Molly is my first dog as an adult. I remember vividly going to the HSPC and spotting her in the top crate in the puppy room. I took her out and we went to the play room and she ran after a ball. That sealed the deal for me! I don't think she's run after a ball simce. LOL
She was a very active puppy but a sick one too. She spent the first 2 years of her life in and out of vet clinics with chronic tummy issues. At one point she was so skinny I had people ask me if I fed her! She thankfully outgrew her tummy issues. She tore her CCL when she was about 4. I had it repaired and then she broke her patella and we opted not to have the knee reopened. The vet thought it would cause her more issues as she aged. She gets around just fine as an 11 year old! :)
She got introduced to agility at CARE's Paws on the Pavement charity walk. I was looking for an outlet for her energy and agility was it. We trained off and on for about 5 1/2 years at 2 different training sites. I trialed with Molly for a little over a year when she was 7 years old. She amassed 8 agility titles in 2 different venues before anxiety got the best of her. She could no longer deal with the commotion and noise of a trial venue. Her very last run of her career, she left the ring as soon as I took her leash off. She decided her competitive career was over and it took me awhile and alot of tears before I came to terms with Molly's decision. I decided to just play agility with Molly because she liked it but didn't like to compete. She started having some teeter troubles about the same time that Marley was having difficulty in her agility classes and that's when we left our trainer and moved on to someone that 'got us' and understood my dogs. I slowly stopped taking Molly to agility classes and she's now content in her agility retirement.
She is an independent dog who can ditch her sisters in a second when they all take off for the woods. She's extremely close to me and my dad. She was very close to my mom and I remember her running to look for my mom the weekend my mom was in the hospital. She checked all the places my mom usually was and it absolutely broke my heart because she didn't understand where Grandma was. After my mom died and we took them to the funeral home to see her body, she came home and got in my mom's chair and tried to bite 2 people who got near the chair. To this day, she still sleeps in Grandma's chair.
She's become a homebody as she's gotten older. She loves to go riding but doesn't care when we stay in motels too long. She hates being in a crate at agility trials but loves the ride there and back. She loves Tractor Suppy, the bank, and PetCo because she gets cookies. She likes Lowes but doesn't understand why the cashier doesn't give her a cookie. :)
I love my first baby, Molly Olivia!!
Friday, December 28, 2012
MISSY LOU, PRINCESS DIVA
Little Miss Missy Lou is my Princess Diva! She firmly believes she should be served and waited on. I have always said she should have been adopted by a rich woman in NYC. She could have been pampered: dressed up, pushed around in a doggie stroller, and fed gourmet food in restaurants. I think she would have been great as a nursing home dog. I can see her prissing down the halls looking into rooms looking for someone napping and then hopping into their bed to nap. Then wandering down to the cafeteria to be hand fed.
But Missy was destined to me mine! She picked my home as hers while I was fostering her for CARE. She got along well with Molly and is a very easy dog. She's very tolerant and just wants to be included. She has been known to play on a rare occasion with Marley or KK but she prefers to be up on a chair or on the sofa....away from the boisterous play. I think she's part cat. She loves to be in a windowsill lying down watching the world and is known to crawl up on top of crates to sleep.
Missy is my only dog that I've never seriously trained. I took her through basic obedience and it wasn't for her. Then I tried her twice in agility and she really didn't like it either. She loved going to class with Molly and watching but just never had a desire to participate. I've taken her to agility trials with Molly and she literally slept all day in the crate while the trial was going on.
Little Missy loves exploring the outdoors on her own. She likes swimming in the lake on a hot day. At the beach she stays as far from the water as possible...she will however get a good nap in! She's an excellent chipmunk hunter. She once brought one to my front door. I told her no, she couldn't bring it in. She spat it out and it scampered away.
She is a real sweetheart!! I'm so glad she chose me to be her mommy!
But Missy was destined to me mine! She picked my home as hers while I was fostering her for CARE. She got along well with Molly and is a very easy dog. She's very tolerant and just wants to be included. She has been known to play on a rare occasion with Marley or KK but she prefers to be up on a chair or on the sofa....away from the boisterous play. I think she's part cat. She loves to be in a windowsill lying down watching the world and is known to crawl up on top of crates to sleep.
Missy is my only dog that I've never seriously trained. I took her through basic obedience and it wasn't for her. Then I tried her twice in agility and she really didn't like it either. She loved going to class with Molly and watching but just never had a desire to participate. I've taken her to agility trials with Molly and she literally slept all day in the crate while the trial was going on.
Little Missy loves exploring the outdoors on her own. She likes swimming in the lake on a hot day. At the beach she stays as far from the water as possible...she will however get a good nap in! She's an excellent chipmunk hunter. She once brought one to my front door. I told her no, she couldn't bring it in. She spat it out and it scampered away.
She is a real sweetheart!! I'm so glad she chose me to be her mommy!
Thursday, December 27, 2012
MARLEY ANN, LIVING UP TO HER NAME!
Marley is my blonde, blue eyed baby. The dog I apparently look like...a stranger at a trial once asked me if I dyed my hair to match Marley's!!
Sweet Marley that lives her life to the fullest! Even though she has chronic health problems, she always bounces back. Marley was diagnosed as a 22 month old with bialteral hip dysplasia. Unfortunately she has had several bad hip flare ups and has to be medicated and rested. Later the same year, she was diagnosed with a chronic GI condition that also flares up and has to be medically treated. Even through all the pain and tummy troubles, she just keeps going. She wants to be close to me and I love that. She sleeps beside me all night long...her butt has to be touching my ribs all night.
Marley is a sweet soul. She has few people and dogs that she trusts and loves. She loves her mommy and her sisters. KK and Marley spend alot of time with each other playing. They are great for each other. Being able to play with another dog is a great outlet for all of Marley's energy.
Marley was to be my new star in agility. The independent dog who would do distance work for me. Unfortunately we didn't get the training we needed early in her career and are paying for it now. After switching up her training, we have pushed on and I am so happy of how far she's come. Marley is running at the Masters level in AKC and was at the Advanced/Masters level in USDAA before I retired her from USDAA.
I will continue to trial Marley in AKC as long as she's able and willing. I don't trial near as much as I used to... I have to baby Marley's hips. I've accepted that Marley probably never get a PACH or PDCH, and I'm fine with that. I just don't think her hips will hold out and I just don't want to push her that hard.
Every run I get to share with my Marley is like earning that PACH!! I love my blue eyes!!
Sweet Marley that lives her life to the fullest! Even though she has chronic health problems, she always bounces back. Marley was diagnosed as a 22 month old with bialteral hip dysplasia. Unfortunately she has had several bad hip flare ups and has to be medicated and rested. Later the same year, she was diagnosed with a chronic GI condition that also flares up and has to be medically treated. Even through all the pain and tummy troubles, she just keeps going. She wants to be close to me and I love that. She sleeps beside me all night long...her butt has to be touching my ribs all night.
Marley is a sweet soul. She has few people and dogs that she trusts and loves. She loves her mommy and her sisters. KK and Marley spend alot of time with each other playing. They are great for each other. Being able to play with another dog is a great outlet for all of Marley's energy.
Marley was to be my new star in agility. The independent dog who would do distance work for me. Unfortunately we didn't get the training we needed early in her career and are paying for it now. After switching up her training, we have pushed on and I am so happy of how far she's come. Marley is running at the Masters level in AKC and was at the Advanced/Masters level in USDAA before I retired her from USDAA.
I will continue to trial Marley in AKC as long as she's able and willing. I don't trial near as much as I used to... I have to baby Marley's hips. I've accepted that Marley probably never get a PACH or PDCH, and I'm fine with that. I just don't think her hips will hold out and I just don't want to push her that hard.
Every run I get to share with my Marley is like earning that PACH!! I love my blue eyes!!
KALEA-KATE, THE WILD CHILD
Little Miss Kalea-Kate is a Wild Child! She is the friendliest little pup I have ever met. She gets up every morning happy with her whole little butt and tail just wagging. She delivers sweet puppy kisses to everyone she meets.
She came into my life during a very dark time for me. She has been a bright spot in my everyday life. She gave me a reason to keep going, to get out and go to training, to be around people. She makes me laugh and is a joy to train. You can just see the little wheels turning in her head as she learns something new. Even though she is an independent little girl, if she can't figure out what I'm asking her or if she gets it wrong, she will shut down and quit trying. I've had to learn how to make agility FUN for her all the time. She's like Marley in the aspect of I can't do drills with her. She will work for me but can't be drilled.
She is a fast and happy girl on the agility field. She will do distance work for me, which makes me so happy. She is a tugger and that is new for me. Marley prefers a cookie after her agility runs! So even though I don't have to run as much, the tugging at the end just about kills me. I think I should start lifitng weights. LOL!
Marley and KK are the best of friends. I had wanted to get a friend for Marley for awhile and am so glad I found KK on MO-KAN BC Rescue's website. Having Marley and KK roughousing in the house is loud and wild sometimes, but it does give Molly and Missy a chance to be the senior girls they are. They just get up on the couch or in a recliner and Thank God that they aren't having to do all that playing! :)
I have lots of hopes and dreams for this baby. I had entered her in an agility trial in January 2013 but pulled her entry. I think that I'm putting pressure on myself to trial her and for her to be perfect in training and trialing. I've come to realize that I'm putting too much pressure on such a young pup and that's not fair to her. She doesn't get to decide her future and her longevity in agility, I DO. So I've decided to hold off trialing her until it feels right. Those close to me know all about things needing to 'feel right' for me in regards to agility. I don't know when she will trial, but when we do, it will be a blast!
She came into my life during a very dark time for me. She has been a bright spot in my everyday life. She gave me a reason to keep going, to get out and go to training, to be around people. She makes me laugh and is a joy to train. You can just see the little wheels turning in her head as she learns something new. Even though she is an independent little girl, if she can't figure out what I'm asking her or if she gets it wrong, she will shut down and quit trying. I've had to learn how to make agility FUN for her all the time. She's like Marley in the aspect of I can't do drills with her. She will work for me but can't be drilled.
She is a fast and happy girl on the agility field. She will do distance work for me, which makes me so happy. She is a tugger and that is new for me. Marley prefers a cookie after her agility runs! So even though I don't have to run as much, the tugging at the end just about kills me. I think I should start lifitng weights. LOL!
Marley and KK are the best of friends. I had wanted to get a friend for Marley for awhile and am so glad I found KK on MO-KAN BC Rescue's website. Having Marley and KK roughousing in the house is loud and wild sometimes, but it does give Molly and Missy a chance to be the senior girls they are. They just get up on the couch or in a recliner and Thank God that they aren't having to do all that playing! :)
I have lots of hopes and dreams for this baby. I had entered her in an agility trial in January 2013 but pulled her entry. I think that I'm putting pressure on myself to trial her and for her to be perfect in training and trialing. I've come to realize that I'm putting too much pressure on such a young pup and that's not fair to her. She doesn't get to decide her future and her longevity in agility, I DO. So I've decided to hold off trialing her until it feels right. Those close to me know all about things needing to 'feel right' for me in regards to agility. I don't know when she will trial, but when we do, it will be a blast!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
ANOTHER AGILITY YEAR IN THE BOOKS
Marley and I finished out our agility year in Haughton, La at the PawPrints AKC Agility Trial. It's a nice trial, with friendly people in a rustic setting.
Marley ran well. She finished her Open FAST Title and as I promised her, I will not enter her in any more FAST runs. I need to limit her trialing due to her hips. The sweet girl was coming off stiff hips and a sprained toe but you would have never known if you had seen her run!!
I cost her 2 Q's by pulling her off a jump. All my fault. I own it. It was very obvious in the video that I rotated my shoulders and she followed me. Good girl for watching Mommy, bad Mommy for queing her wrong. 2other runs she went blonde and took off courses and pretended that she didn't know what weaves were!!
She was so happy at this trial. She was a different dog. I think Marley is maturing and it is showing in our agility. I so enjoyed our time together.
So for our year in review: This year we did the fewest trials we've ever done. I was injured, then she was injured and so on. I retired her from USDAA agility and that was a difficult decision for me to make as it is my favorite venue. I decided if she was to continue to trial, we needed to switch over to an easier venue for Marley's body. So over to AKC we jumped. She finished 3 AKC titles and is now competing at the top level of AKC agility.
One day everything is going to come together for Marley and me in our agility, and it's going to be phenomenal!!!
Marley ran well. She finished her Open FAST Title and as I promised her, I will not enter her in any more FAST runs. I need to limit her trialing due to her hips. The sweet girl was coming off stiff hips and a sprained toe but you would have never known if you had seen her run!!
I cost her 2 Q's by pulling her off a jump. All my fault. I own it. It was very obvious in the video that I rotated my shoulders and she followed me. Good girl for watching Mommy, bad Mommy for queing her wrong. 2other runs she went blonde and took off courses and pretended that she didn't know what weaves were!!
She was so happy at this trial. She was a different dog. I think Marley is maturing and it is showing in our agility. I so enjoyed our time together.
So for our year in review: This year we did the fewest trials we've ever done. I was injured, then she was injured and so on. I retired her from USDAA agility and that was a difficult decision for me to make as it is my favorite venue. I decided if she was to continue to trial, we needed to switch over to an easier venue for Marley's body. So over to AKC we jumped. She finished 3 AKC titles and is now competing at the top level of AKC agility.
One day everything is going to come together for Marley and me in our agility, and it's going to be phenomenal!!!
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