Tuesday, February 9, 2010

LaCrosse here we come!

January 31st

Since I want to finish off Bells NATCH this year, I need to show......there aren't many local shows anymore so I decided last minute to go to LaCrosse for the day. I hadn't been there before, and didn't know how long it would take, or how the show would run. I was PLEASANTLY surprised!!!

The show started at 8:00 so I had to leave FLIPPIN early! 4:30. NOT my cup of tea. WWCDTC had its banquet Saturday night, so I packed all my stuff before I went to the banquet, and went strait to bed after I got back. The drive really wasn't bad at all. Kinda a strait shot! I got there a little before 8 with a McDonalds stop for coffee and a potty break. The show ran really well and was well organized.

Bell Q'd in 1 round of Elite Standard. She dropped a bar in round 2. She also got a Chances leg and a Jumpers leg. She finally finished off her Elite Touch and GO title. I thought we were done, but according to NADAC records we were not. I also ran her in tunnelers for fun and she had a blast and took an extra tunnel. So she got 3 more Q's towards her NATCH. I think we only need like 14 more. 6 Chances and the rest in jumpers and just a few in Standard. Gettin there!!!

Qwik went for fun and I entered her in Novice Jumpers and Novice Tunnlers for fun. She did really well in Jumpers, Q'd. She also Q'd in Tunnlers and had a blast. She likes tunnels alot.

Their Tunnlers runs are below.

I am trying to show Bell the turns are tight and she ignores me. I shoulda tried rear crosses to show her the turn...but whatever, that prolly wouldn't have worked anyways.

UKC Agility

Sunday January 24th

WWCDTC or as UKC know it, Bark River Dog Training Club, hosted a UKC Agility Trial. I had Bell entered in AG1 and AG2 Both rounds and she is going for UACH points. She has 10 points out of the 100 needed. Qwik was entered in AG2 both rounds. This was her first time entered in AG2 and needs 3 legs for the title. I also was running DeeDee the golden and she needed 1 more AG2 leg for her title then she would be going for points like Bell.

AG2 was first! DeeDee and Qwik Qualified and Qwik got first place! DeeDee had a few points off but did REALLY well and SMOKED the weave poles and teeter! She ran BEAUTIFUL and earned that last leg towards her UAG2 title!! Bell Droped a bar but ran really, really nice.

AG2 Round 2 was next Bell and Qwik Qualified with PERFECT scores. 1st and 2nd Place! Bell earned 10 more ACH points. DeeDee was missin weave poles so she just went for some fun!

AG1 was next. Bell was the only one in Round 1. She Q'd with a perfect 200, FIRST place and 10 ACH points!

AG1 round 2 was last and Bell and DeeDee both Q'd with PERFECT scores and they each got 10 more points towardes their UACH's! YAY

I was about to take our picture and then they announced the HIGH in Trial dogs and High Combined dogs. Bell got HIGH in Trial an HIGH combined for Trial 2!!! YAY

A good UKC weekend

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

QWIK HIGH IN TRIAL!!!!!!!!!!!

1-9-10 - 1-10-10
The dog club I belong to, www.seespotsit.com was hosted an this obedience show.
Bell was entered in Open B and Utility B both days and we were on the lookout for OTCh points and UDX legs! Qwik was in Novice B Both days too. I have a goal with her to get a High in trial. She can only show in Novice untill she gets a High in Trial. Then we can't show in Novice but once she is trained she will be shown in Open.

Saturday went well. Qwik was in the ring first and did a GREAT job! She won the class with a 198.5 I was THRILLED! I was just crossin my fingers and toes that the score would hold and she would get High in trial.

Bell was in Open first and Qualifyed. She did some silly things that put her out of the placements. She self released on one finish before the judge said "exercize finsished" and then she never sat at heel when I sent her. Werid.....She never does that stuff in training. She Q'd though and had a good attitude. Unfortunatly when they handed out ribbons the dog that took first place also got a 198.5. It was an OTCh dog and a VERY experienced trainer, she does seminars all over the country. I thought right away..there is NO WAY we can beat her in a runoff!!

Then Bell showed in Utility. She did a nice job and sat on all her finishes and didn't do the silly stuff like she did in Open. I was happy about that! She ended up with 2nd place for 3 OTCh points! She is now at 51 points and has all the wins needed. YAY.

At the end of the day came the Runoff for High in Trial..Qwik was HIGH AS A KITE! She was up and ready to go. I was soooooo excited! She pranced through the heeling pattern and was all there and miss perky pants. I was THRILLED! She did such a nice job. She didn't win it....but I could NOT have been more pleased with her! YAY!!!

Sunday.....
After a late start and after spilling my ENTIRE coffee under the seat of my car, gurrrrrrrrrr. Qwik was first in Novice again. She was all pumped and ready to go. She did a nice job too! Before I went in I handed my video camera to a friend to tape us. I am always leerly of taping Obedience. It can go to crap in a second and I hate looking back on tape at that painfull experience. But I was sure happy with this run!!! Sorry to Bore you with Obedience though...


She earned a 199 and First place! A Flippin 199! YEEE HAW! How awesome is that!
I was sooooooo hoping that score would hold! YIPPIE SKIPPIE!

Bell was up next in Open and Qualified. She did a really nice job and behaved. She got 3rd place and was just out of the OTCh points. No biggie.....BUT the first place dog ended up with a 199......another Tie for High in Trial with the Qwiksta!!! It was with another Border Collie who was up with the top dogs in the country last year.

Bell finished with Utility and was very happy and excited to be showing. She was so happy she anticipated the Drop for Signals. So she failed. She did well otherwise though!!!

Then came the Runoff for HIGH IN TRIAL with miss Qwik.


YAHOOO!!!!!! SHE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!







Talk about exciting! This made my year! And it's only January!!!!!!!!

Sunday, December 27, 2009

2009 in review...

Here is what we all accomplished in 2009

January 18th
Qwik earned her UAG1

February 22nd
Qwik finished her NOVICE TUNNELERS title, and Bell finished her ELITE TUNNELERS title

February 15th
Bell earned her UAG1 title. That also earned her her UAG2 beacuse she needed the 1 title first.

March 1st
Bell earns her AKC UDX2

April 12th
Qwik earns her first AKC Novice Rally leg.

April 21st-25th
CCRCA National
Qwik earns her Rally Novice title, her first NA and NAJ legs also.
Diesel earns his WCX, and got 2nd in Super Singles, and also WON the Hunting Retriever Dog Class!

May 17th
Bell earns a HIGH IN TRIAL
Qwik earned her first RA leg

May 31st
Bell earns a HIGH COMBINED
Qwik earns her RA

June 20th
Qwik earns her first CD leg

June 28th
Qwik earns her RE

July 5th
Bell earns her OA
Qwik earns her NA

July 12th
Qwik earns her CD

August 9th
Bell and Qwik earn their WCX

August 15th
Qwik earns her First JH leg

August 23rd
Qwik earns her UKC SHR title

September 20th
Bell earns her first UKC HR leg

September 29th
Bell earns her first AKC SH leg

Oct 25th
Bell earns her MXJ and AX and NF

Dec 3rd
Qwik earns her NAJ

Quite a year!

Qwik is now
UAG1 SHR CH Sun Devil Seas Blazin' for Shore CD RE NA NAJ WCX UWC CGC

Bell is
UAG2 SHR Light it up Blazin' Bell UDX2 OM1 RAE JH MXJ AX NJP NAP WCX EJC ECC EAC TN-E TG-0 WV-E




I thought I would see how we did on our goals that I set back in January.

Here they were:

for Bell:
Be ready to enter an AKC Senior Hunter test (YES! and 1 Senior PASS!!)
Enter a UKC Seasoned test (YES!! and 1 Seasoned Pass!!)
Finish her NADAC NATCH (no..We made some headway and are 17 Q's away)
Get closer to finishing her AKC OTCH (yeah sorta.... Shes at 48 points out of the 100 needed...I would have liked to have seen MORE Points...but...)
Finish her AKC MXJ (YES! And she finished her AX!)
Earn her GRCA WCX (YES and with flying colors!!)

for Qwik:
Earn her CD and CDX (Just her CD. still work on training for the CDX)
Earn her AKC Junior Hunter title and be ready to enter a Senior Hunter Test (NOPE BIG fail here. She needs one more JH leg and isn't even close to touching a SH test!)
Finish all AKC and NADAC Novice Agility titles (YES for AKC. I decided NOT to show her in NADAC...maybe just for fun and a few titles...But I think I am going to do USDAA instead.)
Finish her UKC Started Hunter title and enter a Seasoned test (Yes for the SHR. But BIG NO on the Seasoned test)
Earn her CCRCA WCX (Yup YUP! She passed the Golden WCX which is harder than that Curlies!)
Break 20 feet for Dock jumping! (No. I didn't even attempt training it.)

So not too shabby. I like the whole Goal setting thing though!!! It gives me a challenge and some ambition!

Here are my Title goals for 2010:

For BELL!
Earn her AKC SH
Earn her UKC HR
Earn her UKC UACH
Earn her NADAC NATCH
Be up to 75 points towards her AKC OTCh
Earn her AKC MX and possibly some QQ's??


For QWIK!
Finish her JH and earn at least 2 SH passes
Earn her UKC HR
Earn her AKC CDX and UD
Earn her AKC OA, OAJ, AX, AXJ

I think they are all acheiveable as long as me and the girls stay healthy!

Updates....

So I have been a little LAZY in updating this.....oops. My NEW YEARS RESOLUTION!!!!

Anyways.....I have some Obedience results to post. Qwik and Bell were entered in 3 shows in November and December.....

November 22nd WWCDTC, Ixonia
Qwik was in Novice B. She got a 197++. She was in a 3 way tie for first place!!! All 3 of us ran off, and then she had just two of us run off again. Qwik had done that heeling pattern 4 times by then and was like....ummm....I think I got it now! Her last runoff was the best out of the 4 patterns. dorkus. But I was happy with her and that was a nice score!!!

Bell was in OpenB and UtilityB She got a 196 in Open. I was VERY pleased with her performance there. She was really trying on her fronts...finishes....not so much. In Utility she got 4th place for 1 OTCh point with a 196. We like showing at home!!!



November 29th at Badger Kennel Club, Madison

Qwik got second in Novice with a 197.5. The judge ran us into a wall...I was NOT pleased with that and Qwik wasn't all that hot. She was being kinda distracted. But she did well..

Bell got 4th in Open...I don't think she got any points though. LOTSA people failed so I think that's why she placed. She had a 197. She Failed Utility She brought back a wrong article, and then missed the come signal. She was WILD. I don't know WHOS dog I had in that ring. She was whining for directed jumping and almost barked. She was leapin up and bein a crazy girl and all. I would rather have that attitude than a slow slug. So hopefully we will find the happy medium!!!

December 3rd at Hounds for the Holidays Agility trial
I wanted to enter Sunday also but it had already filled. Qwik was in Novice Jumpers only and Q'd with a nice run! That earned her her NAJ title!



Bell Q'd in Jumpers with an AWESOME run! I was sooo super happy with her


She NQ'd in Standard for taking an off course tire jump. Her teeter and weaves were good. I didn't tell her to "touch" on the A-Frame so that was my fault.



December 13th at Oshkosh Kennel Club.
Bell failed Utility because she took a wrong jump during directed jumping. She was being wild and crazy and she would NOT look at me. She was staring at the jump. I should have waited till she looked at me....but she wouldn't, and was starting to whine cause she was being impatient. She had other small things that would have taken her out of the placings thought. But I DO like her attitude being all crazy and up. In Open she did well and I thought she would have placed. But alot of the other dogs did really well. She was trying so hard on her fronts and most of her finishes were GREAT!

Qwik got Third in Novice. She did the crappiest she had done in a while. I was kinda ticked at her. She was heeling wide and being distracted by spots on the floor. I just wanted to reach down poke her lill curly butt and tell her to do what she knows! But regardless she has a 196.5 average for Novice in 2009. WHOO HOOO!!!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Agility at WWCDTC

So we had our fall Agility trial at the club this past weekend. It was a 3 day trial with Friday being the Excellent JWW and Std classes and ALL levels of Fast. Saturday and Sunday was everything including fast. I was in charge of Ribbons and Prizes again. My favorite job! But I did fill in where needed outside if I wasn't running around with my head cut off.

I ran Qwik, Bell, Casey(Yvonnes girl) and DeeDee who is a golden in my classes at the club. Her owner is older and has a hard time keeping up to the dog and she runs well for me.

Friday started out WET, RAINY and WINDY! YUCK! We had Jumpers set up in a river....so we ended up moving the entire ring forward. Talk about a Pain in the Butt!! Bell was in ExB Jumpers and ExA Std and Novice Fast. She Q'd 3 fer 3. Earned her MXJ, and Novice Fast title! The Excellent Std leg she earned was her first AX leg and also first time EVER in Excellent Standard! YAY for the red dog!!!

Casey, Qwik and DeeDee were in Novice fast and they all were naughty/silly/unfocused. So we just had some fun out there! ohhh well.........

Saturday started off windy and cloudy and ended up sunny! It was a werid day. The ground dried off overnight thank goodness......

Bell was in ExB JWW and ExA Std and I moved her up to Open FAST. She Q'd in JWW and STD, earning her SECOND leg towards her AX. She took the wrong side of the tunnel in Fast like a silly dog...gurrrr But she ran really nice!

Qwik was in Novice JWW & Fast and Open Standard. She is not near ready to me moved up in ANY level but I thought it would give ME some more breathing room running the 4 dogs. She ended up Q'ing in Open Standard! She just had one refusal at the weaves, and did the 12 set BEAUTIFULLY!!!! I have only been working 6's with her lately! She had more focus than she has had in the past. She NAILED a 6 set of weaves way out ahead of me though! PROGRESS!!!

Casey tried real hard and almost had a Q in JWW and STD. She went off course in JWW and had a PERFECT run in Std but knocked the last bar which was a double. She had some VERY nice stuff going on though

DeeDee was kinda naughty for me. She bailed on the teeter right above the yellow...ALMOST! She isn't real confident on it yet. Especially outside. She ran OK in the other classes and ALMOST passed Fast. Her time in JWW was over cause she kept going around jumps. But we had some good bonding time!!!

Sunday was a BEAUTIFUL day! It was picture perfect. Sunny but cool. LOVE IT!!!!!

Bell Q'd in JWW and STD and earned her AX title! She went 3 fer 3!!! I had that thought in the back of my head and I was like...hmmm....tha'd be cool!!! She's such a good girl. She Q'd in Open fast too with a nice run.

I am giving trying for a MACH a thought. She is 8. She is very consistant and just needs a little maintence on weaves and contacts. Turning tight and not pulling off jumps are her main issue I think....I think it is doable....but I dono if I wanna do it. I will get her NADAC NATCH. She is like 10 Q's away from that. I would LOVE to get a OTCh...but thats a WHOLE HECK of alot of work......And this summer I am gonna push for her Senior Hunter and HRC/UKC field titles. decisions decisons............

Qwik ran nice for me. Her Jumpers run was the best I thought. I haven't been really using handling skills on the Novice girls......I just kinda throw them into open space and slopily change sides. I worked on rear crosses with Qwik...but I know she is just starting to understand them. But I thought what the heck I'll give it a shot cause it ain't like she is going for a title or anything. I did 2 of them and she read them nicely and drove ahead of me and turned the correct direction!!! I was sooo excited!!! She ended up with a Q in JWW. She got called on her a-frame contacts in fast...I gotta train that dog....in Std she was a bit unfocused...but did some good stuff.

Casey earned her NA and NAJ!!!! She was such a good girl. She is so fast and focused when she isn't all nervous about everything. She gave me a scare in Fast. She always has a very flashy a frame. She leaps the apex and does a nice running bottom. Well she lept over the top of the a frame and landed on the ground next to it! I was like ummm......lets try that again girlie. She did it perfect the second time. Silly girl! Alissa from Pet-Personalities.com was there and got a few awesome shots of the guys. She got this one of Casey on Friday and I ordered the rest. They should be here soon.



DeeDee ran MUCH better for me and got a Fast leg. In Std she ran PERFECT except for putting all 4 feet on the teeter and bailing....ALMOST! But everything else was great. She also ran great in Jumpers and Q'd there too!!! YAY for her!

I was totally exhausted running 4 dogs but it was a fun weekend. 5 titles aint bad!!!



Monday, October 5, 2009

OHIO!!!! Qwik's JH????????

9-26 & 9-27
SO! I was in search of Qwik last 2 legs needed for her Junior Hunter Title. A friend through curlies had mentioned that there was a Double Junior Test, the end of September, in Ohio, and that I could stay at her house if needed. I gave it a thought then checked my schedule at work, and I didn't have many dogs booked! I promplty rescheduled them and made plans to drive to Eastern Ohio to hopefully get those last 2 legs. I also entered Bell in Senior for another shot at that.

We trained Thursday night at Kyle's place with the 2 ducks I was keeping in a crate. MAN O MAN are ducks gross!!! Anyways, I had my dad come out, and we got some pictures of the dogs retriveing the fully feather ducks...unlike our usuall training ducks who many lack a few feathers.



Isn't she so cute!!!



Could it be!!! Bell has her ears up for PICTURES!!!!

Bell Loves birds,




This is Toby. Hes the lab we train with. Hes a good boy and got his JH in 4 strait tries!!! Unlike the lill curly!


So after that training session the dogs were pumped. We left Friday morning after I groomed a few dogs. I made it there in a little over 9 hours. CHICAGO SUCKED!!!! Once I got past there it was smooth sailing.

Once I got there, I unpacked my crap, settled the dogs and we went out to dinner at Smokey Bones. YUMO!!! GREAT choice I must say. Dawn, joined us later...The "us" was Sief, Dawns boyfriend, and Monna from Finland, who was picking up her curly puppy and flying back to Finland with him!

Saturday Morning we got to the test and it was sunny......then it got dark and rained. urgggggggg. Land was first for Miss Qwik, and she did PERFECT! Out and back, and super fast. She did excellent. I was sooo super proud of her. The marks weren't all that easy either. Lots of dogs were failing. Water was next and the rain continued....urggggg. Bell got to be test dog and she throughly enjoyed that. She also got to pick up a few birds that the dogs didn't get. She was SOO happy to be of Service. Qwik ran later in the running order and it was still cool and rainy. When it was her turn she was all pumped. The duck call quacked, and the shot rang out, and the duck splashed into the water...I released her and she didn't jump in.........she fartzed around on the waters edge. Then she tried to run out to it, but you really couldn't get out their easily by foot. Then she just stoped and started eating grass.....I was TICKED!

I quietly took her back to the car and told her how naughty that was once we got there. Then we went to the pond that was next to where we were parked. I sent her into the water and she no-go'd...AHHH HA! I laied into her that we do NOT do that! I set her up and sent her again. She BLASTED into the water. I tossed a bumper out in front of her. I had her on a Flexi leash and she coudn't reach the bumper. So I reeled her back in and told her again how naughty she was for not getting the bumper. Then I uncliped her and sent her in. She hit the water like a ton of bricks. I HOPE that proved a point to her. I was VERY disapointed in the girl. We had done lots of water work at training before we left. But her reasons were....it was cool and rainy, the bird thrower was hand tossing the birds and we are used to wingers tossing those birds way up and making a nice big splash in training. So I can sorta see her point. "But, when I ask you to get into the water, and get a bird, like I KNOW you KNOW how to do, I expect you do it! DARLING!!!!!!"

After we came home and dried off, Seif made the most AMAZING meal. It was Curry Chicken, Beans and Rice, and some Roasted veggies. YUMMMM AWESOME! We hung out and chatted then headed off to bed.

Sunday I was all pumped for. Bell was up first in Senior on Land. It was a Walkup Double that was the same marks we ran in Junior just as a double instead of singles. Do-able. Then a Blind into a field cut full of Strips(it kinda scared me). Then an Honor. Bell did GREAT on her marks. I was worried about her blind but she ALMOST Lined it!!! She ran a GREAT line out there, and then started drifting to the left of it. I sat her and casted her back to it. She was right on top of it but couldn't pin point it. She started to hunt bigger and bigger, so I had to handle her again back to it and she kinda blew me off, but came up with it. As I left the blind line and went to Honor, the Guy Judge said "I'm Sorry." I thought to myself "REALLY!!! Was it that bad!" I got her leash, and my coat, and settled down as they rebirded before the next dog ran. Once they were ready, the female judge came over to me, and said to get ready for the honor. I just told Bell to stay. Then she said..."Take your leash off." I promply did!!! If you honor on leash it means you failed. So I was SOOOO confused. The guy judge must have said "I'm Sorry" cause they had to rebird...but his timing wasn't the greatest!!! I was flip floppin all over! EEK!!! But she was called back to water. :-)

Qwiks land series was next. She did FLIPPIN PHENOMONAL!!! The best she has ever done. Running out and back and PINNIN her marks. GOOD GIRL! I rewarded her with a quick swim in the pond behind the parking area. Little did she know I also was refreshing her to GETTING IN THE WATER!!! YAY


Lunch Break Pictures. The lill liver curly is Olive. Qwiks 3/4ths sister's puppy. Dawn would NOT let me take her home...she's so mean!!!







Bell ran Water next. It took FOREVER to set up the test. The double was do-able and shorter than some of the marks we have run. The Memory bird was along all these stumps but still in open swimming water. The Go bird was across the pond and up on Shore on this hill. Kinda tough. A few dogs gave up and switched to the Memory bird. Bell did awesome. The blind was an angle across, and past 2 points of land. One area was swampy grass and the other was a little island. I sent her back, and she took a great line. Then she started drifting to the left a little bit. I sat her and casted her back to the right and she took a PERFECT line all the way back to it, and picked it up, and brought it in. I was about to start doing cartwheels!!!!!!!!!!! YAY YAY YAY YAY I got some great compliments from the judges and they even said to each other as I left "Did we make this too easy???" As I walked away I said to myself..."No me and my dog are just THAT GOOD!!! We made it look that easy!" LMAO!!!

Onto Water with Qwik......The marks were short and in open swimming water. PERFECT for the lill girl! It's when they land on land, that we have issues. She did GREAT! Pinned both marks and dove in on the first command and brought them right to my side and was good. YAY for the Beans. One of the judges even gave her perfect 10's all the way around! YOWZA!!! I was ticked that one day can go so good, and the other so bad.....Ohhhhh Well!

9 Hours later and we were back in Wisconsin.....1:30pm. Not to bad!

I would go back in a heartbeat!!! I had a GREAT time!