Ok. I have been a very BAD blogger.
There are many reasons for this. One is that there have been no events - except for last weekend - so I have had nothing to say. My transcriber, J, has also been a bit distracted; I did not want to bother her for unimportant chatter.
The latter is perhaps most important. J's mom had surgery last month and, although the surgery went very well, her recovery has been hindered by persistent nausea & vomiting. It has been bad enough that she could not participate in the needed physical & occupational therapy, and people had to stay with her 24 hrs a day even after she was discharged from the rehab place. J had gone down for the surgery, but could not stay longer. Her cousins, Muffin & Edward, helped a LOT, but they have lives of their own. They have had to arrange for home health, etc, etc. J's mom is getting better, but this has taken longer than expected, required more time & energy than expected, and been at a bad time. J has to take a recertification exam & has been trying to study. It has been hard for her to focus - much less type for me.
Despite all these things, J took me (not Bados -ha!) to try Open Field Coursing in CA. We had to get up early for the roll call at 6:30, and it was cold, but it was also dry & sunny. This is a big improvement from OR this time of year. Appley came to, but - let's face it - he was really just an observer there to keep me company. Our friends Cobweb, Cooper, & Djinn were there as well as a few Silkens I did not know or did not know well: Helios, Ivy, and Savvy. There were also Ibizans & Afghans.
At 1st I was a bit confused: lots of slow walking with a bunch of other dogs & people, all spread out in a line. Suddenly there was all kinds of excitement and 3 dogs took off. I didn't see what they were chasing, and there had not been the sound of a LURE machine. After those dogs came back: more walking. But J had switched me from my harness to my coursing slip. Hmm . . .
There it was! Like a flash a rabbit jumped up in front & a bit to the side!! Cobweb was on it, then Helios. I was with them a moment later. Wow, what a blast! It was similar to lure coursing, but I had no way to figure out where it was going. Super fun, but then it was over way to fast. Sigh.
Then we had more walking and more walking. When it was Appley's turn, he was too busy checking in with J & did not run at all. Momma's boy. Apparently there were fewer rabbits around than we wanted, and I only got to run once. I won a 4th place. Ivy & Cobweb tied for 1st.
Maybe I'll get to do this again next year, but it is winter now & nothing is going on. That is why I think I'll take a hiatus. Next time we go to an event, I promise to write a report.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
I am pissed
That says it all.
Bados, Mintz, and Appley got to go for racing & practices last weekend down in Redding. It is warmer & sunnier there. I hate cold rain. I also love chasing the lure.
I did not do anything to deserve being left behind. She didn't want to take 2 dogs just to practice; she also wanted to have another dog to compete in case no one else was around on Sunday.
Well, I have NOT been DQ'd from LGRA yet. I admit that I have interfered with Bados (maybe a lot) but with others just sometimes & only a little. I could have run & might have run fair. As it turns out Appley did not run fair. In the 2nd program, Appley chased Gemma.
Apparently Gemma went into heat Monday. Appley has a good nose, I guess; maybe he should try "nose work". Actually all the boys were posturing more than usual. I am glad I have been spayed & don't have to put up with such crap.
To sum up the weekend: There were 7 Silkens Saturday, but only 2 on Sunday after Appley's DQ & Poppy turning up lame after the end of Saturday's races. Teddy won both days (of course). Bados managed 2nd both days; that was a surprise. Phoenix is very speedy.
Mintz, the big, goofy Greyhound, got to travel down for practice. He had a blast, but tore up some stuff in the van being frustrated at not competing. I would not have done that. Hrumph.
Sunday afternoon Mintz competed in a match race. The Scottish Deerhound had never lost a race & his owner thought this would be fun; J agreed, and so did the Saluki & Afghan owners. Each entered a hound. Yes, Greyhounds are the fastest breed, but Mintz WAS retired after JUST a year of racing. One of them could have been faster than this particular Greyhound. That was not the case. Basically Mintz smoked them from the gate and won convincingly despite a stumble near the finish. The Deerhound was maybe 10-20 ft back, then the Saluki, and the Afghan brought up the rear.
J is proud of Mintz but she also worries that having done this was a bad idea - in the big picture - because he is very sore & limping again. This is probably just from over exerting himself. I expect he'll be fine in a day or 2. He's just a bit of a woos once there is no sqauking lure in the area.
I am pissed at being left behind, but I guess I had fun staying home, too. Rob & I spent lots of time together. He took me on lots of errands. He also spoils me (I am his favorite).
Bados, Mintz, and Appley got to go for racing & practices last weekend down in Redding. It is warmer & sunnier there. I hate cold rain. I also love chasing the lure.
I did not do anything to deserve being left behind. She didn't want to take 2 dogs just to practice; she also wanted to have another dog to compete in case no one else was around on Sunday.
Well, I have NOT been DQ'd from LGRA yet. I admit that I have interfered with Bados (maybe a lot) but with others just sometimes & only a little. I could have run & might have run fair. As it turns out Appley did not run fair. In the 2nd program, Appley chased Gemma.
Apparently Gemma went into heat Monday. Appley has a good nose, I guess; maybe he should try "nose work". Actually all the boys were posturing more than usual. I am glad I have been spayed & don't have to put up with such crap.
To sum up the weekend: There were 7 Silkens Saturday, but only 2 on Sunday after Appley's DQ & Poppy turning up lame after the end of Saturday's races. Teddy won both days (of course). Bados managed 2nd both days; that was a surprise. Phoenix is very speedy.
Mintz, the big, goofy Greyhound, got to travel down for practice. He had a blast, but tore up some stuff in the van being frustrated at not competing. I would not have done that. Hrumph.
Sunday afternoon Mintz competed in a match race. The Scottish Deerhound had never lost a race & his owner thought this would be fun; J agreed, and so did the Saluki & Afghan owners. Each entered a hound. Yes, Greyhounds are the fastest breed, but Mintz WAS retired after JUST a year of racing. One of them could have been faster than this particular Greyhound. That was not the case. Basically Mintz smoked them from the gate and won convincingly despite a stumble near the finish. The Deerhound was maybe 10-20 ft back, then the Saluki, and the Afghan brought up the rear.
J is proud of Mintz but she also worries that having done this was a bad idea - in the big picture - because he is very sore & limping again. This is probably just from over exerting himself. I expect he'll be fine in a day or 2. He's just a bit of a woos once there is no sqauking lure in the area.
I am pissed at being left behind, but I guess I had fun staying home, too. Rob & I spent lots of time together. He took me on lots of errands. He also spoils me (I am his favorite).
Monday, November 26, 2012
Quirky Run 2012
What a wonderful weekend - well, for me anyway. J took Bados & I for 3 days of lure coursing. I LOVE coursing. Just seeing those white bags fluttering gets me excited. I know that they are just bags, but the chase, planning, & capture are still fun.
J had talked about bringing Mintz, too; but then discovered that it was AKC + ASFA Silken specialty. She has not registered Mintz with AKC. Thank goodness. I think she would have made me stay home to keep Appley company; that would not have been FAIR. Maybe she would have decided to bring us all, but I doubt it. She thinks that's a lot of leashes when Rob is not going to be there to help; and Appley doesn't really course so he would have only been along for the ride.
Before continuing with the tale, I will apologize to my fans. J was lazy and did not video ANYTHING. Loser. What kind of publicist is that? She makes excuses (Rob's absence & few extra Silken owners to hold the camera), but I bet she could have managed something - maybe get someone else to release me or something. Anyway, I apologize to you all because I performed very well.
Friday the course was mostly on the upper field with a short foray down below. I ran most of the way in the prelims which made J very happy, but on the finals I lost it in the sun. I had stopped to stalk & missed it in the grass. I thought they had stopped it trying to draw me from my 'blind', but no. It had gotten past me. How embarrassing.
Bados had a good day friday & won the FCh Stakes. Unfortunately, in the BOB run, Ell's lead got tangled & stuck. Hearing Ella's Mom call out & not having Ella run confused Bados. He turned back, but they didn't stop the lure & Ella got free. That didn't look good. Even though the rest of his run was nice, Ella's was just as good. She won BOB. He should not have let himself get distracted.
On one run Saturday the course was long with big loops in both the upper & lower fields. I lost it for a while again, but this time I found it as it approached the finish and dashed back for a capture. While I was celebrating, though, the lure zoomed off again in reverse! (J shrieked, but I did not get any line burn). That really got my blood racing, & I tore after it. I think it reversed about 1/3 of the course before the operator got it to stop - some sort of malfunction. Perhaps the judges were impressed by that end run, because I got qualifying scores for both runs - well, at least from one judge, and those were high enough to make up for the other judges lower scores!!
Bados ran well on Saturday, but one judge really scored him oddly low on his prelim. One had scored him highest, but that judge scored him last by like 4 points. I have no idea what she saw or didn't see. The course was really long, maybe she thought he was lagging too much at the end. His 2nd run was nice & scored well, but so was his Dad's. Kam won the FCh Stakes. Bados was bummed, but what can you do.
Sunday was a similar course pattern to Saturday but not as long. Knowing the basic pattern, I rocked and easily got both qualifying scores on both runs from both judges even though I did a bit of stalking. More ribbons for me. J thinks I deserved a bigger prize, but she is biased. Yes, I won singles 2 days, but I was the only ASFA single.
Maybe Bados was upset about Saturday, but - whatever - on Sunday he sucked. He took huge short cuts & even tried a 'prediction' at the end of the last run, but he did not do it with my flare. He came in last & deserved it. J was bummed; she wanted a chair (the BOB & high point prizes).
I am sad to hear this is the last Thanksgiving event there. We always have fun at Hollister. The weather was beautiful & warm; the grass was soft; and the field is huge. Our friends Ella, Cayman, Kamiah, and Garis were there. It was a good weekend - at least for me. I just wish Appley or another single had been around to get my wins against competition.
J had talked about bringing Mintz, too; but then discovered that it was AKC + ASFA Silken specialty. She has not registered Mintz with AKC. Thank goodness. I think she would have made me stay home to keep Appley company; that would not have been FAIR. Maybe she would have decided to bring us all, but I doubt it. She thinks that's a lot of leashes when Rob is not going to be there to help; and Appley doesn't really course so he would have only been along for the ride.
Before continuing with the tale, I will apologize to my fans. J was lazy and did not video ANYTHING. Loser. What kind of publicist is that? She makes excuses (Rob's absence & few extra Silken owners to hold the camera), but I bet she could have managed something - maybe get someone else to release me or something. Anyway, I apologize to you all because I performed very well.
Friday the course was mostly on the upper field with a short foray down below. I ran most of the way in the prelims which made J very happy, but on the finals I lost it in the sun. I had stopped to stalk & missed it in the grass. I thought they had stopped it trying to draw me from my 'blind', but no. It had gotten past me. How embarrassing.
Bados had a good day friday & won the FCh Stakes. Unfortunately, in the BOB run, Ell's lead got tangled & stuck. Hearing Ella's Mom call out & not having Ella run confused Bados. He turned back, but they didn't stop the lure & Ella got free. That didn't look good. Even though the rest of his run was nice, Ella's was just as good. She won BOB. He should not have let himself get distracted.
On one run Saturday the course was long with big loops in both the upper & lower fields. I lost it for a while again, but this time I found it as it approached the finish and dashed back for a capture. While I was celebrating, though, the lure zoomed off again in reverse! (J shrieked, but I did not get any line burn). That really got my blood racing, & I tore after it. I think it reversed about 1/3 of the course before the operator got it to stop - some sort of malfunction. Perhaps the judges were impressed by that end run, because I got qualifying scores for both runs - well, at least from one judge, and those were high enough to make up for the other judges lower scores!!
Bados ran well on Saturday, but one judge really scored him oddly low on his prelim. One had scored him highest, but that judge scored him last by like 4 points. I have no idea what she saw or didn't see. The course was really long, maybe she thought he was lagging too much at the end. His 2nd run was nice & scored well, but so was his Dad's. Kam won the FCh Stakes. Bados was bummed, but what can you do.
Sunday was a similar course pattern to Saturday but not as long. Knowing the basic pattern, I rocked and easily got both qualifying scores on both runs from both judges even though I did a bit of stalking. More ribbons for me. J thinks I deserved a bigger prize, but she is biased. Yes, I won singles 2 days, but I was the only ASFA single.
Maybe Bados was upset about Saturday, but - whatever - on Sunday he sucked. He took huge short cuts & even tried a 'prediction' at the end of the last run, but he did not do it with my flare. He came in last & deserved it. J was bummed; she wanted a chair (the BOB & high point prizes).
I am sad to hear this is the last Thanksgiving event there. We always have fun at Hollister. The weather was beautiful & warm; the grass was soft; and the field is huge. Our friends Ella, Cayman, Kamiah, and Garis were there. It was a good weekend - at least for me. I just wish Appley or another single had been around to get my wins against competition.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
New Movie Release!
This was a good week.
J had vacation; so after returning from Boofest, we drove over to Eagle Crest in central Oregon near Bend. It's beautiful high desert with mountain views and the scent of Juniper in the air. There is also property nearby where J hopes to build a house someday. Down hill from this lot is a wide track along the Deschutes River with an escarpment on the other side (and further along a fence, but that is out of site).
We get to play off leash! Bados & I race & tag along the track then cut down by the river, then back across the track & up the escarpment. Zoom, zoom. Mintz plays with us a little, too. He is faster & a bit intimidating at almost 80 lbs, but I can stop & turn MUCH faster. There are rocks, underbrush, and broken branches off the track so I have the advantage there as well.
Our Pit/Border Collie friend Lucy came with us one day. She is crazy about sticks & chews big branches to bits; I don't get it. She'll also leap into the river to retrieve them. I'm impressed how she can swim so well against the current & everything, but I'm not going in over my head! Once the water is around your chest it starts to get too cold, but I love wading & splashing.
OK, I know you are all waiting for the news alluded to in today's title. "On Her Silken's Secret Service" is being released on youtube today. Having time off, J was able to help with this. We took clips from my work at NWFest, Boofest, and one day up at Roy. There is some good footage including one flip. I talked her into making BOTH a short movie to music & a 'trailer' for it. Having been 3 events, there was too much for just a 'trailer, but the these are often more fun to watch.
Sadly, J is back to work tomorrow. We will be back in rainy Portland spending much of the day alone at the house. There are 4 of us still, but Luka's scent is still around. I miss her.
J had vacation; so after returning from Boofest, we drove over to Eagle Crest in central Oregon near Bend. It's beautiful high desert with mountain views and the scent of Juniper in the air. There is also property nearby where J hopes to build a house someday. Down hill from this lot is a wide track along the Deschutes River with an escarpment on the other side (and further along a fence, but that is out of site).
We get to play off leash! Bados & I race & tag along the track then cut down by the river, then back across the track & up the escarpment. Zoom, zoom. Mintz plays with us a little, too. He is faster & a bit intimidating at almost 80 lbs, but I can stop & turn MUCH faster. There are rocks, underbrush, and broken branches off the track so I have the advantage there as well.
Our Pit/Border Collie friend Lucy came with us one day. She is crazy about sticks & chews big branches to bits; I don't get it. She'll also leap into the river to retrieve them. I'm impressed how she can swim so well against the current & everything, but I'm not going in over my head! Once the water is around your chest it starts to get too cold, but I love wading & splashing.
OK, I know you are all waiting for the news alluded to in today's title. "On Her Silken's Secret Service" is being released on youtube today. Having time off, J was able to help with this. We took clips from my work at NWFest, Boofest, and one day up at Roy. There is some good footage including one flip. I talked her into making BOTH a short movie to music & a 'trailer' for it. Having been 3 events, there was too much for just a 'trailer, but the these are often more fun to watch.
Sadly, J is back to work tomorrow. We will be back in rainy Portland spending much of the day alone at the house. There are 4 of us still, but Luka's scent is still around. I miss her.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Boofest
Yippee! We went on an excursion this weekend & got to run every day! I also met a few of my fans & made a new one who had not seen me course before. A successful weekend.
Friday morning when J got home from work, both humans finished packing up the car, & we hit the road: both Rob & J with Bados & I. It was close to a 12 hr drive down to Gilroy, CA.
Appley stayed behind to keep Mintz company. With Luka gone so recently, it would not have been him alone with the pet sitter. Not that Lisa isn't nice (she gives us tons of special treats), but the house feels empty without another dog in it when one is used to a pack. Appley was upset not to come, but it's not like he enjoys showing or racing, and he won't even try to course (the Momma's boy won't go that far from J).
Bados was not feeling his best on the drive down and puked a bit in the back. This was probably psychosomatic. Last time we drove to California he got REALLY sick in the car; I think he was justnervous about getting sick again. He is such a softy. I just ignored him & watched other cars out my window. Being able to watch helps to pass the time.
After arriving at the hotel near bedtime on friday, we had to get up early Saturday so Rob could meet Rick Wolpin for a bicycle ride. Hmm. Maybe Rob could get a kid carrier & take me along sometime. Showing is not really my favorite thing.
At UKC shows the 'Altered' classes are at the end, but here the 'Companion' class is near the beginning. Both mornings I was distracted by all the scents in the ring; J made the mistake of trying to use bait. She's a slow learner. By now she should know that that will not help her. Yes, she gets my attention, but that doesn't mean I will just stand there & pose like she wants or trot calmly at her side. I know too many ways to knock that treat out of her hands. TeeHee! Anyway, I still managed to eke out a victory over my pal, Moto, on one morning. He won the other day. It's nice to share the wealth. vbg. I won some nice treats & a squeaker. J was happy about the ribbon.
This is what I think of ribbons: (this was my 1st ribbon, not this weekend; J rarely tries such photos anymore)
Bados' BIS class is not until the end of the show. Maybe he got stiff lying around all day after being in the car all day on friday, but he did not step out real well in the ring on Saturday. I think his feet might still bother him a bit after the pad cuts & wasp sting between the toes earlier this month, too. He denies it, but every now & then I catch him limping. He stops as soon as J turns his way, but sometimes she catches it. She scratched him from the races Saturday afternoon because of this concern - she wanted to be sure he could course the next day. She gave him some arnica & rimadyl saturday night to help reduce any inflammation.
Anyway Sunday he did better. He earned an Award of Merit in the show and a 3rd in the ASFA FCh Stakes. He looked good, but two others did better. His turns were not all super sharp. He claims that he was being careful with his pads; I say maybe. He could be getting lazy. I mean - he may not understand "string theory" like I do, but he knows that they are plastic bags
Saturday afternoon I got to practice straight racing. Fun, fun. J made me wear a muzzle so I could not grab the tail, but I gave it a good try. At the end after J leashed me & picked up the lure, I remembered my trick to roll over forwards & push backwards with my head on the ground to get the muzzle off. HAH! I leapt up & snatched it! The lure was mine . . . for a second anyway . . . but I got my feet tangled in the line with my jump and could not run with it. Oh, well. You have to try. : )
Sunday I got to course Singles. This was an easy one; the course was basically a figure 8. When I came to the cross over, I just stopped & waited for it to come back. It made one turn further out that had me second guessing, but I was not fooled for long. This was all right in front of the judges so I thought they might 'get it' - understand how my strategy is superior - but no. J says one had some insight gave a qualifying score, but the other gave me a 20. 20? That's almost insulting. Did I run home to momma? No. I should probably tell J not to bother checking the scores. It only frustrates her. It's not like I care what they think. If I did, I'd play by their boring rules.
Tonight we are back home. Appley was jumping with happiness when we arrived; Mintz just about bull-dozed everyone trying to get close to Rob & J for some affection. Boys.
Friday morning when J got home from work, both humans finished packing up the car, & we hit the road: both Rob & J with Bados & I. It was close to a 12 hr drive down to Gilroy, CA.
Appley stayed behind to keep Mintz company. With Luka gone so recently, it would not have been him alone with the pet sitter. Not that Lisa isn't nice (she gives us tons of special treats), but the house feels empty without another dog in it when one is used to a pack. Appley was upset not to come, but it's not like he enjoys showing or racing, and he won't even try to course (the Momma's boy won't go that far from J).
Bados was not feeling his best on the drive down and puked a bit in the back. This was probably psychosomatic. Last time we drove to California he got REALLY sick in the car; I think he was justnervous about getting sick again. He is such a softy. I just ignored him & watched other cars out my window. Being able to watch helps to pass the time.
After arriving at the hotel near bedtime on friday, we had to get up early Saturday so Rob could meet Rick Wolpin for a bicycle ride. Hmm. Maybe Rob could get a kid carrier & take me along sometime. Showing is not really my favorite thing.
At UKC shows the 'Altered' classes are at the end, but here the 'Companion' class is near the beginning. Both mornings I was distracted by all the scents in the ring; J made the mistake of trying to use bait. She's a slow learner. By now she should know that that will not help her. Yes, she gets my attention, but that doesn't mean I will just stand there & pose like she wants or trot calmly at her side. I know too many ways to knock that treat out of her hands. TeeHee! Anyway, I still managed to eke out a victory over my pal, Moto, on one morning. He won the other day. It's nice to share the wealth. vbg. I won some nice treats & a squeaker. J was happy about the ribbon.
This is what I think of ribbons: (this was my 1st ribbon, not this weekend; J rarely tries such photos anymore)
Anyway Sunday he did better. He earned an Award of Merit in the show and a 3rd in the ASFA FCh Stakes. He looked good, but two others did better. His turns were not all super sharp. He claims that he was being careful with his pads; I say maybe. He could be getting lazy. I mean - he may not understand "string theory" like I do, but he knows that they are plastic bags
Saturday afternoon I got to practice straight racing. Fun, fun. J made me wear a muzzle so I could not grab the tail, but I gave it a good try. At the end after J leashed me & picked up the lure, I remembered my trick to roll over forwards & push backwards with my head on the ground to get the muzzle off. HAH! I leapt up & snatched it! The lure was mine . . . for a second anyway . . . but I got my feet tangled in the line with my jump and could not run with it. Oh, well. You have to try. : )
Sunday I got to course Singles. This was an easy one; the course was basically a figure 8. When I came to the cross over, I just stopped & waited for it to come back. It made one turn further out that had me second guessing, but I was not fooled for long. This was all right in front of the judges so I thought they might 'get it' - understand how my strategy is superior - but no. J says one had some insight gave a qualifying score, but the other gave me a 20. 20? That's almost insulting. Did I run home to momma? No. I should probably tell J not to bother checking the scores. It only frustrates her. It's not like I care what they think. If I did, I'd play by their boring rules.
Tonight we are back home. Appley was jumping with happiness when we arrived; Mintz just about bull-dozed everyone trying to get close to Rob & J for some affection. Boys.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Luka
Well, I haven't written in a while. Things have been weird & stressful for all of us. Bados disappeared for awhile on an excursion that I am not supposed to discuss; and Luka was getting sicker again. She died on Tuesday.
Luka had started limping again, was weak, and panting more. J thought it was all pain, but she was also short of breath. Now we know that the tumor had spread to her lungs. J had been expecting that, but was thrown off by the resumed limping. Tuesday she stopped eating in the morning. J & Sherri (our vet) came up with a more aggressive treatment plan for her pain; but she did not seem to be getting any more comfortable. Near bedtime J tried to took her out for a short walk; she did not 'get busy' and was very unstable. After they came back inside she got all panicky and tried to go hide in corners. J got her to lie down and tried to listen to her heart & lungs with a stethoscope. Her breathing was so loud & labored that J could not hear her heart. Then she stopped and looked calm. J said Luka was dying; she was right. Her heart rate was in the 40s; she took a few more breaths as her heart slowed to nothing.
We were all in a bit of shock. J cried. Even Rob got choked up. They wrapped her in blankets & laid her on a futon in Rob's office. She looked peaceful.
The next afternoon they took her body away. The vet did an autopsy. Her lungs were full of tumor, & this had hemorrhaged into the pleural space between the lung & chest wall. That's what killed her so quickly. J says we'll get her ashes back.
This weekend we are going to Boofest; that will be a good distraction from her absence.
Luka had started limping again, was weak, and panting more. J thought it was all pain, but she was also short of breath. Now we know that the tumor had spread to her lungs. J had been expecting that, but was thrown off by the resumed limping. Tuesday she stopped eating in the morning. J & Sherri (our vet) came up with a more aggressive treatment plan for her pain; but she did not seem to be getting any more comfortable. Near bedtime J tried to took her out for a short walk; she did not 'get busy' and was very unstable. After they came back inside she got all panicky and tried to go hide in corners. J got her to lie down and tried to listen to her heart & lungs with a stethoscope. Her breathing was so loud & labored that J could not hear her heart. Then she stopped and looked calm. J said Luka was dying; she was right. Her heart rate was in the 40s; she took a few more breaths as her heart slowed to nothing.
We were all in a bit of shock. J cried. Even Rob got choked up. They wrapped her in blankets & laid her on a futon in Rob's office. She looked peaceful.
The next afternoon they took her body away. The vet did an autopsy. Her lungs were full of tumor, & this had hemorrhaged into the pleural space between the lung & chest wall. That's what killed her so quickly. J says we'll get her ashes back.
This weekend we are going to Boofest; that will be a good distraction from her absence.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Newman Lake
Newman Lake is a LONG way from home, but what a fun weekend we had!!
Although Bados had a small pad injury the previous weekend at Roy (along with most other racers!), J decided to drive up to Newman Lake as she had been planning. This was for coursing after all, and that is our favorite family past time.
Kam, Cayman, & Garis were still nursing pad injuries, so Jackie did not drive up; plus Jane & Iola were tied up and could not bring Tootsie & Lego over to play. Only Karen Sanders had both time & healthy dogs (Sky & Nike) to join us. She & J decided to drive up together in Ivan. This made the long drive more crowded than most weekend excursions, but it was much less crowded & much shorter than the cross country trip. No problem. I could still convince the others that the window seat is MINE.
The field was beautiful green grass and HUGE. I think less than 1/2 of it was used for the courses. There were some sports goals that the people made a point of staying far away from, but this was easy with so much space. The soft grass was so nice on the paws! The morning was cold but it got up to the upper 60s or low 70s in the PM. Yummy.
There were not many entries at all. 2-3 courses each for RR & Cirnecos, 1 Silken threesome, 2 Saluki, one Afghan & one Whippet. I had 4 or 5 singles competitors. Despite this Saturday CRAWLED by. I am not sure how it took ALL DAY to complete the runs. True: there were equipment issues that ultimately had them switching from drag lure to continuous loop. True: they did AKC CAT testing in the middle (only 5-6 dogs). BUT honestly! We were not done until dinner time.
After the 1st run, Nike had 2 points over Bados & Sky was not far behind. Unfortunately, Bados then STEPPED ON A WASP. Seriously, the klutz. There was a bite between his toes. J gave him Rimadyl & Arnica, stuck his foot in cold water, & put some anti-sting stuff on his foot. He had stopped limping & competed in the final. Despite the sting, he ran well, but he could not make up for being behind Nike.
The one toe still looked swollen & bruised on Sunday, but he was not limping in the morning. After the prelims he & either Sky or Nike were tied. The other was just one point behind! Very tight. Unfortunately, Bados initially was limping when they finished the prelims. Nothing new, it was the stung foot bothering him. J was torn up about what to do. To scratch or not to scratch . . . She repeated her treatments from the prior afternoon and waited until the last second to decide. No limping en route to the start . . . so off they went. Bados coursed beautifully, and eked out a win over Sky followed by Nike. That made Bados a Provisional ASFA FCh. Pretty cool; but J is so proud of him it is just disgusting. I mean, he already had the ISWS FCh and then LCM - what's the big deal?
I had lots of fun and have some new fans. In the big open fields there was lots to consider when evaluating possible turns. I managed to stalk & pounce at least twice on each run. The wife of one judge told J that she thinks the judges score me "wrong". She thinks I deserve more credit for my 'focus' even though I don't blindly chase. What a wise woman; she has great insight.
Another person said she wanted to take me home, but I think I'll stick with J. We have a good time together.
Next week: LC at Roy!!
Although Bados had a small pad injury the previous weekend at Roy (along with most other racers!), J decided to drive up to Newman Lake as she had been planning. This was for coursing after all, and that is our favorite family past time.
Kam, Cayman, & Garis were still nursing pad injuries, so Jackie did not drive up; plus Jane & Iola were tied up and could not bring Tootsie & Lego over to play. Only Karen Sanders had both time & healthy dogs (Sky & Nike) to join us. She & J decided to drive up together in Ivan. This made the long drive more crowded than most weekend excursions, but it was much less crowded & much shorter than the cross country trip. No problem. I could still convince the others that the window seat is MINE.
The field was beautiful green grass and HUGE. I think less than 1/2 of it was used for the courses. There were some sports goals that the people made a point of staying far away from, but this was easy with so much space. The soft grass was so nice on the paws! The morning was cold but it got up to the upper 60s or low 70s in the PM. Yummy.
There were not many entries at all. 2-3 courses each for RR & Cirnecos, 1 Silken threesome, 2 Saluki, one Afghan & one Whippet. I had 4 or 5 singles competitors. Despite this Saturday CRAWLED by. I am not sure how it took ALL DAY to complete the runs. True: there were equipment issues that ultimately had them switching from drag lure to continuous loop. True: they did AKC CAT testing in the middle (only 5-6 dogs). BUT honestly! We were not done until dinner time.
After the 1st run, Nike had 2 points over Bados & Sky was not far behind. Unfortunately, Bados then STEPPED ON A WASP. Seriously, the klutz. There was a bite between his toes. J gave him Rimadyl & Arnica, stuck his foot in cold water, & put some anti-sting stuff on his foot. He had stopped limping & competed in the final. Despite the sting, he ran well, but he could not make up for being behind Nike.
The one toe still looked swollen & bruised on Sunday, but he was not limping in the morning. After the prelims he & either Sky or Nike were tied. The other was just one point behind! Very tight. Unfortunately, Bados initially was limping when they finished the prelims. Nothing new, it was the stung foot bothering him. J was torn up about what to do. To scratch or not to scratch . . . She repeated her treatments from the prior afternoon and waited until the last second to decide. No limping en route to the start . . . so off they went. Bados coursed beautifully, and eked out a win over Sky followed by Nike. That made Bados a Provisional ASFA FCh. Pretty cool; but J is so proud of him it is just disgusting. I mean, he already had the ISWS FCh and then LCM - what's the big deal?
I had lots of fun and have some new fans. In the big open fields there was lots to consider when evaluating possible turns. I managed to stalk & pounce at least twice on each run. The wife of one judge told J that she thinks the judges score me "wrong". She thinks I deserve more credit for my 'focus' even though I don't blindly chase. What a wise woman; she has great insight.
Another person said she wanted to take me home, but I think I'll stick with J. We have a good time together.
Next week: LC at Roy!!
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