little shopping before we left Oregon.

We had an easy drive to Seattle after finally getting out of Oregon and got to the Extended Stay Hotel we were staying in. We unloaded the van and hauled EVERYTHING to the 2nd floor with no elevator. We were cozy but it was very workable.

Friday we headed to the Expo. I have felt the one in Portland keeps getting smaller and smaller and has much of the same stuff at each booth; I can get through the Portland one without getting tired. The Seattle one was huge and full of fun stuff. We got there when it opened at 10am and shopped until 2pm; I was exhausted and ready to leave. We stuck with our traditional post Expo lunch at a Mexican Restaurant where we talked about all the stuff we got, what was our favorite, and what was the one item for this year which I have forgot. We were back at the hotel for an afternoon and evening of scrapbooking.

Saturday was an all day scrapping day. We brought food

since we had a kitchen so we did not have to leave. I got 55 pages done (no journaling), Lee got 35 pages done, and Heidi got 24 pages done. I forgot to take pictures because I was too busy trying to get the August kayaking trip done!!

Sunday it was a day of packing

and

hauling all that stuff back downstairs and loaded the van. It was a perfect weekend spent with the greatest of friends and tons of fun. There was lots of laughing, singing and burping, well burping from one. I cannot wait to go again next year my friends!!

Happy Very Late Howlingween!

2010-12-13T16:58:00.000-08:00

I lost computer access when Jordana moved to Bend (that is a whole other blog entry) so I am doing the marathon blogging while she is visiting. I am hoping Santa brings me a laptop for Christmas.

On Sunday on my way home from the WAG October agility trial I stopped in Independence and picked up a couple of pumpkins. Then after Jordana got off work Stephen came over and they carved the pumpkins

while I made roasted pumpkin seeds! They both did a great job!

The carved pumpkins survived the week before Halloween and were a great addition to the very few decorations I put up.

Just like last year we gave out full size candy bars; I love the reactions we get!! The pumpkins were also very well liked especially Stephen’s cat.

Even the dogs got in to the Halloween spirit!

A Sweet Little Angel

And a Red Hot Chili Pepper

WAG October NADAC Trial

2010-11-21T22:44:00.000-08:00

After a couple of weeks of no agility and getting caught up on things around the house I was looking forward to the NADAC Trial in Corvallis. Last year one of the judges had to spend too much time at the airport waiting for the other judge to arrive. I told her I would have picked her up and so this year that is what happened.

The flight arrived at 9:47am and we did not have to be in Corvallis until 4pm, so many options. Where do you take someone that is from Calgary Canada? The beach of course! So that is what we did. Straight from the Portland Airport to Lincoln City; we got there at lunch time so we stopped at Kylo’s for a hot crab sandwich and clam chowder, yum. After lunch it was time to take a walk on the beach with the dogs. The judge had her border collie and I had Kant, Echo, and the foster puppy Bing! Everyone had a great time chasing sea gulls and waves,

and running on the beach.

It was a beautiful day at the beach, no wind or rain.

Time to head to Corvallis came too quickly and after getting some of the sand off the dogs we were loaded back up.

As we were driving through Lincoln City on Hwy 101 we passed a surf shop with a fake “tube” with a surf board. Someone was having their picture taken and I said to Keri wouldn’t it be fun to take pictures of the dogs, she agreed so I turned around. It was great fun!

Beach Bums!

Hang Ten!

Bitchin’

We did manage to see a couple of lighthouses in Newport before heading inland and to the trial. We did not quite make it by 4pm but we were there before 5pm.

Friday night we ran two classes; Touch’N’Go, and Tunnelers. Neither Echo or Kant got TNG,

they both had off-courses but not the same one. I tried running Kant from the Tunnelers bonus line and we did pretty good but I had to step in and help, we still Q’d.

Echo had a smoking, qualifying Tunnelers run. I took home three very tired dogs.

We were back up before the sun Saturday morning to head back to Corvallis for a full day of agility. Hershey came along to celebrate his agility retirement. He was very happy to be there and share his gluten free dog treats with all his four-legged friends. I heard that some of the two-legged friends also gave Hershey a treat.

Jordana and PITA were there on Saturday; Jordana was only able to run PITA in Chances before she had to leave for work. They did not qualify in Chances and we did not Q in Regular 1.

But PITA and I did go one to Qualify in all the other classes

which finished her Novice Hoopers Title and PITA got 1st Place in Novice Jumpers. I am glad I made Jordana enter her on the one day, she had a great day!!

The girls and I did not have a very good day; they were both entered in all 6 classes: 2 Regulars, Chances, Weavers, Jumpers, and Hoopers. Kant started out great with a beautiful Regular 1 run but then knocked a bar in Regular 2 and a bunch of bars in Jumpers. She did redeem herself in Weavers and Hoopers with two beautiful runs and a 50% Q rate. Echo on the other hand did not qualify in either Regular or Chances but there were pieces that were great.

She did have beautiful runs in Jumpers, Weavers, and Hoopers, she ran Weavers in 5.92 yards per second and finished her Open Superior Hoopers Title also having a 50% Q rate. My baby is going to enter her first Elite class at the next NADAC trial.

I would like to say Sunday was better but out of 5 classes the girls were entered in Kant only qualified in Regular 1. We had an off-course in Chances

and 1 knocked bar in Jumpers. Weavers we ran in the dark because of a storm that had blown in and Kant could not find the weave poles causing us to be .5 seconds over time. Echo’s Q rate was a bit better qualifying in 3 of the 5 classes. She got a Regular Q, another Jumpers, and another Weavers. She also struggled running Weavers in the dark. Thank goodness the lights came on right before Novice started.

Even though we did not take home a bunch of ribbons I had a great time with friends, outstanding judges that brought great courses, and the best dogs in the world. WAG once again put on a great trial. And of course Thanks to Joe Camp for capturing the moments for me!!

The things we do for friends…

2010-11-20T16:45:00.001-08:00

My friend, Carol, who has Springer Spaniels asked me a couple of years ago to be the Chief Ring Stewart for their Agility Trial at their National that was going to be in Albany Oregon. Of course I said yes, little did I know it was going to be the weekend after NADAC Championships! But I was fine, get home Tuesday night, have agility Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Monday was Springers only.

This was Echo’s AKC debut and I dropped Kant to Preferred so they were running in the same class. I started Echo in Preferred so when she gets old and I want to put her in Preferred I do not have to start over in Novice. Echo has some teeter issues; she is not at all afraid of it. She is sure it is not suppose to move and when it does move it is suppose to stay where she puts it. Echo gets quite frustrated with the teeter when it does not do what she is sure it suppose to. Saturday Echo did not Q in Standard because of the teeter; I will keep working that. Kant and I were not a very good team in Standard and again no Q. Kant knocked a bar in Jumpers with weaves on Saturday. Echo had a beautiful run and I made a handling error at the second to last obstacle and she was over the last obstacle before I could call her back so we just ended fast and happy.

Sunday was much better. Echo still did not qualify in Standard, my fault not hers, and her teeter was almost perfect. Kant did Q in Standard with a very nice run; did I tell you that I love running an AX, NADAC National Champion in Novice.

Jumpers with weaves was a thing of beauty!! Echo and I ran the 101 yard course in 14.86 seconds, which works out to 6.8 yards per second!! Kant ran the same course in 15.95 seconds, proving once again her baby sister is faster. The funniest story on that run was at the score table; I happen to be crated right behind the score table and was sitting there when they were entering Echo’s score. One scorekeeper asked the other what they thought that time was and she said looks like 14.86, why? Because the computer is asking her to validate the time. I guess with a standard course time of 42 seconds you do not expect a dog to do it 14.86 seconds. Echo 1st Place; Kant 2nd Place!!

Watch for us at more AKC trials in 2011.

The Ride Home from NADAC Championships

2010-11-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

Monday morning I was up early and getting all packed up for that 2 day trip home. After one last run in the field

the dogs were safely packed back in the van along with that beautiful trophy and ribbons. I had a nice long drive ahead of me to do some thinking. Why do I take things so seriously? Why can I not see the good stuff I do with the dogs? This is not life or death. This is not a personal reflection of me as a person or a trainer. What is important? Just breathe. I am a good person and a good trainer and I have great dogs! I want to become the handler my dogs deserve because they ROCK!

It was a beautiful drive home and I was with my favorite dogs! I had seen the Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State Monument in southeast Montana

on my way to Gillette and took note to stop on the way home. I had a great time watch this community of prairie dogs and took a ton of pictures.

Who lives here?

I arrived back in Missoula at Brianna’s just in time for dinner. The cats were not as upset to see us come back as a matter of fact I think they missed us a little bit. We had a nice walk in the park and a good night’s sleep. The weather was better for our trip home. We had to stop at the Fruit Stand for some more produce. And we stopped at a state park in the gorge to let the dogs out for a walk.

There were windsurfers and we all enjoyed watching them.

We made it home for dinner with Jordana.

What a Great Week! Great Times!! And Great Friends!!!