What A Weekend!

Klink, Gator and Lynn headed to the Chicago area this weekend for a USDAA trial. I also went along with three of my students, they hadn't traveled for a trial and I told them they would LOVE this one. The people are so awesomely supportive and fun and it would be a great experience for them!

I was excited because Klink would be running again!!! I so missed running my girl!! It has felt like I was missing an arm or something. I run Gator, Lynn and Klink...that's how it goes...missing one doesn't work well in my mind :)

The pups really did great...Gator was 100% on Saturday, Won Grand Prix for the Bye (not an easy feat in that area!!!) so he has two byes now. He got 2nd in Standard to this really neat little dog (Miss Lynn) and 3rd in pairs with one of my students, finishing her RM (FUN FUN!!!). Sunday he was a bit naughty in Snooker (NQ) and in Steeplechase he had a first EVER launch off the Aframe...he got to leave the ring for that one. Won jumpers though ;-) Does that count he says??

Klinker ran REALLY well, right off the bat won Gamblers, and the only other class she was in was Standard...she ticked the tire, but otherwise had a LOVELY run. It felt SOOO GOOD to be running her again :) Sunday her jumpers run I caused a bar. She did have a great Snooker run though :) Good stink. I almost teared up a few times at the beginning...I missed running her so much :)

Lynn was a super star this weekend...100% on Saturday and Sunday!! Crazy!!! 4 in Gamblers, 1st in Standard (beating Gator!), 3rd in GP and a Pairs Q with her brother Spot :) Sunday she was 3rd in Jumpers, I forgot to enter her in Snooker (DUH!!!) but she got a Steeplechase Q with a fast time, but one bar. We didn't stay for finals. Needed to get home. She is REALLY settling into trialing...I wish I trialed as much as I used to with Klink and Gator...but well, life gets expensive. Having a husband on multiple world teams gets expensive too :) I don't think people realize just how expensive all this world team stuff is...trust me. It's pricey! 

How do you NOT love this face???? Saturday night I taught several private lessons, it was fun. And one that really stuck out in my mind, was a little BC female that reminded me of Lynn as a pup...it made me really appreciate and realize how much Lynn has changed as a young dog. maturity, bonding, training, all that. She's my shadow, my constant companion...and our bond is just so very amazing...she's such an amazing dog...and the things she has taught me, it's helped me in every facet of dog training and life. WOW...I'm grateful I didn't change her name--which means, a locational surname in Scotland, the place name derived from Scots Gaelic meaning water feature or pool. It fits her :)

I will have videos posted soon :) Have to get them off a friends camera!!

Speaking of Team Crackhead. They had WAO team practice this weekend, the husband had a lot of fun and brought home lots of fun courses to work on :) Excited to run all of them!!! It will be fun cheering them on (and the rest of the team! Lots of great handlers!!!) Our video camera went to camera heaven...so no videos :-( 

I have been toying since Nationals with changing Gator's Aframe over to running after 7, SEVEN people came up to me after his finals runs and said "that dog needs a running aframe"...these people I respect and I also appreciate their opinions...and they are right. A stopped aframe is needed. For SURE is a huge competitive advantage! It's nice I have people that care enough to push me :)

After his launch off the a-frame this weekend, it was just the irritation I needed.  I hate the stopped a-frame. I like to just run and not have to worry about it. Lynn's a-frame I just ADORE...I am hoping Gator's can be like that.

So...I have embarked on the retrain. I have several months off that I can focus on it. And Gator already knew all the RS box work (worked along with a student that wanted a running a-frame using this method) so he was well schooled in that method.

We started Monday...And he broke that stop SOOO quickly...LOL...once it broke he caught on very quickly as to what I wanted. I think he likes it! I know I do!

I forgot how fun it is to teach Gator...he is so easy, so smart and applies and generalizes. I absolutely love this dog. 

And he is handsome to boot...I think so anyway :) He's my dog...100%, those boys :) They're such sweeties!

Day 2 :) I noticed he was hitting the frame with his little back foot...so we will revisit that "no touchy the boxy" dealio :) But..I am so happy with his striding!!

It's exciting to be able to hope that I don't have to worry about "stopping, criteria, bleh bleh bleh"...Fingers crossed this works! LOL 

It has excited my want to train again. Maybe that is what I needed...more damn running contacts :)

This weekend I fly to Indy to trial Lynn and also teach a few days :) Excited about that! I have worked with a few of them in the past and looking forward to meeting all the new people! :) FUN FUN! Lynn wants to demo, she informed me of this. But in the past she tends to distract the audience from what I am saying by being a goofball behind me, rolling around, being naughty, doing a tunnels, or just being silly...

Making me laugh...that's what she does :)

Get ready for lots of videos!!! :)