An overlay of Icon and Wings the Terv (I think she's only about 2 years old!). Wings' owner got this overlay and was so nice asking me if I minded, which of course I don't! What a nice dog Wings is!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
How many dogs in this photo?
Did you count 2? Well apparently you're missing the shrimp! Icon is there too and he looks tiny.
Here he is looking bigger
Ok, so he still looks tiny. I remember thinking that Icon was big for a border collie as he was growing up. I guess I was wrong!
We went to Redwood shores today for some swimming fun. This was Rampage's first time at RWS, but that didn't intimidate him in the least! Before I could blink he had jumped into the water and was swimming around. I knew from Kay that he was not a fan of LEAVING the water. When she was puppy sitting him she took him to Mandy's house to go swimming and she had to go in after him!! I managed to coax him out of the water, but he was on a long line after that!
Rampage is ready to go back in the water!
Ok, I'll sit pretty for the camera
But can I go in now??
Looking out at the water
And jumping in!
Apollo wants Debbie to play with him!
Icon surveys the other dogs activities (Polly is swimming!!!)
More swimming Polly!
I love the water coming off of Polly's tail in this photo!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Couldn't just leave it alone...
Generally I have no problem leaving things unfinished. I mean I haven't even finished (or started) the tile backsplash up in my kitchen yet and I'm not even going to say how long ago it was remodeled (but hopefully I'll finish that one up soon.) And certainly from my videos in my back yard you can see a lot of unfinished work there. But I can't seem to leave the running dogwalk with Rampage alone. I bought a 12' plank because I need it for Apollo's running dogwalk but I just keep going with Rampage too. Oh well!
Apollo's struggle with the dogwalk is that he still wants to stop in 2o/2o occasionally. I need to have the T&T close to the board to tempt him to keep running. But I am gradually moving it further away. He only stopped once when we practiced this morning. Apollo doesn't get above a trot when we practice. I'm not going to worry about it at this point.
Rampage is doing pretty well. There were 2 that I didn't like in this last practice and both times Icon was in the camera shot so I'm sure it was his fault. :) I did reward one of them by mistake but didn't reward the 2nd one.
Apollo's struggle with the dogwalk is that he still wants to stop in 2o/2o occasionally. I need to have the T&T close to the board to tempt him to keep running. But I am gradually moving it further away. He only stopped once when we practiced this morning. Apollo doesn't get above a trot when we practice. I'm not going to worry about it at this point.
Apollo's trotting dogwalk training from Agility Dogs on Vimeo.
Rampage is doing pretty well. There were 2 that I didn't like in this last practice and both times Icon was in the camera shot so I'm sure it was his fault. :) I did reward one of them by mistake but didn't reward the 2nd one.
Rampage's Running Dogwalk training from Agility Dogs on Vimeo.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Tired dogs
Just returned from a 3 day USDAA trial. It was SO much fun, although it probably ranks as one of Icon's worst USDAA trials ever. But Apollo was quite brilliant at this trial, aside from stopping to air sniff in GP (where I pulled him off) and Snooker (where we I got him back to finish). I'm still not sure what he was sniffing at, but my current working theory was that he could smell Auntie Kay in the scribers chair. Other theories from the spectators are that he could smell the bbq and that he was looking at the boom from the amazingly professional videographers. But in his entire agility career, Apollo has never stopped and sniffed at ANYTHING. I was (and still am) a bit distressed at this.
And then there was performance steeplechase. After spending 3 grueling days of scribing or timing full time in the masters rings, Kay must have felt that she was an agility expert as well as a boxer expert. She essentially ripped Apollo out of my grasp just before PSJ finals and said that she could do better with him than me.
Well!!!
I thought I'd show her by letting her TRY to run him. Of COURSE Apollo wouldn't run for her with me standing right there. Apollo ADORES me.
Or does he??? Wouldn't you know it, Apollo and Kay go out there and win the whole thing! But I know Apollo is just trying to make me jealous because of the time I spend with Icon and Rammy. And you know what, Apollo? It's working!
Oh! And Apollo even got his APD Bronze at this trial! I keep forgetting because I thought he had it back in April but it turns out that in performance you do need pairs legs now. So he got his 15th pairs leg (thanks Linda and Mercy!) today.
I guess I should step up to the plate and say that Icon was also quite brilliant, but his handler let him down. I got lost on TWO jumpers courses, made him backjump a red in team snooker (why didn't I stick to my original plan?? I'm still blaming Tammy because it's easier than blaming myself :), And I'm not quite ready to talk about our Saturday Master Std run, where at the end the judge turned to the crowd (which I believe was laughing quite heartily) and asked, 'did you get that on video???'
When, not long after our run, I asked Nancy G if she saw it she replied with a haunted look in her eye, "No. But I heard about it."
I could see her thoughts swirling through her eyes, "Holy cow, this person is on my world team??"
Yes, my friends. They did get it on video. And I will post it when I am emotionally recovered. Thankfully after that Icon did manage to whip his handler in shape to win GP, SC, and a few other things but I'm not sure which one of us is more embarrassed about my performance this weekend.
Kerilyn's going away party was lots of fun, but that is still overshadowed by my disgraceful performance with Icon. And Rob/Karen Yi's baby shower was sweet, but that is overshadowed by Apollo abandoning me for his guest handler.
Rammy had a blast this weekend and I had a blast with him. Despite a rather strong interest in the ring it was pretty easy to keep his attention on me (well, the toy). He played a lot with his good friend Trickie, his friend Tip and his brother Riff! I had my camera in my RV but never brought it out for photos! I hope Celeste got a few with Riff and Rammy.
Despite the earset and coat differences I see SO many similarities between Rammy and Riff. Of course there are differences as well. Riff is way more 'herdy" or "stalky" than Rampage. His head and nose are broader and he seems to have more bone, although they're about the same height (it's hard to tell with Rammy's curly coat). I would say that despite Celeste referring to Riff as 'Goomba', Rammy is the 'Goombaier' of the two. Rampage is a "leaper". For the people he loves (which is most people, although there are some he is wary of) he loves to leap up at them, as if he wants to land on their head. This is a trait I *think* he shares with brother Roller from the photos I've seen (I need to ask Donna about this) but Celeste tells me that Riff doesn't share this trait. If Donna responds that Roller isn't really like this, I think will blame Kay since leaping is totally a boxer trait :).
Holy cow! This post was just supposed to be about how tired my dogs were after the trial, but it got out of hand. I mean, I wrote and wrote and wrote but I didn't even get to talk about the Jamaican or the pairs trash talking or even the SC trash talking! When I started writing this post, all the dogs were all passed out. Since then Rampage has decided that sleeping is overrated and is trying to coerce the other dogs to play. Alas!
And then there was performance steeplechase. After spending 3 grueling days of scribing or timing full time in the masters rings, Kay must have felt that she was an agility expert as well as a boxer expert. She essentially ripped Apollo out of my grasp just before PSJ finals and said that she could do better with him than me.
Well!!!
I thought I'd show her by letting her TRY to run him. Of COURSE Apollo wouldn't run for her with me standing right there. Apollo ADORES me.
Or does he??? Wouldn't you know it, Apollo and Kay go out there and win the whole thing! But I know Apollo is just trying to make me jealous because of the time I spend with Icon and Rammy. And you know what, Apollo? It's working!
Oh! And Apollo even got his APD Bronze at this trial! I keep forgetting because I thought he had it back in April but it turns out that in performance you do need pairs legs now. So he got his 15th pairs leg (thanks Linda and Mercy!) today.
I guess I should step up to the plate and say that Icon was also quite brilliant, but his handler let him down. I got lost on TWO jumpers courses, made him backjump a red in team snooker (why didn't I stick to my original plan?? I'm still blaming Tammy because it's easier than blaming myself :), And I'm not quite ready to talk about our Saturday Master Std run, where at the end the judge turned to the crowd (which I believe was laughing quite heartily) and asked, 'did you get that on video???'
When, not long after our run, I asked Nancy G if she saw it she replied with a haunted look in her eye, "No. But I heard about it."
I could see her thoughts swirling through her eyes, "Holy cow, this person is on my world team??"
Yes, my friends. They did get it on video. And I will post it when I am emotionally recovered. Thankfully after that Icon did manage to whip his handler in shape to win GP, SC, and a few other things but I'm not sure which one of us is more embarrassed about my performance this weekend.
Kerilyn's going away party was lots of fun, but that is still overshadowed by my disgraceful performance with Icon. And Rob/Karen Yi's baby shower was sweet, but that is overshadowed by Apollo abandoning me for his guest handler.
Rammy had a blast this weekend and I had a blast with him. Despite a rather strong interest in the ring it was pretty easy to keep his attention on me (well, the toy). He played a lot with his good friend Trickie, his friend Tip and his brother Riff! I had my camera in my RV but never brought it out for photos! I hope Celeste got a few with Riff and Rammy.
Despite the earset and coat differences I see SO many similarities between Rammy and Riff. Of course there are differences as well. Riff is way more 'herdy" or "stalky" than Rampage. His head and nose are broader and he seems to have more bone, although they're about the same height (it's hard to tell with Rammy's curly coat). I would say that despite Celeste referring to Riff as 'Goomba', Rammy is the 'Goombaier' of the two. Rampage is a "leaper". For the people he loves (which is most people, although there are some he is wary of) he loves to leap up at them, as if he wants to land on their head. This is a trait I *think* he shares with brother Roller from the photos I've seen (I need to ask Donna about this) but Celeste tells me that Riff doesn't share this trait. If Donna responds that Roller isn't really like this, I think will blame Kay since leaping is totally a boxer trait :).
Holy cow! This post was just supposed to be about how tired my dogs were after the trial, but it got out of hand. I mean, I wrote and wrote and wrote but I didn't even get to talk about the Jamaican or the pairs trash talking or even the SC trash talking! When I started writing this post, all the dogs were all passed out. Since then Rampage has decided that sleeping is overrated and is trying to coerce the other dogs to play. Alas!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Practice, train, work, train, sleep. Repeat.
I haven't posted much lately. Not because I don't have anything to write about and not even because I don't have the time. It's simply because this week I've been in a mood to whine. A lot. And to sum it up for the curious people it would have been many, many words about how tired I am lately and how stressful my job is. So you're not missing much.
So other than work I've been doing a lot of training with Apollo and Rampage on their a-frame box. After Apollo got his MACH2 in March I stopped asking him to stop on his contacts so I figure if I want to qualify in standard again I should probably do something to train an actual running contact. Although, ironically in the past 4 days of AKC trialing Apollo has qualified 3/4 times in standard. Of course the last standard Q I'm sure he missed both the dogwalk and the a-frame contact but either the judge didn't see it or the scribe didn't record it. I'm sure my luck won't hold in USDAA though, since the contact zones are smaller and his misses will be more obvious...
So now we've graduated to the next step in the box training method where the box is in a grid with 2 jumps (set at 8") about 5' apart and then the box set out 9' (to simulate the distance for the ramp of an a-frame). Apollo is finally starting to figure out that you do jump IN the box, not OVER the box. Silly boy. Maybe I didn't do enough work with him with only the box but he really seems to get it outside of the grid. I think it's just hard for him to collect his stride to hit in the box. Rampage is really cute in his grid. He runs through the box every time, but doesn't take the 8" jumps every time. He thinks it's faster to run around the jumps! How soon we forget that dogs aren't BORN knowing how to do a row of jumps, they need to be taught.
So I will keep at the grid for a bit more. I need to be able to do a bunch of handling moves around the grid (f/c, r/c, push past) before the next step of moving it to the a-frame. Once it gets to the a-frame Rampage will be taking a break for a while until he's older.
Of course Icon has not been left out in all of this. He gets a day or two off a week, but otherwise he is a world class athlete in training! He's either practicing skills, doing coursework or cross training, even while I'm at work (yes, he's that smart).
Tomorrow I'm heading out for a 3 day USDAA trial. Due to work/training/classes/stupid Safeway employees (don't complain, Channan... don't complain...) I am nowhere near ready for it. Hopefully I'll be able to leave a bit early from work tomorrow so I can finish packing and get to the trial at a decent hour. But regardless, I'm really looking forward to it! Aside from FUN agility we are having a going away party for our friend, Kerilyn, on Friday night. She is abandoning us for rainy Washington to do some sort of double MBA/MHA or a silly thing like that. I'm sure she'll be back right after she graduates top of her class though. It's always cloudy up there in Washington and as someone from Hawaii she won't last too long! On Saturday night there is a baby shower for Karen and Rob Yi, who will be having a baby girl in August! A baby! How odd is that!
Here is an interesting tidbit... At our WT practice in June Geri told me that out of everyone on the AKC WT including our esteemed coach, assistant coach, team leader, team manager and of course team members... only Geri and Ashley have kids! Wow! So AKC let 2 crazy people through out of 16. That's not so bad. We shouldn't hold it against them (just kidding. Kids are ok so long as they're not mine.)
Well I could go on, but the need to whine is approaching again. So I will go off and practice, train, work, train, sleep. Then repeat.
So other than work I've been doing a lot of training with Apollo and Rampage on their a-frame box. After Apollo got his MACH2 in March I stopped asking him to stop on his contacts so I figure if I want to qualify in standard again I should probably do something to train an actual running contact. Although, ironically in the past 4 days of AKC trialing Apollo has qualified 3/4 times in standard. Of course the last standard Q I'm sure he missed both the dogwalk and the a-frame contact but either the judge didn't see it or the scribe didn't record it. I'm sure my luck won't hold in USDAA though, since the contact zones are smaller and his misses will be more obvious...
So now we've graduated to the next step in the box training method where the box is in a grid with 2 jumps (set at 8") about 5' apart and then the box set out 9' (to simulate the distance for the ramp of an a-frame). Apollo is finally starting to figure out that you do jump IN the box, not OVER the box. Silly boy. Maybe I didn't do enough work with him with only the box but he really seems to get it outside of the grid. I think it's just hard for him to collect his stride to hit in the box. Rampage is really cute in his grid. He runs through the box every time, but doesn't take the 8" jumps every time. He thinks it's faster to run around the jumps! How soon we forget that dogs aren't BORN knowing how to do a row of jumps, they need to be taught.
So I will keep at the grid for a bit more. I need to be able to do a bunch of handling moves around the grid (f/c, r/c, push past) before the next step of moving it to the a-frame. Once it gets to the a-frame Rampage will be taking a break for a while until he's older.
Of course Icon has not been left out in all of this. He gets a day or two off a week, but otherwise he is a world class athlete in training! He's either practicing skills, doing coursework or cross training, even while I'm at work (yes, he's that smart).
Tomorrow I'm heading out for a 3 day USDAA trial. Due to work/training/classes/stupid Safeway employees (don't complain, Channan... don't complain...) I am nowhere near ready for it. Hopefully I'll be able to leave a bit early from work tomorrow so I can finish packing and get to the trial at a decent hour. But regardless, I'm really looking forward to it! Aside from FUN agility we are having a going away party for our friend, Kerilyn, on Friday night. She is abandoning us for rainy Washington to do some sort of double MBA/MHA or a silly thing like that. I'm sure she'll be back right after she graduates top of her class though. It's always cloudy up there in Washington and as someone from Hawaii she won't last too long! On Saturday night there is a baby shower for Karen and Rob Yi, who will be having a baby girl in August! A baby! How odd is that!
Here is an interesting tidbit... At our WT practice in June Geri told me that out of everyone on the AKC WT including our esteemed coach, assistant coach, team leader, team manager and of course team members... only Geri and Ashley have kids! Wow! So AKC let 2 crazy people through out of 16. That's not so bad. We shouldn't hold it against them (just kidding. Kids are ok so long as they're not mine.)
Well I could go on, but the need to whine is approaching again. So I will go off and practice, train, work, train, sleep. Then repeat.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Happy 7th birthday Polly!!!
Ok, so I'm a week behind on my birthdays. Apollo turned 7 years old on June 19th. Excuse me as I get sappy here, but I am absolutely amazed that Apollo looks as good as he does for 7 years old. I mean, to be a boxer still doing agility at 7 years old and to be the #1 boxer for 2008 (invitationals and year) and currently the #2 boxer for 2009 invitationals with limited AKC showing is pretty damn good! And not to mention, he is the most handsome, lovable, spoiled boy in the world.
I hate to remember it, let alone mention it... but he's a bi-lateral TPLO success. It's amazing how soon I forget the ordeals we went through together when he was 2.5-4 years old. After his first TPLO surgery, which went VERY badly, I was told he would never RUN again let alone do agility agan. So you can imagine how depressed I was when I finally got him back to fighting form, with the indispensable help of our PT Sarah Johnson, and the 2nd knee went out. But thanks to Dr Sams and Sarah, the 2nd TPLO surgery was a breeze (comparing it to the first).
As I say to people who ask me the dreaded question, "who is your favorite dog?"
Icon is my favorite dog but Apollo is my favorite child (sorry Foster and Rammy, I love you too!)
So an homage to the best child I could ever have! Taken at 7 years and 1 week old!
What a mug
Look at those butt muscles!
Although spoiled, Polly is happy to let me share his birthday post with his brothers.
Foster! Polly and Foster are the best of friends. I'm sure it's because they are only a year apart in age.
Icon has many many many talents. Catch an orange plastic football in his mouth isn't one of them.
Ah, and Rammy. He's cute!
He loves his wubba!
He loves his box!
But most importantly, he's cute!
I hate to remember it, let alone mention it... but he's a bi-lateral TPLO success. It's amazing how soon I forget the ordeals we went through together when he was 2.5-4 years old. After his first TPLO surgery, which went VERY badly, I was told he would never RUN again let alone do agility agan. So you can imagine how depressed I was when I finally got him back to fighting form, with the indispensable help of our PT Sarah Johnson, and the 2nd knee went out. But thanks to Dr Sams and Sarah, the 2nd TPLO surgery was a breeze (comparing it to the first).
As I say to people who ask me the dreaded question, "who is your favorite dog?"
Icon is my favorite dog but Apollo is my favorite child (sorry Foster and Rammy, I love you too!)
So an homage to the best child I could ever have! Taken at 7 years and 1 week old!
What a mug
Look at those butt muscles!
Although spoiled, Polly is happy to let me share his birthday post with his brothers.
Foster! Polly and Foster are the best of friends. I'm sure it's because they are only a year apart in age.
Icon has many many many talents. Catch an orange plastic football in his mouth isn't one of them.
Ah, and Rammy. He's cute!
He loves his wubba!
He loves his box!
But most importantly, he's cute!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Boy, I was SO impressed with Rampage tonight. Or so I thought...
I trained the dogs tonight in the order of Apollo, Rampage, Icon (yes, Foster got left out of training, but he still got cookies). I generally go in this order because when I train Apollo all the dogs can be outside since they generally stay in their downs nicely. When I train Rampage, all the dogs can go inside just behind the screen door. When I train Icon, Foster and Apollo can stay behind the screen door, but Rammy has to go in a wire crate in the room furthest away with the doors and windows shut.
Rampage has generally been pretty good in his far away crate land, but recently he has caught on to the fact that something FUN is happening when he's in there. And he is not good. He started screaming as soon as I put him in the crate, shut the door and walked away. But it was only a few minutes into working with Icon that Rampage stopped screaming!
I thought to myself, "My little red boy is growing up!"
Well, not so much...
When I was done working with Icon I went back to the room to let Rampage out of his crate. I opened the door to find a smiling red face panting at me. There was a piece of fluff from one of my couch cushions peeking out of the side of his mouth and scattered at his feet. Behind him the crate had moved entirely across the room and the front door to it was magically open.
But he was quiet while I worked with Icon in the back yard. And that's the goal, right?
I trained the dogs tonight in the order of Apollo, Rampage, Icon (yes, Foster got left out of training, but he still got cookies). I generally go in this order because when I train Apollo all the dogs can be outside since they generally stay in their downs nicely. When I train Rampage, all the dogs can go inside just behind the screen door. When I train Icon, Foster and Apollo can stay behind the screen door, but Rammy has to go in a wire crate in the room furthest away with the doors and windows shut.
Rampage has generally been pretty good in his far away crate land, but recently he has caught on to the fact that something FUN is happening when he's in there. And he is not good. He started screaming as soon as I put him in the crate, shut the door and walked away. But it was only a few minutes into working with Icon that Rampage stopped screaming!
I thought to myself, "My little red boy is growing up!"
Well, not so much...
When I was done working with Icon I went back to the room to let Rampage out of his crate. I opened the door to find a smiling red face panting at me. There was a piece of fluff from one of my couch cushions peeking out of the side of his mouth and scattered at his feet. Behind him the crate had moved entirely across the room and the front door to it was magically open.
But he was quiet while I worked with Icon in the back yard. And that's the goal, right?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
