The List... 2013

It is once again time for my annual goal list for me and the dogs. I enjoy writing them down and crossing them off as we finish accomplishments. 2012 was a very good year for achieving many of my goals. However some, unfortunately, went by the wayside due to one reason or another. So here we go for 2013 in no particular order...

1. Finish Seeker's MACH.

2. Qualify both boys for AKC Nationals 2014.

3. Finish Piper's USDAA LAA Bronze.

4. Finish C-ATCHs on both boys.

5. Make the draw for CPE Nationals in Ohio.

6. Qualify Seeker for USDAA Nationals 2013.

7. Get Ceilidh back in to nosework class somewhere because she LOVES it.

8. Get Seeker and Gem back in to serious herding training.

9. Work harder and smarter with Gem to understand her and help her enjoy learning.

10. Do more therapy visits with the boys.

11. Hopefully, have Gem ready to do some rally or obedience later in the summer or fall.

12. Have Seeker evaluated and collected for posterity, until I find that special girl for him.

13. Get back to working Seeker in obedience and rally to at least finish a CD and his RAE.

14. Finish Piper's RAE.

15. Put a dent in Piper's PACH.

16. Spend more individual time with each of the dogs.

17. Continue to work on Ceilidh's reactivity issues with the tools I've learned.

18. Work harder on getting students for my classes and workshops. I really am good at teaching and I LOVE seeing teams achieve their goals!

19. Continue working on getting healthier and losing more weight and keeping it off.

20.  Make more time for the best dog dad in the world... my hubby.

I truly enjoy keeping busy with the dogs and I LOVE my husband for his indulgence, encouragement and tolerance of ALL my teaching, traveling and trialing. He helps me keep it all together and moving forward. I couldn't do it without him. 

MACH Piper by Kaitlyn Dreese

Happy Holidays to all and to all best wishes for a fantastic 2013!!!

A new era for Piper...

Piper by Great Dane Photos

Well, we did it... We earned our AKC MACH on September 29, 2012. He has also earned his MX Bronze and Silver and his MJ Bronze titles too. As I truly am not interested in pursuing MACH 2 with him, we are moving on to a new era on January 1, 2013. Piper will be moved to Masters Preferred 16" and we will continue to play there until he doesn't want to any longer. Somehow, I picture him running agility until the day he dies. He loves it just that much. I love HIM just that much as well.

He has converted me into an agility person after being a hardcore competition obedience competitor. His joy for the sport is apparent in every run, every time. When things go wrong, we make lemonade with the lemons. A recent JWW run is an example... With a tunnel start, he blasted out of the tunnel and headed straight instead of turning towards me even though I said his name, trying to cue him to turn. He consequently missed obstacle #2 which was a jump. He came around it, back-jumped it, took again, then went on. He got his weaves, missed the double. I didn't care. He wasn't qualifying at that point anyway, so we made up our own course and headed to the exit. He couldn't have been more pleased with himself. Smiles, tail wags and woos of joy are his trademarks. As long as that is happening, we will play the game.

He is qualified for AKC Nationals 2013, CPE Nationals 2013 and is entitled to go to USDAA Nationals 2013 and run in the Veteran's Showcase there... He will be 10 on April 9, 2013. Today he ran his very last AKC course in 20" Regular.  It was bittersweet, but made special by having him win the 20" Excellent B Standard class against dogs much younger than himself and earning his MX Silver. What an amazing boy he is... and what a blessing that he is in my life.

I have to thank his breeder Cheryl Jagger Williams for the opportunity of even having Piper. He was a FREE replacement puppy, but I could never put a price on him now. He chose me. It was destiny and for this I am grateful. I can't wait to see what the future holds. More fun, more laughs, just MORE! Thank you Piper for being your honest, awesome self... I am truly blessed.

The Quest...

Seeker by Candace Lang Photography

Seeker... what can I say about this wonderful boy? He is my "Quest For The Grail". I couldn't be more pleased with who he is and what he has accomplished. So far, 2 agility championships with another on the horizon. He's earned his way to AKC Nationals twice, USDAA Nationals twice and CPE Nationals. He works stock with grace and strength. He is looser-eyed, but has tons of power. His physical presence on stock is incredible and although, we don't get to work sheep as much as we would like, his raw talent is evident. He has one litter on the ground that will be 2 in March 2013. These pups are proving to be just as versatile as their sire. Obedience, agility, stock work... They are still in training and I am looking forward to seeing them compete in the very near future.

 

Currently, I am in a quest to find a worthy bitch to breed him to so that I can have a son and several friends can have a pup to carry on his wonderful legacy. My search has me and a savvy friend scouring BC breeder websites for the perfect girl that will match him both physically and in spirit, temperament and working ability. He is OFA Good, shoulders/elbows Normal, DNA Normal by parentage, CERF, Brucellosis negative. I have not done some of the other tests (CL, etc) but am open to doing so if it is required, for the right girl. My quest is proving very difficult. The working breeders generally don't take us seriously as we are not trialing even though he has innate talent. The sport breeders think he is too "big" at 21" and 45 lbs. Even if he wasn't mine, he would still be what I want in a male Border Collie. He has substance, but isn't overdone. He has coat, but isn't dripping in it. He has a gorgeous, masculine head and neck. His layback of shoulders is to die for. He exudes "maleness" without being obnoxious. He is a white-factored black tri-color, which is a turn off for many breeders. He didn't throw any of his wild white in his first litter, bred to a darker bitch. The pups are flashy, but are traditionally marked. I have been also told that he is a bit long in the hocks, but that is a matter of opinion. For me, the physical breed standard (AKC) really doesn't have much bearing. It is temperament, soundness and working ability that matters most to me.

 

I don't show in the breed ring as I am unwilling to finish a breed championship and lose the working registration (ABCA). In truth, I don't feel the need to have some judge tell me that I have a good dog. I honestly don't care what the show faction thinks of him. He isn't show bred nor will those folks be interested in him anyway. Seeker is from working lines that also do dog sports. He is far from "traditional" and I think he is stunning.

 

So my quest continues and I am hopeful that I can find that special girl for him. It is just a matter of time and patience... Until that time, a visit to have him collected is in order. Straws To Paws, here we come!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MACH PIPER!!!!

Piper by Kaitlyn Dreese
 



     Where do I begin? This has been such a long journey for us. AKC agility has never been kind to us. The courses are tighter and he can't really stretch out and run at speed the way he likes to do. My handling has to be perfect. While we have had good success in other venues where the courses are more open, QQs eluded us like mad.
    
     Several years ago, I stopped running Piper in AKC for a little over 2 years. This decision came after a trial where the course was so ridiculously tight and twisty that I feared for his safety. I didn't like the judges, their attitudes, the courses, and even some of the exhibitors and their attitudes.  I had found that other venues were more supportive, less cutthroat and more relaxing. So I pursued those instead. When Seeker was of age and ready to trial, I returned to AKC. I finally started to see the courses becoming more reasonable. So we stuck with it, as well as the other venues.

     Piper earned his USDAA ADCH in August 2010. This is still a very special championship to me because of the versatility USDAA requires to earn it. Super Qs, Snooker, Standard, Jumpers, Relay Pairs, Gamblers, DAM team, Steeplechase, Grand Prix, etc. all offer very different challenges than does the AKC MACH where there is only Standard and Jumpers with Weaves. If you are persistent enough in AKC, you will very likely earn your MACH. Not the case with the ADCH. I know very persistent teams that still haven't achieved that title.

     He next earned his ASCA ATCH in July 2011. We both really enjoy competing in this venue. Although I originally used ASCA trials for training, the fun courses, laid back attitude and friendly faces quickly made it a favorite for us. But finishing a championship took some time because of the lack of local trials.

     In the Fall of 2011, I dropped Piper to 22" Performance in USDAA and in June 2012, Piper earned agility championship #3 when he finished his PDCH. We struggled a bit with earning Super Qs, but got our PVP Q easily in April with partners Alyssia and her BC Zippity. And before we knew it, he had earned this championship too. He is also very close to earning his Lifetime Achievement Award - Bronze in USDAA also. I couldn't be happier.




 

     So now, comes the most elusive, earned on Saturday, September 29, 2012 at the Lancaster Kennel Club trials in Palmyra, PA. We had been hung up for a long time on QQ #13 at the beginning of the year. We squeaked QQs out 1 at a time to get to #17. His last 3 QQs came quickly and seemingly easily, with 1 NQ out of the last 4 trials. He is no longer in the ribbons because at 9 1/2 he's slowed down a bit, but all I truly care about is that he is having a great time running with me. Win, lose or draw...

     This is Piper's 7th championship... 3 of them are in canine freestyle and 4 of them are in agility. He has far surpassed anything I could have imagined us attaining. Considering I could have lost him in the summer of 2011 to sepsis, I am indeed SO blessed to be in his life. He is such an amazing creature that has taught me so many things. Most of all, he taught me to love agility just as much as he does. And that was no easy task for him. Thank goodness his attitude is truly infectious. He has made me want to be a better trainer and handler. He has made me want to lose weight to be faster and be able to hold up my end better physically. He has made me thank God everyday for the blessings I have in my life. And for all of this, I will always be in his debt.

     And our story continues for as long as Piper wants to play this crazy game called agility... I will be there for him and with him. Because we are an unstoppable team, my Pi and me. Thank you for putting up with me in good times and bad. I love you Pi-man!!!



The Education of Gem

Gem at 18 months

Gem is now 18 months old and while other young dogs her age are already running agility competitively, she is FAR from doing so. Her independent nature, lack of mental maturity, and low tolerance for being incorrect have been challenging for me as a trainer. She doesn't readily offer behavior, in part I believe because she doesn't like to be wrong. If she offers behaviors and IS incorrect, she is easily frustrated and tries to disconnect. This has been apparent from the beginning in everything I have done with her, from herding to obedience and agility. She has made me think outside the box as a trainer and while I am not always successful, she keeps me thinking and trying to figure out the right method/s to help her learn. It isn't easy... It is downright exhausting at times...

She seems to enjoy doing obedience, which doesn't, at this point, have many choices. She is learning how to heel with attention, do fast recalls, sit-stay, down-stay, dumbbell and stand. We are also working on fronts and finishes as well. I think she really enjoys the structure of obedience. I have also been working on teaching her some of the rally signs as well as some freestyle behaviors. She passed her Canine Good Citizen test a few weeks ago as well as her therapy dog testing, but I don't think she is quite ready to do therapy visits alone. She is definitely more confident with one of the boys with her. I hope as she grows and matures mentally that she will be less of a perfectionist. Piper is also a type A personality much like Gem, but with age, he has mellowed. The difference with him is that he LOVES to offer behaviors in the hopes of a pay-off. I have never been able to foster this in Gem.

Agility training has proven to be more difficult. 2 x 2 weave training was a bust as I could have waited for days for her to just offer going through them. Given that, I had my channels repaired and she seems to understand the concept of those a bit better. I bought Rachel Sanders' video and plank to train her 2 on 2 off, but this has also been a challenge. Luring works to a point, but because she isn't a foodie, even that doesn't always work. I have found that keeping her on a line helps to keep her more focused and keeps her from having an option of disconnecting when she gets frustrated. Her agility career is WAY down the road. Sometimes I get a bit envious of all these youngsters that are already competing, but then I remember that good things come to those who wait. And she will be a "good thing" once we figure it all out...

Sheep training was put on hold with the arrival of agility season for the boys. Since summer proved to be wicked hot at times, it worked out for the better. With the coming of cooler weather, I will be anxious to get her and Seeker back out to herding lessons. He was making good progress several months ago as was Gem. It will be great to get back out to the fields and the woolies again. There is nothing more wonderful than watching this breed do what they are bred to do on a crisp autumn day.

Given all this, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love a good challenge and she is definitely giving me one. She is an awesome little Border Collie girl and I love her to pieces. I really can't wait to see what the future holds for us!

Another one bites the dust...

I have achieved another goal for each of the boys... finishing Piper's USDAA PDCH and Seeker's USDAA ADCH.... Both titles were done quietly, with little celebration because that is kind of how USDAA is. There are usually no win laps or ADCH/PDCH bars. Sometimes there is cake, other times there isn't. We, however, will be having cupcake cake this weekend to celebrate these accomplishments as well as Nancy Craig's Shine's Bronze ADCH. We will celebrate with friends at an agility trial, where else?

I have several other agility goals for both the boys. We are still in pursuit of those elusive AKC MACHs with Piper needing 3 QQs and Seeker needing 8 QQs. We have also found great fun and friends in CPE. So there, I am hoping to have them both qualified for CPE Nationals which are in OH next year and achieving their C-ATCHs. And for Seeker, when he's older.... much older... his PDCH. Because jumping him at 16" any time soon is scary!

As long as they are having fun and loving what they do, I will keep at it. Gem is a work in progress and I am in no hurry to have her in the ring. I am still amazed that people are actually competing with dogs her age. We are nowhere near ready for that. She is enjoying obedience and our next order of business is trying for our CGC and TDInc certification. Gem is an athlete, quick, agile and smart. We have plenty of time for the rest of it.

It is all about having fun! Run clean, run fast and give it hell! But most of all... HAVE FUN!!!!

ADCH Seeker!!!





Well, we did it! TA DA!!! ADCH ATCH Seeker! I am so proud of him! What a ride! After we bombed in VA a few weekends ago, I had to look for other opportunities to do USDAA and specifically, Master Gamblers. 4 Seasons K9 Athlete Center sponsors several USDAA trials a year. I am not fond of the hard flooring and heat in the summer, but I decided to drive almost 2 hours to be in the ring for about 2 minutes. Crazy? Yep!





I entered both boys since Piper loves Gamblers. I got the opportunity to run him first, which can be good or bad, depending on the gamble. Well, I didn't set him up right and he missed the gamble. Argh!!! He has always excelled at Gamblers and since Seeker's forte' isn't distance, I was rather worried that he wouldn't get it either. But, we were there to have fun, come what may. My friend Nancy ran her awesome Sheltie Shine in 16" and they got the gamble finishing Shine's Bronze ADCH. She told me to handle Seeker differently and to NOT try to use the chute to set him up since they are blind when they come out and most dogs were turning right to the jumps and not seeing the weave poles on the other side. So I changed my plan and hoped for the best. IT WORKED! He never looked at the jumps, hit the weaves, then without getting distracted, headed for the correct end of the tunnel and over the finish jump! What a wonderful feeling! He was spot on and I shouldn't have bothered worrying. He seems to always come through when I need him most. I had to laugh when I watched the video as I look so non-chalant until the gamble! We needed only 13 points in the opening and he got that over the A-frame. I wanted to set him up correctly and actually be in the right place for once!

Seeker and his ADCH ribbon

While we aren't World Team material, it hardly matters. He loves the game and that's all that matters. As long as he has fun, the day has been a success. His smile says it all... Way to go buddy! You ROCK!!!