It was Agility Blog day last week some time one day

And I guess I missed it. The theme was how to improve dog agility. Really? What is to improve? We try hard, we end up about middle of the pack, it is all fun. what is to improve? 

Getting my dog to stop bouncing the poles? She liked to do that, I won't improve that.

 Besides, how can I improve agility when I can't even get my dogs to sit together without yelling at them? I don't think I am qualified to "improve agility".

 Maybe they don't all sit together because I dress them as spiders. Poor dog!

 Oh but we are Champions! I should know how to improve agility, I have a Champion! He hates me for making him sit like that with that stupid huge ribbon on his collar. Poor dog.

 He would rather hump obedience judges. We really are not qualified to say how to improve agility.

 Colby probably would like to improve agility by adding frog ponds to all the trials. Now THAT would improve agility.

 Spur would improve agility by taking out the teeter.

 Really, how does one improve agility? These three think that agility is for sissies, most of the time. After all they hunt turkeys in the rain. A big agility competitor just had a major spill with her young dog running agility in the rain and the agility world is all up in arms about it and now we must improve agility. My dogs chased wild turkeys through the slippery woods and fields. They think agility is for sissies. You can't really improve much on that. Agility? Just let it be. It is a fun game, all my dogs enjoy it, add some wild turkeys and a frog pond and we have a great time! And run in the rain if you want. Mine chase wild turkeys in the rain, but ask them to do agility in the rain? Nah. Dog agility isn't fun in the rain. That's how we improve on dog agility. Everyone has to make their own improvements. We just don't go if it rains and run after wild turkeys instead. That's more fun, after all. I honestly don't know how to improve dog agility.

Oh I hope they survive!

 My Oriental Karine poppies are in full bloom and more to come, but they are SO tender I am worried about the two inches of rain on it's way from Tropical Storm Andrea. :O

 Showing it next to the common orange poppy to show how huge these are!

 Posture of an old dog. Roached back, knobby knee from surgery years ago, no muscle tone in her thighs, head held lower.

 Baby hay!

Wild Iris patch!

 Paint brush!

 Brushes!

 A better angle of the old girl, who isn't THAT old. She turns 14 later this month.

 Buttercups!!

 The giant pollywog! There are HUNDREDS!

 Such a sign of summer!

 I just like the background of this photo.

 Mr. I Will Live Forever And Torment You The Whole Time Rotten Roscoe! He is at least 14 since he is older than Colby. He will always have that puppy look.

 Outtakes from our group photo.

 This one came out pretty nice!

 The elusive red wing black bird. They have the most awesome display where they open their wings and flutter, but I just can't seem to get that on film.

Trial report!

We did another outdoor trial. AKC this time. And, OMG, there was a back side (push) after the dog walk!! You should have heard the people complaining. Goodness!!! Some even saying they thought that back sides were not allowed in AKC. Hahahahaha!! We have been seeing more and more of them. It was the exact set up Spur and I have been working, so he did it without any hesitation, good little Monkey Pants! He didn't come of the line as fast as I wanted, but it was 90 degrees out and he never runs as well outside. That said, I think he ran very well. This course was 3.8 YPS, which is pretty normal for him, so I was really pleased!!! We still want to break 4 YPS, but for an outdoor trial this was good speed.

Also, everyone was oohing and ahhing about the blind I did on the second to last jump in jumpers. Goodness, people, these are not that hard and just make sense!! Sure makes sense to Spur, I just get out of his way.



I do like how he came off the line in jumpers. It was HOT!!! No video from the second day, but even hotter and he did almost as well!! We are now about 50 points away from qualifying for Nationals. Yay!!! In PA next spring, so a totally do-able drive. I already have a room booked, knowing those will go fast.

Breeding pair of tree swallows has chosen our bird house!!

They were having sex all day, but every time I tried to focus on that my camera wouldn't focus. Hmmm, was that telling me something? But, really is it bird porn if all they do is go hole to hole?

 I thought this morning I would try again, but only found then pruning and checking out the nest box.

 I can't tell the difference between him and her?

Well, hello there!

This young buck showed up on the other side of my agility yard yesterday. Love the little leaf in his mouth!

Did you notice the new DW? Well, OK, not new but seven years old. I got a nice deal on it. Aluminum frame, but wood planks. I intend to change the planks to rubber ASAP. They now make whole panels that completely replace the wood planks. I am pretty pumped! Now my big dog friends can come play on it!!! :D