Friday, October 23, 2009

Post-Montgomery Earthdog Test

Hi again --

Mom's getting lazy in her old age and she can't use that 'no camera' excuse anymore so I don't know what to do with her! I'm laying on her foot so she can't leave this PC without blogging something instead of visiting that social networking site she seems to love more than ME. Arrrrrr....

Here's a better pic of me and my little girl Shana from Connecticut when we met at the all-terrier agility trial. I'm a proud papa! She's a cute baby --


My Bedly pal Titus earned his MACH title, like I said earlier, and Mom made me sit next to his MACH bar (awarded to every dog who MACHs) so I'd know what I'm supposed to be working for... ahem... hey I can't qualify on EVERY run! It was chilly so I was wearing a snazzy sweater.


So we got home that Thursday night, and the following Monday morning (Oct. 5) we left at oh-dark-30 (4:30 AM to be exact but who's counting) to get up to the day-after-Montgomery Earthdog test in NJ. It's always held the day after the Montgomery Kennel Club all-terrier dog show in Pennsylvania.

Josie and Ollie went with us; Josie went in Senior for the first time and I did Master as usual. We found another Bedly pal of ours from Pennsylvania named Savanna and guess what -- she qualified in Junior! We met her in May at a practice at this same place. yeah! One more leg for her JE title! She participated in the Earthdog demo at the AKC Meet the Breeds in NYC on Oct 17th and 18th.


There was somebody walking around that Mom knows with the coolest Earthdog-type hat. Guess what's on it. She and her Lakeland Terrier got a ribbon -- should've gotten something for that hat too!


This was the Senior Earthdog tunnel set-up that Josie did. The judge and rat steward are on the right and the handler and dog are at left near the tunnel entrance. I have a lot of fun there, but on warm days everyone would rather be over by the swimming pool in the background!


Josie tried her best but she left the rats in Senior too early, thinking she had heard Mom calling her out of the tunnel. Check your hearing aid, you silly girl!!

And there was a cool vendor that Mom likes. They have a line of Earthdog collars, leashes, and shirts that we get, plus you can see a ton of neat-o collars and things. Love that red tent!


I love to sniff the daylily planter area just in case. One memorable day we were standing around it listening to the judge do his orientation speech and lo and behold a RABBIT bolted out of there! I instinctively went to chase it but >MOM< had a leash on me and wouldn't let me go for it. What a buzz kill!! Her friends said she should've let me go even though Bunny ended up running right through the Junior tunnel area where some dogs were working at the time. It would have been exciting to say the least.. so I come every time and reminisce...


And to top off the day, I qualified in Master again for the 22nd time! (it's only 4 legs to get the ME) I just love it, Mom loves to watch me do Master. You can see all the stickies I picked up from running around in the underbrush. Good thing I'm not a show dog anymore, that would've been awful... We didn't see those dog cookies that the judge was holding. Were they really people cookies and she ate them herself?? Hmmm..



It was a good day all around and Mom was really glad she brought us. Ollie says he wants to come do this next year. Then Mom will have 3 dogs to run in Earthdog! She better start working out ---

See you later!
Love,
Rudy

9 comments:

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

One of these days when woo khome through Pawsylvania, woo have to say HI!

Huga&Khysses,
Khyra

Poopsie aka Blue said...

Great to catch up with your Earthdog news.

Love, pats & pets
Blue

Martha said...

These were great pics - we have missed seeing you in blogland.
We have banned Facebook in this house - tell your mom the blog must come first!!!!
love
Martha & Bailey xxxx

Dexter said...

You are one hard working pup. Must have been awful not to chase that bunny when you were all stoked up for your Earth Dog activities.

Good job on all your fabulous ribbons.

Slobbers,
Mango

Fenway said...

Way to go, Rudy! I'm very impressed now that I know how hard it is to run an agility course in front of EVERYONE when you're so pumped up.

Fairhill was a physical disaster: so many cars had to be hauled out of the mud by tractors! Mom's hands (in ski gloves, no less!) and feet (insulated means nothing) were soaked. She was smart enough to wear a lot of polar fleece layers, a ski jacket and top it off with an industrial grade long rain slicker like the guys wear who dig up streets. I, on the other hand, was oblivious and wanted to run around in the mud and drenching rains. Mom called me her little Braveheart...but after all, aren't we BC's made to withstand the elements?

I ran amok in the Standard course—zoomed straight for my favorite A-Frame, teeter and then dogwalk. I thought I'd help out mom by getting the hardest things over with at the beginning. BUT, she noticed I kept my contacts and didn't run outta the ring. So, she corralled me asap and I left the ring to a lot of praise & treats from her.

In Jumpers, about 5 hours later (waitiing and waiting in the pouring, freezing rain & mud) I did a lot better. Even though I was so pumped I got a record number of faults, I managed to finish the course!!! Mom got "lost", I didn't pay close attention and zoomed past some jumps and had to do them over, I didn't understand where Mom wanted me to go sometimes, we PERSEVERED and methodically went through all the jumps to the finish line!!!! Yay me! And I got lots of praise for not knocking down bars, having "too good a time", and being able to check in with Mom from time to time.

I really love this agility thing and have so much respect for you and Josie...it's so hard to follow directions! But we're starting a handling class very soon and a special weaver's mini-camp. I will meet you at the top some day!

Your pal,
Fenway

Molly the Airedale said...

We just love that last picture of you and your mom, Rudy! It's a keeper!

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

Dewey Dewster said...

Wow Rudy......we had trouble gettin' ta see these pictures but finally did...fer some reason when we first get ta yer blog....there was nothin' on it....

Anyway....it looks like ya had a great time at yer earthdog trials....my Mom didn't get 'er SE titkle this time as she went in the false exit and then Gram had trouble even gettin' 'er ta come out....she did finally then went back in the REAL ENTRANCE....'n back ta where the rats were but of course they were already out of the tunnel.....so we have ta try again next year....

Me ???? Gram says I'm finished until I stop bein' afraid of the judge....no sense givin' it a try if I just won't go in while the judge is sittin' there.....sheesh....can't ya make 'em go away????

Dewey Dewster here.....

Agatha and Archie said...

Oohhh I was shivering with excitement watching!! ONe day we will get to Montgomery for sure!! 22 times!!1 We bow to you!!!!!! I will work on senior next summer!!! as for that hat?? A Dior if I ever saw one!!!!! Lvoe and kisses A+A

Johann The Dog said...

OMD, I bet you had so much fun in theres being an earthdog. Wow! I can't wait till I get to do agility again...I'm on 80 points from my MACH and I wanna get Mum one of those cool bars!

Hey my Mum is on facebook too, and me too!!! We needs to look her up!