CPE Agility at PISA in Cheswick

Hi everyone! Mom has been walking real funny the past couple of days. Sefina, Robin, and I (Kiwi) just did another CPE trial this weekend and mom was really tired when we got home. We were real tired too but we got our second wind a few hours later. Mom was hoping for peace and quiet but Calvin wanted to play since he got left at home with Voodoo and he got us all riled up. Besides, I was in the mood to celebrate because I did really well this weekend. I didn’t quite get a perfect weekend since I went off course in my first run Saturday morning in Standard. But I figured mom would be more relaxed the rest of the weekend if she didn’t have that Perfect Weekend thing on her mind so I was doing her a favor. But I qualified in the next 7 runs of the weekend. I did mom another huge favor by getting a Jackpot Q. She’s been really obsessed with those lately so I threw her a bone so to speak. I also finished level 5 in Fullhouse and Colors. Mom says I need 1 more Q in Snookers and Jumpers and 6 more Q’s in Jackpot to get my C-ATCH. I don’t know what that is but there had better be a T-bone steak involved.

Sefina did 3 runs each day. Saturday she Q’d in Wildcard and Fullhouse and missed a Q in Snookers by 1 point. Sunday she started off real well with a Q in Colors. She was real into it and ran faster than mom expected. But the last 2 runs she was distracted by the ring crew and other things so she still needs a Jackpot and a Jumpers Q to finish Level 1. I think mom expected too much of her to run back to back trials. She’s not a seasoned professional like me.

Robin had a Perfect Weekend – a perfect weekend of not qualifying that is! He really lived up to his nickname Crazy Robin and everyone enjoyed watching mom try to run a ‘Border Collie in a Kees body’ as mom likes to refer to him. Mom was OK with him having a grand ol’ time and not qualifying except she was not happy that he launched himself off the A-frame and dog walk and missing almost all of his contacts. Because of that, he doesn’t get to play AKC agility in a few weeks with Me & Sefina. But what does mom expect? He’s only been with us 5 months and he’s a boy!

We’re taking a few weeks off from agility trials. Pretty boy Calvin gets to go to Cleveland on Sunday to prance around the ring a couple of times. That means he has to get a bath and lots of brushing. I’ll be hiding underneath the futon where mom can’t get to me while all of that is going on.

Here are a few pictures of us playing agility at Washingtonville. Can you guess which ones are of Robin?

CPE Agility at Washingtonville

Hi guys. This is Voodoo. Boy oh boy did we have fun last weekend at Washingtonville. All 5 of us got to go 3 days in a row. We had so much fun running around in the fields, except mom always keeps me on a leash. Something about running off and not coming when called. Its not that I don’t want to come back, I just get so into running and smelling things that I really don’t notice mom calling me. Anyway, it’s still nice to go for car rides. I love to ride up front and help mom shift gears. Kiwi, Sefina, and Robin all got to play CPE agility while Calvin and I watched. Calvin isn’t old enough to do agility yet and I’ve played agility a few times but I lose interest after a few obstacles. I do love the table though. Between you and me, I have it made. I get to sit back and relax while all the others have to work. Mom said we were all good in the X-pen inside the building, even crazy Robin who she was really worried about. But he was fairly quiet. The five of us together were quite a sight. People said we were all well behaved. Boy did we have them fooled!

Kiwi had a good 3-day weekend. She qualified (Q’d) 9 runs out of 11. Mom was disappointed that she didn’t get a Jackpot Q though. Guess she really needs those. Robin did the Jackpot and he’s only been with us 5 months. For those of you who don’t know, Jackpot is a game where you do obstacles for points and then you have to do a distance challenge which is completing obstacles a certain distance from a line while mom stays on the other side of the line. Kiwi doesn’t like to get too far from mom, unless Mom has a brush or says ‘bath’. Maybe mom should try saying that during the next Jackpot run! Kiwi finished Level 5 Standard this weekend. She’s close to finishing level 5 in everything except… you guessed it – JACKPOT!

Robin and Sefina only played Saturday and Sunday and each did 7 runs. It was Robin’s 2nd CPE trial. He got 4 barking Q’s, one each in Standard, Wildcard, Snooker, and Jackpot. Mom calls them barking Q’s because he barks the entire time he runs. Sefina did very well with 6 Q’s. It was only her 2nd agility trial, with her first one being half of a Jumpers course in AKC a few weeks ago. It was really hot on Sunday and Sefina didn’t want to do the jumps on the last 2 courses so mom had to give her lots of encouragement by jumping up and down in front of all the jumps. Sefina really enjoyed that as did everyone watching. It worked though since Sefina qualified in both of those runs. Sefina only needs Q’s in Jumpers, Fullhouse, and Jackpot to finish Level 1. Robin needs a Q in Standard, Fullhouse, and Colors. Maybe they’ll both finish Level 1 this weekend at PISA in Cheswick. Keep your paws crossed!

Here are a couple of pictures of Kiwi and Robin at the CPE trial in Slippery Rock taken by Tess & Jazz’s dad. The one of Robin is at the start line since once he starts to run he’s a blur of fur!

By the way – a big Congratulations to Tess and her dad, Jim for getting their 1st Perfect Weekend! Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof!

Canfield Dog Show Weekend

Hi everyone. This is Calvin again. I’m supposed to tell you about our weekend in Canfield, OH. For starters, that show is known for being too hot or too wet – or the too-too show. Well, this weekend didn’t disappoint and it was of the too wet and muddy variety. Sefina & Mom got to the Rally ring Friday morning to discover that it was a swamp. Sefina looked at mom like – you really expect me to sit and lie down in THAT?! You’re crazy! The judge asked them to leave by the 4th station after Sefina decided that the puddles were for splashing and drinking and not for obedience. It dried out a little bit for Saturday when I went into the ring. I got Winner’s Reserve and turns out that the dog I lost to is my half brother. Mom & I didn’t realize that at the time. The judge really liked me and I might have done better but I was really distracted by a huge piece of chicken carver left in the ring. Mom didn’t realize it was there but I sure did. The next day was really rainy again but it stopped by the time I went into the ring. I got Winner’s Reserve again. What’s that human saying? Always a bridesmaid… My friend Meredith went and watched. She says that judge seemed to really like me too but mom needs to figure out what the perfect speed for me is to show off my strut. Personally, I like to bounce. It’s much more fun.

This weekend we’re going to Washingtonville, OH for 3 days of CPE agility. I don’t get to play because I’m not old enough but Kiwi, Sefina, and Robin all get to play. Voodoo & I will watch to see how long mom lasts running 3 dogs.

AKC Agility & Conformation

Hi everyone. This is Calvin. Mom is letting me blog for the very first time ‘cause I’m a big boy now. I just turned 1 year old on Tuesday, July 21st. Mom bought us all doggy ice creams from Cathy’s Creations and boy were they tasty. Well, I think I’m the only one who actually tasted it. I savored mine while the others almost drowned trying to eat theirs so fast. Since mom had to teach other doggies on my birthday, we got them on Sunday after I got home from a dog show in Medina, OH. I didn’t earn any points but mom says we did much better in the ring than the last couple of shows. I went to conformation class on Weds. My pal Meredith teaches it. I really like her. She showed me at my first dog show in Pittsburgh because mom was too chicken. Anyway, she says that it’s probably my mom’s fault that we didn’t do well on Sunday. I agree. I’m so charming, how could it possibly be my fault? Next weekend, I am going to Canfield, OH for a dog show on Saturday & Sunday, and Sefina goes to check the place out on Friday for me since she is going to play Rally Obedience. Sefina seems to enjoy it but that word ‘obedience’ sounds kind of yucky to me.

Last Friday, my sisters Kiwi & Sefina got to play AKC agility in Cheswick. It was Sefina’s first time. She did a Jumpers with Weaves course and finished exactly half of it. She didn’t want to do the double jump so decided that was the end. Mom says the first half went really well though. Big sis Kiwi did well. She got her first Open FAST Q and got 1st place. She also got her ninth Q in Excellent B Standard. I don’t know what all of this means but mom is happy and Kiwi is gloating. Kiwi says she only needs one more Standard Q and she’ll have a master’s degree just like mom. Wonder if that means she’ll have to go to work every day just like mom. I don’t think I want a master’s degree…

Hi everyone. This is Kiwi. Sorry it’s been so long since we updated the site but we’ve been busy and Mom has been sick. She’s letting me write this time as long as I don’t just talk about me me me memememememe…. Sorry, sometimes I can’t help myself. My new Canadian brother, Robin (he's the one pictured to the right), and I got to play CPE agility the last weekend in June in Slippery Rock. It was in a horse barn and boy was that fun!!!! I don’t often stop and smell the roses while running agility but I couldn’t help myself – oh so many wonderful smells!!! It was also fun running in the dirt. I got 3 Q’s out of 8 runs. Mom says it wasn’t my best weekend but until I get my Jackpot Q’s she doesn’t mind. Between you and me – I just like to remind her that I call the shots. Robin got to play agility for the first time, 2 runs each day. Boy is he crazy and everybody agreed. People described him as ‘crazy’, ‘a wild thing’, and ‘a firecracker’. Mom says he’s a border collie in a Keeshond body. On Saturday he played Fullhouse and Wildcard. He didn’t Q but mom was real happy that he finished the courses. He ran around obstacles several times and barked the whole time. I told him to slow down because he missed out on all those wonderful smells but he wouldn’t listen. On Sunday it was the same story but he actually got his first Q in Jumpers. He ran around all the jumps a few times but completed the course correctly, barking like crazy the entire course, but since he’s so fast he still made time. Not me. I’d rather be perfect and look good doing it. I’m a little miffed that Robin got his Q after only being with us 3 months. I need to have a talk with him about the dangers of being an over achiever.

The day before my little sis, Sefina, did Rally in Northmoreland Park. It was her first time in Advanced and she was off-leash and outside on a hot day. I wasn’t there - I was at home with the others with the A/C on. Mom says Sefina didn’t even finish the course. I don’t blame her. I don’t like to do anything in the heat either.

Fourth of July weekend, mom got sick but she still took us all to the dog park. She had to make two trips. Calvin & I went on the first trip and I found lots of stinky things to roll in. Mom wasn’t too happy but I was lovin’ life! But then I got that dreadful 4 letter word B-A-T-H. I hate them so much that Mom threatens me that word when I give the boys a hard time. I know she doesn’t mean it most of the time but I get ready to duck behind the couch, just in case.

This past Saturday, Mom took Sefina to take a therapy dog/canine good citizen test. I already have my CGC so mom wasn’t going to take me but I snuck out the door with Sefina so mom had to take me anyway. Sefina passed the test so Mom decided to have me take it as well. I passed, too. The tester said that I did better than my sister. Well, of course. I’m Kiwi.

Sunday, mom took pretty boy (aka Calvin) to Madison, OH to go prance around in the ring again. He didn’t do well. He gets to try again next Sunday in Medina, OH. Friday, I get to play AKC agility again in Cheswick and little sis gets to play for the first time, too. She’s only going to do jumpers since little Miss scaredy cat won’t do the teeter. But she’s already doing weaves. Mom says she learned in 2 weeks. I need to have a talk with her about over achieving, too.

Hi there! It's Sefina again. Mom wanted to wait until Sunday to post but I couldn't wait to brag. I got my Rally Novice title yesterday at the Mountaineer Kennel Club AKC show in Waynesburg. I got 1st place with a score of 94 AND I won $10. Mom says I'm the first one to win any money. Take that pretty boy, Calvin! Mom says to tell everyone that he did really well today, too, in conformation at the South Hills Kennel Club show. He got Winners dog and earned 1 point for beating a 2 y/o male. Calvin told me he might have done better if mom wasn't a bumbling idiot in the ring. Oops, guess I wasn't supposed to repeat that! He goes back again tomorrow. We'll see if mom learned anything from today.

Agility & Rally

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Hi everyone. That was Kiwi. Mom says that I (Sefina) should tell you about our weekend instead of her. Kiwi got to do AKC agility last Friday at this cool place in Ohio called Four Seasons. All of us got to go and run around the fields, it was so much fun. Anyway, mom says she got lost on the jumpers course which made them go over time and then Kiwi popped out of the weaves in the standard course. Mom says it's probably because she tried to rush her but I think Kiwi likes to pretend she doesn't know what to do sometimes to remind mom who's really in charge. Anyway, mom said as long as Kiwi got a FAST Q she'd be happy so Kiwi said OK. Mom was worried because Kiwi had to go into a tunnel pretty far away after going over a jump but she did it without missing a step. So Kiwi got a Novice FAST title.

The next day mom took me to a place in Delmont called WCOTC. I met a beagle named Ginger and we were having so much fun but our moms said we needed to settle down cause we have to go play Rally. I'm pretty good at it. I think it's easy since mom & I have been taking dancing lessons since I was real little but sometimes she makes me do it without treats at these things called trials. I'm not so sure about that but Kiwi says to humor mom since we get to do a lot of fun stuff. Anyway, this was my second trial and I did pretty good. I Q'd and got 4th place with a score of 89. The judge said I was working beautifully but my bum came up when mom told me to lie down when I was sitting.

Mom says that we are going to another Rally trial next Friday and that if I do well there, then I'll get a Rally Novice title. I hope so. Big sis has alot of titles and she can be kind of stuck up sometimes. She gets to play agility again on Sunday. Mom says that in a couple of months, I get to play agility in the big ring like Kiwi does. Robin is a month older than me and he gets to go play in a couple of weeks. That will be funny to watch. He's really fast and CRAZY! I think it's cuz he's from a place called Canada.

My baby brother, Calvin, is going back in the show ring next weekend. He was hurt real bad for a while but he's playing with me & Robin again. Mom says he's getting a bath this weekend. Better him than me! I don't understand that show ring stuff. All he has to do is walk around in a circle and everyone goes gaga over him. He doesn't have to do jumps or any tricks AND he gets treats in the ring. That is so not fair! Mom doesn't even make him sit for treats like the rest of us. Spoiled rotten if you ask me.