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.