Midtown Ranch

My favorite dog show of the year is held the first weekend of June at the Chugiak Benefit Association Ball Fields. 

This year I entered Bing in Rally Advanced B on a whim. I haven’t done Rally Adv B but I knew most of the signs more or less. He hasn’t learned the exercises formally but they are all variations on the noodling heel work we have played at for years. We didn’t squeeze in much practice time before the show. And he’s been feeling his age enough his willingness to jump even a single 8″ obstacle varies daily. 

So my expectations were low. Go out. Have some fun. Support the hosting club with my entry and provide comic relief. Ask my boy if he feels like working and respect his answer. 

We had a kind judge with high standards. I asked about foot movement for one of the exercises. Nope. Not even a teeny bit. 10 point loss. Whoo, I thought, better not figure on earning a Q today!

So we went out and did our best. I made a silly error right off the bat. Bing took about four signs to engage. 

I was a bit shocked we qualified. 

And thrilled we tied for fourth place. 

Then ecstatic, because my sweet nearly 13 year old partner had the faster time. 

Bing brought home a qualifying ribbon in green and a fully respectable ribbon in white for Fourth place. 

I love Bing so much. He has been such a good friend and partner over the years. 

Video of Bings run

Bing, Wales Tails Roques Crooner HSAsM, RN, BN, CGC, RATN, ASCA STDs, AHBA JHDCook Inlet Kennel Club

20170402, Wasilla AK

Barnhunt, Open
Bing is twelve and was suggesting before we made the drive this morning that maybe he would prefer to stay home today. I’d told a friend I’d give them a ride, so I bribed Bing with a cookie and we loaded up. E joined us. The drive out was uneventful and Bing rode unprotesting. An hour later we picked up our friend and her Cardi.
A quick hop over to the trial site and a great parking spot. 
Bing wasn’t a happy boy. He was protesting with a hoarse whiny bark, and trembling. I got E settled inside the trial, checked Bing in (though I was doubting we would run) and returned to Bing. 
Treats, water, and a quiet walk settled him and he was my happy boy again. 
I watched the Instinct and Novice dogs run. E played with her toys, chatted up other handlers, and convinced our friend to color with her. Plus ate a donut. 
I’ve noticed that this venue, for whatever reason, seems to be tougher. It seems like fewer dogs Q and more dogs mark. I don’t have numbers to back that up, just the sense I’ve gotten of the place. A couple people mentioned that there’d been no Qs in Open the previous day. Hmm. The first three Instinct dogs peed in the ring. Not a shining start. 
I like the judge and enjoy trialing with him. His courses are interesting and creative. 
Our friend was one of the leaky unfortunates in Instinct but showed excellent teamwork and a fine nose in Novice. The rat was found. The Climb accomplished. The tunnel proved to be her boys Achilles heel, and they ran out of time. Still, I think he gave a good run for Novice and she handled him well. Their Novice Qs will come with a bit more work.
Bing was the first dog in the second Open blind. We had another walk, a few more treats and a little water. I asked if he would prefer to kennel or work, and he indicated he was looking forward to working. Ok buddy, you’re the boss. Work it is.
In the ring Bing showed interest in a hide close to the gate, but refrained from stuffing his nose in and didn’t offer me eye contact after checking it. His indications are subtle and I must watch carefully with my mind fully engaged or I miss them. He was patient and willing as we methodically checked hides. He was moving slow so I was not sure he would be able to give me a Climb, and thought it likely we would time out. I was not concerned about the tunnel at all. Even the dark 90 turn is fine in his book. 
In Open there are two rats, two litter tubes, and a single clean tube. We did the outside edges without finding a rat. I asked Bing to climb the ramp. First he told me he couldn’t. We backed off, did a little other work, and approached the ramp again. With encouragement he successfully got his climb. It was pretty tough for him. Before we gave up on the ramp I gave him a few more inches of space and held my hand flat in our classic Touch game pose. I was very careful to not come into contact with the bales or Bing and I didn’t verbally cue Touch. That did it – he dug a little deeper and got up the ramp. He checked the hides atop the bales, no rat. Tunnel happened in there somewhere, no sweat.
I thought time was growing short. I was really tempted to call Rat on the first tube but decided it was a lot more important to trust Bing. 
We timed out. The elevated rat was in a location Bing probably could not have reached (today), the second rat was in a spot off the edges I forgot / ran out of time to check. The tempting tube in the beginning was a litter tube. So pleased I trusted Bing and refrained from calling a wrong tube. 
I am pleased with our teamwork and communication today. This was Bing’s fourth time in the ring, second trial weekend, in Open. It’s been months since we played this game and he was absolutely feeling his age today.
He is my very sweet and smart goody boy. I feel fortunate to have him as my partner. 
We will see if we can pick up that third Q in May…

I always feel so calm and happy after being on our friends farm and doing a little herding. 

Roscoe did fabulous today. He has a firmness with the sheep yet doesn’t insist on being constantly inside their bubble. I only ran him once. He is a clever boy and will stop working when he realizes it is practice not true work. 

Allie also worked nicely. She’s a real rocket dog and likes to zip around furiously. Her recall is non existent in the presence of stock so she trails a horse lead line. I need it as an aid to practice halts, and the inevitable “that’ll do”

E joined me today. She spotted a jar of hard candies on the picnic table. A few minutes of relentless whinging was finally put to a stop with a sharp rebuke and dire threat. After a brief period of pouting E recovered her good humor. She enjoyed the lambs and geese and ducks. She spent most of the time pulling strands of hay from the nearby round bales and ensuring each of the rabbits got a bit of a treat. 

It was wonderful to see friends. The weather was warm and we didn’t need our hats the entire time. I continue to be thankful to have access to sheep within a relatively short drive. I know in the lower 48 must drive several hours for stock. 

Tomorrow Bing will try for his third Q in Open Barnhunt. 

Love my cardigans. 

I made an ice cream cake for Elizabeth’s party later today.Gluten free cake from a box mix (who knew such a thing was available?!?)

Baskin Robbins Strawberry ice cream

Baskin Robbins Chocolate ice cream

Chocolate icing (powdered sugar, Hershey’s Cocoa Powder, heavy cream)

Whipped cream frosting (heavy cream whipped, and aforementioned chocolate icing folded in) on the sides

Commercial cream cheese frosting for the piping. 

We tried to buy an ice cream cake but they all contained wheat. Drat. 

I think it came out well. 

She always steals toys. Meanie.