Weekend with the Horses

Hi!

This past weekend Emmy and I were at a horse boarding facility doing agility in their indoor arena. Mom was afraid we'd be sniffing the poopies in the ring but they keep it very clean and we didn't have any problems with that. We actually liked it and will probably come back!

This is the arena from the outside --



We met the CUTEST little Boston Terrier girl -- I forgot her name but she ran great and I couldn't resist her!



This is the scene where people would wait for their turn in the Standard ring. That Lab looks like he's ready to go!



So I did my Standard run and now I have to pose before I get my treats????



Mmmf, mmmm, munch, munch...



Our buddy Coll the Scottish Deerhound was there, too. He was a busier boy than us that weekend -- dog showing the day before, or was it obedience?



I heard one of my grandpups was at the dog show up in MD where Coll was... wonder which one of my 'kids' had children??

Anyway, here's a video of my Beagle buddy Shelly and her mom running the 16" Jumpers course Mom and I qualified on (shhh--- we ran faster!!). Too bad Mom didn't get someone to video us running.



Our Scottie buddy and fellow Earthdogger ran the same course, shorter and slower than that but he sure was cute doing it!


And this is our booty from the weekend. I qualified in Excellent Jumpers B for the very first time and got sixth place (woohooooo!) and Emmy got first in her Open Jumpers class. I got a Bark Bar and Emmy got her a pink cellphone stuffie. I would've gotten more goodies but Mom kept messing up one time in each of our Sunday runs. I ran really fast anyway. I was haulin'!
Mom was VERY happy with how I did. Got all my weave entries too which was wonderful.



Next weekend I have off so I can rest up!
Later --
Rudy

Earthdog Training Day

Hi!

Today we went up to New Jersey for an afternoon of training 'cause Mom says Josie needs some help in the Senior tunnel and I need a little more help in the Master tunnel. ME??? Mr. 21-legs-in-Master-Earthdog??? I'm a little insulted but it's more fun for me, I don't care.

Besides, on Sunday Mom and Dennis left us doggies at home alone while THEY went with a bunch of people to follow THESE dogs around the woods and fields...



They went in the woods and people just stood around and watched them:



And afterwards the people stood around and had a party --



While MY people just stuffed their faces!


I see Mom with her mouth full!!



So today it was our turn for fun. We got to sleep in and leave the house at 9:00 instead of in the dark like we usually do: (looking a little sleepy here anyway)




Finally getting there, we knew right away we were goin' ta see some rats!



Someone had to take a break before we could do anything!



Josie was first to practice in the Senior tunnel and I could hardly stand it! I whined a lot and Mom could hear me the whole time! Josie did very well once she figured out how Senior works and Mom hopes she'll remember this in November when we come back! She had never done this tunnel before but picked it up very quickly.



Emmy and Clancy were just along for the ride, we couldn't leave them at home so they were our cheering section... huh... they napped the whole time.

Then it was my turn --- ohhh and here's the opening of the Master tunnel. Rats live down there!



Of course it was a great time and I learned to stay IN the tunnel 90 whole seconds rather than leave when I felt like it. Mom says when the judge starts making digging noises at 60 seconds, I associate it with getting to leave so I do. Huh -- think what you want, lady! I'm in it for the fun...



This is the last thing we did. This was an exercise where we hunt for rats in PVC tubes in various piles of wood, under stuff, inside tires, or there could be empty tubes or shavings in places. Mom had to be able to tell if we had found something or not. It was even MORE fun! Josie had never done this before and she loved it too. Mom and the lady conducting the practice are walking down the path. You might be able to see me if you look close!



On the way home Josie spent a lot of time hanging over the cooler trying to get some McDonald's from Dennis and Mom up front:



Looks like she picked up some leaf litter on her head from that Earthdog tunnel!



Here I've convinced Mom to give me a piece of her chicken ---



Great shot of me with my big fat mouth open! Pretty soon we had to stop 'cause Mom couldn't drive and feed us too...



Oh OK, but how can you deny us with faces like these???



It was a long day but Mom says it was worth it! Next week is another big agility weekend so we're going to get ready for that. Mom says I'll be extra ballistic from doing Earthdog, and she's SO right...

Love,
Rudy

Post-Montgomery Earthdog Test 2008

Hi gang!

So this makes the 101st post of mine, but who's counting. Wonder what I'll be talking about in post 200? Hmmm...

Well Mom and I had a good time at the Earthdog test in New Jersey on Monday even though we didn't get any ribbons. It wasn't for lack of trying! We got up at 4:00 in the morning (argh) and left the house at 4:30 and drove up I-95 to the Jersey Turnpike -- smooth sailing all the way. If I could find a picture of total darkness you could see what the drive was like! I was napping half the time. Mom was nice enough to keep the radio down for me, so to keep awake she drank a bottle of Dr. Pepper. That's quiet enough!

We arrived at the showgrounds about 20 to 8 --- I'm still a little sleepy!



People and doggies were milling about waiting for things to happen...



Finally the fun started. These are the Master and Senior boards so we could tell when it was our turn:


We had plenty of Westies and some Cairns and I see at least one Glen of Imaal terrier in this picture. The AKC photographer guy ran all around with two cameras all morning trying to get pictures of every breed that was there. They feature this Earthdog event on their website every year. Guess who was the only Bedlington?



"Ohhhh Mom there's rats over there!! Pleeeze can I go play???" (whine whine)



My Scottie pal from agility class and his mom just got finished doing Master and he had sticky plant thingies all over him! He had FUN.



Earthdog isn't exactly a big spectator sport. Here's a spectator's view of the Master walk-up to the den. Ho hum!


You can't tell but they're at the den site and Mom says it looks like they're waiting to see if the Westie will indicate to its owner the presence of the rats. That's one thing you get judged on in Master. The judge is behind the handler on the left:



Oh it looks like it's almost my turn! I'm in brace number 6 and we're next!



Here is my CUTE brace-mate, a Smooth Fox Terrier named Diva. We had fun together since we're both longer-legged terriers. We ran all over the place and hunted very well, Mom said. I want her phone number...



Like I said there wasn't much to see of our turn, Mom couldn't take pics as we went. But the AKC photographer guy got some pics! Check out http://www.akc.org/events/earthdog/post_montgomery/2008/ and my pic is in rows number 2,6, and 7. Cool!

Look how dirty I got -- I sure had fun. I also got a lot of sticky plant thingies all over me. Mom says the dirtier I get the more fun I had. Yep-per!



I was also entered in Senior; since I have my Master title I can enter any class, so this was just for fun too. I was sooo excited Mom let me run again I went in like a house afire and left the rats after 50 seconds, 40 seconds too soon. In Master I did everything right but left the rats after 90 seconds before Mom could get me out.(MOM: Argh!!!) I went right back in the tunnel for Mom to get me out of the tunnel end like she was supposed to. I'm just in it for the fun now.

Then we had lunch. That sandwich looks good Mom!!



Practicing for the next Bacon Bits commmercial -- i-i-i-i-it's BACON!!!



Someone had a big banner up for the Most Versatile Westie award. I had no idea! They sure are talented.


We spotted one of the rats sitting on the secretary's table. He obviously didn't read the sign (next pic)...



Here's the sign:



Mom talked to a lady who asked her how come we Bedlingtons weren't at Western PA's Earthdog test this last time. That's the one Dewey Dewster and Asta Marie were at I believe! The lady was a gate steward and remembered their names. We'll have to make a point of going next time. We used to go a lot back when gas was cheaper...
Small world!

Mom is still recovering from the long drive up and back in one day. How she went to work this morning is beyond me -- I slept all day and then Mom took me to agility class tonight. I proceeded to run HER ragged (Mom: Oh yes he did!). We'll go to another agility trials weekend-after-next, but on Columbus Day next weekend we're going back up to NJ for a training day. Woohoo! More rats!!!! Josie needs to practice Senior so she can run in November back up in NJ at their Earthdog test.

Have a great week --

Love,
Rudy

100th Post!

Wow I had no idea this would be the 100th post -- Mom should've thought to do something special... she's so useless...


Anyway as usual Mom has been running me ragged, so here's what we've been up to.

Last weekend we went to an obedience/Rally trials about an hour west of here at this big horse farm, it is so beautiful out there. Here I am after my Rally Excellent round, not too impressed with how I did. Mom wasn't on her game but we qualified anyway!




She also brought my doggie mom Clancy and she qualified in her Rally Novice class, and guess what -- that was new titles for the both of us! woohooo! Here is a pic of us with the judge, Mom in her funny hat (I'm so embarrassed). At least the DOGS kept their eyes open. Clancy's 12 years old so her getting a new title is something else!




Our Scottish Deerhound buddy "Coll" was there doing Rally Novice. It's so amazing to see the huge dogs do things:




Then on Thursday Mom took the day off work and rode up to Pennsylvania to the Montgomery All-Terrier agility trials where Emmy, Josie, and I tried our luck. We had a blast! It was cold and windy, jumps were blowing down right and left, but I didn't care. See how windy it was -- my ears were blowing in the breeze --



Of course they had several Airedales running.



This was the same Excellent Jumpers course I ran, set about 8 inches taller! We had a blast and I only jumped one 'bonus' jump so we didn't qualify but we did everything else perfectly. This Airedale did really well too!



I couldn't believe it -- there was a little Border Terrier and its name was -- Tanner! I said "Mom! Get a picture!". This Tanner sure didn't run like a Doofus, so it must not be the name...! (heh heh)




Mom's friend took video of us but she still doesn't have that cord she needs for downloading from the video camera. She better get it soon!

And finally, to top it off, Mom and Dennis pulled all the cornstalks out of the corn patch and set them up by the back fence to dry. Well some squirrel discovered the old ears on the stalks and so we had to come out and sniff where he'd been. Here I'm starting my climb..



Up Up Up! I almost made it to the top! They didn't get that picture ---


Emmy also tried climbing up the stalks but the squirrel was long gone by then!



So we've been pretty busy as you can see! We had SUCH a GOOD TIME up in Pennsylvania, Mom was sorry she only entered the one day. She promised us next year we'd stay up there longer. Josie and I didn't qualify but had fun, and Emmy won her class (Open Jumpers 16 inches) and ran really fast for her so Mom might move her up to Excellent A. Hey that means she's in the same division as me -- no fair!

On Monday the 6th Mom and I are going up to NJ to the post-Montgomery Earthdog test, just the two of us. I've been practicing by digging in the yard where the voles live (I got really dirty)and barking at the rats upstairs in their cages. Mom has to get our tunnels out this afternoon, too. It should be a fun time on Monday!

Love,
Rudy