Working the dogs

So, last week was the first week in a while wehre I actually got off at a normal time and when I had extra energy, I worked a bunch of the youngsters.

I used to love working Gossip, but when I lost her, I lost interest, it just isn't fun for me unless the dog wants to work with you. I liked having a happy heeling dog. My instructor told me more than once she'd never seen a Borzoi so happy to work. . I've tried working dogs who weren't as eager to work, and they're just not as much fun. . .dogs who like to learn are just better for me LOL

I am going to LOVE Working with Frankie, who is so happy to work, and in fact, heels like a BC, looking up at me, wagging his tail the entire time. We worked on simple heeling position and sits, with a few swings thrown in. This boy reminds me of his Great Uncle Obie with how much he wants to do whatever I ask.

Grabbed Jenny, and she wagged her tail the entire time, heeling almost as nicely as Frankie, she's not as quick to catch on as Frankie, but I can tell she's goign to be a blast to work with also.

Grabbed Gibbs next and had to do a lot of leash work, as he's a lot like his father, he wants to please, but you have to catch his attention and keep it, he's very ADHD LOL Him we simply worked on walking nicely and sitting at heel.

Ziva. . .Ziva shows be careful what you name your dog, instead of paying attention to me, she paid attention to everything else. .an Israili Mussaud officer never keeps her eyes off the surrounding scenary in case an assassin is waiting to take you out. The cows across the street, the trees looking for bunnies and tree rats, anything but me. . .will have to find some sort of food that is more interesting than anything else going on LOL

Bounce. . I had to debounce bounce first, up and down the Aframe, which she's already doing after only two session and doing it right, hitting her contacts every time. Only after I did was she calm enough to work with LOL . .

Felt good to get working with them again. . .need to get back into Rally class. Rules have changed since I worked Gossip. . .but i think I'm going to have fun with these 5. . maybe I'll have a triathlon dog ready for next year's nationals!

GVFRRC

Dragged my sorry butt out of bed at a way too early hour saturday, loaded up the car and headed up to NJ for coursing. . .in the last 10 yrs, the number of AKC trials in the area have dried up, with most of them being 3+ hrs a way. Hoping PVBC will become AKC approved in the next year and that we can find a field to hold AKC events at, as it gets expensive going to NJ, especially with price of gas, but the hotels are expensive also.

Got there, only to realise something: all my blankets were in the dryer. . .something I had thought of as I was packing the car, but it had slipped my mind. . they were all clean, but they were all 3 hrs away LOL. Thank heavens for two very sweet Borzoi people: Charles Greene & Karin Johnson who lent me blankets for Jenny. Another friend offered, but I could've fit Jenny & Bounce in the IW blanket they gave me LOL

Unlike recent AKC events, we had a nice solid major in Open with Ralph & Ariel's Jag and a friend of their's showed up with two more. Usually a dog had to go BOB to get a major, so it was really nice to see that many opens.

The day was gorgeous, clear sky, nice breeze. A little warm for Borzoi, but with the running water on the field, was able to hose Jenny off after her runs. The runs were gorgeous, especially been Karin's Jolie & Jenny.I haven't seen Jolie run before, but she is gorgeous standing or at a gallop. Very sweet girl too. The judging could've gone either way, but my little girl impressed the judge just a tad bit more to eek out the win. In fact, the judge came over to ask who she was, saying that when she came tearing down the field she just KNEW she had to be Bonnie's breeding. I corrected her that she was my breeding, but 3/4 Bonnie's bloodlines, and she nodded after being told the pedigree, saying she definitely ran like her pedigree said she should. She had an equally amazing BOB run, and ended up finishing her FC in four trails with four majors & Four BOBS. With the entries we've had around here, that's an amazing accomplishment

The BIF run unfortunatly was a fubar, when a SD was walked up to the line with us and was told by the owner that the dog 'better not do something stupid' . . .the dog interfered with Jenny :( Why people run dogs like that I have no clue.

Then it was time to QC the nutter, AKA Bounce. .I asked Charles' Junior handler for help, as I thought if she could handle Dillon, Bounce's bigger, keen as heck cousin(their grandfather's are the same: Mir), she could handle Bounce. . umm, she almost couldn't LOL Bounce lowers herself to the ground like a RR LOL My baby girl had an AMAZING QC run, not running like a puppy at all(she's 15.5 months) and the judge told me I was goign to have a lot of fun with her, just before she tried to rip my arm off to go after the bunny going thru the machine LOL I love my little nutter.

After hearing that there were only two borzoi entered for Sunday, I cancelled my hotel room to come home. Sunday was spent catching up on my sleep, then grooming, bathing dogs, and playing with Grins' youngest: Roo & Kanga (they're not mine, so not my names LOL). After almost 6 wks of 12 hrs day, sunday was a nice relaxing day LOL