More catch-up, more video

I've fallen behind again! Since Bay Team Santa Rosa in March, we've been to WAG twice (Fun Paws and Haute Dawgs CPE trials), and Dixon once for another foray into USDAA. Last weekend we came full circle, with another Bay Team CPE trial, this time in Palo Alto.

Last things first. In Palo Alto, Moxie finally, FINALLY, got his last Level 4 Snooker leg! After who knows how many tries (I think at one point we were 0 for 9!) This finishes his Level 4 title at long last. He also got his final Level 5 Jackpot (with a gi-normous 67 point score) and Wildcard. This leaves him needing 5 L5 Snookers, 5 L5 Standards, and 2 L5 Colors ... a grand total of just 12 legs for his C-ATCH title. I can taste it :-P

Miko has almost completed the re-do of his L3 classes, necessitated by my switching him from the Regular to Enthusiast category. I had assumed that they would combine legs toward his title, but they don't, so we had to repeat about 50% of his classes he'd already qualified in. He's been marching steadily along in his unspectacular way since last fall, and now needs only 1 Standard leg to get back to Go.

Here's a link to video of a couple of Moxie's Snooker runs -- one (Fun Paws) godawful, one (Bay Team) pretty good.

Our second USDAA trial, in April, was pretty successful. Mox ran in Performance Level 1 (for babydogs) -- needed 1 Standard to move up, and got it; 1 Gambler (Jackpot) to move up and got it; needed 2 Jumpers and got 1, 3 Snookers and got 2. We entered the pairs relay with Tammy Damon and her Aussie, Simon Says. Neither dog was at his best and we NQ'd ... but we're trying again in Prudedale this weekend. Tammy and her partner, Elena, are also Ace students.

I still haven't made up my mind whether to switch to USDAA as my primary venue after Moxie gets his C-ATCH. CPE is much more casual and laid back. Also, Miko doesn't have the drive to do well in USDAA, so it would be pointless to enter him. Not that he'd care one way or the other. As long as he gets to go tracking, he's happy!

Finally, some video!

But unfortunately, blogspot isn't allowing even the low-res ones to upload. They're on my Facebook page, so friend me if you want to see them!

Or, see low-res versions here.

Bay Team CPE, 3/21-2 09

Video coming!!  I was able to talk Elsa into coming to Santa Rosa with me for the Bay Team's spring CPE trial -- the idea was that, among other things, she could take some videos. A rash of battery failures squelched that plan.  Oh well!  Luckily, a professional video service was there to save the day, and Moxie's first-ever Level C Jumpers run has been captured in all its noisy barking glory for posterity. I also ordered one of his L5 Standard runs (the fastest run out of 80+ dogs, but a bar down, so a "dirty" 5-fault Q and no placement), Miko's Standard run, and Moxie's blazing 13-second Colors run. The neat thing about the video is that I could look at it and see exactly what I did that caused him to knock that bar.

In addition to Jumpers, Mox got his final L4 Colors leg, which completes his CL4-H category title. He also Q'd in L5 Jackpot (barely! not our finest run!), Fullhouse and Wildcard, going 6/8 for the weekend.  Did I mention that we did NOT Q in Snooker ... again!?

Miko went 2 for 2.  He seemed particularly up and happy all weekend (maybe he liked having Elsa there!), doing his boing-boing! jump-in-place routine while waiting his turn to run.  Some guy was so taken with him that he kept snapping his picture, "What a cute dog!" Which he certainly is. 

Catch-up

Moxie at VAST CPE trial, Turlock CA 3/7-8

Mox and Miko have been to several trial since I last posted anything here.  I've been sucked into the Facebook morass, and am trying to figure out if I want to keep this blog going or not.  Meanwhile, here's what's been happening:

The Haute Dawgs CPE trial at WAG, 1/17-18, was another teeter-free trial for Mox.  He Q'd in L4 Colors and Fullhouse, and got 2 more L5 Jumpers legs -- he only needs one more! Yet again I managed to blow our Snooker run :-(.  It's all in my mind, I know ... but it's really stuck there, but good!  You Suck At Snooker With This Dog!  Emphasis on "with this dog," since Miko Q's regularly in Snooker.  He's slower and less impetuous, and perhaps more forgiving of certain types of handler errors :-)  Meex also got his final L3 and first L4 Jackpot Q's, going 4/4 again.

Oh, and I won a very cool prize in the workers' raffle: a $50 gift certificate toward my entries at my next Haute Dawgs trial (in May, I believe).

WAG CPE, 1/31-2/1: Moxie's return to Standard runs and the dreaded teeter obstacle.  Huzzah! Huzzah! He had 4 teeter "opportunities," and all went pretty well.  Twice he kind of shied away on the approach, but when I called him he scampered on up the board and rode it down without excessive crouching. He looked a little uncertain, but not scared. The other 2 times he didn't hesitate at all.  Those Standard Qs finished his L4-R category title.  He also got his last L4 Jackpot Q, plus L5 Qs in Fullhouse and Wildcard. 

Miko entered only 2 classes.  He Q'd in Moxie's nemesis, Snooker, which finished off his L3-S category title.  (Snooker and Jackpot go together in the Strategy category.)

VAST CPE, Turlock, 3/7-8: Finally, Mox and I get a Snooker!!!  Whoopeee! Will wonders never cease??!!  He was 6 for 8 on the weekend, and got his last L5 Jumpers leg, with the fastest time out of 90+ dogs in the class!  That was one of the best runs we've ever had -- I wasn't late a single time with my commands, and consequently I was able to get really tight turns and cut corners to shave off fractions of seconds.  It felt good!!

What didn't feel so good was my butt when I slipped on frosty grass in Sunday's L5 Standard, and sat down, hard.  That of course resulted in an NQ, but I was pleased that throughout the weekend the teeter was simply a non-issue.  I found myself able to begin to relax, and actually send him to it instead of feeling like i had to babysit the approach.  

Miko was 1 for 2, with a win in L4 Colors. The high point of his weekend was the horses in the paddock next to the dogs' exercise area.  He didn't seem to want to chase them, exactly, but he was definitely interested.  There was a big handsome quarter horse that at one point was galloping around, kicking up its heels.  Meex ran along the fenceline beside it, not barking, just keeping an eye on it.  I have no idea what he would have done if he'd found a gap in the fence.

Mini-post: Teeter success!

It appears that Moxie's teeter fears are behind him.  He's performed flawlessly in practice and in class, not to mention here at home, with the board at full height.  Elsa went to Shamrock with me last weekend while her car was getting an oil change, and took some videos.  I've got them on my computer but haven't had a spare second to edit them and put them online.

We're off to Elk Grove in a couple of hours for the HauteDawgz CPE trial.  Both dogs will be running; with luck Miko can finish his Level 3 title.  He needs 2 Snooker legs and 1 Jackpot; like I say, "with luck"!  With equal luck Mox can finish his L4 Jackpot and L4 Fullhouse categories.  Nothing he's entered in should require a teeter.  He'd probably do it just fine, but I figure another couple of weeks just to get things rock-solid won't hurt.

(Note, 3/24) It also appears that I neglected to note results from the WAG trial, 1/03-04.  No teeters for Mox, but plenty else for him to do.  He Q'd in L4 Fullhouse, Jackpot and Wildcard, and got 2 L5 Jumpers Qs, for an almost-perfect 5 for 6 weekend.  Miko got 2 L3 Jackpot Q's, plus L3 Snooker and L4 Colors - 4 for 4 for him!  Good boys!