Stronger / Seattle Children's Hospital

36 hours in a car later...

I had such a fun time at the USDAA trial/friend's graduation.

(This is boring, I can't help it.)

Caper Q'd in GP - not me, Caper, I was terrible - but honestly I'm a little impressed that we had such a good weekend anyway, I came off a brutal last month, there. I wanted to try and win, but his contacts were awful this weekend, so I can't drive them if he's not going to stop - with one of those things like, oh shoot I've lost it - oh, the dog saved it - oh shoot, I've lost it - the dog saved it again - oh shoot, I've lost it - hey wait, did he actually get on the teeter? Impressive.

Reef gave GP a really valid effort and I sucked, I don't think she minded terribly. I actually ran into her once, right on top of a bar, and she kept it up (26"). So she gets to be impressive, too.

She qualified in Steeplechase for the first time ever (that was also the first time I've ever qualified in GP, thank you), I was super excited since we are going to Regionals with friends - I thought I was just going to do team, but no (got myself a little stuck with the 26" thing though, whoops). She actually had the fastest time in Steeplechase, but bar (me) and missed a-frame (me, only one though) - the timer stopped halfway through, so we had to run again, right after - she was hot and went way off course (me) and she STILL ran it in 29! And there weren't only three dogs there, it was a valid fastest time. Pretty cool because she is not trying to be fast, just trying to concentrate, and she did not look super comfortable like she does at home (how could she)? That broad jump is so big at 26"! I'm stunned she made it. I definitely thought it was smaller.

Of course, then she ran Starters Jumpers and got second, what? I watched the first place dog later and fine, it was really fast. Reef is really fast, just not anywhere near her top speed, though. That dog was at top speed, man.

I also got super paranoid about a bar (I did a couple weird things like that - also kept mysteriously losing Caper to a certain pink jump on a few courses - always a pink jump - I didn't think I had to pick him up, and then he'd be gone), and turned really late, and she was angry but only for a second, because she had to keep running - and she kept the bar up. She never would have done that before.

Speaking of fast, I got to run Remy.

You know how there are things in life you want, like a Nikon D4. And you think, ok - one day I'll have that D4. It may not be a priority, but it's ok, because it's in the back of your head.

But how do you get a dog when it belongs to someone else?

Honestly speaking, Remy is one of the fastest dogs I have ever seen. Right now he isn't trying, isn't remotely trying, and he's still fast. He's elite, he's faster then you would ever need. Not only that, really, is that he is so much fun to run. I love other dogs - like I like Reef's sister, she is also wicked fast and incredibly smooth - but she won't run for me. Remy had no loyalty, he was cool with running for me. (I mean, he loves his owner but as far as this goes, I'm fine, I suppose.) I ran him in Jumpers first, which felt weird, because he had a bigger bubble then I am used to, because his owner and I run at different speeds (for the moment).

You would think I fixed myself for Standard, but no. Towards the end of the Jumpers course, Remy figured me out. Problem solving at top speed. He tries really hard. His contacts are incredible.

I, love him.

To be fair, I didn't want him as a puppy. So don't just go out and get one. In fact, I have thought oh gosh, far too much even for me.

I'm lucky, I have understanding, sharing, kind friends - I get to run him at AAC Regionals if I want. Squeek. I'm not sure if I will, but I want to.

Anyway, slightly tongue in cheek - but a certain person really should watch herself around any high cliffs.

I can't remember where I was. Steeplechase finals I got both my dogs E'd, I had too much fun. If I have too much fun in agility, I stop caring about it - this is serious right, have to pretend it is serious.

Then I drove a lot and ended up in Virginia, to hike and pick up my brother. Reef practiced Parkour (she really just cannot be taken into normal society), and mountain goat climbing. I was glad to see she still has a good sense of height, as in, she is careful (well, to a point - still gave me a heart attack but I decided to trust her, meanwhile Caper bravely came near us, but lying down) around cliffs.

I mean, if she drops off a cliff, at least she had a great time.

I'm kidding, obviously. But she definitely has great body awareness (Caper runs into trees, perhaps that's why he decided to lie down).

Also, I finally qualified in Starters Snooker, because the seven was a miraculous six weave poles with three red jumps around it (thank you, judge - you have no idea). (Remy beat us. :)

(You have to kick the lucky post..)

Weekend.

The dogs have been unfailingly polite, because they don't want to be a relocated piece of furniture or vacuumed. They are just waiting for the moment when I go to the front door, keys and suitcase in hand, so they can make sure they are remembered. I don't know what I ever did to Caper, but he won't even say goodbye to my family, he has to make sure he is in the car. (I never would have made it driving to WTT, or have made it in one piece. That's what I thought I would think, or I knew I would wish I thunk I would have thought it.)

I practiced the Triathalon course from the Mid-Atlantic Regionals - was fun. Caper looked fantastic, and I am so excited about it. A couple weeks ago, he looked like something was bothering him, and I mildly (largely, with thoughts of retiring him) panicked. He pulled that muscle this winter, how could it deteriorate so quickly? I had fixed it? Does he have Lyme? Is his spine randomly crumbling into pieces?

Then I cut out a tiny, small mat in his pants.

And he's been fine ever since.

I brought my camera, but failed to notice I had zero minutes of tape left. You know when you tape something, and you think, I can't wait to see that? 

I wanted to try the course because things like three to four we still don't have down. I just think, keep running things like that and one day it'll work. (I suppose, as opposed to not training it at all? I'm so astute.) It would have been perfect with Caper, but I had the toy in my hand, and we have just practiced weave poles. He just kept ignoring me after three, and running through the weave poles. And I'm going to tell him that was wrong? Absolutely not.

Reef did just absolutely nail the turn one time (usually too much speed and launching, and drifts more then I like, because then I have to hang back and point out the next jump - but still better then it used to be), and I yelled YES - obviously at the wrong moment, because then she too, dove a hard left into the weave poles. (Wait, maybe she thought I said, 'left?'). I would have liked to have seen that on video, because I know it was me who fixed it, but I'm not sure what I did that was different then the three other times I tried it. 

I wanted to try a more wide-open course because we have a USDAA trial this weekend. (Also known as: will they notice my six year old dog still doesn't have a height card and has to be measured again?) I don't know how well that will go, I almost keeled over. Can't run, too tired. (Snooker, no!) Reef thought that feeling was great fun and squealed the first time around (make her run faster!) - but hey, she's got some more high pitched tone back, yes? I was happy. 

This will be the start of Reef's third year in Starters. D'aw!

(Humph.) 

Caper has had three tries at Pairs so far, and not a single person has qualified on their half. I would like to tell USDAA that it is extremely irrational that I need these things for an ADCH, when I only have run it three times in two years. (He qualified with one of his brothers, but Caper and I were just a sub. I wish I could post the video somehow, it's so cute.)

He's teaming with Click this time, though!

If there are conflicts, my friend gets Caper for Masters and I will take over the Starters rings with Remington. I'm holding her to it. The trial is her graduation party, and I can think of nothing nicer then me obliging to run her dogs for her. Aren't I nice? In fact, I should just keep Remington all together, Reef loves him.