Wordless Wednesday: Busy Being Big Sisters

Christmas Cookies for the Pups

I love baking cookies for my pups and for my friends' pups. I thought I'd share a recipe you might want to try.

Chicken ‘N Oats Cookies

2 Cups + 1/2 Cup rolled oats
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 Cup low sodium chicken broth (can use beef broth)
1 Tablespoon parsley

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups rolled oats with salt, broth, egg, and parsley. Once combined, add the 1/2 cup leftover oats.
3. After laying out wax paper, pour out the batter and knead by hand for 3 minutes to firm up the dough. Let the dough stand for 3 more minutes.
4. Roll the dough to about a 1/2 inch thickness and use cookie cutters to cut into the dough.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, with the option of flipping the cookies over for 4 additional minutes for extra crispness.
6. Store in airtight container.

(**Parsley helps freshen dogs' breath!)

Corgis and Christmas Lights

I don't know what it is, but Dally just loves Christmas lights. If we drive through neighborhoods filled with lots of lights, she's wide awake, looking out the window. (Which, if you know how Dally is in the car, that's the surprise. Normally she falls asleep the instant she curls up in her corner once we're out of the driveway.)

Because of this, we love taking the Stump Kids to the Kentucky Horse Park's Southern Lights. It's an annual tradition for Matt and I--we both love the Christmas spirit. And we cannot wait to add our child to the backseat next year so we take all three girls to see the lights.

Wordless Wednesday: A Stump Kid Christmas Card

Wordless Wednesday: Ferocious Stump Kid Fight

Wordless Wednesday: My Teammate

Catching Up: PACH2 Dally

In continuing our "Catching Up Series" I'm excited to introduce PACH2 Frontiers Honkytonkbadonkadonk RN, AX, AXJ, NF, MXP5, MXPS, MJP6, MJPS, PAX2....aka PACH2 Dally PAX2!!

Through the summer, I was certain we were so close to finishing her PACH2. At my dad's Hoosier Kennel Club trial in June, we struggled to QQ for one strange reason or another each day (three days!). Then we just weren't running well to get those points. It wasn't until the first weekend of August that things came together...barely!

At the Queen City Dog Training Club's AKC Agility Trial August 2, I thought we needed 1 QQ and like 36 points going in. For some reason, Dally just wasn't running as fast as she had been. She earned her PAX2 on Saturday, which was a good day. We actually got a PAX title ribbon (those are rather rare these days)! 

I did the math, and I just didn't feel like we could make the time with the points we needed on Sunday. My friends who were with me knew that I was close, but I didn't make a big deal about it. We Qd in our first run, Jumpers, and then I felt like there was a minor chance. I can't remember now what I exactly needed, but it was something like 18 points going into Standard. I knew we would need to run 46 or under. I pushed her as hard as I could in our Standard run, and she ran with me and ran her little stumps off. She crossed the timer and I looked at the clock--we made it just by less than one second! I was so excited!

First, here's her PAX2 run:

And her PACH2 run:

I am so, so proud of this little Corgi. I never would have thought that we'd have two agility championships, have qualified for the AKC National Agility Championships three years in a row, and just had a blast. She's done everything I've ever asked her to do (well, to an extent...she still doesn't like herding or lure coursing), and she loves me no matter what. I've learned so much by working with her, and she's taught me so much more than I thought a dog ever could.

Our PACH2 celebration included a cookie cake with "POSH2 Dolly"--The SDP has a
tradition of having funky PACH2/MACH2 cookie cakes. Dally didn't care, as you can see.

Dally turned 9 in July, so I don't really know what's up for us in the future. She's getting slower, and she's had a few more physical issues (mostly shoulders) that has added some sped bumps for us in recent agility trials. I'm thinking of starting her in Barn Hunt, while slowing down her agility career to maybe just doing jumpers, so she doesn't have the issues of going down the A-frame or dog walk that has been bothering her shoulders like they have lately. She's not going into permanent retirement, but maybe it's just time to pass the torch to LaMesa and see if she can continue the Stump Kid legacy.

Dally's done everything I've asked, and more, and has nothing left to prove. I wasn't aiming to qualify for the 2015 AKC National Agility Championships in Reno, so that was no big deal this year. We're just going to enjoy the fun ride we've been on for the next few years.

Thanks, Dally-Doodle....the bestest little Corg in the world.

Catching Up: Gonna Be Big Sisters

It has been a long time since I've updated things on this blog. I have quite a bit to catch you up on the lives of the Stump Kids, so we'll do it in spurts.

First, and maybe most important, is that the girls have a big job ahead of them in a few months.

LaMesa's sign: "I'm gonna be a big sister!! (But I'm always your 'Baby Bitz'.)
Dally's sign: "Oh no, another one?? (I'm still #1)"

That's right...the Stump Kids will be adding a third to their posse...only this time, it won't be another Corgi or another Vallhund (and, yes, those were the first guesses by not only my husband, but my family)...

Stump Kid #3

We are expecting Baby A&W February 11, 2015. I think LaMesa's just concerned that it doesn't have a tail because, after all, we don't believe in tails in this house. ;-) 

They say pets can tell when something's different, like a pregnancy. I don't know if I can say that either Dally nor LaMesa have changed their temperaments or attitudes towards anything--they're both about the same. M's cat, Sean, though, has been extra cuddly with me, and sleeps right by my stomach at night in bed since I've found out. 

I found out in mid-June, so I have been continuing to train and compete in agility with the dogs (on top of running and doing CrossFit), however my last agility trial until after the baby comes is this coming weekend. It just worked out that way--we usually don't do any trials in December, and the only trial we hit in January is towards the end of the month, and I won't be allowed to travel very far from home just a couple weeks before I'm due.

I'm currently reading as many tips as possible on how to prepare the pups for the new addition. I know how to prepare for a new puppy, but this will be completely different. We already know about having someone bring a baby blanket from the hospital home before we come home so they can smell the baby. My main concern is Dally, because she's been my number one all her life. Plus the girls have been my life for a long time now, but the baby will take over a lot of our time and be a major part of our lives that I don't think they'll ever be prepared for. I'm not looking to "replace" the pups with the baby--I want them to be a big part of the baby's growth. 

I also worry about LaMesa and how she'll handle a baby/child in our house. She's usually pretty timid around little kids--a lot of the time it's because of their sudden, jerky movements and their rush to see her when we're on our walks. Dally loves little children, so that's not a worry. Though I've been told by those who know LaMesa that she'll probably surprise everyone and easily "adopt" the baby as her own and be very protective of it. 

For now, we'll see. It'll definitely be an adjustment and different life for the Stump Kids from here on out...

Any tips about introducing (spoiled) child-like dogs to a baby are greatly appreciated.

Happy Howl-O-Ween from the Stump Kids!

Happy Howl-O-Ween from the Dynamic Duo!!

DABAD: Life Outside of the Agility Ring is Just as Fun

Today is another Dog Agility Blog Action Day! I realize I haven't been the best at keeping this blog up to date lately, but no worries--I fully intend to catch you up on the Stump Kids' adventures, including Dally's PACH2 in August. For now, we concentrate on what the Stump Kids do when they're not doing agility.

For one, Dally believes that it's just as important to sleep well as it is to train well. You see, sleeping helps the body rebuild muscles, and re-build your energy stores.

Catch some ZZzzs to help catch that QQ!

For LaMesa, however, she feels it's best to keep the training going, going, GOING. LaMesa might be a bit of an overachiever when it comes to fitness. She doesn't know when to stop, or really how to just lay and relax like Dally (hmmm...sounds a lot like me). She'll play tennie until she's about to collapse from heat and being out of breath. She'll chase a lure like it's nobody's business and give it a couple good shakes just to make sure she caught it.

Even while observing, LaMesa practices everything, while Dally just...observes.

Any more, I don't do a whole lot of agility training on the girls. We'll work on different aspects in the backyard--backside jumps, weave entrances, weaves with distractions, two-jump combos, etc. Then we'll go to a rarely offered class or work session and work whole courses, which is mostly working on me and what I need to improve on. But a lot of what we do is crosstraining and keeping in condition.

The Stump Kids go on lots of walks...at least one a day, and at least one mile (the heat lately has not been kind to Dally, so we don't get to go very far when it's too hot). We'll walk around the neighborhood or local parks, up and down hills, maybe with some jogging here and there. but definitely lots of walks.

We'll go to different places and just run through the grass--this helps work their backs and hind legs, plus allows them to just run and sniff the air that's different than what's around their house.

We've done some lure coursing (LaMesa more than Dally), which is a fun sport. I've done very little herding, and while Dally wasn't a fan of the sheep, LaMesa is just begging me to do more with her. I know it'll do her mind and her heart well when we can finally start herding training--nothing's better than watching your dog do what it's bred to do--but unfortunately time and finances are way too short for me. :-(

Dally has started to show interest in barn hunt, with being a ferocious mole and chipmunk hunter in our back yard. I don't want to squelch her excitement or her instinct for the hunt, so I let her have her time. I'm hoping to start doing barn hunt training and tests soon--it might be her next career with agility slowing down!

And, finally, there's that rare venture into the obedience/rally ring. Both girls have their Rally Novice titles, but I can't help but feel like I should try for more--maybe some lower level obedience, or maybe Rally Advance? Again, it takes time, and it'll take money for classes to help me since I'm not a natural obedience person. But it's a good way to really make them think, use their brains, and learn more control.

Until then, I plan to let them live their life as pampered pooches, who always have a good time. Whether that be keeping the horses in line on the family farm...

Hiking with their best buddies....

Or cleaning out peanut butter jars...

The Stump Kids' lives will never be boring.

Check out the rest of the Dog Agility Blog Group's response to "Life Outside the Ring." Lots of great insight!
Some faves:

• Un-Still Life with Cavaliers: Outside the Ring, The Inside Story on Handler Fitness (right up my alley!)
• Days of Speed & Showtime Mondays: Sitting is the New Smoking--Life Hacks Outside the Ring
• The BlueHound Beagles at WordPlay: Crossbraining
• Mufaasa and Me: Spoiler Alert: The Stuff You do Outside of the Ring Matters Just as Much (or More) than What Happens in it

Wordless Wednesday: Through the Drive Thru

Wordless Wednesday: PACH2 Dally!

Stump Kid Link Love: Connection vs Control, Therapy Dogs, Things Dogs Hate

It's time for another round up for Stump Kid Link Love, where I share some dog-related links that I've found interesting and wanted to share with y'all!

Connection and Control (The Cognitive Canine): When we're working with our dogs, no matter the sport--agility, rally, etc.--we sometimes don't catch ourselves when we say we want to be able to control our dog. Control seems to be a harsh word when you think of it. Working with your dog in a sport like agility takes connection--you have to be able to connect with your dog in order to get the most out of your partnership. Yes, partnership...which takes connection....you don't control your partner.

3 Steps to Making Your Dog a Therapy Dog (Woofipedia): I would love for Dally to be a therapy dog! When my grandmother was alive and I'd come home to visit, my mom and I would bring Dally to the nursing home to visit my grandmother (who was a breeder and shower of dogs for most of her life). Dally would march right into the nursing home, walk up to everyone whether they were in wheelchairs or used walkers, and demand attention. She'd lay still on my grandma's bed, allowing her to pet her for as long as she wanted. She loved it. Now, LaMesa, on the other hand...I don't think she's calm enough to be a therapy dog.

11 Things Humans do that Dogs Hate (Mother Nature Network): Ever wonder if some of the doting and love we pour onto our dogs might not be seen as love? Some of this stuff I had a feeling the pups didn't appreciate, but I hadn't thought that a dog really doesn't like having his head patted? But thinking about how we feel about our heads being patted, makes a good point... Is there anything that caught you off guard?

What have you read lately (dog-related) that has made you go "Hmmmm"?

Chasing Bags--LaMesa Tackles Lure Coursing

The Stump Kids have been on an agility sabbatical, taking a break from training and trialing for multiple reasons (time off needed, finances, etc.), but that doesn't mean we haven't been totally dead.

Just a little over a week ago, I headed two hours south to Columbia, Ky., to take part in the Bluegrass Coursing Club's Coursing Ability Tests. They offered one test Friday evening, two Saturday, and two on Sunday. We pre-entered Friday just to see if the girls would even be interested. Well, one was very enthralled with it. The other....yeaaahhhh...not so much. Can you guess which was which?

If you haven't guessed, here's a video hint:



So...can you guess who earned her first qualifying leg on Friday, and then the final two legs on Sunday (yes, we went back)? That's right. LaMesa went 3-for-3 to become only the second Swedish Vallhund to earn her CA title!

Here was run #1, in the rain:


(Complete with cheering from the Brews Brothers)

Run #2 on Sunday:


(The yelp at the end of her run was not LaMesa, so don't worry, she wasn't hurt!)

Run #3 on Sunday:



I loved how every time the judge asked me "Ready?" LaMesa answered with a bark. (See, "Ready?" is what I use to rev her up in training when she's getting tired.) I also loved how every time she'd catch the bag at the end, she'd give it a little shake then run towards me like "Did you see me, momma??"

I joked that this was the easiest title I've ever earned with her, but it was so natural! LaMesa loves to run and loves to give it her all, so those 300 yard sprints were nothing for her.

I might go for her CAA, which requires just seven more qualifying runs, but I'm not going to spend the money, nor the time, to drive two hours again. Hopefully the BCC will have some events closer to Lexington, and that's when you'll see me out there. It was a fun break from the usual training and agility, and fun to watch dogs of all breeds go for the bag.

Mill Creek's Chyna Rust RN, AX, AXJ, NF, CA

Winning Is About More than Just Trophies

I'm doing a little cross-posting today because this is an agility-related subject, so why not post this on my dog agility blog?

Recently I had the opportunity to write an editorial for Clean Run Magazine. Yep, that's right, the agility magazine to end all agility magazines, and one some say is the "Agility Bible". So that's pretty cool, right? Anyway, I had pitched an idea to them back in March and they wanted me to share my friend's story with the rest of the agility community.

You might already read The Brews Brothers blog, managed by my good friend Merinda. You've followed along on her training and struggles with Porter, her 9-year-old Cardigan Welsh Corgi, and now Stout, his younger brother. We all cheered when she won the Preferred National Agility Championship in 4" with Porter in Harrisburg, and I know I definitely cheered when they finally finished their PACH in May. While we all know the hard work and the dedication it takes to build a championship team, whether a national championship or an agility championship, but Merinda's story is so much more than just constant weave pole training and behavior shaping. Which is why I wanted to share her story.

My editorial came out in the August 2014 issue of Clean Run, so you can read it for yourself in there, or you can read it on my writing website where I have uploaded the PDF from the magazine. (Megan Arszman Communications--Winning and Being a Success it About More than Trophies)

Thank you for being such an inspiration, Merinda! 

Wordless Wednesday: Dally the Agility Trial Chair-Pup

Catching Up with the Stump Kids: LaMesa & the Hoosier

LaMesa has been making such strides lately...if only we can put it all together! It's always "just that one little thing" when it comes to getting our first QQ. We hit that a few times during the Hoosier Kennel Club trial.

Over the trial, she went 2-for-2 in Novice FAST to earn her title! The sends had tunnels to jumps, so it was easy to just send her and let her run. The way she handled the FAST classes this year (way more points earned than needed) makes me think I really should work with her distance work more and do more competing in FAST. I need to take advantage of her speed more than I do right now.

In her Masters classes, it was just a matter me directing her to the correct obstacles, such as in this Standard class:



But then we redeemed ourselves with this first place run in Jumpers:



On Sunday she won her Standard class and I kept trying to battle the thoughts of "Just go clean for our first QQ" and I think we did our best. Unfortunately she dropped one back toe on the last bar of the triple at the end, causing it to go down. :-(



LaMesa showed a lot of promise this weekend, which excites me. We're now taking a break from agility trials until August. The break should be good for me and Dally, but I don't think LaMesa really cares--she'd rather go all the time anywhere!

Catching Up with the Stump Kids: Dally & the Hoosier

It's been a busy few weeks for me as the head of the Stump Kids. We hit up a couple of agility trials at the end of May and first part of June, hoping to finish Dally's PACH2 and do one last little push for LaMesa's rankings with the Swedish Vallhunds.

Neither goal was accomplished.

But, oh well!

At the Derby City Agility Association trial May 31-June 1, we battled a rather warm facility, which didn't bode well for Dally when it comes to her speed. Dally ended up earning 2 QQs, but not very many points (32 total), but that was OK. The courses by Jim and Judy Smotrel were fun, with the Jumpers course at the end of the trial a nice, flowy course that had it's challenges. LaMesa earned a Masters Jumpers leg and 11 points on Saturday. Dally ended up earning her MXJP6 on Saturday as well!

Then the next weekend we headed up to Indianapolis for the Hoosier Kennel Club AKC Agility Trial, my dad's dog club which I help organize and put together. Going into the trial, Dally only needed 1 QQ and 60 points for her PACH2. However, I think she decided she just wanted to earn Jumpers Qs to work on her MXJP7 because that's all she qualified in...Jumpers. All three days. Not even an Open FAST Q. :-/ Ohhhhh Dally...how you like to keep me on my toes!

It was always a little something in Standard with Dally at this trial. Yet, I loved the courses designed by David Hirsch and Linda Robertson.

Because we didn't qualify in standard all three days, I used Jumpers as a way to just push for points. Dally ran really well and I think both of us had fun.

Now, with Open FAST, just a reminder we only do FAST once a year, and it's at this trial. Dally doesn't work very well at a distance from me, so I wasn't expecting much. If we didn't get the send, we'd continue on to finish the course quickly, just laughing along the way, so that way she didn't feel any stress about it. If we don't get our OFP, oh well.

Here are some of Dally's runs from the weekend:










Next up I'll share LaMesa's weekend at the Hoosier Kennel Club AKC Agility Trial.

Wordless Wednesday: Sheep Dreams?

Stump Kid Link Love: Bones, Obsessive Paw Licking, Canine Cross Training, Jump Training

I know the blog has been quiet lately, and that's unfortunate because there's been a lot to update you on in the lives of the Stump Kids! I promise I'll do a quick update wrap-up this weekend, but first I wanted to share with you some interesting Internet finds for dog owners and lovers!

Recreational Bones for Dogs (Dogs Naturally): LaMesa loves bones of all types, and she's got some strong teeth and jaws, so we have to be particular about what we get her. This is a great basic article about the positives and negatives of bones for dogs and how to choose the right one for your furry friend.

Why Does My Dog Obsessively Lick His Paws? (Woofipedia): Another article related to LaMesa--she loves to lick and sometimes she will lick her paws a lot. What about your dog? Have you thought maybe he/she has allergies? Read more if you question your dog's licking obsession.

Thinking Outside the Box--Cross Conditioning (FitPaws): I'm all about cross-training when it comes to my fitness, so of course I like to do different things with the Stump Kids to keep their conditioning up. Whether it's hiking, running through tall/thick grass, or working on their FitPaws Peanut, I know that for dogs with long backs such as Corgis and Swedish Vallhunds, it's important to have a strong body. I'd love to do more with canine rehabilitation and conditioning as a career...maybe in some other life...

Total Team Series: Jump Collection Set Point (SpeedDoggie.com): I know LaMesa still has a ways to go with bettering her jumping. And I know I need to be a better handler to cue her for turns and collection. Thanks to Clean Run sharing this on Facebook, I am going to sit and watch more of these videos just to see what I can gather to help me help LaMesa.

Enjoy! If you have a favorite read or video from the week, please share it below so I can find more great things!