How Quickly Things come crashing down!!

Hey Everyone, it's only Feb 1st and I finally am getting to blog again! A whole lot has happened and I will try to fill you all in with posts over this next couple of weeks!

Saturday our club WAG (Whitecourt Agility Group) had a mini seminar with Michelle Stade and her trusty beasts Charm and Rival ( I think I am allowed to say that since I am the beast master aka breeder). It was a great time and myself and the dogs learned a lot. Learning agility body language is a whole new kettle of fish. What I also saw was quite a dynamic change in energy levels in my two dogs, Wrangler and ZoomZoom. (I am truly sorry to everyone that no photos to join this post as my camera is having shutter difficulties.)

To back up a bit, in the past three weeks, Miss ZoomZoom has been getting more vocal in her kennel while I have been working Wrangler. Prior to this she didn't make a peep. But she is catching on to this agility thing and her drive is kicking up a notch. So yesterday, we moved pasted the minor barking to SCREAMING! I am mortified. I can't believe my well behaved little girl is turning into the hellion dogs I detest! I can't stand dogs, who bark and carry on in their kennels, and then continue to bark non-stop around a course. If I had to pick one thing that is truly annoying that would be it! ( ok, so she didn't bark non-stop she only barked a few times while out of the kennel, but enough that I noticed). So in the back of my mind I'm thinking I have to crack down on this asap. So as I'm working her and having a great time and really into this tunnel game, Wrangler started making noise, then a little more barking....to full out screaming. I am just shaking my head....both my dogs are now barking and carrying on! What have I created?

I carry on through the day, yes, allowing them to bark, so I can take in the class ( and it is really hard to correct as mine are not the only ones barking). So getting on with the day, I am truly having a blast with Wrangler who prior to this day was running through tunnels, to now blasting through and becoming a tunnel sucker...but it's very cool seeing his drive come up and the sheer joy on his face at the other end! One of the other things I let him do, was blow a few stays....BIG, BIG mistake. I should smack my hands on that one for I know it will come back to bite me in the ass real soon. Which it did!

So Sunday, I take Zoom and Wrangler to obedience classes with me for my demo dogs. I was teaching four classes and tonight is graduation. Well, if I could have crawlled in a hole, I would have. My dogs taught my humility. Here I am teaching classes and my own dogs are carrying on in their kennels, barking and such when I brought one out to work/demo. Then Wrangler starts blowing his stays.....( and till this weekend I would have said he was a solid dog on his stays), it was embarrassing, but you know what, I got over it and just laughed at them for their silly antics! I adore my dogs and finally my training brain kicked in. Training never stops and we are always having to go back and fix and polish. If that wasn't the case, everyone would be getting 200 in obedience and Q's on every round in agility. So, by the third class they were quiet in the kennels, remembering their stays and ready to focus.....was it 100% solid, hell no, but each day is a new one and I am remembering how much I love to train. Some of you may think that is a odd remark but, since having kids, I haven't been able to dedicate myself to the training like I once did. I'm the type of trainer who want's it all or nothing. If I can't put the time and energy into being able to compete at top levels, I don't want to compete or train half ass. I just won't do it. But now that my boys are getting older, I am re-discovering a shelved passion!

So here I post, I am aiming for running Wrangler in tunnellers for sure, and maybe Hoopers for the NADAC trial in Edmonton April 17 & 18. Pace hasn't posted their classes yet, so Hoopers may or may not go. I am actually going to forgo a conformation show for two days of agility. Michele promises to be there to cheer us on! The last time I had anything to do with competing in agility was in about 92 or 93... wish us luck!

Fall Updates

Well it seems like forever since I sat and blogged. Today seems like a good day to get started again. Looking out my window, winter is trying once again to arrive. Snowflakes are falling and I wonder if the ground will be covered once again, only to melt and create muddy paws tomorrow.....will just have to wait.

I would have to say that part of my absence was due in part to whelping and raising two litters of tervs this spring. Wrangler and Angel welcomed seven puppies April 16, and Brenner and Adzuki welcomed seven puppies on May 5....so fourteen puppies I think is a good excuse to not have any extra time.... I still had to deal with everyday life of being a mom of two boys, being a wife, grooming part time and teaching obedience classes....

Obviously all the puppies have went on to their new homes....except ZoomZoom which stayed here. She is out of Brenner and Adzuki. For those of you wondering about the name, our last two dogs, have been named after some cartoon. Ethan named them both with no help. Maggie, our ECS was named from Maggie and the Ferocious Beast and ZoomZoom from the show Bolt....the girl says, ZOOMZOOM Bolt.....I guess having kids we get different names....it could have been Lady, Princess, or Thunder, as they were in the running....so it's fare to say, I was thrilled went Ethan can up with ZoomZoom.

This is Zoom at four months.....I hope to have some updated photos soon, as we are off to our first show next weekend at Red Deer.

As I am jumping around a bit in the happenings around here, at the beginning of October, I hosted a Monique Anstee Dog Trainers Seminar for Dog Aggressive Dogs. If you ever have a chance to go to one of Monique's seminar GO! It was awesome. I had her here for a five day, Monday to Friday about seven hours a day.....this is the way to go to seminars. I am planning to have her back again in 2010.

Doing down restraints with all dog aggressive dogs....nose to bum!

It was a fantastic seminar geared to teaching trainers how to teach a growl class to re-habilite dog aggressive dogs. The seminar flowed so wonderful without any issues and we all saw HUGE differences in the dog.....thanks Monique. For those who do not know Monique check out her website : http://www.naughtydoggie.com/ . Monique has one of my Belgians, Basil. I have to brag a bit for her too.....Monique and Basil are going to Cruft in Spring 2010 to represent Canada in obedience......I am so thrilled.....it's the first North American, Canadian Belgian to go over and represent Canada in England....but Monique and Basil have a few other firsts, like being the first Canadian Bred Terv to get a SchIII ....keep a eye on this duo!

Ethan and Basil doing some heeling!!

Will keep you a bit better posted in the future!!

Feeling the Need!!

Wow, I can't believe I went this long with not bloggin....really, how does my world exist! I guess once again life and the excitement that goes along with it were driving factors.

I was at the AKC dog show in Calgary the first weekend in February. I took Wrangler and Maggie, who was making her debut at the show, for the weekend. I stopping in at Stony Plain on the way to pick up my friend, Cindy Bazin. She was showing her boy Trip, a Czech import, that we co-own together for the show. It was a rather uneventful road trip, didn't get lost ....really nothing...and for those that have been on road trip with me, there is usually something.

We had a great weekend, Trip can home a new Champion, in only his second show. He was BOB on Friday, and then went BOS. BP on Sunday at our Booster......what a way to finish! I will post his photos here, or on my site, once I get them....
Wrangler, was BOB on Saturday and got his butt kick the other two days by Trip.....and I had no problems with that....can't win everyday....hmm, guess that doesn't apply here as I did....between him and Tripp we kicked BUTT!!!

Not only that a Jivin son, who happens to be a malinois, was WD on Saturday! His owner and breeder were in tears. I was so glad to be there to see it, it made my weekend. Sometimes after years of showing, you forget the firsts. But I got to remember the feelings of the first wins, the first points....I couldn't be happier for Tanya and Teri....way to go!

And well then there was WEE Maggie. Literally!! Maggie looked like the anorexic cocker spaniel in the ring. All my breeder friends with herding dogs and working dogs thought she looked excellent and in great weight and muscle....boy were we in shock! Apparently, they like them fat and poly in the show ring.....Maggie is in her glory....she was just given the ticket to eat more!!! For her this is like winning the lottery....cockers live to eat and eat to live and live to eat and eat to live and live to eat....well you get the picture. Since the show I have put a few more pounds on her and she is looking rounder....
Even thought we took RWF all three days to her litter sister Coco, she did beat the other class bitch, so I was happy. The judges commented about how hard it was to pick between her and her sister...but Coco was in better and more full coat and well, she was packin' and it wasn't no six pack...sorry Coco, just couldn't resist!

It's funny how time passes so quick. Writing about that show which was only a few weeks earlier, it seems like a few months have passed.

Last weekend, was spend at the 'Sled Invasion'......we had a big snow mobile rally in town, as well as some extreme snow machine show with riders doing back flips and such. As I am a director for our Ag, Society, and the event was being hosted there, we were all volunteering for the weekend. There was set up from Thursday to Sunday, as well as clean up each day. Dean and I were bar tending Friday night for the VIP meet and greet/thank you party after the show. We had a great time. If you every get to go, it's worth the show. As I know there are few people who read this that live in year round tropical climates, I"m sure standing outdoors watch a show at -20oC is pure craziness.....but for us Canadians living in no-where land Northern Alberta, it's just a normal thing!

Hmm, I wonder just how long we had till the white stuff leaves. Here in January we had +10oc temps and spring looked just around the corner...I was feeling spring fever. And now , well, lets just say I was setting myself up for disappointment.....

All I can say is bring on spring.....I almost look forward to muddy paws....almost!

It's been a crazy winter. We woke to -33oC this morning. This after only days before being 10oC and the hope of spring in the air. I have to say for me, I can't wait for some green grass!

Usually, I am a winter person, but now with kids ( although my one some Ethan would like to have snow all the time so he could ride his snow mobile ), I am finding my favorite seasons are summer and fall. At this point, spring is looking and sounding great!

Last night I was in my grooming room getting Maggie ready for the show next weekend. It's been 15 years I think since I 'show' groomed a cocker spaniel and never before have I done a English Cocker. I have to tell you, that their grooming and maintenance is 1/2 of a American cocker.....but then Nothing like a Belgian.

Wrangler is entered, but I won't groom him till next Wednesday morning. I plan to leave at noon on Thursday and head to Calgary. I have to make a small detour to pick up my friend for the show. She has a Belgian ( groenendael ) that we co-own together.....Trip and Cindy were up for a visit and grooming this past Tuesday....

Cindy brought Trip and Splash up for the visit and those two with my three had a good time playing together. I said to Cindy I should get the camera....but then it was all talk, no action.

I did manage to get a few photos of my 'kids' this morning. I plan to do only a few shows and focus on rally, obedience and agility....the fun stuff this year. We will see where that takes me as I have been saying that for a long time and do the training, but never compete.....one day, maybe this spring!!!

Good-Bye Bella

.......good-bye my friend. My life was so much better because you spent yours with me..Wi all love and miss you so very much....

Can.Ch. Atim's clos du val d'Alsace, HIC

July 1996-January 2009

Midnight's Silent

Hmm..I think I like this blog thing! I am sitting here listening to .....nothing....just silence. My husband and boys have long ago headed to bed and I am still up surfing the net. Dogs are all fed and in their beds for the night. Maggie, tucking in her soft cozy kennel, Trouble, taking residence up on the couch (what else to you expect of a dog going on thirteen) and Adzuki and Wrangler outside....yes, outside. All summer they came in the house, to keep my property quiet and peaceful at night as the neighbours dogs back at shadows through out the whole night. As I don't want my dogs to ever think this is ok, nor do I want to have to crawl out of my warm bed at 3am to go quiet them, they sleep inside. But now that the cooler weather is here, and people are not leaving their windows open or dogs roaming about, they get to sleep outside. And they love it. All night indoor they huff and puff and especially in winters past with the wood stove burning .... it's just too hot inside. So now before we have really cool nights they get to be dogs! Bark at strange sounds, howl with the coyote's dig and play and enjoy their nights.

As of right now, we have had no snow. Call me crazy but the first snow is something I look forward to each year. I am grateful that it hasn't blanketed the ground yet as I still have a few more things to get put away for winter, but I am still anticipating that first sign of winter! In years past many of you may not know, I used to have Alaskan huskies that I raced. So winter was always a busy time. And for me, it's something I still think of as soon as the snow comes. With my boys now 2 and almost 5, this year I hope to pull out the dog sled and get the dogs going again. I will for sure post some photos when we get enough snow.

Till then, keep warm and think white thoughts.

The Start of It All

For months I have been feeling guilty of not replying to e-mails, posting new photos of puppies who have went on to new homes, and generally being detached from the 'dog world'....
Well things are about to change.....
Welcome to my blog! I am hoping that these ramblings will actually inspire or at least entertain people out in cyberland. Am I really that interesting??? Time will tell.