Cy does the Show Dog Thing..

January 27th/28th 2006 - Well figured we're going to the first ever Australian BC Nationals in April and we've got to get back into the swing of showing. So promptly finished work Friday arvo and came home and got the boy ready. The pic below is of him in his show clothes straight after his bath.

He has certainly got a full coat for a 15 month old. Anyway I was overall generally pleased with him. On Friday night he was in the puppy of the year competition and basically had 3 different judges go over him. He stood very well for that. It was undercover and he didn't move his best though - he scored a 39 - the 1st placed puppy scored 44 so he wasn't too far behind. On Saturday night he was in the Junior dog class by himself and he was very well behaved for that - standing stolidly while the judge went over him - he moved a little better but I don't think I wore him out enough as he still felt frisky enough to flirt with the girl behind him for Junior of Breed, which of course means the tail goes up! Needless to say he didn't actually win that one! But overall generally pleased with his progress at standing and staying. Still gotta work on the moving!

2006 - Let the Fun Begin!

January 21st 2006 - a Saturday. Yahoo we're back into the swing of the trialling year. Fun Agility teams event at Cloverdale Canine Companions tonight and it was great fun. Raven did 2 ripper runs in the advance agility course. She got called on a contact on the dogwalk (which I know she got so I didn't care) but I'm calling it a clear run. She kept all her bars up - let me do the lead outs I wanted, stayed on the table, did her A Frame contacts beautifully both times. The second run was the same course I assumed that she knew where we were going, this time I wanted to get my front cross in at the end of the dogwalk with room to spare so that she would get the 2 on 2 off position. Well she decided that the word "Touch" sounds alot like "Tunnel" and she layered a tunnel beautifully for me in an off course move that also cost a refusal! LOL!! So back we went and did the the dogwalk - we had a very nice 2 on 2off at the bottom with a wait as well. I was very happy with her - I was expecting to hear a few bars rattle as the grass was spongy and she was travelling at maximum velocity however I am pleased to note - not a single toenail connected. It was a good start to our year. Our next trial is a 'real' one, it's a week from next Friday. It will no doubt be a tricky course (this judge is notorious for it) I just hope I warm her up just right to get that edge off her. Cypher also came tonight - we worked on his start lines, and did some single bar work - he was very focused I was happy with him. Also got him officially measured! And he is 50cm at the shoulder so he is just on the lower side of the standard. I'm happy with the height he has turned out to be - means he won't be one of the bigger heavier BCs out there competing in agility.
That's all folks!