Why couldn't we be last???

Last place team got some nice gift baskets!! Darn it! We were second to last. :P

It was a GREAT trial, ran smoothly and fast, we were done by 1:00 yesterday so I managed to get home and get a nice farm walk and even my jobs done early! Yay!

My team had too many E's. They were all very simple E's, but an E is an E and that hurt us. Spur ran GREAT, though, and I am very happy. His tail was WHIPPING back and forth on the start line each run, he took off really fast, he ran his heart out this weekend. We got many comments, so I couldn't be happier, really. And my teammate was cool about not qualifying and was pleased her dog only knocked bars the first couple runs. I guess he is a bar knocker.

I feel like Spur and I are finally figuring things out. Our start line is SO much better. I just grab his little body and focus him on the first obstacle and off we go. It is working!!! I think of the years of working on a start line behavior with Roscoe and never really figuring it out. With Spur it just happened one day. He was SO wanting to go say HI to the leash runner, so I had to grab him and make him stay focused. He didn't really like it, but it essentially took his options away, keeping him focused on his job. He is such a social butterfly it is hard to tear him away from the leash runner, at times. So, this works. And has worked now for several trials and I see him bolting off the start faster every time. It's cool! We are evolving!!!

Great weekend and I can't WAIT for his next team. I SO hope we Q next time.

Here is his standard run. He managed to hold it together to do his teeter. You can see after it that he worries about the recoil, but this is a very soft landing teeter. Then for some reason he reads the turn at the jump before the dog walk as a back cross and then back jumped it to cause an E. Oh well! There were times he looked REALLY happy and he sure had super fast weaves! Love how he starts lowering his head and diving into them as he is finishing them!! Good little Monkey Pants!!! -

Spur has his groove back!

He was FLYING today!! Our Q rate wasn't great, we E in Steeplechase due to a back jump and got an E in Team Jumpers due to a tunnel suck, but the little guy was FLYING!! He looked happy and fast! My teammate even said that....."Spur is fast!!!" That just makes my heart swell!!!

Here is Steeplechase -



Here is Team Jumpers-

Oh JOY, they got out naked!!

It was nearly 70 degrees!!! They were SO happy not to have to wear their coats this afternoon!! Yipeeeeeeeee!!!

Spur found something gross, dead to eat. Uncovered by the winter's snow blanket. Ick! When the girls at the vet's office admit us into a room and take the preliminary questions they always ask...."What do they eat?" and my answer is always......"Everything and anything!". I used to go into detail......."Well, they eat mouse asses and mole heads, horse shit and cat shit, and the occasional live rodent, sometimes a nest full of bald baby mice, along with some kibble, and carrots they dig out of my garden. That sort of thing."

I think this was a nearly mummified rodent. Yum......

He saved a little bit to roll in...........

The frost heaves are HUGE this year. They don't photograph well, but you get the idea. Our spring time "animal" here in Maine. They have a life of their own. Sucking in our feet as we walk on a warm, wet morning.

They raise up the path.

Dangerous time for riding my horse, so she hangs at the barn shedding her winter coat and rolling in a mud bath!

They also make our roads annoying.........

What does he hear?

I sometimes think he hears things. I know when it gets really quiet he worries. He hears tiny little noises that make him worry. Chaos and loud activity and he thrives. It makes sense, he grew up in a big room full of nearly 300 dogs. It was LOUD!

Last night at Rally class he melted. Not terribly, but he wasn't his usual perky good heeler. The signs at one part of the course were tight and he always worries about bumping into them. It was warm enough to work out of the car, so instead I brought him in and had him watch me working Roscoe and Colby. That usually gets him all excited and whining. He was quiet. Listening to ................I don't even know. The only other student there was my friend with her shih tzu's. The others were absent and Steve with the crazy Malinois left early. It was quiet. He listens. And I think he hears things. I has trouble in the quiet..........

We are off tomorrow to a big USDAA team tournament event. It looks busy and hopefully will be loud and crazy! 24 PVP teams and 17 Championship teams, so that's a lot of teams. Should be loud and crazy, just like he likes it!

Colby is SO happy the snow is disappearing!

Look, it's bright and sunny and here bad eye isn't even squinting that much!!! YAY! The snow glare has been so hard for her to navigate. Much nicer on bare ground!!!

And the hunting!!! The rodent nests and tunnels are exposed and everywhere now!! She LOVES this time of year for hunting!!!

Returning from a squirrel chase!!!
Today is our final day on the metacam. I hope her eye continues to be OK. Last time we stopped that it inflamed more. The sclera is still redder than the "good" eye. Oi!

Yipee!! It's Mud Season!!

Ick!!! We considered going to the beach, but then thought maybe the farm would be OK. Um.......not really.......

This was the worst of it, we did have some areas of dry ground.Perhaps a visit to the beach would be in order, after all.

Wow, busy at the beach today!!

Yesterday was the Lo Baker seminar. Both dogs did great and I think they had a good time. It was a nice seminar. Spur NAILED the jumpers course at the end of the day, good little Monkey Pants!!! And he did a nice teeter, which was at the end of the course, so I could finish up with tons of cookies!!!

Roscoe was typical seminar-high and had a tumble in a tunnel. Just going TOO fast and I guess he must have toppled over banking it? We heard this noise and out he shoots, eventually. Poor little twelve year old boy!!!

Colby got to come out and do some obedience and tricks and beg from her buddies. Everyone loves Miss Colby.

Today was BEACH DAY!!! We headed out early to beat the crowds and that was a good plan. The street was lined with cars when we finished up. We managed plenty of time alone, but did run into some families and other dogs. No issues, though, which was really nice!!! George isn't in the photos, he didn't feel like being obedient. Hmm, when DOES George feel like being obedience?We managed nearly two hours and it was lovely!! The dogs ran and ran and the lighting was even pretty good for Colby.

I thought this was a cute setting with the dried beach wood and rocks lined up along the sea wall. Dim lighting, though, which didn't help much. I probably could have put my flash set to ON, but didn't.Not sure why Spur was squinting, maybe the sand in his face kicked up from George as they raced and raced!!! I think this is a funny photo! His nose looks all crooked!!Did I mention I am back to cleaning windows? Last fall I simply didn't get them done and now the weather is good for doing that again so I am fast at it. I mean, seriously, dudes check it out!!! -

It feels so good to be able to SEE out the windows, even if all we see is snow and mud and grey everywhere. In a few days, all that snow will be gone. It is melting at record pace!! In fact, that photo was take last week and I think there is bare ground out there now!!! :D