After eating turkey scraps, mom took us all to Washingtonville, OH where Kiwi, Sefina, and I (Robin) played in Youngstown All Breed Training Club’s AKC agility trial. Sefina and I had to wait a long time in the car while Kiwi got to have all the fun. They ran all the Excellent dogs first and there were a lot of them. Kiwi is an Excellent dog and she keeps reminding us of that – over and over and over. Anyway, mom says she needs a lot of Jumpers with Weaves Q’s to get her Master’s title and since it was cold this weekend, Mom hoped she would get some. You see, unlike me, Kiwi doesn’t run very fast unless she’s chasing deer in the yard, scolding us, or trying to beat us to some food. Well, Kiwi started off Saturday morning with a Q in jumpers and 3 seconds to spare but then she decided that mom takes her for granted so blew her off the rest of the weekend. Kiwi loves Standard courses and almost always Q’s so you know she was copping some attitude when she makes a mistake. Kiwi won’t ever let you forget that she’s in charge.
Sefina and I qualified in Novice Jumpers with Weaves both days. On Saturday, I beat Sefina but on Sunday Sefina decided to be like Kiwi and run a perfect course. I run so fast I end up running past at least one jump before I can stop and argue with mom about which one I should take next. I know mom gets lost a lot driving (she has to have this lady that lives inside of a little picture box tell her how to get places) so I don’t trust that she can find her way around an agility course either. Sefina is still afraid of the teeter so she did not run the Standard courses but I did. Those are really fun. I like to get to the top of the A-frame and dog walk and then fly off. I know I’m not supposed to do that but I LOVE to soar. On Saturday, mom told me to get on the table and sit. I thought this was strange since she always tells me to lie down when we practice. So I figured she wanted me to give her a big hug so that’s what I did. But she didn’t want to hug me back – she didn’t even want to touch me. That kind of hurt my feelings but after sitting for 5 seconds I was off and flying again so I forgot all about it. Anyway, I thought I should get extra points for style but the judge took lots of points away from me so I didn’t Q in Standard this weekend. But that’s OK – I had LOTS of fun.
Hi everyone! This is Robin. This is my first time blogging. I haven’t been too interested before but all the others say I’m crazy so it’s time I set the record straight. I am NOT crazy. I’m just really enthusiastic – about everything. I’m a sweet, loving boy and quite mellow when there isn’t anything going on. I REALLY love my mom - like a whole lotta bunch. I used to live in Ottawa, Canada with my first mom and 10 other dogs just like me and 3 smaller ones that kind of looked like me – they were called Pomeranians. Anyway, I lived there until I was almost a year old but my first mom said that there were too many of us and she didn’t have time to spend with me and I really needed something to do. So she found me a new mom in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I wasn’t so sure about that but my new mom came to meet me and she carried treats in a bag on her hip and taught me a new trick right away so I decided she was really cool 2 minutes after I met her. Then she set up a jump and a tunnel and I thought that was fun. Then I showed her how fast I could run by flying in and out of the dog door every 30 seconds. Her eyes got real wide so she said she’d take me home. I was a little anxious for a few days so stuck real close to my new mom – she wanted to change my name to Velcro but I really like my name. There are 4 other dogs just like me here so I get more attention and Sefina & Calvin are really fun to play with since we’re almost the same age. I think Kiwi is hot stuff and she flirted with me for a few days but now she keeps telling me No No No! But I’m a persistent guy. Maybe one of these days she’ll say yes. Mom also taught me my favorite trick – jumping in her arms since I can jump really, really high. I LOVE to do that. But she doesn’t always catch me – sometimes her back is turned or she isn’t paying attention to me. And why can’t she catch me when she’s holding something else? She really freaks when I race across the yard or a big field to jump in her arms. That is the most fun. I love to run really, really fast and jump really, really high. Sometimes I can land on her shoulders and crawl on top of her head. Mom says she shouldn’t have taught me that trick but I don’t know why. I just love her so much and want to show it. Anyway, I was still nervous about things, especially riding in Mom’s car. I thought maybe I’d be going somewhere else to live again but then I figured out that mom takes us to a lot of fun places - especially Splash ‘n Dash. That’s where she teaches me agility and that has changed my life. Oh boy, do I LOVE agility! It is so much FUN. Mom says I am learning really fast and entered me in my first trial after only 3 months. I love trials. The obstacles are so much further apart than where we train so I can build up a lot of speed. Everyone calls me a ‘rough-coated border collie’. Mom says it’s because I’m really fast and I like to talk constantly while I’m playing agility. I just get so excited, I can’t help myself. Everyone says I will be an awesome agility dog some day but I need to learn to control myself and mom needs to learn how to handle a dog that’s as fast as I am. I don’t care, I’m having fun NOW. That’s all that matters, right?
Hi everyone. This is Sefina again. I get to tell you about our weekend playing NADAC agility. It was at the Storm Harbor Equestrian Center in Slippery Rock, PA November 21st & 22nd. OMG! It was the best place EVER! I’ve been a little unsure about this agility stuff. At trials I make mom cheer me on at every obstacle (I think it’s funny and so does the crowd) and I especially like to go visit the ring crew. But this place was different. It had really soft dirt to run on and the courses were wide open. And it smelled wonderful! I Q’d 3 times in Novice Regular (what NADAC calls a Standard course) so I earned a title in one weekend. Isn’t that cool? I didn’t Q in the other 8 runs but mom was thrilled to see how happy I was playing agility that weekend. She said I was like 3 parts Kiwi (who is slow but perfect) and 1 part Robin (he’s super fast but wild).
Big sis Kiwi did really well as usual. She likes running in the horse barn, too plus it was cool (in the 50’s which is perfect summer weather for us) so Kiwi was running faster than usual. She Q’d 7 out of 11 runs and earned her Open Regular title and her Novice Touch ‘n Go title. She finally Q’d in Tunnelers. Because it’s always been so hot and they run that last, Mom says she keeps missing a Q by less than 1 second - she was as close as 0.01 seconds once.
Robin – well what can I say about my brother Robin? He’s a wild & crazy guy! He started off the weekend with a perfect Jumpers run – he Q’d and got first place but the rest of the weekend he was busting out of his skin. He was flying off of the TOP of the dog walk and kept arguing with mom at every obstacle. It kind of went like this: “Mom, mom what should I do next, mom?! This one? Are you sure this one and not that one? I don’t know mom, mom tell me what to do mom. I think I should do this one, don’t ya think?! Mom! Mom! Look at me Mom! Tell me what to do, mom! I see your arms waving and your lips moving but I can’t hear you over my voice, mom! Yell louder mom!” So needless to say, he didn’t Q in any of the other runs. But he always has fun & mom says she has fun running him even though she looks really frazzled afterwards.
Hi this is Kiwi. Mom doesn’t know I know how to blog by myself but I need to report the worst case of animal cruelty EVER! Grab a box of tissues, sit down, and brace yourself. Last weekend mom gave us all a – oh, the horror reliving the moment – a B-A-T-H. But it didn’t stop there. Then she BRUSHED us and took us all for nail trims. And just when we thought the nightmare was over – she took us to Splash n’ Dash. We were so excited because we thought we were going to get to play agility but instead it was a cruel trick. There was a photographer there and she made all five of us sit together – like right next to each other - and get our pictures taken. Have you ever heard of a worse case of animal abuse? I didn’t think so! So please, someone come rescue us! But wait until after this weekend. Mom just made a big batch of chicken brownies and we’re playing NADAC agility in a horse barn this weekend. That will help get rid of that disgusting clean smell we have. And we have an AKC trial at our favorite place in Ohio next weekend so we’ll stick it out until then. But then I have an AKC trial the following Friday, and then Calvin goes to a big dog show in Cleveland the next weekend. Then it will be almost Xmas and we usually score a bunch of treats from mom and our aunts & uncle so we wouldn’t want those to go to waste. And then we get to play 4 days of CPE agility at our favorite place again New Year’s Eve weekend so I guess we’ll do our best to stick it out until after New Years. But then please, someone come rescue us or at least give mom a good talking to. She NEVER feeds us enough. You can’t tell because of all of our fur but trust me – we are always STARVING! If there is someone out there with several acres of land and an agility training ring, an RV with a chauffeur that will take us wherever we want, a personal chef that is skilled in making homemade dog food and treats, and who promises never to bathe or brush us, PLEASE come save us from our miserable existence!Hi all! This is Voodoo. Yeah, all that stuff Kiwi described was not much fun but what she left out was that Mom also took Kiwi, Calvin, Sefina, & Robin to the dog park last Saturday in 2 separate trips since they only allow 2 dogs per human and they got to run loose on the trails and play with other dogs. Kiwi found something to roll in at the park so between you and me – she isn’t all that clean smelling. And what the other four don’t know, mom came back and got me and instead of going back to the park she took me to Bruster’s. That’s a homemade ice cream place and they give out free doggy sundaes. Those are PAWESOME! Then mom took me for a walk on the hillside next to Bruster’s while she finished her ice cream. It was so nice to get away from the other four and have some alone time with Mom. You see, I’m from a home where there was some real abuse. That owner passed away and some rescue people took me in and then Mom came soon after and adopted me. I used to be really afraid of things but mom started to take me different places, teach me things like agility, and expose me to all sorts of people who not only treat me real nice but also carry treats so I’m a lot better now. I’m still afraid of sneezes though - everyone has their quirks, right? And really, Kiwi was all for sitting pretty for those pictures - I was the last holdout. Kiwi is such a DIVA.
Hi Everyone! Sefina, here. Boy did we have a fun time playing CPE Agility at Four Seasons in Washingtonville, OH this past Halloween weekend. All 5 of us got to go – we dressed up as well behaved dogs J We always have a great time running up in the fields. That’s what we think is the highlight but mom says I need to tell you about the agility trial.
Since I’m writing, me first. I ran 6 times and got 2 Q’s but both of those Q’s earned me a title. I got a Jackpot Q on Sunday so I finished Level 1 Strategy Games and I got a Colors Q on Saturday for Level 2 Handler Games. The rest of the time I enjoyed visiting the ring crew – they looked like they needed some cheering up. And during my last run in Jumpers, I ran over and stuck my head in the judge’s lap (she was sitting down). I thought I should get a Q for that but mom says that didn’t earn me any brownie points. Isn’t there a Miss Congeniality award or something?
Rockin’ Robin had a grand ol’ time as usual, running and barking and flying off of obstacles. He got to run in all 8 classes and ended up with 3 Q’s. A Colors Q on Saturday which finished his Level 1 Handler Games title. Then he got a Level 2 Snookers and Jumpers Q on Sunday. Mom says he started off really well on Saturday with start line stays and holding his contacts until she released him but then he just got so worked up as the trial went on that he lost his mind. But that’s how he rolls, and jumps and leaps and…
Big sis Kiwi did really well with 6 Q’s out of 8. As usual, time was her nemesis in those other 2 runs. But she finished Level 5 Snookers and Jumpers and the thing that mom is most excited about – she finally finished Level 4 Jackpot! Hooray for Kiwi!! Mom says she only needs 5 Jackpot Qs to earn her C-ATCH. I’m not sure what that is but since Kiwi gets a lot of toys and treats for all of her great runs which mom makes her share with the rest of us, I’m all for it.
We’re taking this weekend off except for Sunday when Mom takes pretty boy Calvin to a Conformation workshop at WCOTC. Calvin says he sure hopes mom learns something so she stops embarrassing him in the show ring. Mom also says we all have to get a B-A-T-H. I had to write that really small so Kiwi doesn’t find out or we won’t see her for weeks. On second thought - Hey Kiwi – we’re getting B- - Awww Mom, you’re no fun. Anyway, we have to get all gussied up for portraits next weekend. Mom thinks she’s going to get all 5 of us sitting pretty for a picture. At Splash ‘n Dash with all that fun agility equipment just begging us to play on it? Let me know how that works out for you, mom!
Meanwhile, here are some pics taken at Splash ‘n Dash’s USDAA trial by the same photographer who’s taking our portraits – Virgil Sweeden. There’s one of Voodoo, me, & Kiwi in the X-pen and then the rest are of Rockin’ Robin.
Hi Everyone! It's me, Sefina! Sorry we haven't posted in a while but mom went to Texas with our aunts and uncle for a week. She sent Voodoo to go stay with a friend and took the rest of us to K9 Kingdom. I'd love to tell you what happened there but what happens at K9 Kingdom, stays at K9 Kingdom. But I can tell you that Calvin loved watering the painted flowers on the wall and that Kiwi & I destroyed a couple of their supposedly indestructable balls! They were no match for the Pirahna-Goat!Mom took me to Youngstown All Breed Training Club's Rally trial on Friday. Boy was she brave. We hadn't practiced anything in 3 weeks, not even agility. So I made her work really, really, really hard in the ring. But in the end I got a score of 75 which was enough to Q. Mom says it was an even uglier Q than the last one but a Q by any other name is still a Q! She says she might take me to Cleveland in December so I can try to finish my advanced title this year.Halloween weekend we are going to go to Washingtonville to play CPE agility. Kiwi, Robin, and I get to play. Mom thought about running Calvin, too but decided to wait.
Hi Everyone! This is Kiwi. First of all, mom wants me to tell you that pretty boy Calvin got Best Of Winners today at the Fort Steuben Kennel Association show in Aliquippa! One of these days, mom will have to drive to where the Keeshonds hang out so maybe he can get more than 1 point per win. The main reason I wanted to post is that yesterday was my cousins Radar & Maggie's birthdays! Happy 7th birthday to Radar and Happy 4th birthday to Maggie. We aren't sure when her birthday really is so she celebrates with Radar. Radar is a really big German Shepherd and Maggie is the fastest, most agile Basset Hound mom has ever encountered (although you wouldn't guess that from this picture).
Anyway, I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane. You see, mom has flown me with her back to Washington State twice. Once when I was 6 months old and that's when Auntie Danae first got Radar. He was 8 weeks old and weighed as much as I did! Then I went back again 2 years ago to go camping with Auntie Danae & Radar. This was before Maggie became a part of the family. So here are pictures of Radar & I from both trips.
After eating turkey scraps, mom took us all to Washingtonville, OH where Kiwi, Sefina, and I (Robin) played in Youngstown All Breed Training Club’s AKC agility trial. Sefina and I had to wait a long time in the car while Kiwi got to have all the fun. They ran all the Excellent dogs first and there were a lot of them. Kiwi is an Excellent dog and she keeps reminding us of that – over and over and over. Anyway, mom says she needs a lot of Jumpers with Weaves Q’s to get her Master’s title and since it was cold this weekend, Mom hoped she would get some. You see, unlike me, Kiwi doesn’t run very fast unless she’s chasing deer in the yard, scolding us, or trying to beat us to some food. Well, Kiwi started off Saturday morning with a Q in jumpers and 3 seconds to spare but then she decided that mom takes her for granted so blew her off the rest of the weekend. Kiwi loves Standard courses and almost always Q’s so you know she was copping some attitude when she makes a mistake. Kiwi won’t ever let you forget that she’s in charge.
