Dahlia and I have been trialing in CPE (Canine Performance Events, Inc.). We started there for two major reasons: (1) It's really newbie friendly and (2) Level 1 does not require the weaves or the teeter (the two hardest obstacles). In addition to that, the courses for Level 1 are fairly straight-forward with usually only one or two changes of side. We really started there for the first reason. As a green handler with a green low-drive dog and as someone who is in it just for fun and especially as someone who gets really nervous, knowing people would be supportive was very important to me.
Recently my instructor talked us into trying an AKC. I registered Dahlia with them over a year ago just in case (Dahlia's full AKC name is Spanley's One of the Seven) so we really had no excuse. I signed up for one day of a four-day trial and decided to do just two runs: JWW (Jumpers with weaves) and FAST (a game where you get to make up your own course and attempt some distance handling). I decided that Standard was just a bit too much for us this time around. Two runs seemed like plenty for our first time out.
Now, I have to admit that my impression of the AKC is generally not all that positive. I once had a nasty run-in online with someone who competed heavily in AKC that nearly scared me out of trialing all together. And I've always seen AKC as extremely competitive. In addition to that I...well...I have a mutt. The AKC only started allowing mixed breeds to compete in non-conformation events two years ago. And I can assure you that the decision was not likely out of the goodness of their hearts and probably came more from their pocketbook.
So I went into this trial with a bit of trepidation, pretty sure that I would try AKC once and only once and then return to CPE happy to know that I knew my place.
What I found was completely the opposite of what I expected. Everyone was incredibly nice to me. Even the judge came up to me after our first run and complimented me on how well it went (despite NQing). Our NQ was because Dahlia blew past a jump (two in the end) but I made the choice to not take her back to redo them since she had good energy and was moving really well. This was the first time I was able to make the choice to sacrifice the Q to keep her excitement up.
We didn't Q in either run, but both runs went incredibly well. She did a good rear cross and weaved in her JWW run. She did a brilliant teeter, and was able to go out and away from me to take a jump and a tunnel in her FAST run. We would have had that darned Q if I didn't screw up royally and force us into over time.
Our instructor got a video of our first run. The part I'm most proud of? Dahlia's release off her start-line stay. For Dahlia, this was brilliant! But I'm also proud of her weaves and that despite blowing past a couple jumps she moved well and didn't once hesitate (except when I suddenly stopped). She's lovely to watch, in my oh so humble opinion.
We'll definitely be returning to the AKC! The course was a lot of fun and we had a great time at the trial.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Some updates
I haven't posted much except some photos here lately. There are multiple reasons, but here's the big one:
I'm now part of a group of dog folks posting on a brand new and truly awesome blog (if I do say so myself). We call ourselves Team Unruly and the folks who write for the blog do almost everything you could imagine with their dogs: agility, rally, obedience, conformation, dock diving, hiking, camping, Schutzhund, and more! It's a fairly diverse group of people but we all have a couple things in common: (1) We're all mostly positive reinforcement trainers and (2) We all love our dogs!
So if you'd like to check out Team Unruly, you can find the blog here.
And if you're a Facebook type, you can join us on Facebook here. We'll occasionally be having contests. We've had two already: two folks won gorgeous collar charms from NatInDesign and two folks won amazing fleece tugs by Red Dog Tugs. So if you're interested in the blog, you'll definitely want to "like" the Facebook page so you can get in on all the good stuff going on there!
Besides that, Dahlia and I continue to go to agility classes and trials. She's making constant progress and is getting faster, more confident, and more joyful in her runs. She's weaving 6 poles regularly and can weave 12 poles on occasion (we're getting there with those 12 poles!). We're figuring out how to work well as a team. It's amazing to me when I watch her do these runs. She's gaining so much confidence and looking so much more independent. Sometimes I still can't believe this is the same dog I took home all those years ago. She truly has grown into a lovely and joyful dog and that's so important to me. I love my girly. I don't know what I'd do without her!
She has two CPE titles now: CTL1-H (Handler's title) and CTL1-R (Standard title).
She looks very proud modeling her big fancy ribbons doesn't she? She may not know what they mean, but I think she knows how proud I am of her.
I'm now part of a group of dog folks posting on a brand new and truly awesome blog (if I do say so myself). We call ourselves Team Unruly and the folks who write for the blog do almost everything you could imagine with their dogs: agility, rally, obedience, conformation, dock diving, hiking, camping, Schutzhund, and more! It's a fairly diverse group of people but we all have a couple things in common: (1) We're all mostly positive reinforcement trainers and (2) We all love our dogs!
So if you'd like to check out Team Unruly, you can find the blog here.
And if you're a Facebook type, you can join us on Facebook here. We'll occasionally be having contests. We've had two already: two folks won gorgeous collar charms from NatInDesign and two folks won amazing fleece tugs by Red Dog Tugs. So if you're interested in the blog, you'll definitely want to "like" the Facebook page so you can get in on all the good stuff going on there!
Besides that, Dahlia and I continue to go to agility classes and trials. She's making constant progress and is getting faster, more confident, and more joyful in her runs. She's weaving 6 poles regularly and can weave 12 poles on occasion (we're getting there with those 12 poles!). We're figuring out how to work well as a team. It's amazing to me when I watch her do these runs. She's gaining so much confidence and looking so much more independent. Sometimes I still can't believe this is the same dog I took home all those years ago. She truly has grown into a lovely and joyful dog and that's so important to me. I love my girly. I don't know what I'd do without her!
She has two CPE titles now: CTL1-H (Handler's title) and CTL1-R (Standard title).
She looks very proud modeling her big fancy ribbons doesn't she? She may not know what they mean, but I think she knows how proud I am of her.
100 things #27: A raincoat on a sunny day? Torment!
My mother found this raincoat at a garage sale. It was marked "small" and so she thought it would be perfect for her 18 pound dog. It was much too large for her, so she gave it to me. As it turns out it's a bit too small for Dahlia (not that I'd make her wear such a thing on walks anyway!). But despite not fitting around her chest, it sure did make for some amusing photos!
EXIF data: Sony A580 | Minolta 28mm | f/5.6 | 1/50 | ISO 100 | 28mm
EXIF data: Sony A580 | Minolta 28mm | f/5.6 | 1/50 | ISO 100 | 28mm
Saturday, June 23, 2012
100 things #26: Why hello there!
EXIF data: Sony A580 | Sony 18-55mm | f/4.0 | 1/320 | ISO 400 | 22mm
100 things #25: SQUIRREL!!
EXIF data: Sony A580 | Tamron 75-300mm | f/5.0 | 1/320 | ISO 1600 | 210mm
Friday, June 22, 2012
Glen Highland Farm's Canine Country Getaway: A Dog's Dream Vacation
Back in February I was perusing Glen Highland Farm's Border Collies that were available for adoption (as I often do) and came across a page I somehow had missed in all my times there: the page for their Canine Country Getaway. Now, I admit I went over there and started looking at it with the thought of "someday we might be able to afford this." Because every time I run across something like this sounds awesome, it's a week-long camp that costs $1000-1500 or more. A bit pricey for folks like us. And while I dream of being able to go to such a camp (Glen Highland Farm offers one as well), I discovered the Canine Country Getaway was something quite different. People can book tents, cabins, cottages or RVs for as little as two days or as long as they want to.
This was affordable! This was something we could do! I immediately booked us for three nights into a cabin. The registration process was simple and very quickly we were all set up. Each step of the way (upon receiving the registration and down payment, upon receiving our final payment, and upon receiving our dog's rabies vaccination information), a member of the Glen Highland staff was in contact with us. They were courteous, answered all questions promptly, and kept in contact with us through the entire thing. They even called us a short while before the trip to make sure we knew that the beds were only 6 feet long and to ask if any of our party was over 6 feet (David is!). They were very concerned about this, but I was able to reassure them that David would find the accommodations comfortable for sleeping (and he did).
In fact, the place looked so great that two friends immediately decided to share a cabin together the same weekend and join us on our vacation!
We went to Glen Highland Farm on June 9. We arrived and the staff were immediately there to sign us in and assist us with all our needs. They helped bring our luggage down to our cabins and cottage (David and I had been upgraded due to construction on our cabin) and then the owner came on a golf cart and showed us around all of the trails. He was a wonderful guide (though we admit to being a little nervous when he told us "oh here is where I tipped this thing over with 4 people in it before!") and we got to know the place quite well before we ever set off for any adventures the next day.
Everything that is described on the site was even better in person. There were wonderful trails for the dogs through meadows and woods that often led to places for the dogs to have some water fun. They even had agility equipment set up (a special treat for us since we do agility!). Everywhere we went there were places for the humans to relax, water and cups so we always had something to drink and never got dehydrated, and plenty of places for the dogs to sun themselves or relax in the shade. They also had radios in waterproof things attached at various parts of the trail in case there was an emergency (something hopefully no one needs to make use of). They upgraded this year and the cottages and cabins now have electricity, mini-fridges and coffee makers and the dining pavilion has WiFi. We also discovered that we were able to get the WiFi as far away as our cottage, so we didn't even have to haul the laptops to the dining pavilion to check our e-mail or share pictures of our adventures. Our beds were incredibly comfortable and with the ceiling fan on and several windows, the air was circulated nicely and kept us comfortable both day and night. The dining pavilion was incredibly well-stocked and we didn't feel like we were lacking for anything when making dinner. We were also most impressed with the First Aid supplies and their keeping bug spray and sun screen on hand. There was literally nothing these folks did not think of. Every need we and the dogs had was met. All of the small touches (for instance, the leash holders at the bathrooms so you could tie your dog up while in the bathroom or shower) were amazingly well thought out.
So that's what we thought of the farm. The really important question is: What did the dogs think of Glen Highland Farm? Well, I'll let them answer.
(Photo by David)
In the end, they all looked a bit like this:
Needless to say, the dogs loved it. It was a wonderful time and we were all sad to leave the Farm. We're already planning on going back next year, perhaps for a longer time. Two days/three nights was just not enough for us!
Thank you Glen Highland Farm and especially to Lillie (who gave us a lovely tour of their awesome rescue facility, where we got to meet many of their wonderful dogs who are up for adoption), John (who showed us around the place on a tour of the camp that we've come to call "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride"), and Jocelyn (who came down to see us specifically to meet us and Dahlia as she's read our blog before -- I hope I spelled your name right!). We can't wait for next year's vacation!
This was affordable! This was something we could do! I immediately booked us for three nights into a cabin. The registration process was simple and very quickly we were all set up. Each step of the way (upon receiving the registration and down payment, upon receiving our final payment, and upon receiving our dog's rabies vaccination information), a member of the Glen Highland staff was in contact with us. They were courteous, answered all questions promptly, and kept in contact with us through the entire thing. They even called us a short while before the trip to make sure we knew that the beds were only 6 feet long and to ask if any of our party was over 6 feet (David is!). They were very concerned about this, but I was able to reassure them that David would find the accommodations comfortable for sleeping (and he did).
In fact, the place looked so great that two friends immediately decided to share a cabin together the same weekend and join us on our vacation!
We went to Glen Highland Farm on June 9. We arrived and the staff were immediately there to sign us in and assist us with all our needs. They helped bring our luggage down to our cabins and cottage (David and I had been upgraded due to construction on our cabin) and then the owner came on a golf cart and showed us around all of the trails. He was a wonderful guide (though we admit to being a little nervous when he told us "oh here is where I tipped this thing over with 4 people in it before!") and we got to know the place quite well before we ever set off for any adventures the next day.
Everything that is described on the site was even better in person. There were wonderful trails for the dogs through meadows and woods that often led to places for the dogs to have some water fun. They even had agility equipment set up (a special treat for us since we do agility!). Everywhere we went there were places for the humans to relax, water and cups so we always had something to drink and never got dehydrated, and plenty of places for the dogs to sun themselves or relax in the shade. They also had radios in waterproof things attached at various parts of the trail in case there was an emergency (something hopefully no one needs to make use of). They upgraded this year and the cottages and cabins now have electricity, mini-fridges and coffee makers and the dining pavilion has WiFi. We also discovered that we were able to get the WiFi as far away as our cottage, so we didn't even have to haul the laptops to the dining pavilion to check our e-mail or share pictures of our adventures. Our beds were incredibly comfortable and with the ceiling fan on and several windows, the air was circulated nicely and kept us comfortable both day and night. The dining pavilion was incredibly well-stocked and we didn't feel like we were lacking for anything when making dinner. We were also most impressed with the First Aid supplies and their keeping bug spray and sun screen on hand. There was literally nothing these folks did not think of. Every need we and the dogs had was met. All of the small touches (for instance, the leash holders at the bathrooms so you could tie your dog up while in the bathroom or shower) were amazingly well thought out.
So that's what we thought of the farm. The really important question is: What did the dogs think of Glen Highland Farm? Well, I'll let them answer.
(Photo by David)
In the end, they all looked a bit like this:
Needless to say, the dogs loved it. It was a wonderful time and we were all sad to leave the Farm. We're already planning on going back next year, perhaps for a longer time. Two days/three nights was just not enough for us!
Thank you Glen Highland Farm and especially to Lillie (who gave us a lovely tour of their awesome rescue facility, where we got to meet many of their wonderful dogs who are up for adoption), John (who showed us around the place on a tour of the camp that we've come to call "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride"), and Jocelyn (who came down to see us specifically to meet us and Dahlia as she's read our blog before -- I hope I spelled your name right!). We can't wait for next year's vacation!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
100 things #24: The Majestic Canine
There are so many things I love about this photo. Dahlia's majestic pose, the way the light filtered through the trees behind her and created some interesting circular lights with the bokeh used, the way I was below her when I took this photo (which I think adds to the majestic aspect), the way the light highlights her fur a bit. I just really loved it. So now you get to see it here!
EXIF data: Sony A580 | Tamron 75-300mm | f/4.0 | 1/800 | ISO 1600 | 110mm
EXIF data: Sony A580 | Tamron 75-300mm | f/4.0 | 1/800 | ISO 1600 | 110mm
100 things #23: Flopped out
This photo was taken at Twin falls in Vermont this past week. Dahlia was flopped out and I decided to see what would happen if I used my wide angle lens coupled with my wide angle attachment when taking a photo of her. I placed the camera on the ground, used the LCD screen instead of the viewfinder to compose the photo and took a few photos. I like how this one turned out!
EXIF Data: Sony A580 | Sony 18-55mm w/ wide angle attachment | f/5.6 | 1/30 | ISO 400 | 18mm
EXIF Data: Sony A580 | Sony 18-55mm w/ wide angle attachment | f/5.6 | 1/30 | ISO 400 | 18mm
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
100 things: #22: Shake off!
I love photos of dogs shaking off and last year I got a few decent ones of Dahlia. This time I kept looking for an opportunity and finally, at the very end of our visit to the local off leash area, she gave me that opportunity. I took several photos, but this one was my favourite of the group.
EXIF data: Sony A580 | Tamron 75-300mm | f/4.5 | 1/500 | ISO 100 | 180mm
EXIF data: Sony A580 | Tamron 75-300mm | f/4.5 | 1/500 | ISO 100 | 180mm
100 things #21: Take off!
I like to get photos of Dahlia running. This past weekend I decided to try to get photos of her taking off from runs. I took several and this one was my favourite. I'm not sure if other dogs take off this way but it seems that Dahlia powers off from her back legs when she takes off. It looks really strange and awkward, both in person and in photos. She does this weird excited "OMG!!" thing with her paws in the air as she takes off.
Does anyone else have a dog who takes off from a sit like this? How do your dogs take off from a sit? And yes that IS drool coming out of her mouth.
EXIF Data: Sony A580 | Tamron 75-300mm | f/5.6 | 1/800 | ISO 400 | 300mm
Does anyone else have a dog who takes off from a sit like this? How do your dogs take off from a sit? And yes that IS drool coming out of her mouth.
EXIF Data: Sony A580 | Tamron 75-300mm | f/5.6 | 1/800 | ISO 400 | 300mm
100 things #20: From the ground
This one was one of a series of photos I took for a prompt in another community. The prompt was "from the ground." Now, I take a lot of photos of Dahlia from the ground in general. I'm usually kneeling, squatting or laying flat on the ground to get photos of her. So I decided that I was going to be truly literal about this and set the camera on the ground.
I like the hazy look to this photo though I'll confess here: the hazy blurry feel in the front of the camera is nothing more than blurred grass. It gives it an interesting affect doesn't it? The concept doesn't look nearly as nice in color.
EXIF data: Sony A580 | Tamron 75-300mm | f/4.0 | 1/100 | ISO 100 | 85mm
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Happy Gotcha Day Dahlia!
My gosh, where has the time gone? 4 years ago this evening, David and I drove out to exit 28 on the Thruway and met up with Trish, the woman who had Dahlia. She came to us a pretty shut down, pretty chill dog and has gained so much in confidence in joy in the past 4 years. I've REALLY begun to see a change in just the past year and it's wonderful to be with her. We'll be celebrating by going to an agility trial and having a ton of fun this weekend.
And now for what Dahlia learned this year...
What I learned this year
by Dahlia F. Beast
1. That I can reach for the sky...or hot dogs...if I just try hard enough.
2. That a good roll in the grass after visiting the groomers helps to get rid of that nasty "perfume smell."
3. That kitty friends are awesome friends.
4. That tug is more fun with friends!
5. That Mommy totally puts up with my chair stealing ways, even if I spit my tongue out at her.
6. That I can do awesome dead kangaroo impressions.
7. That it's ok if Mommy dresses me in ridiculous things, as long as there are hot dogs involved.
8. That EVERYTHING is a pause table.
9. That I'm a superstar agility champion. Ok...maybe not...but it's nice having one ribbon!
10. That agility is really really fun.
11. That I am just too cute for words.
12. That they don't call me "Ferocious D" for nothin'!
13. That while I cannot catch treats, it sure is fun to try.
14. That my future is so bright, I have to wear shades.
15. That hamburgers off the grill are (almost) worth waiting for.
16. That being kicked off Mommy's chair is like the WORST THING EVAR.
17. That running makes me CRAZY.
18. That I really CAN fly...as long as I have my jetpack on.
And now for what Dahlia learned this year...
What I learned this year
by Dahlia F. Beast
1. That I can reach for the sky...or hot dogs...if I just try hard enough.
2. That a good roll in the grass after visiting the groomers helps to get rid of that nasty "perfume smell."
3. That kitty friends are awesome friends.
4. That tug is more fun with friends!
5. That Mommy totally puts up with my chair stealing ways, even if I spit my tongue out at her.
6. That I can do awesome dead kangaroo impressions.
7. That it's ok if Mommy dresses me in ridiculous things, as long as there are hot dogs involved.
8. That EVERYTHING is a pause table.
9. That I'm a superstar agility champion. Ok...maybe not...but it's nice having one ribbon!
10. That agility is really really fun.
11. That I am just too cute for words.
12. That they don't call me "Ferocious D" for nothin'!
13. That while I cannot catch treats, it sure is fun to try.
14. That my future is so bright, I have to wear shades.
15. That hamburgers off the grill are (almost) worth waiting for.
16. That being kicked off Mommy's chair is like the WORST THING EVAR.
17. That running makes me CRAZY.
18. That I really CAN fly...as long as I have my jetpack on.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
100 things #19: SU tug toy
I got Dahlia a new Syracuse University colored tug toy. I loved this photo for the way she was slightly downhill and the way her mouth is wide open so you can see all her teeth.
EXIF Data: Sony A580 | Minolta 70-210mm | f/5.6 | 1/800 | ISO 500 | 210mm
EXIF Data: Sony A580 | Minolta 70-210mm | f/5.6 | 1/800 | ISO 500 | 210mm
Monday, May 14, 2012
100 things #18: Manual focus
This photo doesn't really look like much. I've taken a lot of "Dahlia on the porch" photos over the past nearly 4 years. But here I was experimenting with manual focus, something I almost never use. I figured it was high time I try to get to know that side of my camera better!
One of these days I'll take a fully manual shot. This one was taken using Auto ISO and Aperture priority mode.
EXIT data: Sony A580 | Minolta 28mm f/2.8 | 1/50 | f/5.6 | ISO 100 | 28mm
One of these days I'll take a fully manual shot. This one was taken using Auto ISO and Aperture priority mode.
EXIT data: Sony A580 | Minolta 28mm f/2.8 | 1/50 | f/5.6 | ISO 100 | 28mm
100 things #17: Foxy toy
I looked down from my chair today and saw this. It was too cute to not take a picture of. That's Dahlia's favourite foxy toy, the only toy she knows by name.
EXIF data: SONY A580 | 28mm f/2.8 | 1/25 | f/2.8 | ISO 1600 | 28mm
EXIF data: SONY A580 | 28mm f/2.8 | 1/25 | f/2.8 | ISO 1600 | 28mm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)