Back to School! 2020

Obedience class has started and we are happy to take an outdoor class. This class is a combined Open/ Utility class. We are working mostly on Open exercises, but have started Scent Articles and the Go Outs for Utility.

Sprinter Fun!

Sprinter trials are one of the few dog events that have been running during the restrictions of Covid-19. The trials are just pure fun , no real training innvolved. Dogs love it, because its a chance to just open up and run.

 The dogs dash 100m down a straight track. A lure is in operation for those who want to use it or you can just do a send or recall. Most people use the lure. The real sight hounds chase the lure, but others use the lure  more for a visual that usually leads to their handler.

Last weekend Nugget ran in 4 trials, in her fastest race of the weekend she completed the 100m in 8.8 sec reaching her top speed of 40.7kph. Her run is more or less just a whistle recall to her dokken, but she does love it. 

Sunday Steady!

Training alone does have its advantages, sometimes you come up with different ways to challenge dogs. This was the biggest challenge for Nugget. She was sure every release word was Nugget. Toscane is on a platform to give her clear boundries of where she should be. They all did pretty good. Reese was just being a good sport to humor me. But did like to have a turn like everyone else.

Brown Dog Challenge Virtual Rally O trial

Around here there isn't much happening for dog sports because of the Covid19 pandemic.  Many people are trying  virtual activities. We decided to  challenge our friends Jill and Deb to a virtual Rally O course.  Jill is in Nova Scotia with her 2 Goldens, Danno and Toule.  Deb lives just down the berm from us and has 2 Shelties , Bliss and Lettie.  Reese, Nugget and Toscane we're pleased with the entries for the 1st Brown Dog Challenge.

Bonnie designed a Novice course under the CARO rules. It was 40X & 70 and had 21 stations.  We got the course before hand and had about a week to practise.  Jill ran her course Saturday June 6th after her videographer got groceries.  Deb and I had a bit of delay due to high winds all weekend, but finally set it on our driveway and ran in on Wednesday June 10th.

Here are the results from the Brown Dog Challenge.
Dog # 4 - Sheltie - Bliss  199
Dog # 1 - Golden - Danno 196
Dog#  5 - Chessie- Nugget 194
Dog # 3 - Chessie- Reese 192
Dog # 7 - Chessie- Toscane 189
Dog # 2  -Golden- Toule  NQ -missed sign #12 😩
Dog # 6 - Sheltie -  Lettie FEO

Nuggets run.  It is in 2 parts as we paused for a couple with a dog to walk by.
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We are back @ it!

I'm back...... It's been a long time, but I've never stopped having fun just stopped posting about it.   Many things are topsy turvey right now because of the Covid 19 Pandemic.  People, including myself are finding new ways to keep playing and having fun.  I think that's worth posting about.

We are doing most of our retriever training alone.  But with some great resources, a place to play and some eager dogs we are having a lot of fun.  Here are some pictures and a video from this morning.  We are working on a 3 leg pattern.

Backpacking Meet up

Five of us enjoyed the Saturday morning back pack meet up.  We hiked a trail between  trees , up the Mt Pleasant hill on the west side, back down the hill,  across the top of the parking lot and then wove our way  through the trees to the finish.  The trail was 810metres long, some of the dogs were carrying a sixth of their weight which is what is required for the DDX test, some carried less and others just wore empty packs.  A couple of dogs came along for the hike without a pack.  We went in 2 separate groups  so those with 2 dogs could take  each separately.    

 

Reese went in the 1^st group  and  Nugg and Toscane went in the second group.  Nugg was trying out her new low profile backpack and Toscane did not have a pack yet so walked along with Bonnie. 

Picking up Toscane

On Monday August 1st, we drove to Winnipeg to pick up Toscane.  She came to us from Nordais Chesapeakes in Quebec.  She is 4 years old and is registered as Nordais Unique Toscane MH.  

We had room for another dog and after much consideration we decided that all though puppies are fun,  an older dog would fit into our home better. 

Toscane has already accomplished a lot in retriever games, so she can teach me all about that.  But she hopes to try her paw at therapy work, obedience, agility and lots of other fun stuff. 

Here are some pictures from our return trip to Regina.

Ardi's Rose

 Today we planted this rose for Ardi along with some of her ashes. It is kind of our memorial corner.The corner also has the  St Francis bird bath that was my Dad's  and Kitt's rose bush .  

The rose is a Morden Fireglow bush rose.

 

 

St. Francis watches over Ardi and Kitt's roses and all the birds who come to drink and bath.

 

SK MB NUN AAC Regional Qualifier

On Sunday after running a fast, fun and clean Jumpers round, Reese and I qualified to represent our Region at the 2016 AAC National Championship in Montreal, PQ.  Yes indeed it was a squeaker as we earned 353 pts while needing 350 to qualify. Although I won't be making the trek to Montreal , I am very proud to have Qualified along side those who will be representing Team Saskatchewan.


Here is Reese's final Jumper round; video,  map and scribe sheet.  As someone pointed out....she talked me all the way through it. :)

Good-bye Ardi

Ardis~Nov. 26 2000 – Feb. 5 2016 This morning we said goodbye to Ardi. " Oakenpride's Ardwinna CDX, JH, WCI, RN, Onyx, MAD, SGDC, SMGDC, CRXMCL, CRA-T SJAT “We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle; easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we would still live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan.” ― Irving Townsend

Reese ATChC

ATChC Del Brave Flying Colours, CD, JH, WCI , DD , RE , CRXCL On Nov. 1/2015 at the Moose Jaw Dog Club Halloween Howl, Reese earned her 3rd and 4th Master Snooker legs to complete the requirement for Agility Trial Champion of Canada ATChC. The final leg came on judge Bridgette Hunters course. It was a great weekend 2 other dogs and handlers earned their ATChC the day before. They were Dr. Ann and her Cairn Terrier Tigger and Darla Montgomery and her Retriever mix Bailey. The Moose Jaw dog club presents the handlers that earn an ATChC title at their trial with an embroidered patch to commemorate the occasion. Love the idea.

On Sunday morning we started off needing 2 Master Snooker rounds to complete the ATChC requirements. My plan was to attempt all 4 reds then go into the closing, if I did this I would only need to complete the 5 obstacle which was 6 weave ploles and I would have 41 points, one more than the 40 needed to qualify. Reese and I stuck to our plan despite being the 2nd last dog to run and watching plenty of successful runs that provided lots of pressure to change the plan. Number 6 was a serpentine that provided lots of opportunity for wide turns and the ever tempting teeter

2015 Training Group Boat Picture

                                           Danno~Emy~Torque~Tim~Reese~Nugget


                                                                       Ship jumpers.

Jump Grids with the Nugg

In May, I started an on line jump grid class with Nugget. We are now just winding down after 8 lessons spaced throughout the summer. Nugget has really come a long way.

Nugget's 1s Agility Trial

On July 24, 2015 Nugget was entered in her 1st AAC Agility Trial. Nugget is not quite ready for a full agility course, but I wanted to enter her for a couple of reasons. 1) to get her 2 needed measurements , so I know what height she has to jump. 2) this particular trial has a totally fenced ring 3) to have her first experience be a filled with fun. AAC now allows toys in the ring if a dog is entered FEO (For Exhibition Only) . The trial was hosted by Prince Albert Kennel and Obedience club. We got to the trial site on Friday night early enough to get Nuggets 1st measurement. She was measured as greater (>) than 16” but less (<) than 21”. This means in AAC she would jump 22” Regular or 16” Special. I chose to enter her @ 16” Special FEO in both Gamblers runs. That way I could take her bumper into the ring and find short 4 to 7 obstacle sequences that she could easily do. First of all I was very happy that she measured under 21”, but even happier with how she faired in the ring and outside the ring. She had a few moments of judge visiting and a couple of times I could she her nose go to the ground, but over all I was happy with her debut.

Early spring training

This year spring came early, most of our snow was gone by the end of March so in early April, I started back with field work. We are working mostly on handling drills. Reese has done a fair amount of this, but I'm amazed at how fast Nugget is catching on to them all. Here are a few pictures taken by Lianne last night while we were doing a lining drill and 3 leg pattern drill.