Oh Yeah, You Blend

Lavonda Herring designed some technical, tricky, tough courses with low Q rates. My dogs LOVED them! NINA HAD A PERFECT WEEKEND! Zhora went 4/5, and Alice had an Excellent FAST Q and some really awesome runs, including a JWW NQ that felt gorgeous.

I am so honored to have these dogs.

Zhora Saturday JWW (Q, second place, 4.8 YPS, 17 points):

Nina Saturday JWW (P QQ#2, first place, 4.9 YPS 23 points):

Zhora Saturday Exc FAST (Q):

Alice Saturday FAST (Q):

Zhora Saturday Standard (NQ):

Nina Saturday Standard (P QQ#2, first place, 3.7 YPS, 33 points):

Alice Saturday Standard (NQ):

Alice Saturday Jumpers (NQ, but what a GORGEOUS run after the weaves):

Zhora Sunday JWW (QQ #106, first place and only 8″ R dog to Q, 4.49 YPS, 15 points, she hates this kind of opening and it shows):

Nina Sunday JWW (P QQ #3, first place, 4.77 YPS, 22 points):

Alice Sunday Time 2 Beat (NQ but some nice stuff):

Zhora Sunday Standard (QQ #106, first place and only 8″ R dog to Q again, 3.7 YPS, 27 points):

Nina Sunday Standard (P QQ #3, first place, 3.8 YPS, 34 points and a PERFECT WEEKEND):

Judge Ginger Robertson gave us some tricky but fun courses. Alice earned her second NAP leg and did TWO SETS OF WEAVES and we felt some mojo happening! I am thrilled with her. Zhora uncharacteristically knocked a bar in JWW yesterday but won Standard, and then double Q’d today, AND SO DID NINA! Nina earned her first PACH QQ today and looked and felt awesome. The trial was tiny this weekend and today I only had 3 dogs between my girls but it worked out just fine.

And then we came home and Tish killed a rabbit. So…circle of life or summat.

Nina Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

Zhora Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

Nina Saturday Standard (would have been a Q if I’d slowed up to pull her over ther 180):

Zhora Saturday Standard (Q, first place 29 points, 3.86 YPS):

Alice Saturday Standard (NAP leg #2!):

Alice Saturday Jumpers (NQ but nice run):

Nina Sunday Jumpers (PACH QQ #1, first place, 23 points, 4.7 YPS):

Zhora Sunday Jumpers (QQ#105, second place, 16 points, 4.44 YPS):

Nina Sunday Standard (PACH QQ #1, first place, 34 points, 3.845 YPS):

Zhora Sunday Standard (QQ#105, first place, 29 points, 3.896 YPS):

Zhora had a perfect weekend, Nina earned two Standard Q’s, and Alice ran really well. All in all a good weekend under Pamela (Candy) Nettles!

Zhora Saturday Jumpers (QQ #103, third place, 17 points, 4.732 YPS):

Nina Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

Zhora Saturday FAST (QQQ):

Alice Saturday FAST (debut in Excellent P FAST, NQ but LOVE the enthusiasm!):

Zhora Saturday Standard (QQ #103, third place, 29 points, 3.8 YPS):

Nina Saturday Standard (Q, third place, 35 points, 3.9 YPS):

Alice Saturday Standard (NQ, a long delay meant she lost her mind, that’s something to work on!):

Alice Saturday Jumpers (NQ but the first half is lovely):

Zhora Sunday Jumpers (QQ #104, fourth place, 16 points, 4.444 YPS):

Nina Sunday Jumpers (NQ):

Zhora Sunday Standard (QQ #104, third place, 29 points, 3.879 YPS):

Nina Sunday Standard (Q, first place, 35 points, 3.949 YPS):

Alice’s first time in a two ring trial environment and she did great! Some zoomies, some slow runs, but overall really happy with where she’s at. Plus she earned her Open FAST Preferred title today!

Nina was Nina, every run is a blessing. Some almost Q’s.

Zhora was awesome, 5 for 6 with a triple Q today (QQ #102). Especially considering we had a huge ring conflict at the end of the day today and I basically ran Alice in Novice Standard and the other two girls in Mast Jumpers in a space of like 10 minutes. Two ring trials are so stressful when you have dogs in different levels.

Zhora Saturday Master FAST (Q, second place):

Alice Saturday Open FAST:

Alice Saturday Novice Jumpers (OMG I AM SO THRILLED WITH THIS RUN! I wish the start had been videoed, but holy moly I could really feel some mojo happening here!):

Zhora Saturday Standard (Q, first place, 3.72 YPS, 27 points):

Nina Saturday Standard (NQ):

Zhora Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

Nina Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

Alice Saturday Standard (NQ):

Zhora Sunday FAST (QQQ, third place):

Alice Sunday Open P FAST (Q and OFP title, zoomies but came back and worked and how about that distance?):

Alice Sunday Jumpers (NQ but weaves on first try! Focused = slow with this baby dog):

Zhora Sunday Standard (QQQ, third place, 3.723 YPS, 28 points):

Nina Sunday Standard (NQ):

Alice Sunday Standard (NQ but some good stuff):

Zhora Sunday JWW (QQQ, second place, just a few minutes after Alice’s Std run, 4.283 YPS, 15 points):

Nina Sunday JWW (NQ, handler error after the blind cross disconnect):

Judge Oksana Syrkin is a perennial favorite. Zhora earned her very first MACH under her after all, and she was the judge last November for my mini puppy reunion at which Nina earned her last QQ and then got really ill. So it’s fitting that Nina’s first Q whatsoever since then was today, under Oksana again! Nina’s been running great, and I put her in Preferred very recently to see if it helps her Q. Well today, she Q’d!

Zhora QQ’d yesterday but a stupid handler trick today cost her a double.

Alice ran WONDERFULLY yesterday, and picked up her second Novice P JWW Q. I am really happy with how she’s running, and I can tell you it was a huge relief to see her run fast and happy and drivey after she was so not-herself at the Anna Eifert seminar! She’s driving lines, taking distance (I think she actually prefers more distance than I’m used to).

Love my girls!

Nina Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

Zhora Saturday Jumpers (QQ # 101, second place in a BIG class, 21 points, 5.082 YPS):

Nina Saturday Standard (NQ)

Zhora Saturday Standard (QQ # 101, second place again in a BIG class, 32 points, 4.076 YPS):

Alice Saturday Standard (NQ but really happy with this run):

Alice Saturday Jumpers (NJP leg #2! Driving lines! Running fast!):

Nina Sunday Jumpers (NQ):

Zhora Sunday Jumpers (Q, second place, 19 points, 4.694 YPS):

Nina Sunday Standard (FIRST PACH POINTS! FIRST Q SINCE NOVEMBER! First place, 33 points, 3.704 YPS):

Zhora Sunday Standard (NQ):

What can I say about this dog? MACH 5 at 6.5 years of age with TWO breaks for puppies. She’s amazing. I am humbled and grateful to have her as my agility partner. Judge Mary Mullen’s courses were tough but really fun! I have some kind of crud so I was tired and winded and hoarse, but we got it done!

I decided to try running Nina in Preferred. She isn’t having trouble with 8″ but it’s worth a try. Well…she sure liked it…she can run even FASTER if she doesn’t have to really jump…love that dog so much. Agility is her bacon bits.

And Alice! SO HAPPY with how she is coming along! I learned that, at least right now, she is more like Nina than Zhora for warmup. She doesn’t need revving up, she needs focus work. You’ll see in her Standard run she’s a bit crazy (that was when I revved her during warmup), whereas in her Jumpers run I did more focus/shadow handling type stuff and she was much more focused. Good to know! She earned her second Open FAST Q and had a LOVELY T2B run including 12 weaves. I am still very much not fixing much, if anything, with her, so I am happy as long as she engages with obstacles and stays with me. I am very impressed with the distance and independent obstacle performances she is showing!

Nina Saturday Jumpers (NQ but ALMOST a Q):

Zhora Saturday Jumpers (NQ, weird haunted weave poles for many dogs):

Zhora Saturday FAST (NQ):

Alice Saturday Open FAST (Q, note my “OH SHIT” moment when I see her take the dogwalk!):

Nina Saturday Standard (NQ):

Zhora Saturday Standard (Q, second place, 28 points):

Alice Saturday Novice P Standard (NQ):

Alice Saturday JWW Nov P (NQ):

Nina Sunday JWW (NQ):

Zhora Sunday JWW (Part 1 of MACH 5, close call! Fourth place, 17 points):

Alice Time 2 Beat P (NQ, but lovely run!):

Nina Sunday Standard (NQ….never stop being Nina, Nina…):

Zhora Sunday Standard (MACH5 ZHORA!! Third place, 29 points):

Laura English’s courses were AMAZING! Wide open, run your ass off, technical but fun. They were just masterful. We only went on Saturday, even though we were entered Saturday and Sunday. Alice ran and my goals for her were the same as they’ve been recently: have fun, stay with me, and this time do the dogwalk. She did! She earned her first Open FAST Q, and would have had a Q in JWW and Std except for a knocked bar in each. In Standard I didn’t set her up straight to the jump so she ran around it, so I had her do a backside (which she did perfectly). Thrilled with her!

And Zhora! QQQ! She’s one away from MACH 5 now! I should check how many triples she has for her TQX.

Nina had a great time, ran like a looney, got the walk of shame in Standard for bailing off the teeter (she can do what she wants, but she can’t do that, it’s dangerous).

Zhora Saturday Jumpers (QQQ/QQ # 99, first place, 18 points, 4.796 YPS):

Nina Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

Zhora Saturday FAST (QQQ, first place):

Alice Saturday FAST (first Open Q!):

Zhora Saturday Standard (QQQ/QQ #99, second place, 26 points, 3.613 YPS):

Nina Saturday Standard (Walk of Shame):

Alice Saturday Standard (NQ but look at that backside and teeter!):

Alice Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

We love judge Sherry Jefferson even when she isn’t our sherpa on an Invitational trip.

What a great weekend! Zhora was perfect, earning three double Q’s (two of which were TRIPLE Q’s), and is now just two QQ’s away from MACH5!

Nina had a perfect weekend….of NQ’s, but every weekend I get to run with Nina being happy, fast, sassy, naughty Nina is perfect.

And Alice! Alice earned her very first agility title (Novice FAST Preferred) and her first Novice Jumpers Preferred leg. She also jumped off the dogwalk. My best guess is that she was looking at the ring crew, suddenly wasn’t sure what she was doing, and bailed, like Sue and I trained her do. She was fine going across it afterward.

Nina Friday Standard (NQ):

Zhora Friday Standard (part 1 of triple Q and QQ # 96, first place, 31 points, 3.99 YPS):

Zhora Friday FAST (part 2 of QQQ, first place):

Alice Friday Novice FAST (Novice FAST title!):

Nina Friday JWW (NQ):

Zhora Friday JWW (part 2 of QQQ/QQ 96, second place, 15 points):

Nina Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

Zhora Saturday Jumpers (QQ # 97, 17 points):

Alice Saturday Time 2 Beat (NQ):

Nina Saturday Standard (NQ):

Zhora Saturday Standard (QQ #97, third place, 27 points, 3.75 YPS):

Alice Saturday Standard (jump off the dogwalk, my best guess is that she was looking at me or the ring crew and suddenly didn’t remember what equipment she was on so she bailed off):

Alice Saturday Jumpers (Q! 4.137 YPS):

Nina Sunday Jumpers (NQ):

Zhora Sunday Jumpers (QQQ/QQ 98, fourth place, 19 points, 4.66 YPS):

Zhora Sunday FAST (QQQ):

Alice Sunday Open FAST (would have been a Q only I overhandled and pulled her off the jump in the middle of the send):

Nina Sunday Standard (NQ):

Zhora Sunday Standard (QQQ/QQ 98, third place, 30 points, 3.97 YPS):

Judge Kristine M Schmidt wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. She’s from Long Island and is a little brusque. I don’t know, I’m not looking for a new BFF, just a fair judge with fun courses, and she provided those!

Her courses were really technical and challenging but still fun, and they were quite devious in that often the solution you found for the challenge created a whole new challenge!

Nina had a perfect NQ weekend but ran fast and happy and sassy and I will take ANY NQ’s like that! Love her! She didn’t knock any bars all weekend either!

Zhora had a FAST Q on Saturday (her only Q that day), and QQ #95 today. Our “slump” (such as it is) is I think because she’s kicked up a notch in speed and distance and it’s taking me a while to adjust my handling to it so our mojo is off. She’s amazing. I love her so much and she loves this game so much. I am very lucky to have her.

And ALICE! Her first time doing “real” agility and she ACED it. Beautiful FAST Q (her second NFP leg!), beautiful Standard Q (her first NAP leg!) and got the zoomies in Jumpers, which I was happy about! She seems to stress up like her mum and grandma, which is perfect. I dared to fix the weave poles in Standard but I USED her zoomies in Jumpers and was thrilled she came back and worked with me even with an attack of the crazies going on. Just thrilled with her. My goals are simple: show her how much fun this can be, get some experience under her belt, find the holes in my training, zero expectations otherwise. We are doing one day a weekend plus games on other days if appropriate. I am going to be strict with myself per Melanie Miller’s advice and fix just about nothing.

There is a HORRIBLE wind storm going on here, big branch off the tree in front…we are SO glad we put the money into trimming that tree and taking down the dead ones!

Zhora Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

Nina Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

Zhora Saturday FAST (Q):

Alice Saturday FAST (Q, NFP leg #2!):

Zhora Saturday Standard (NQ):

Nina Saturday Standard (NQ):

Alice Saturday Standard (NAP Leg #1!):

Alice Saturday Jumpers (ZOOM!):

Zhora Sunday Jumpers (QQ #95, 16 points):

Nina Sunday Jumpers (NQ):

Zhora Sunday Standard (QQ #95, 29 points):

Nina Sunday Standard (NQ):

Lobo’s owner Jan Robles says:

“LOBO’S CRAZY 8S BRONZE

Crazy 8s is a fun two minute search for 8 rats hidden along with four litter tubes. Your dog earns 10 points for each rat, a climb, and tunnel. A false alert is minus 20 points as are failures to climb or tunnel. A second false alert is a NQ. 500 points are required to earn the Bronze title.

My Little Man loves this game. “

Lobo is Alkemi Beowulf del Roble LS and Zhora’s brother. This is Lobo’s THIRD breed first. Jan and Lobo are a force of nature!