On November 15,  we made the trip to Washingtonville, OH for an APDT Rally trial. 

Grand River Run Genaration RN, RL1, RL2, RA, CW-SR, C-OB1, RL1X, better known as Miles, had a slow start on Saturday.  Our first try at a level 3 rally course resulted in an NQ when Miles did a lovely "come front" during the "directed jump" excersize.  The judge was kind, the rest of the course looked great, she said, still an NQ, though . Then we entered he ring for level 1 for another NQ when, for whatever reason, the "finish left" had evaporated from our repoitoire of excersizes .  Perhaps the handler was having a case of nerves.

Not to be discouraged, we went on to enter the ring 4 more times.   Two level 3 courses, one level 2 course and one level 1 course.  The directed jump was not to be missed again and the finish left returned to our brains.  Miles won both level 3 classes with scores of 201 and 197 (200 possible), earning two legs toward his RL3 title.  He got second place in level 2 scoring 205 out of 210.  He won his level 1 class with a 207 earning his RL1X championship.  We got to bring home a really beautiful rosette for that!   I guess we redeemed ourselves.

This weekend, Nov 8 and 9, Canine Affair hosted it's first C-WAGs obedience and rally trial.   Everything went very smoothly and the weekend wasd fun.   

My yellow lab, Grand River Run Genaration, better known as Miles was on his game this weekend.  On Saturday, he finished his obedience level one title (CW-OB1) with a score of 97 out of 100, good for second place in his class.  He also earned a leg toward his obedience level two title with a score of 99 1/2 out of 100 winning his class!   On Sunday, he finished is C-WAGS starter rally title winning one class with a 97 and getting second place in the other with a 96.  Finally, he earned two legs towards his C-WAGS adanced rally title winning both classes with scores of 97 and 96.  Lots of blue and red ribbons for Miles this weekend!  I am a so proud of him!  Each dog received a toy for each qualifying run, so Miles now has a nice new stash of toys and he is pretty excited about that.

To top off the weekend, there was a poop raffle each day.  Every time you pick up poop, you get an entry in the raffle.  Although we didn't win, (but we did pick up after ourselves) a few exhibitors went home with nice new dog beds just for cleaning up after their dogs. 

It was a great weekend.  Thanks so much to all who worked so hard to put on this fun event. 

Miles (Grand River Run Genaration) earned his first Rally Excellent leg and a won his class with a score of 96 out of 100 at Youngstown All Breed Training Center on Friday night (October 24, 2008).

I was worried he'd want to go visit the honor dog but he didn't even give him a glance.  I am very proud of my guy!

River (Hob Nob Creekside Bonfire UD- Border Collie) and I attended our first AKC herding trial in Nova,OH on Sept. 20 and 21. We were entered in the "Herding Started" Class, a course designed to demonstrate the versatility of the herding dog.  A stock person brings five sheep  into one end of a 200' x 400' field, and the dog and handler set up about halfway down the course.  The handler sends the dog (outrun) to bring the sheep to them (lift and fetch).  The dog must control the sheep and keep them with the  handler as the handler moves down the field, around a post and through a series of chutes - straight, y-shaped and z-shaped.  The handler may not move through the chutes with the sheep - and that makes the course rather challenging!  At the end of the field, the dog must "hold" the sheep (keep them standing still in a group) while the handler opens a gate.  The handler then sends the dog around the sheep to "exhaust" them into another field.

River and I qualified both days for 2 of the 3 legs needed for the HSAs (Herding Started A course sheep) title.  On Sat. we scored a 92 (out of a possible 100) and got a 4th place out of 15 in the class.  On Sun., we scored a 94 and earned 4th place out of 17!!

We are looking forward to going back to Hado Bar Farm in Nova in October and hopefully finishing our first herding title!!

One short sentence says it all, BOB passed his CGC today.

For those of you who know my rescue/reactive Labradoodle,  this is a great feat for him.  He did me proud!