Q's and sleepovers

This past weeeknd Swing went to GraytSky for a sleepover with the gang while Dodge and I headed in another direction for an agility trial.  This was her first time away from home without us for more than a day and reports from Amy and Michael were positive.  Swing fit in with the entire pack, got some conformation training, had her ears cleaned and basically hung out and had a nice time with her co-owners.  Thanks for keeping her for me!

As I mentioned, Dodge, Dirk and I headed to an agility trial with the intentions of picking up at least one title and possibly two.  The trip to Latrobe was anything but easy, high winds and dropping temps along with snow squalls kept speeds down but we made it to the hotel safe and sound on Friday night.  It wasn't a super restful night, Dirk had to get use to the room and we all had to get use to a different, albeit smaller, bed.  At 1:30 we were out for a quick potty break and it had snowed enough to put about 2 inches of white stuff down.  And it was still snowing which made me wonder what I would wake up to.  Thankfully it wasn't a lot and we were on the road to the trial site with plenty of time to spare.  Dodge needed one Q to finish his Excellent JWW (jumpers w/weaves) title and we had a great run in that ring to get that Q.  In Excellent Standard he needed two Q's and he got the one to double qualify on Sat.  We were one of two dogs to Q in both classes that day, lots of nice running dogs that made slight mistakes (and in Excellent you want to avoid mistakes).

His ribbons and new title rosette

The Q in jumpers on Sat. finished that title, adding an AXJ to his name.  I had made up my mind that I would not stay for the jumpers class on Sunday if he Q'd since I wanted to get home in plenty of time to collect Swing.  So Sunday morning we ran our standard course (and went from a high of the double Q the day before to a table fault that whisked that title away) and then headed home.  Unfortunately he did not Q on Sunday, thus leaving us once again needing one Q to finish a title.  That opportunity will come in April but between now and then we will be reinforcing a sit or a STAY on the table!  It is partly my fault that he came off of the table and I need to make him understand that leaving the table without permission is a no-no.  I would rather not have to enter him in too many trials for the title.

This coming weekend the dastardly duo has plans to go to a breed match to strut around and practice being pretty dogs.  Hopefully we'll get some pictures to post but regardless, we will report on how everyone does.  So stay tuned, we have one or two more matches before we head in to the *big* ring this spring.