Long-Dangerous Tails

Bug in the ear

It was so humid last night, you can see it’s sunny but the grass is covered in dew.

What the heck is this anomaly? A clump of undercoat instantly covered in dew from the humidity. I was pulling out the dogs’ coats with a coat rake. I had to give up on Coke, he’s going to a groomer on Wed. Afterwards there was an extra poodle on the lawn!

Purdy

Chopper did her herding instinct test on Saturday at Make ‘n It EZ ranch in Hopkins, MI. She was the fifth GSD in a row to be tested. I let her watch the test before hers and she was pretty locked in on the sheep from our side of the gate. She went right in at them and the judge eventually tapped her with a little rake she was using as a stick. Then she knew not to run straight into them but took a little while to get enough confidence to run around them close enough to move them. She did it eventually though and the judge said she is very “fit” and “heady” which I understand means she focuses on the sheep and is not distracted and also can predict which way they will turn. If we did lessons we are supposed to work on her confidence in moving out ahead of me because she is wanting to “check in” with me and isn’t used to being out in front or way off to the side.

Here is a video, if it doesn’t work hopefully Julie can fix it

Herding Instinct Test from Lies Rosema on Vimeo

Many brags this past weekend:

At the Great Lakes Working Dog Association Elkhart, IN, Saturday May 24, 08; Barbara Eichman MD earned a SchH I and a SchH III on two of her dogs. Barbara writes about her Czech import, Polo z Danaru SchH1:

I am very pleased with him for his first time out and having had me on the tracking line only about 3 times etc. He had an 88 track (lost focus with all the dogs and other people around as he is not used to that), 92 obedience for high obedience, and 97 protection for high in protection and high in trial. He got better and better as the day progressed so now he is a SchH1 with a lovely high in trial trophy from Germany .

Also at this trial Barbara’s home-bred GSD, Chip earned his third SchH3 with a high in trial track of 96.

Liesje and Chopper earned a new title, Rally Advance (RA), with three consecutive legs and these placements: 1st, 1st, and 2nd. At the same shows Charlene and her Portuguese Podengo also finished their Rally Advance title.

Liesje and Chopper at the starting line of their Rally Advanced Obedience course.




Charlene and Jolena in Rally Obedience


Ann and Charlene discussing something interesting…

Charlene and her groupees

Heather

Ann with her female GSD bred by Dawn VanDyken.

Charlene and Liesje receiving their class placements, 1st and 2nd place respectively.

This was a busy “dog” weekend! ChopChop and I entered Fri-Sun of the AKC show in K-zoo for rally. Fri and Sat we won our class, and Sun we got second. All three Qs for our Rally Advanced title! I think the highlight for Chopper was when Julie showed up to cheer her on and take even more pictures of the most photographed dog ever. Today we took a long walk with the dogs, then I went to my cousin’s house for a pool party and took Chopper along. On our way home, we stopped at our club and worked on some agility contacts before all the dogs ran off to the shade and refused to get up again. For dinner, I ordered myself a ham and onion pizza and at the WHOLE thing to celebrate.

Also on Friday we had Schutzhund club training at Julie’s. More like Julie and Warren’s dogs training and the rest of us getting bit! Warren worked Kira, then Warren’s dog (Della?) broke in me, Terri, and Nick.

Pics from the show….

OK, I was laughing during this pic

Look ma, no ears!

Chopper looking at Julie’s camera

Me wearing the sleeve (still have to upload Warren, Nick, and Terri)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JANzEXImbB0

My doggy today at the pool

After a loooooong weekend, we were both so tired we couldn’t have cared less about our ribbons (and our prize towel, which I gave to my friend b/c her Great Dane was drooling all over)

Today is the second birthday of Chopper’s first litter. Happy Birthday: Bogey, Lance, Glacier, and Cash!

I am expecting pictures from Bogey and Lance’s mommas. Glacier’s momma was on the ball with pictures of Glacier. In her words she says “Glacier is the love of her life.” I am sure she means after her husband:

Tonight at the training club…

A dog and her girl

Waiting for our turn on the field

STOP with the frickin pictures!

This girl looks like my cousin, in case you wanted to know

Three-way tug

Chopper meets Justin - are you a girl or a boy?

They really hit it off! (only a dog person sees a pic of one dog “biting” another and says they are hitting it off…) She always loves the big goofy boys. 75lbs of puppy, that Justin.

Ever the multi-tasker, the German Shepherd demonstrates stretching while “killing” the “rabbit”.

Apparently I got to get me some Natural Balance food roll. Our dogs were so obsessed with the others’ treats we had to trade dogs for a while!

A new POV

You guys have such nice yards! Our yard has not been mowed since Oct and the bugs are getting SO bad. Phil e-mailed the landlord, and they’re going to pay us to maintain the yard (and by pay us I mean not raise the rent). That’s nice since now I can move my agility stuff whenever *I* feel like it.

I did take some snaps last night after the rain. If I haven’t told you already, I have an obsession with water drops.

And some tulips on the patio where I work (Dutch school, we ALWAYS have tulips!)

Oh yeah, this is a DOG blog