Betsy is a winner!

I know, this isn't Happy, or Oz, BUT!!!!

Betsy won entries into agility for an entire day at the 2011 Rose City Classic Agility trial!

It was her ticket for helping with a class this year. She entered the drawing for a day of entries...AND SHE WON!!!!

I guess we better all plan to enter and have fun with her. Or have her kiss all of our entries

Happy's first AKC agility run

Friday Happy and I ran our first jumpers with weaves run at Rose City Classic in Portland. As with Kona and Val, it was our first time in this venue and I was quite confused (duh) as to when/what/how/and why but I figured What The Hell, just go for it.

Without the wind beneath my wings (friends): Val, Vicki, Ryan, Dena building a fire under me I'd be sitting at home on the couch getting plumper by the day. Instead I'm out running around a huge agility course with a silly little Black Booger of a Cairn Terrer.

I had decided when I signed up for this trial I wasn't going to worry about it. We were gunna have fun and if some stupid border collie barked at Happy and pissed him off So Be It!! I also figured that I'd be able to watch others run the course and kind of get a feel for it. Maybe learn from others handling errors and get a better memorization of the sequence. It's my first run and Karma was on my side. WRONG!!! We were the VERY First team of the day to run!! Oh Well, I told Happy, We'd better make good, no worries if we didn't qualify, we were the guinea pigs for the day.

HE DID BEAUTIFULLY!! His handler, on the other hand, sent him over the wrong jump so no Q for us but I'll tell you, if you have never ran a course, Try it!!

I love you guys, I couldn't do it without your encouragement!

AKC Agility

This is a TDAA trial picture, BUT yesterday at Rose City Classic, Kona was entered in his first AKC agility trial. He was entered in Standard Novice. We waited all day to run, finally getting on the course around 3 in the afternoon. Kona did quite well. We did not qualify, but he handled all of the contact obstacles just right! He came out at weave pole #5, and refused the tire jump the second time through. Refused the high jump and had a bit of a bauble whilst celebrating the A frame (it is referred to as a "Happy lap", he ran in little circles in front of a jump (causing an off course penalty and maybe a refusal). This was truely a trial by fire. Kona has never run a full AKC course and it was at a very taxing venue. I was pleased that he ran well with me and responded well to the site and my direction (for the most part).
Dena was sitting in the bleachers and she said she heard some spectators say: "Finally, this dog looks like real life..he isn't perfect!" In our defense, we were not the first dog team with faults! But KONA LOVED IT!!!
I will be interested in seeing what our time was when the results are posted. It was a good run...not perfect, but left both of us smiling and happy.

TBAD title for Sammy!

Like she needed any more! Today she qualified at the TDAA trial in Salem, Oregon. I am sure Ryan, Vicki or Betsy will have a great story with pictures when they get home.

Poor Val can't play this weekend!

I am sitting at work (a part time weekend receptionist job) while my NWPaws buddies are off on an agility adventure. I HATE it!!!! I have to keep reminding myself the reason I am working is to fund the play I have planned in the future. It is all about choices. Of course, one of the reasons I gave up this weekend was because I thought there was to be one in my backyard next month! Also reminding myself that I have a friends dog staying with me right now, so I couldn't go to Oregon to play this weekend anyway. You make decisions with the best information you have at the time...right?
All in all, I am quite proud of myself for the discipline and self control to "budget" my doggie dollars! Working toward the long term goals and not getting too caught up in the moment. I almost succumbed to temptation regarding this weekend when I heard that there was to be no trial in Feb. Oh well, we will keep training and working and enjoying the journey...sometimes all by myself (with the dogs)!

Some times all things aren't right for all dogs!

The idea behind the bird netting weave pole guides is that the dogs can't see the barrier. Evidently if you have a dog who "know" weaves, maybe this isn't the smartest idea. Kula freaked out when she noticed the netting and tried to bolt. The results captured by Jay who was laying on the floor to get a good one of her :-(

A New Adventure...

The Cairn Terrier Club of Northern California is having their "Specialty" show next month in San Jose, California. I am trying to convince some of my NW Paws buddies to have an adventure.

The "plan" is that we (find 5 others) stay out at Santa Clara at Monteray Bay at the KOA. In (are you ready for this)...a KOA Kabin(that is with a "K")

Technically, La Selva Beach Yes, it is 44 miles. But we would be on the Pacific Ocean! We wouldn't just "do" the dog show, we would make an adventure out of it. AND, we would save a bucket on money on the hotel!

Zoe Snuggles In...

Zoe is enjoying January wrapped in her very own Snuggie.

Ready, steady, go....

To agility class tomorrow night!!! Wawho. Kona and I begin class at Aireborne Agility in Woodinville tomorrow. It is at the site of a TDAA trial being held in March! Rivendale Center, only 10 minutes from my house. I am soooooooo excited!