ZOMG! An update!

It was delicately pointed out to me by Celeste that I completely missed the month of April in the blogosphere.  I was surprised to look at my records and see that she was absolutely correct!  Where did the month of April go?  I look back and try to remember...  Was I in a coma?  Maybe in a fuge state? Possessed by demons?  Probably none of the above.  I know I spent about a week of April sick and missed a few days of work.  With that, the work I missed for AKC Nationals, the two days of work I missed for the 4 day USDAA trial and the 3 days I missed going home to visit family I've been spending a lot of my spare time working at my real job (note: in the corporate world "vacation" means "you'll do it later in your spare time").  So something in my personal life had to give.  And blogging lost to American Idol, although tonight I managed both!  Buh-bye Aaron!  (oops, sorry!  Spoiler alert!)

Rampage is finally starting to show some signs of maturity.  For at least 5 minutes a day he gives a good impersonation of an adult canine.  He earnestly believes the world revolves around him and the rest of us are starting to give in and agree with him.

(note:  photo not taken during Rammy's 5 minutes of maturity)
















Icon is looking good, which is something of a miracle considering the horrible tire crash he had a few weeks ago at HauteTracs.  But he's fine now.  :) And I think I was more traumatized than him. I'm not totally recovered from it yet.

Apollo is starting to show his age in some ways, mostly in his stamina.  When we go to the park the other dogs run the whole time, but Apollo now spends about half of the time eating grass.  His stamina is fine at AKC trials when he has 2 runs/day but he can't handle USDAA trials where there are more.  But that's OK, I'm starting to ramp down his classes at USDAA trials.  We'll get his APD Silver and then he'll mostly retire (maybe enter a class or two for fun).  He needs a few pairs and a gamblers for his Silver, I think.  He'll retire from AKC by Invitationals in December or earlier, if he tells me he's ready.  He has been running great in AKC lately though :)

Foster is shedding lots.  And lots and lots.  I remember thinking to myself that I would never get another dog that sheds like Foster.  That worked until Rampage came to live with us.  Rampage sheds lots too.  I may just collect Rammy's hair and have it woven into yarn.  It's a pretty color.

Tomorrow Icon and I leave for WT Tryouts.  It's just been within the last few days that I've started getting nervous and excited.  I hope we can do well but we haven't trained as much as we did last year.  Or I guess more importantly we haven't trained as FOCUSED as we did last year.  I'm not saying we haven't done anything, we've been going to class and doing European course work with friends and practicing fundamentals at home.  But last year I had weekly expectations, schedules and courses planned leading up to tryouts and I just didn't have the bandwith for it this year.   So Icon, being the amazing and talented dog he is, is ready and prepared but I am just hoping I can keep it together and not disappoint him.