I haven't been doing my blog as much since I have been sort of busy with other stuff in my life and after the "Max" episode - check the forum - I started looking for another dog to be a part of the family. The main focus was something manageable like another JRT or something small but definitely from a rescue or shelter. Just thinking about some of the stories of the dogs at the JRT rescue makes you think how bad people really are! Like to take a puppy and use wire to tie its hind legs and then to have the puppy chew off its own leg. Its on pain meds for the rest of its life and the leg was amputated! Or how about some moron pouring acid on puppies? Thats what you call someone being stupid for not fixing their dog or their greatest idea fall back on them. I love the type of people that love to play God and create living things because it is a cute a idea or to make money when they have no freaking clue whatsoever!

Yesterday in Pittsburgh, someone lady didn't have a license to have a kennel. The human society counted 26 dogs dead and many more in crates. I am pretty sure most of them either going to the pound or to another kennel. I bet you the person(s) that the the idea of a kennel was novel and a good cause but I seriously think they got tired of it. If thats the case, move the dogs off!

I have tried several times to submit the application via web on the rescue and to no avail I get an error. So now I have to snail mail it.  

Oops! Sorry for the rant.

Wet and white stuff came down most of the week so we were stuck indoors. The white stuff didn't stick around but it is certainly trying to! It was suppose to be sunny this weekend but heavens said otherwise. We did manage several session outside, they went OK as I am starting to get our 2o2o on the A-frame. At times, Chloe gets brain fade and just follows me off or stops way too early. I think I am the cause of that behavior because I use to hold on her on a stay about 30 or so feet and when I recall her, at times I called for wait for her to pause. So now what happens, when I call for feet she'll stop right where I said it. This is going to take some time for me to change. She is doing them well on the 2o2o not at 100% but the success rate is higher than 85%.

I did time her yesterday on the weave poles though. I was impressed with the results so far so better things to come as we have been only doing weave training since August. She isn't at Zippity's (Denise's dog) speed or level who is faster than most BCs out there but I am not comparing a JRT to her since he is a bigger dog. Zip's time for 12 poles is 2s and Chloe's time is slightly slower than that.

Now to compare dog's in the same size class there's a Papillion that held the 60 pole record for a small dog 8-14" class and I calculated her theoretical 12 pole time to be 2.57s. I also timed some small dogs on the "Dog Competition" show on ESPN2 and Edge, a JRT, was quick at 2.67. Now before you go ripping me on me, I know timing off the TV can't be accurate but it gives me an idea thats all I care about at this point in time. Its the engineer in me that wants to deal with numbers. Once the body breaks the plane, the clock starts and the stops once the plane of the last pole is reached. And the camera angles can't you give you an accurate view on the entry.

Anyhow, Chloe's times aren't that far off from those listed. Mind you, we have been only been doing this since this past August. We played fetch and trained on different obstacles before doing this. She did have her backpack on first which has some weight on it. I timed her with the poles where I currently set them at for the past several week which was 2" apart and then I closed them.

2" gap 

With backpack:   2.9-3.11

Without backpack: 2.38-2.67

0" gap

Without backpack: 2.79-3.11s

We have some ways to go and my goal is going to be slightly faster than what it is now. But I am not disappointed at all for a beginner dog and handler. I think we are doing well. Maybe a bit over achieving but the enthusiasm is certainly there.

I also dabbled back into the Clean Run issue on handling as I still haven't finished it. Now that I think about it, I still haven't finished the "Controlled Unleashed" book either.

Well, I am off to the trials to watch the small dog handlers and hopefully Denise will have her laptop so I can get the Cynosport Games footage on DVD.

So much for washing and waxing the truck today!