Agility videos of the girls

**WARNING! Dial up may take forever to show these videos!! I won't haven't had the time to to learn how to edit the videos so what you see is what you get! So Good luck if you try to view them! >:) All of them were taking tonight at class.

The first video is of Merrymoon Ebonwald I'm a Q.T. aka 'Ell'. She has only had 5 weeks of formal training for agility. Her first session was cut by nearly 2/3 as she was in heat for most of her session so we are 'retaking' the foundation class. This is our second week in and I am already able to work her off leash. The A frame is going 'up' next week to the full height but otherwise I'm really REALLY happy with her progress so far! She is a natural! I love working her! (And she isn't as stubborn as Sadie to work!) The course is not that long (7 obstacles) so its really more of a 'sequence' but she loves it and that's why I do it!!


The next video is of Sadie. She is in the 'advanced' agility class (there are only two classes at this training facility). I really wanted a second night during the week of something other than inside training as there are a host of different distractions in an outside setting. In the beginning of this class Sadie would NOT do a rear cross and she kept stopping. This video doesn't show that (on purpose!) I personally think the two jumps are too close together and you can't see the rear cross thanks to the A frame but you get the idea. She did do it this time in the video so I guess she decided not to give me the 'middle finger' the entire night :)


Last week it was down pouring rain and we ran it. Yes the Sadie Princess actually WALKED and RAN and did the course under time in the rain! I was so proud of my spoiled rotten, Miss 'have it your way' independent girl work in the rain! Now I know that rain or shine we can do outside agility runs! WOHOO!

And last but not least we have Bendi Ebonwald Smthing 2 Prove aka 'Zoe'. She filled in for Ell for two weeks while Ell was in season. This is her fourth night of classes and is currently being handled by my sister. I thought they could learn together :) My sister had a little problem with the leash and it getting in the way of Zoe going down the A frame but it was resolved! Zoe LOVES this agility stuff and I can't wait to have all my girls competing shortly!

Another kind of cute!

My little 11 month old nephew and Godchild, Chase Aaron Tibbetts! This is typical of him for a reaction when he sees me. Cute little bugger! He already loves the dogs and sheep!! Success!!

My weekend

Last weekend I had a extremely busy trip to Tomah, Wisconsin. There I delivered three Shetland ewes to a new sheep farmer and his wife. They will be extremely spoiled and well taken care of. Something that I'm really happy about as my placements with my 'pet quality' sheep is always of big concern for me. One of my older girls, Lavender is the new matriarch of the trio and she is doing a great job so far. I couldn't be happier.

Also on the trip I picked up a pair of white faced Black Spanish bantams. I'll try and get a photo sometime this week of them, or I'm sure you can Google 'white-faced Black Spanish bantams' and see some images. They are so striking. At the same time as the chicken 'swap' I picked up a gorgeous Shetland ram named Angus. I then traveled to another farm and picked up another Shetland ram named Pogo. Both are fitting in well here and are finding their ranks amongst the senior boys here.

The big news however is that I also took Mac along to meet a great couple that had inquired about Mac. I had honestly almost 20 inquiries about Mac and many of them just didn't 'feel' right or mesh right with Mac and what I felt were his needs. Since last summer Mac has lived with my parents as Oliver and Mac just didn't get along. Mac was never going to be a permanent resident here but sort of just ended up staying for a few extra years. My sister and brother-in-law were also living with my parents as their new house is being built, so Mac was able to really play with all of them and get to know the newborn baby and grow up with him.

My sister also took mac to foundation agility class in Detroit Lakes where I am now also taking Ell, Zoe and Sadie for agility class. Mac absolutely loved it and it made me smile every time he got his collar put on him he KNEW he was getting to go to agility class. But the living with my parents was not ideal for Mac. I felt he spent too much of his time alone and that he didn't' get enough trips out of the house to go places and didn't have enough 'things' to do.

I met this couple in Tomah, where I was doing most of the sheep transactions and they had the weekend to have a trial period with him. I honestly had planned on taking Mac home with me on Sunday, but they called me Saturday night and said he was just the most amazing dog with the greatest temperament and they couldn't imagine not having him in their life!

I was a bit choked up as I didn't get a formal goodbye but was extremely pleased that he was loving the new home and his new 'sister' and the new life. My sister and dad are/were extremely upset he wasn't coming home and they always knew he was looking for a home but they never thought it would actually happen. I told them that it was in the best interest of Mac and we can't be selfish and wish he was still here as he is in a better place for HIM and that is what is most important.

This placing dogs is seriously emotional. I hope it gets better as I get older and have more dogs to place. It was really hard at first with the cattle and sheep but it has gotten easier the more I move out. AND they are livestock so it is a bit different but nonetheless taxing on my emotions.

Mac's new home is great and they are eager to meet me in Tomah again from time to time to let me see Mac and perhaps I'll bring dogs with me so he can play with them! I'm very thankful for such a great place for Mac to live.

Mac's new duties will include keeping the three house cats in line, as well as keeping up to his long legged sister (pictured below) and tackling the new friends at the dog park, as well as Therapy work at the nursing homes and hospitals, as well as some obedience and agility classes to keep his mind always thinking.

Mac with 'sister' Ellie above

Mac with Ellie and new 'dad' Ron

As hard as this placement was, and as much as I knew he was needing a new home, I'm glad I waited for the right home for him. He deserves to be happy! And he is! :) :D :)

A video everyone needs to watch

This video nearly makes me ill. I was glued to the computer screen with disgust and nearly vomitted. This lady actually has her 'farm' about 10 miles from my house. I visited there once when I was five or six years old when my family was looking for a dog. Fortuantely we never got a dog there!!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2060106410193885747&hl=en

This video is eye opening. I had no idea these things went on there. If you google Kathy Bauck and 'Pick of the Litter' you will find she was charged with several accounts of animal cruelty and practicing veterinary medicine without a license. Unfortunately most charges were dropped by the JUDGE!! Ugh

To have nearly 1000 dogs on your 'farm' is ridiculous. Its about a 20 minute video. you should have the volume up to hear the stupid things this lady has to say.

Justice win photo

Justice going WD for two more points under Pembroke breeder and judge Candace Kramer. That darn front foot! Note to self to stack better even if the photographer says its ok!

Mitcham Monday

Mitcham's first major under Dorothy Christiansen. I was WAY too nervous to show him so I asked Barb Peterson to show him for me! Many thanks Barb!
Mitcham's 2nd major under judge Roberta Campbell, handled by Barb Peterson. Yes his ears went down while taking this photo. What a bummer!

Duluth weekend

Duluth was a fun weekend, albeit a very tiring one!

I had planned on going up Thursday night ( I wasn't entered on Thursday) after work to stay again at Steve and Barb Peterson's house. Mary Morris was also staying there and Mary and Barb told me in their motherly tones that I needed to stay home Thursday so I didn't hit any deer on the road and then just get up when the sun came up (about 5am) and head to Duluth. I had a hard time falling asleep and then turned off my alarm. At around 7am Mary called me wanting to know where I was. Thankfully she woke me up as I was still sleeping! I got there in plenty of time and set down to groom Mitcham. He was in first (about 30 dogs ahead of Justice in the same ring). Our judge was Michelle Billings and after winning WD for a single point (one other male entered) the judge told me " He is a beautiful boy, best of luck with him!" Cool! That was pretty exciting!

Justice was next and he was the only dog entered. There was only one point in bitches as well and we were just hoping for the cross over points. No such luck there! We went out after the show to a place in Superior, WI called "Elbow Room" a great Italian, steak and fish restaurant with Sammy's Pizza (locally renowned pizza) in the front end.

Saturday we had late ring times again but I rode in with Mary to the show who happened to have 8am ring times! I spent most of the morning grooming Mitcham, or holding dogs for Mary or my friends Mike and Donna Johnson of Fargo, ND. Our judge was the same for both Briards and Cardigans and we had Jean Fournier. After every time Mitcham went around the ring Ms. Fournier would say something like "He is a beautiful boy" or "You know you have an excellent dog" or something along those lines. Every time I would politely say Thank you and continue on what she asked of me. She gave Mitcham WD again for another single point and I thought we may have it for Breed as the bitch special was acting up quite a bit and Mitcham was being an angel in the ring! But no luck. As I was leaving with my BOS ribbon Ms Fournier stopped me and told me that in time my boy would be spectacular and to find her again and show him to her!! That's the nicest thing yet I've heard from a judge and was just tickled and honored to have such high praise.

Justice was in the ring after about six other dogs and Ms Fournier then said. Wow! What a nice boy! You go from a lovely Briard to a wonderful table dog?. I replied "Thank you yes! Its so I don't have to run so much" :) To which she laughed. She must not have thought he was so wonderful as we didn't get the cross over again so that was a bummer for the "Juice Man" (Justice) .

Cynthia and I went over a small drawbridge across from the show site to a Chocolate Store. We had caramel apples that were drizzled and dipped in various toppings such as pecans, chocolate, chocolate chips, snickers, marshmallows, etc. They were worth every penny!

Mary and I snuck out and headed over to Grandma's Saloon and Bar and had a nice tall cold beer and some nachos. Then we watched groups and then headed out to supper at a place in Proctor, MN called BlackWoods. Famously good food!

After a night of listening to Barb's dogs bark, Mary and I were up very early and headed to the show. Mary finished her GSP bitch that weekend and got a point on our friends Vizla. Getting nothing on Sunday she left after helping me reglue Mitcham's ears and I sat around and waited for Justice to show. I didn't enter Mitcham on Sunday as I knew there would be no competition. Justice I was hoping for that cross over point but we didn't get it again and the handler (Frank Murphy's helper) apologized ever day they got the BOW ribbon. I told them not to worry about it, but it was still a nice thing to say.

Justice is really learning to like the showing and he is an awesome self stacker thanks in part to Wanda Bendinelli! Both boys are a joy to show and I couldn't be happier with them!

Many thanks to everyone who was there to make it a fun and enjoyable weekend! Between lots of laughs at Barb's house in the evenings to the jokes Paul and I shared during the day at the dog show, it was a riot! Also a big pleasure to meet more of Mary's GSP friends! I've heard about them but hadn't met them all until now!

This JUST in!

Justice's first 2 points under judge Dorothy Christiansen at Cambridge MN.

GO TIRE!

With my sister working Mac at agility, and Ell and Zoe both now in their second sessions of agility I thought it fitting to get a tire. Well mostly because Sadie is going NEXT to the tire now instead of THROUGH it.

She just needed inspiration!!

I made her down stay and then she HAD TO WATCH Ell, Mac and Zoe and I have so much fun running up to the tire and me saying "GO TIRE" and the three of them (sometimes two at a time) would jump through the tire.

I nearly thought Sadie would have a seizure she was all worked up. Needless to say our down stay didn't work for very long and every time I'd ask Ell or maybe Zoe to "go tire" Sadie would break from her 'wait' or 'down stay' and follow them through the tire and then she'd growl at them as if she was saying "how dare you jump through MY tire!"

She hasn't gone next to the tire since then in our 1-on-1's so I'm hoping that that is all she needed was some incentive :)

Oh and its much easier to run the dogs through the course at home when there IS only one dog jumping through at a time LOL

And NO I will NOT youtube it!

Searching for the 'dog mobile'

Ok so the Expedition has got to go! I cannot fit all my dogs in the vehicle, OR all of their supplies! I tried doing that going to the National this year and I fit all the Cardigans but not Mitcham, and most of the supplies had to go on a cargo carrier.

I do have the Ford Focus wagon for trips that require less dogs (this weekend Mitcham, Justice and I are going to Duluth Fri-Sun) but what happens when my entire family is gone and I need to take ALL the dogs AND all of their stuff??

No I refuse to get a minivan!! Bring on the full size vans! Any brand or model that you really have liked? It was only a matter of time really. This way I could even bring an inflatable bed to sleep on in the van if it ever came to that ;) Do the cargo vans have heaters and A/C in the back or would I need to get a passenger van and take the seats out?

Thoughts?