Monday, May 18, 2015

back in the rings.....

Spring weather has found us for sure, and all the apple orchards that are around our farm are looking like this. It's a beautiful sight, but sadly it really only lasts about a week, and then the leaves come out and the apple peddles fly away on the wind...
I make a point of either driving slowly by, or actually pulling over to enjoy the view whenever I can. The bees and other such creatures are certainly busy at work now....
But, it also is a time for another wonderful event. Livy and I (along with Kathleen and Brutus) are in the four day "Coastal Cluster" dog show. We are working towards our Beginner Novice title and our first Rally obedience title.... this is a very first for Kathleen and Brutus.. and for me... a first in the sense that it's been a long.... long time, since I have been to a dog show. In fact... 11 years.....
This is a nice show.. it's close to home, very well run, and the fact that four days of showing makes it possible to pull off the title.... here is Livy and I, our first day out in the rally ring....
she's a good little worker and seems to enjoy being at the show. Which is important, because I had have puppies that don't enjoy dog shows... and when that happens, it really isn't worth being there. 
Our run was beautiful... Livy had a great time, and I am pleased to think that I have another show dog in the works. My little Moxie was my last "grand" show dog and I truly hope that Livy is willing to step in that place. Not that I want to be at dog shows every weekend, but it would be nice to pull one off once in a while. 
Kathleen and Brutus are having a good time as well. He loves to do anything that Kathleen asks of him, so no doubt that new titles will be added to his name...
and in fact, he placed first in his class and they earned an award for highest scoring first time handler/dog team... Livy earned a first in her classes too.. so day one of dog show... success......
Day two brought successes for both of us as well... and since you need to have three good runs for a title.. tomorrow is going to be "the day"... which would give us day four with bummer legs if needed....
Day three.... here we go again.... sometimes dogs are getting rather tired at this point, but Livy has kept her energy and spirits up, and is proving that showing is certainly going to be "her thing"....
I love this photo.. good eye contact, happy expression in her face... she's having a good time....
right with me...................
nice "circle round...."... (judge is looking happy in the back ground...)
heading to the "finish" and she's still there...
and we end the day with a third placing and a brand "new title" ribbon to boot..... 
By day four of the show.. Livy did just as well... she placed in all of her classes, earning both the titles we were after... but I can see that she is ready to call it a weekend, and go back to farm dog status....
and here is our "loot".... placing in all her classes (two each day) and coming home with two new titles...


course it only means... we jump up to the next level.. but I'm back in the rings once again!!!!