Connemara's Drummer Boy, CD, CGN, RE, USA RN, HI, SdS, SHDMX,

Connemara's Drummer Boy, CD, CGN, RE, USA RN, HI, SdS, SHDMX,
Little Dog..... Big Attitude

EKKOC Fun

This weekend, Deb, Shar, and I took our little gang of dogs to the Ev Kenny Show at Springbank Park for all seasons just west of Calgary, Alberta.  I judged the Rally O on Saturday and was happy to see so many people involved in the sport. It made for a long day, but our scent hurdle team, Due South, achieved the goal we had set for ourselves.  We wanted to ensure that Ryder, Shar's 11 year old GSD, went home with his scent hurdle dog championship.  Mission accomplished!  And two extra bonuses...... Daryl and Donnie's spaniel, Betty, our height setter, ran every race and gained her scent hurdle excellent title, and so did Denise's Doberman, Jagged.  Drummer and Token, already champions, worked to help make it happen and amazed me by finding their own dumbbells when both of them were in the scent box at the same time.  This really expands our ability should we ever be short of dogs to compete.  Which will be AKC in two weeks.  We'll have Drummer, Token, Lupine, Kona, and Ryder (the spare), which means that Drummer will be differentiating every race.


The conformation ring was tough for the shibas with Beckett looking like a half-plucked duck and
Castle facing off with an American Champion.  Friday was a 'reserve' day, Saturday was a 'reserve' day and Sunday, we pulled Beckett from the competition.  I doggedly put Castle up one more time and my God,  judge Richard Mean, after much deliberation, decided that our boy could have the point.  This leaves us on the dreaded 'NINE'.  But we were smiling, we were smiling.


I made a boo boo and entered the shiba in Novice obedience and the sheltie in pre-novice instead
of the other way around.  Both passed, but I thought I'd pass out waiting for the three minute long down to end.  Castle started out watching me from across the ring, and then he decided that the bug I had squashed as I left him on the stay, was edible and even tasty.  There he lay, licking up the bug remains and smacking his lips.  I counted the seconds in my mind.  AAhhhhh! Why did the Portuguese Water Dog have to get up and walk across the ring. Oh, no!  Wait. The handler was 
coming across the ring to grab its collar.  Goodie, goodie. Castle settled right down again and decided he would look at me again.  Finally, I heard it; "Back to your dogs".  Whew. We passed.
Very good for a dog that has never done a long down.


I had no worries about Drummer in Pre-novice. He knew all the exercises. And they were easy.
The long sit was on lead and only for 30 seconds.  What could go wrong?  Drum can sit for three minutes.  Except Drum doesn't have a bouvier rushing across the ring and standing over him at home.  That is definitely not something for which we have proofed.  But there it was, standing 
over him.  I said, "Hey," and the dog stopped and looked at me which gave its handler time to scoop it by the collar before I reached it, thereby saving its life. The judge allowed us to re-do the exercise
and Drummer was sound.  Another pass.  PCD title done.


We packed up the trailer in a downpour that lasted forever and hydro-planed our way home.
At Chain Lakes the weather improved, which was so appreciated because we have had snow on the summit in July years previous to this one. 


It was so good to see everyone at the show, as it's been quite a summer with each of us involved in so many activities. I loved seeing that my coaching is paying off. I watched a great Dane achieve a  well-deserved perfect 100 score with a good working performance in the Rally Ring.  Listening to the coach has paid off. My week is filled with training lessons, kennel cleaning,  herding in High River and working with my dogs as well as club nights and tracking nights.   I think tonight I must say that I was happy that the weather was too wet for club. 


Gave me time to do this.  And to decide what to take to Fort Macleod for our 'Dog Days Demo' on 
Saturday.  




Jeff and Ena 
Proof that pups can do conformation /obedience at the same time. 
                                            Lisa and Dante  (Lesson four over an eight day period) 



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