And this is what it felt like for The Food Lady. Many thanks to Mr. Woo and friends for providing the graphic reconstruction of the weekend:
OMG OMG I CAN DO IT OMG!
Holy shit, I'm doing it!! I'M DOING IT!!
Awwwww CRAP! Not quite.
Hello doG? Are you listening up there? I REALLY want this. Yeah, that guy does too, but I mean I REALLY want this!
WTF? You gave it to THAT guy???!
I am reaching for the moon, mofos!!
Hmmm ... maybe I should have tried for something a little more obtainable, like a freaking Q!!
Etc.
Yeah, that's how our weekend went. Apparently one of us suffers from performance anxiety under stress. That someone is NOT Tweed. Under pressure, I crumble pretty much EXACTLY LIKE MY HOPES AND DREAMS. :sob:
Nah, it wasn't THAT bad. I made some handling flubs - most specifically in our Gamble runs. We had beautiful openings, so beautiful that it inspired a stand-still-with-your-mouth-agape reaction. Which is pretty much the reaction I had, hence the complete lack of handling when it came to the final actual Gamble, neither of which we completed successfully ... because The Food Lady just stood there admiring her dog instead of, you know, handling. Wendy called our first one - "You pulled A Food Lady!"
But we redeemed ourselves with a 1st place in Jumpers 2, clean as a whistle and 13 seconds under time. And then we redeemed ourselves again with a 2nd place in Standard 1, also squeaky clean and a mere 19.5 seconds under time (::chuffed::). Those bonus points were a doGsend, because they made up for The Run That Shall Never Be Mentioned In Front Of Food Lady, otherwise known as Jumpers 1. Ironically Jumpers is our best game because Tweed likes tight and twisty courses ... but he crashed a jump in the opening sequence when he slipped on the wet grass on take off, and more or less shot himself into an off course tunnel trying to avoid the falling jump.
In the end we had:
Jumpers 1 - 50/75 (insert sad face here)
Jumpers 2 - 88/75 (1st place ribbon)
Standard 1 - 119.5 / 100 (2nd place ribbon)
Standard 2 - 95/100 (shakes fist at awkward and evil weave pole entry angle)
Gamblers 1 - 47 opening points, no Gamble (so TFL's fault)
Gamblers 2 - 56 opening points, no Gamble (TFL needs to work on GET THE F*CK OUT!! I SAID OUT TWEED!!!)
Total - 455 or so points.
Placement - 7th overall in 16" specials.
Points away from podium - FUTHERMUCKING 5 POINTS!!!!!
Udda udda udda
I admit it, I said some nasty swear words and jumped up and down when they called the final placements and we were only 5 points off the podium. In fact, I probably looked exactly like this:
Just one of those final Gambles would have bumped us into 3rd place. Both Gambles would have slammed us into 1st place.
Next year you run, I'll handle.
But you know what? I am still SO SO proud of my little red dog. He is so freaking full of TRY. He runs his little heart out for me, and he wants so badly to do all the things I ask him to do. This is the best placement we have ever seen at Regionals, and I am completely happy with him and the big efforts he made to be #1 - and to me, he IS #1!!
I owe a big thank you to my trainer, Gerhard "Again. FASTER" Rieger, who is both incredibly sadistic and supportive; to my classmate Mark, because congratulatory hugs feel nice and also I didn't dehydrate because he fetches water nicely, and to Fiona - because sharing a hotel room with her dog Tempus made me realize that there are scarier things in the world than running agility, and they are borderjack sized.
Next year - PODIUM. Maybe for Piper too - if she gets a real handler ;-)
I came home with my annual, painful, Regionals sunburn, so I wasn't entirely sad to wake up this morning to rainy Vancouver. The dogs and I had a celebratory trip to the ocean to wind down.
Piper and Mr. Woo were MAD because they spent the whole weekend in crates being ignored.
Mr. Woo took it out on Piper.
Piper took it out on her hockey ball.
I'm stalking some Mad Teeth (tm)
I'm gonna get me some Mad Teeth(tm)!!
I'M GONNA JUMP ON THE MAD TEETH(tm)!!!
YAY!!
I WON ALL ALL THE MAD TEETH(tm)!!! I am going to suck out her brains and make zombie Mad Teeth(tm)!!
Why do you let him do this to me, Food Lady??
Celebratory Puggle Wrestle
Get away you freak!!
Can we go back to Campbell River, and put these idiots back in crates, and then leave them there this time?
OMG OMG I CAN DO IT OMG!
Holy shit, I'm doing it!! I'M DOING IT!!
Awwwww CRAP! Not quite.
Hello doG? Are you listening up there? I REALLY want this. Yeah, that guy does too, but I mean I REALLY want this!
WTF? You gave it to THAT guy???!
I am reaching for the moon, mofos!!
Hmmm ... maybe I should have tried for something a little more obtainable, like a freaking Q!!
Etc.
Yeah, that's how our weekend went. Apparently one of us suffers from performance anxiety under stress. That someone is NOT Tweed. Under pressure, I crumble pretty much EXACTLY LIKE MY HOPES AND DREAMS. :sob:
Nah, it wasn't THAT bad. I made some handling flubs - most specifically in our Gamble runs. We had beautiful openings, so beautiful that it inspired a stand-still-with-your-mouth-agape reaction. Which is pretty much the reaction I had, hence the complete lack of handling when it came to the final actual Gamble, neither of which we completed successfully ... because The Food Lady just stood there admiring her dog instead of, you know, handling. Wendy called our first one - "You pulled A Food Lady!"
But we redeemed ourselves with a 1st place in Jumpers 2, clean as a whistle and 13 seconds under time. And then we redeemed ourselves again with a 2nd place in Standard 1, also squeaky clean and a mere 19.5 seconds under time (::chuffed::). Those bonus points were a doGsend, because they made up for The Run That Shall Never Be Mentioned In Front Of Food Lady, otherwise known as Jumpers 1. Ironically Jumpers is our best game because Tweed likes tight and twisty courses ... but he crashed a jump in the opening sequence when he slipped on the wet grass on take off, and more or less shot himself into an off course tunnel trying to avoid the falling jump.
In the end we had:
Jumpers 1 - 50/75 (insert sad face here)
Jumpers 2 - 88/75 (1st place ribbon)
Standard 1 - 119.5 / 100 (2nd place ribbon)
Standard 2 - 95/100 (shakes fist at awkward and evil weave pole entry angle)
Gamblers 1 - 47 opening points, no Gamble (so TFL's fault)
Gamblers 2 - 56 opening points, no Gamble (TFL needs to work on GET THE F*CK OUT!! I SAID OUT TWEED!!!)
Total - 455 or so points.
Placement - 7th overall in 16" specials.
Points away from podium - FUTHERMUCKING 5 POINTS!!!!!
Udda udda udda
I admit it, I said some nasty swear words and jumped up and down when they called the final placements and we were only 5 points off the podium. In fact, I probably looked exactly like this:
Just one of those final Gambles would have bumped us into 3rd place. Both Gambles would have slammed us into 1st place.Next year you run, I'll handle.
But you know what? I am still SO SO proud of my little red dog. He is so freaking full of TRY. He runs his little heart out for me, and he wants so badly to do all the things I ask him to do. This is the best placement we have ever seen at Regionals, and I am completely happy with him and the big efforts he made to be #1 - and to me, he IS #1!!
I owe a big thank you to my trainer, Gerhard "Again. FASTER" Rieger, who is both incredibly sadistic and supportive; to my classmate Mark, because congratulatory hugs feel nice and also I didn't dehydrate because he fetches water nicely, and to Fiona - because sharing a hotel room with her dog Tempus made me realize that there are scarier things in the world than running agility, and they are borderjack sized.
Next year - PODIUM. Maybe for Piper too - if she gets a real handler ;-)
I came home with my annual, painful, Regionals sunburn, so I wasn't entirely sad to wake up this morning to rainy Vancouver. The dogs and I had a celebratory trip to the ocean to wind down.
Piper and Mr. Woo were MAD because they spent the whole weekend in crates being ignored.
Mr. Woo took it out on Piper.
Piper took it out on her hockey ball.
I'm stalking some Mad Teeth (tm)
I'm gonna get me some Mad Teeth(tm)!!
I'M GONNA JUMP ON THE MAD TEETH(tm)!!!
YAY!!
I WON ALL ALL THE MAD TEETH(tm)!!! I am going to suck out her brains and make zombie Mad Teeth(tm)!!
Why do you let him do this to me, Food Lady??
Celebratory Puggle Wrestle
Get away you freak!!
Can we go back to Campbell River, and put these idiots back in crates, and then leave them there this time?
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25 comments:
Can't tell you how many times I have stood watching my dog in awed amazement thinking "We got (said in high excited voice)...pause.....shit." (said in lower, bummed out voice.) But hey...I *think* I can train ME. I hope.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!! Gamblers is waaaayyyy over-rated anyhoo :-)
DId you do anything evil to Terry? C'mon, please, please tell me you did!
Congrats on the runs! Awww.. come on. It wasn't that bad. Give yourself a pat on the back! You and Tweed did well! :)Now if only my dog would concentrate on the course and forget about fighting *SIGH*, we might actually do some agility. You have some tips to help me out there FL?!? sobs.
DId you do anything evil to Terry? C'mon, please, please tell me you did!
I didn't! I am so sorry - I almost never saw him, as they ran a different format and he is Regulars, while we are in Specials. He did very well, and of course made podium in his class. We will have to plot for next year!
Now if only my dog would concentrate on the course and forget about fighting *SIGH*, we might actually do some agility. You have some tips to help me out there FL?!?
Oh man, I don't know what to tell you! My dogs like the game so much they don't even see anything but the course. Also, my dogs are total pansies and never fight with anyone :( What does your instructor say?
Congratulations Tweeed!!! We love you and TFL even if you're not on the podium!
Congrats Tweed and FL! Love Tweed's idea about next year - that look said it oh, so well :) And his last remark, too!
btw - have you ever had Woo Xrayed to see if he's got springs instead of leg muscles? I've never seen a jumpier oranger dog :)
Fantabulous photos!
Podium, schmodium. You had some great runs and, in spite of your bitching and moaning, came away rightfully proud of your dog. And of yourself, I hope. Agility was designed, I think, to humble us. It certainly has done so for me. That said, congratulations to both Tweed and you.
My dogs like the game so much they don't even see anything but the course.
- THANK doG now! :)
Also, my dogs are total pansies and never fight with anyone :(
-It should be ":D" instead of
":(" !! If you want a fighting instructor for you dogs, i'll gladly send mine over!
What does your instructor say?
- Nothing I don't already know. Haiz. He has a genetically aggressive streak. Oh well,I just have to continue working on it I reckon. It can get incredibly frustrating, but I guess this is what you get with a BC.They teach you perseverence with a Capital P!
Not to mention we all learned about the secret traditional FL clan announcments....
Oh. I mentioned it. I guess it's not so secret anymore...
Oops.
Am I missing my own inside joke??
Ha! I am not mad. I was driving home from work (in Campbell River) and I saw a bunch of dogs waiting to cross the highway...one of whom looked mysteriously like the fabulous Mr. Woo. I thought, hmmm. And then I thought, nah. Then I got home and promptly forgot about it because I was tired. I'd so suck as a paparazzi.
Congratulations on regionals - Tweed looks great in his ribbons!
Congrad congrat ahhh good goin Tweed. Maybe next year if you get a real handler the Food Lady can take pictures of your fabulosity? Cool?
Bobo and Meja the Sharpei puppies
I was driving home from work (in Campbell River) and I saw a bunch of dogs waiting to cross the highway...one of whom looked mysteriously like the fabulous Mr. Woo. I thought, hmmm. And then I thought, nah.
It may have been, actually! We were staying at the Vista Del Mar, and there were 5 dogs with us in total. And we did cross the highway to explore the beach!! But there are a couple other (larger) Mr. Woo lookalikes that were present at the trial as well, so perhaps it was one of them!
Maybe next year if you get a real handler the Food Lady can take pictures of your fabulosity?
Ha! TFL doesn't like to bring her camera to large outdoor events because she can't relax about it possibly getting stolen!! Sorry.
Congrats on what you did achieve! I understand you wish you could have been on the podium - but in your dogs eyes FL you already are. You are #1 on the podium everyday...just look at how much they love you - what can be better than that?
-Carolynn
Spewer of Pathetic Mushy Crap ;-)
Yea for Tweed! Yea for FL. Congrats on the fine showing at Regionals.
Woot!
In that first photo of Piper and Mr. Woo, is Piper running with her Mad Teeth(tm) out? :-)
Congrats on the run even if you didn't do as well as you had hoped. Tweed is a grand guy.
I love reading about your pack. My aussie is a priss and won't go into the water past her knees so I am amazed at what yours do.
"TFL doesn't like to bring her camera to large outdoor events because she can't relax about it possibly getting stolen!! Sorry."perhaps... TFL should recruit a camera nanny to accompany her to large outdoor events.
TFL should recruit a camera nanny to accompany her to large outdoor events.
That's a good idea!! The Food Lady has been saying for a while that she needs an agility sherpa - a camera sherpa would be great. Please make him about 6 feet tall, around 35-40 years old and really good looking, as well as super funny, with a penchant for short chicks with tattoos and border collie type dogs. Thanks! I am looking forward to him ;-)
I'm a longtime fan, rescue BC owner, living in the Pacific NW. I just wanted to pass along this delightful set of photos: http://www.janvonholleben.com/dreams_of_flying.php?n=1. If you could get any of your woofs & woos to lie still, you might get ideas to add a whole new dimension to Big Air Photography.
I'm with on the gamble heartbreak...those same two gambles could have also left Sophie in 1st. The one bar she dropped on the gamble she finished would have moved us to third...although if Wendy didn't drop a bar with Xena, she would have been out of our reach even with the gambles.
You had two terrific runs - the Jumpers one was especially spectacular. Hopefully somebody got it on video for you. I can't believe Tweed runs like that at nine...he's got such heart and clearly loves the game.
Wait until Gerhard hears what you said...he's going to make you do it again, faster until you puke or cry ;)
what great-looking dogs!
our border collie is almost 14 and just developed diabetes, but he's doing pretty well, all things considered.
he was never a frisbee-jumper-type dog, though. while he looks like a purebred bordie collie, it's been cut with something else--lab, maybe--that made him be calm and sweet instead of intense and goal-oriented.
best dog in the world...
your pictures are GREAT.
Delightful account, wonderful photos! So glad I ran across a recommend to your blog on Facebook. ::grinz::
Congrats!! Go Tweed! Sounds like y'all had a sucessful weekend. Maybe not as sucessful as you would've liked but quite sucessful nonetheless! Alas, I too have been a victim of Gambler runs with handler demons getting in the way of otherwise lovely runs... Wait, who am I kidding, it's not JUST Gamblers!
Tweed, you did a good job. I like your ribbon.
Thanks for the great shots of the Flamboyance, Food Lady. Miss you around the BC Boards. Lot of idiots coming around these days.
Congrats Tweed and food lady of course!
Great shots.
PS.. I miss you on the BC Boards too.
Well this is a delightful blog! I am super impressed with your pictures. They for sure put mine to shame. Your dog's look pretty talented. I am adding your blog to my list so I can keep in touch with their amazingness.
Kasha and Africa
http://trainingboerboels.blogspot.com/
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