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And here are some of Legend's videos

Run4Rescue Videos

Here are some of Lyric's qualifying runs from the weekend.  The computer does not want to upload Legend's but I will keep working on it.  Maybe I should look into youtube instead of directly loading into blogger-it does not seem to work very well.

Run4Rescue 2011

It was time for our annual trip to Wichita for the NADAC Run4Rescue trial.  We decided to make it a little more interesting this year by taking 6 dogs and 3 adults in one vehicle!  Surprisingly, and thankfully, that went very smoothly.

And the girls had a really good weekend.  Friday night they both Q'd in weavers which finished Legend's Open title. Saturday Legend Q'd in Jumpers but had two slightly out of control regular runs so no Q's there.  And she did FINALLY pick up her first Novice Touch and Go Q!  This is sort of embarrassing for a dog that is running elite in every other class now but the curse has finally been broken!  The elite chances course yesterday was very doable but she seemed a bit pooped out and I didn't get much out of her.  Lyric had a beautiful jumpers run but with a bar down.  She did finish her Open Regular title though but had an off course in Touch and Go.

Today they had a super day.  Legend Q'd in Jumpers again and picked up two more Elite regular Q's to help us get a little closer to NADAC nationals.  She gave it a good try in chances but still needs some more distance work.  Lyric had an awesome jumpers run this morning for an open Q and than had a really nice elite regular debut on a 23 obstacle course!  She had one refusal which we fixed (they don't count in NADAC) but sadly a down bar kept her from a Q.  I was so proud of her though.  She also Q'd in tunnelers to finish her novice title. 

After that we traveled four hours in the rain to get home so we are beat.  I will try and post video later this week. 

Introducing...

Amos



Eva




Indy




Olivia




and

Ulysses




There was a theme-did you get it?

Not all the pics were great but they are getting very active!

In case you didn't get enough...

A few pics I took with my phone of "Emmy" and the babies who are still nameless.

The girls have been training hard this week. Legend seems to be remembering her weave poles after repeatedly popping out last night. Lyric does good when she gets in them but still sometimes just runs past.

They both worked nicely on discriminations and Legend worked some distance while Lyric worked flips from dogwalk to tunnel.

Kittens!

Yes, some of these are obviously staged, but so cute!

This one looks sweet but she's the most adventurous!

This little guy is the best for posing.

Final results

Legend ended up with a pretty good weekend going 4/6.  Saturday she popped out of the poles in standard or she would have had another QQ.  Sunday she did her random refuse the A-frame first time up thing and then took it fine.  She did the same thing on the teeter.  Weird dog.  But despite my best handling efforts she messed up the really hard part of the course anyway so I guess it didn't matter.  She Q'd in jumpers both days. 

Lyric got  a really nice jumpers Q on Saturday.  She also did a nice table on Saturday but struggled with the weave poles.  Sunday she had a table refusal-ran around the backside but didn't hesitate before jumping up and failed to weave correctly.  She did weave in jumpers but I was so excited I promptly sent her off course.  Bad handler.

So overall her table is getting better but weave pole work is still very much in order. 

Half-way. Plus a little more.

Legend got her 10th Double Q today.  That means she's halfway to her AKC MACh!  She's also at almost 500 points so she's more than halfway on that part.  I know we still have some work to do but now it's starting to feel believable that this is something we can actually achieve.  And she's well on her way to qualifying for AKC nationals.  Again, a lot of work left to do but this could be a really exciting year for us.

And more exciting news-Lyric got on the table today like it's her favorite obstacle!  She did not weave on her first attempt in either run so no Qs but one thing at a time I guess.

And finally, an update from Po's (now Clancy) mom indicates that he is doing great and is quite the center of attention these days. 

So, despite all the rain our weekend is getting off to a good start.  Hopefully more good news to come. 

Golden Retriever Club of Greater St. Louis

The girls and I spent two days competing at an AKC trial this weekend.  First of all, for those of you who care, they have put in one ring of artificial turf at the new Purina Farms Event center.  Depending on your dog, this may or may not be an improvement.  Legend didn't seem to like running on it all that well and I saw several dogs wipe out on it.  But it make a great background for photos!

Yesterday Legend popped the last weave pole in jumpers-she hasn't done that in awhile.  Phooey.  She did Q in standard but no nearly as fast as normal.  She seemed a little worried about the contact equipment (for no apparent reason) and I think the turf slowed her down a bit but otherwise a nice run.  Lyric failed to weave in both courses (remember she Q'd in WEAVERS last week ?!?) and had a refusal at the table. 

Today started out much better.  Both Q's in jumpers and Lyric got first place (woo-hoo for double MACh points!).  Legend popped her weave poles again, with just 3 obstacles to go on the standard course (ugh, there went our QQ), but it was otherwise a nice run.  Lyric failed to weave on the first attempt and refused the table again.

So, now the "magic cookie table" is in the house for practice and she will also be eating all her meals on it until we get this worked out.  Weave poles just need more practice to get them solid. 

Since we are leaving again for another trial on Thursday I decided it would be easier to repack than unpack so I'm already partly ready for next weekend! 

The kittens seemed like they grew while I was gone but I have not taken any new pictures yet.   

Funny looking puppies

One of clinics I work for does a lot of cat rescue and recently someone turned in to us a momma cat and her 5 two-week old kittens.  We thought it would be nice if they could be somewhere with more space and less stress than a cage at a busy clinic so right now they are all staying with us!  How cute are they?  There were mostly sleeping during this photo shoot but I'm sure we will have many more cute pics before they leave. 

And speaking of cute, while at our pet therapy visit at the childen's hospital the other day we met an adorable little girl who told us without any pause or hesitation that when she grows up she wants to be "a princess, and a veterinarian, and a Krispy Kreme maker, and then go to space and bring back a star." 

Now if baby kittens and that little girl didn't make your day I don't know what will!

The last puppy pictures

Po is getting adopted tomorrow!  I decided I better get a few more pics of the cute fella before he left.  So here he is participating in his favorite pastime-taunt Legend with the football.  Incidentally he is now as big as Legend!

It was starting to get dark so the pictures are not great but you get the idea.