So, with the stressful Super Dogs audition week over (with a few flyball lessons, 7 will be ready for the team next year!) we decided to take the whole gang down to Spanish Banks dog beach for a doggy beach party. We started out with 13 dogs, which dwindled to 10 when someone got too cold and had to go home (Love you Loic!)
This was our attempt at a group photo... Unfortunately I think puppy Kepler *just* walked out of the shot as this was taken but, trust me, this is the best one I got!
We went at super low tide which makes it look like you can walk all the way back home.
Cooper was in heaven checking out all the tide pools (and there were a LOT)
Besides the usual suspects a couple new(ish) faces joined our party.
This is Angel, a senior German Shepherd and a complete sweety...
Here's...oh crap! I forgot his name! He's awfully cute though, his permanent wink is terribly endearing.
Beezer: "Yep, I'm surrounded..."
Kepler needed a couple pit stops along the way. Life is tiring when you're a baby!
Finally we found the real ocean...Ryan and 7 were overjoyed...
However, 7's joy quickly turned to sorrow when he realized..."ooh mommy, it's cold!"
The dogs who swam did so with gusto and were retrieving ball after ball until our arms got sore...
While everyone had a great time, I think it was the "Four Musketeers" who really squeezed every last drop of fun out of the adventure. I swear, every time we get these four together, they immediately take off on their own version of tag that will last for hours if we let it!
Ack! 7's been invited to try out for the Super Dogs!!! I just got the message tonight from one of my agility instructors (who has 3 dogs in the Super Dogs) that they want me to come for three days and check out the show. I will help out backstage and have 7 join the practices between shows. If they like him they will let him try something out in the show...I am SO excited and nervous. I think his only real struggle will be with letting other people restrain him while I lead out super far away to direct him over the huge, mostly straight courses. He's had an issue with strangers wrapping their arms around him in a "flyball hold" and I haven't been very good about working him through it. Oh well, I can just hope that they won't mind going slow with him at first.
Phew! It's all done and over with :-) Myself and the dogs are back at home and adjusting to normal life again. I already can't wait for next year's Regionals...hopefully the baby dog won't embarass his big brother! If all goes well throughout the year I think I will enter Jazz in Regionals again instead of retiring as was my (sort of) plan. He's turning 10, and while that's not so old for a small dog, he is starting to suffer from his unfortunate conformation. I hope I can get one more year out of him as this Nationals wasn't what I know it could be. I don't know if it was the extreme nerves or I was just not able to focus with such prettiness all around but I know I didn't give Jazz the runs he deserved. I never felt fully connected to him and it showed. We didn't have a clean run all weekend. We came close, and a few of the runs were beautiful but I could tell we weren't as "on" as we usually are. That's not the trial I want to leave Jazz's career on. Despite not being "all we can be," Jazz still managed to place (7th) and get me a big shiny ribbon! I love my ol' boy, he always tries so hard for me even when I'm not reciprocating. Well, enough jabbering, let's look as some pictures! Here is the car that we crammed (literally) 6 dogs, 5 of which were not small! If you look closely you can see Jazz making especially sure he won't be left behind
Now, Faren demonstrates an interesting dog-loading technique on Beezer who seems a bit perturbed
*Ahem* Yep, the boy dogs on this trip got SUPER gay for eachother. They were adorable and disturbing all at the same time!
An interesting fact was discovered. We as a group are extremely patterned in our dog selection. Somehow we all ended up with one brown and one black dog...
7 looking studly in front of the famous "Canada Planks."
Those of you reading who have watched show jumping at Spruce Meadows, or who follow show jumping at all are probably squealing "Ooooh, the Canada Planks!" right now. I know I certainly did when I saw them up close and personal!
7 looking less studly. In fact, he's looking distinctly like "Goofy" in this shot. Awesome.
Here's a shot of our layout in the nice stall that we had all to ourselves. This was before Faren got stressed out on Saturday night and did was she does best...clean! We came back to a tidy, swept, sparkly (well, almost) stall after she was throught with it
This was 7's favourite part of the day...playing in the super awesome fountain!
And finally a few more driving pics, 'cause they're cute!
In closing here are a few of my runs from the event...
Well, the countdown is coming to a close. There are now only 3 full days left (including today) before we leave for Nationals. I am literally shaking in my boots with nervous energy. The roadtrip part is going to be a blast...3 girls and 6 dogs in a car...what fun! I'll try and get loads of pics and video of our adventure as well as the actual competition. 7 will be coming along to keep Jazz company and Cooper's going to stay with my much-abused mom! (thanks mumz!) I hope I'm not too nervous to appreciate actually being at Spruce Meadows. I went there several years ago with my mom to watch the Masters and I've always wanted to go back. So many of the Greats of show jumping have competed there, the place has a certain awe inspiring feel to it.
My friend Jessica recently aquired a new member of her family...meet Kepler, don't they look gorgeous together! This puppy is well on his way to becoming THE MOST SOCIALIZED PUPPY IN THE WORLD! Seriously, Jess has had him all of two weeks and he's been EVERYWHERE and then some. This sunday we made a day out of a trip to the jazz festival. I brought 7, Aunty Jody brought Super Abby and of course Jess and Kepler. The dogs had a great time! Even though the trip was primarily for Kepler socializing, 7 and Abby got a lot out of it too. 7 made some big strides in his "oh dear, there's a small child and it wants to touch me" cringing. He even allowed a young baby to balance on his shoulder as he pulled himself up to standing position! I managed to get a lot of little people to pat him in unscary ways and feed him goodies, this kept him from getting too overwhelmed. We also met a lot of "family." Other people with dogs from 7's breeder. I think I ran into at least 3 people who had Brinkworth dogs...too funny! Here are lots of pics of our little field trip...
Here the dogs are learning to drink water out of a poop bag...YES! A clean one! Bad dog parents, forgot a water dish :-(
This was supposed to be a cute pic of Jess and her puppy but Abby managed to steal the show with her Super Model pose in the background! Is it wrong to be jealous of a dog's body?
Okay, I know this one is blurry but it was way to cuuuuute to leave out!
Here are some videos of their play session before hitting the festival...
Now, Cooper's been a little ticked off lately that I haven't been posting much about him so here are some pics I took of him tonight that are very..."Cooper."
