Warning: this is a long post! I have a very talented, versatile, and handsome dog on my hands 😉
Nikon has had a very busy year on many levels. He has earned five new titles this year, all in different disciplines. It should also be said that so far none of the clubs I’ve trained with have been “official” which means that every time we want to show and title, we are traveling to a new club, new field or building, new helper. Nikon knows no daily routine and puts in a ton of miles. In March he finished his UKC Championship. In June at the UKC Premier he finished his lure coursing Coursing Aptitude and completed his first dock diving title (UNJ) start to finish with a few jumps to spare. The day after we got back from our Big Star Lake vacation in August, Nikon earned his American Temperament Test Society “TT” title at Muskegon Lakeshore Obedience Club. Yesterday we finished out our year earning the Schutzhund 1 title under USCA judge Randall Hoadley. Nikon earned High SchH1 and High Obedience. Some things I am proud of are his tracking score (94) since I do not particularly enjoy tracking, the fact that he earned High Obedience (highest OB score of the trial, all levels) despite my nerves and a cat streaking past the field as we started, he got “pronounced” TSB in protection, and he did the best escape bite I’ve ever seen him do (the escape bite is not his strength). While we were not perfect I am thrilled with his work and satisfied that I made no handling mistakes and Nikon did nothing that surprised me. We all hate those, “my dog’s never done THAT before!” moments. Our group swept the awards winning everything but High SchH2 because we didn’t have one entered. Nikon was two points short of being High In Trial (all levels).
Nikon finishing UKC Champion
Nikon’s SV/USCA/WDA, AKC, and UKC conformation awards (minus the UKC Champion certificate)
Dock diving at the 2011 UKC Premier
Lure coursing at the 2011 UKC Premier
2011 UKC Premier awards
Me, Nikon, and judge Randall with Nikon’s SchH1 awards
SchH1 retrieve over 1meter jump
Guarding in the blind
Launch into the escape bite
Drive with stick hits (Nikon’s strength in protection is his fight, never shifts the grip or shies away from the drive)
Besides his new titles Nikon participated in lots of other dog activities this year. Over the summer we had two protection seminars. It was VERY HOT for both of them but Nikon worked hard. At one he was worked by seven different decoys and helped certify three new SDA trial decoys. I joined a new SDA club and am currently the Vice President (though I’ve been slacking there while busy preparing Nikon for the SchH trial). We visited two other Schutzhund clubs (Liberty Working Dogs and Der Michigan Schutzhund Verein) on several occasions over the summer. In June we did a dog safety and obedience demonstration ad Phil’s school and they loved Nikon’s tricks. Then we were invited to walk in several parades to help promote the school. Nikon got to wear the school t-shirt and I think some of the people in the crowd were convinced that he is THE German Shepherd from Beverly Hills Chihuahua, haha (I haven’t seen it). He also came to Pan’s CGC class and helped proof the younger dogs heeling and doing obedience next to a “strange” dog. Nikon is now doing flyball and this will be his “winter sport”.
Nikon at flyball
Helping certify new decoys at the SDA protection seminar
Marching in the parades
Hanging out with kids at Dutton Christian School
We accomplished a lot this year despite some obstacles. First we moved to a new house. That took a lot of time and money away from training for a while. Then I was gone for a week with my parents and when I got back, Nikon injured his foot and had a rough few months dealing with infection and the possibility of amputation but by the Premier he was healed and ready to work again. I also had a lot of traveling this year that kept me away from the dogs and interrupted serious training at times. I went to Florida with my parents in April, then a few U2 concerts that were make-ups from summer 2010 when Bono injured his back, then a family reunion trip to Tennessee with Phil’s side, and then our two weeks at Big Star Lake which is my favorite but the dogs get to come and enjoy swimming, hiking, and dock diving (I make a point *not* to do any formal training while we’re on “vacation”).
Nikon’s “boot” wrapping for his foot injury which needed to be cleaned, soaked, medicated, and re-wrapped several times a day (thank goodness Nikon doesn’t give a flip about having his nails trimmed or feet touched!)
Nikon, almost 3 years old, in our new front yard
Nikon is doing well and looking great. His ear tips are kind of scabby right now which happens when it first gets really cold and dry, but once they heal up I may try to show him for his Grand Champion. When he turns six (a long way away!) I would like to do his USCA Breed Survey which we now have all the requirements for, he just has to be six to opt out of the AD. He is done with Schutzhund for this winter but we have an SDA trial planned for May 2012 and I’m sure he will be back at the UKC Premier in some fashion.
Nikon at 3 years old
Pan my working line puppy is also doing well. He got SG2 (13 months) at a WDA show last month and earned his AKC Canine Good Citizen last Wednesday. Unfortunately he is two weeks too young to have done his BH at our trial and I don’t have any vacation left for traveling to a December trial so we’ll wait for spring 2012. Coke is the same as usual, just being his lazy, happy self. Chopper is doing great with my family but they are not camera people so I don’t get many photos. She was in perfect health at her vet check in July.
Pan
Chopper on vacation August 2011
Coke fall 2011
I think that’s all for now!
Thank you for the update on Nikon. Congratulations on your SchH1!
I bet he’s having a blast with the other events.
Congratulations Lies, Nikon is an awesome dog, you must be so proud of him, I sure would be, he is one of my favorites !
Congratulations and thanks for the update! I always love hearing more of Nikon’s adventures!
It’s good to hear someone else out there is doing so many things. Congratulations on all the awards. I know what it’s like to be doing so many things. Trying to find the time and money. But in the end it is so rewarding. Besides, what’s more fun than spending time with your dog?????? Now go out and get some herding titles.
Oh I would LOVE to herd with Nikon! He has high prey drive but it doesn’t seem to cloud his herding ability, fortunately. We tried with Pan and he was a bit out of control, Coke tries to PLAY with the sheep, Nikon seems more natural. The lady that did our tests and fun lessons is really nice and very accommodating of my GSDs (she does BCs) but I wish someone around here had more space and more sheep. She’s got like 5 sheep in a small pen kind of herding. I think Nikon would be a blast to train for the HGH but I’d have to send him away and I can’t bring myself to do that (my dog, my training). Maybe you should make a trip and host a seminar!
Julie has talked about a trip out here to do some herding. It would be better than a seminar. Over a few days we could work and talk about many herding things. We have a small pen, intermediate pen, regulation AKC A Course set up and an open field. In the field we do large flock for AHBA. We could do HGH but no one does that out here. We could also do AKC C Course which simulates HGH. We could work the dogs, talk about herding training then go have a few margaritas and try herding again, a few margaritas….. You get the idea.
It would be a great respit from the snow and cold weather, unless it’s rainy and cold here. I’m with you on the my dog my training part. I don’t think I could let Singer go away and come back a different dog that I had nothing to do with. I need that bond we get from training together as a team and best friends. I’d get jealous if he licked another face and wanted some one else to rub his chest.
yep…that is exactly what I have in mind, especially the margarita part. I know Rita is ready to go.
Yep…..We are 🙂
Way to go Nikon! What a great dog he is, I love how he is involved in so many sport. Thanks for the update.
Congratulations Lies! Kira says “that’s my boy!” to Nikon. Special congrats on high-in trial obedience, that is just super, you two must have really smoked everyone else!
I don’t know if “smoked” is the right word but you get what you earn under Randall. He is very friendly and puts you at ease during trial but there are no favors. He is very fair and you have the enjoyment of knowing you worked hard for every half point. Many of the dogs struggled with obedience in all three levels. We have some kinks to work out but I’m happy to say the imperfections were not surprises, all little things I knew would not go unnoticed but not worth sitting us out of the trial. For example, Nikon sits slightly too far in front of me with the dumbbell, but his hold is perfectly calm and firm with zero chewing, so is it worth messing around with getting him a few inches closer but risking the perfect hold? As long as the dog is straight in front and the dumbbell is easily within my reach I really don’t care whether he’s pressed against my belly or 18 inches back and I place higher value on a correct hold. Always a balancing act!
Nikon was the first dog in obedience on Sunday and right as we were about to begin a cat ran across one corner of the field. Nikon has a special “cat drive” so he was pretty wound up about that but I kept him under control though he barked during his heeling. One of his minor mistakes was during the retrieve over the A-frame he decided that would be a great vantage point to see where the cat had gone so he paused for a second to look but then finished the exercise without any help or extra command. We’ve only just begun the send out and I’ve never done a full length send out without the object at the end, let alone with the platz and he actually did it in the trial. It took him about a second to register the platz command. Schumi’s was perfect, or “without fault” as the judge says.
Great job, Lies!!! Roman says “Go 1/2 Bro”!!!!! Nikon is such an awesome dog and Pan looks amazing, too.
Nikon is the coolest. I don’t know how you find the time to do it all with him and Pan, Lies. You’re doing a great job with them both. All your dogs look great, but Nikon is my personal favorite. Look at that face with the kids — he is a charmer and a half!
Love the year-long scrapbook feeling of this post.
Congratulations on all your accomplishments with Nikon this past year. I love to see dogs that are owner trained and handled…and loved! You and Nikon are a good team.
Great to see all the pictures.
I think Dylan and Ivan would love to try dock diving!
Are you still doing any agility?
Such a spectacular dog. It always amazes me to see how versatile, athletic and beautiful these dogs are. They really can do it all and look great doing it! All of your hard work is paying off and I enjoyed reading about your activities and seeing all the pictures. Thank you!
Awesome job! Your hard work has definitely showed and paid off. Keep doing what your doing..it’s working!
I think basically what everyone is saying you need to post on the blog more often. 🙂
Lies, this is terrific! You and Nikon have sure been busy…and had some amazing accomplishments this year. He and Pan are just gorgeous….but you already know my thoughts on that! 🙂
You and Nikon work so well together. You guys did awesome this weekend! I love Nikon; he’s such a cuddle-bug. 🙂
Haha! I never would have said so myself until he turned 3 he settled down and now all he wants to do is cuddle!