Marley, Kalea-Kate and I drove up to Springfield, MO for an AKC agility trial over the weekend. Alot of people backed out due to the weather but I didn't have any trouble with the roads. It was a rustic setting (to put it nicely). Inside an insulated building with no heat. You crated in horse stalls with other people. Very tight getting in and out of the rings. There was barely any room to pass other dogs near the rings. This is certainly not the trial for you if you have a snarky/reactive/aggressive dog. Luckily I don't have a snarky/reactive/aggressive dog so we were just fine!
Marley had a blast! She was so happy everyday. She was running and running happy! True to her Marley nature, I never know what dog is coming off the start line until we start. This weekend it was the fun loving, happy Marley. You know your dog loves agility and loves you when it is evident on her face and in her body language. After some of our runs, I was still leashing her up and people were telling me how happy my dog was. That is the best compliment!!! Regardless of how many Q's Marley gets or how many MACH points she might rack up, we will continue to do agility only as long as it's fun for Marley! Once she isn't bouncy and happy after her runs, will she retire...regardless of how close we are to whatever title. When Q's and titles are in the fore front of your mind, you have lost the fun of agility. You will rarely hear me talking about Q's and titles at trials...that just puts pressure on you and the fun is gone. It's a game! Play happy!!
Kalea-Kate got to see her foster mom on Saturday. I don't think KK really recognized her. KK was about 3 months old when I got her, so it's been awhile since she has seen her foster mom. True to KK, she happily gave her foster mom lots of kisses. :) We are planning on going back to Springfield in July for a NADAC trial so her foster mom can see her run.
Kalea-Kate debuts this weekend in Monroe, LA in the AKC Novice ring. I'm nervous because I don't know if she is really ready for the ring. Or if I'm ready for the ring with her. But we will go and we will have fun! It will be a learning experience for us!! Looking forward to our agility career together!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
AN AGILITY WEEKEND TO CRY ABOUT
Marley and I ventured over to McKinney, TX on March 2 & 3. I picked McKinney mainly because I wanted to run Marley all alone. I wanted to go someplace where I didn't know anyone and where no one from home would be. Strange? Not to me. I wanted to just concentrate on Marley and me. Just us. Just us as a team. I love trialing with my friends but sometimes I just want to be alone. It was a great decision for us.
Marley had a fabulous Master Standard run on Saturday morning. Happy, running, got her weaves and was quick through them, got her running contacts, and then......she stopped in front of a jump to cough! Really Mar? You couldn't have coughed in the tunnel???? Regardless, it was a great run. Over to Excellent JWW where she got that elusive last Q with a 1st and finished her Excellent JWW title. I took Marley out to the woods and just let her run and be a dog! She had a big time.
Sunday morning in Standard, I thought I would try a blind cross after the A frame and that failed miserably. Caused her to get a refusal. Then Marley missed her weave entry because she came blasting out of the tunnel. A tunnel to the weaves isn't good for Mar. She loves her tunnels!! Over in JWW, she got her first Master JWW Q with PACH points.
After the trial was over, I cried on the way home thinking about how far Marley has come. Every run I have with Marley is a blessing. I don't care if she ever gets her PACH or how many PACH points she gets. I just want to run with Marley! Some people get so tied up and obsessed with Qing and getting points and QQ and they lose the real reason they started agility. To have fun with their dog. I try my best at trials not to moan about not Qing or getting QQ's. At the end of Marley's life I won't be thinking about those Q's, I will be thinking I was so lucky to have been blessed with Marley and having been so lucky to get to spend so much fun time with her.
A good friend told me "You have done Marley proud". I hope I have. I hope I have many more agility weekends to cry about!
Marley had a fabulous Master Standard run on Saturday morning. Happy, running, got her weaves and was quick through them, got her running contacts, and then......she stopped in front of a jump to cough! Really Mar? You couldn't have coughed in the tunnel???? Regardless, it was a great run. Over to Excellent JWW where she got that elusive last Q with a 1st and finished her Excellent JWW title. I took Marley out to the woods and just let her run and be a dog! She had a big time.
Sunday morning in Standard, I thought I would try a blind cross after the A frame and that failed miserably. Caused her to get a refusal. Then Marley missed her weave entry because she came blasting out of the tunnel. A tunnel to the weaves isn't good for Mar. She loves her tunnels!! Over in JWW, she got her first Master JWW Q with PACH points.
After the trial was over, I cried on the way home thinking about how far Marley has come. Every run I have with Marley is a blessing. I don't care if she ever gets her PACH or how many PACH points she gets. I just want to run with Marley! Some people get so tied up and obsessed with Qing and getting points and QQ and they lose the real reason they started agility. To have fun with their dog. I try my best at trials not to moan about not Qing or getting QQ's. At the end of Marley's life I won't be thinking about those Q's, I will be thinking I was so lucky to have been blessed with Marley and having been so lucky to get to spend so much fun time with her.
A good friend told me "You have done Marley proud". I hope I have. I hope I have many more agility weekends to cry about!
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