Wordless Wednesday: A Stump Kid Christmas Card

Wordless Wednesday: Ferocious Stump Kid Fight

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.

Wordless Wednesday: PACH2 Dally!

Wordless Wednesday: Dally the Agility Trial Chair-Pup

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.

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!

Wordless Wednesday: Dally's Teeter Photos from Nationals

Wordless Wednesday: Dally's Nationals Photos!

Dally Keeps Me Grounded: Border Terrier Trial at Queen City

Ohhh Dally. God loves a Corgi, doesn't he? They make sure to keep you honest and grounded.

First let me preface this by saying I was a little worried about how she would handle our first trial back from Nationals. After her spook-out moment in Hybrid, I had people warn me that this might be something that affects her at future trials now, so I was concerned about what kind of dog I'd have for this trial. Luckily, I knew she loves running at Queen City, so I had hoped whatever afflicted her in Pennsylvania stayed in Pennsylvania. I just wanted us to run and have fun.

On Saturday our Jumpers run was awesome! She hasn't run that fast in a long time, and she streaked to first place with a 34 second run, over a Papillon! That's a pretty big deal for us any more. She ran so fast, my friends didn't get a chance to video us! But it was a fun run! Before our Standard run, though, she came out of her crate a little stiff. Thankfully she was wearing her Back on Track blanket and just getting her out for a walk to stretch her stumps did the trick to loosen her up just in time. She wasn't as fast as I would have liked her to be, but she was consistent in her speed, at least. I did have to remind her she needed to stop on the table. (Side note: Nationals doesn't use a table, so sometimes it's hard for dogs to remember to stop on the table for their first trial back.) 

Feeling like I had the "old Dally" back that was happy to run, I set my sights on trying to finish our PACH2 in the next couple of trials. We went into the weekend needing 5 QQs, plus about 100+ points. After our QQ on Saturday, I felt confident...maybe too confident.

Her Jumpers run was great...consistent speed, and a happy dog. I was able to get in all my blind crosses with great timing, and she kept her forward motion because I was never in her way.



But then came her Standard run. Everything was just fine, until we got to the weaves. I walked this different ways and decided I wanted to try pushing her to the correct side of the pinwheel. I felt this was more encouraging to her than a front cross, and I assumed she'd follow my lead. Well...she decided that Peter Liu mislabeled the course and she changed it. I had everything going correctly--my body, feet, shoulders, voice was telling her one way, and even with me calling her loudly, she chose the other way. She even sped up for the off-course! When I asked friends what I did wrong, Melanie said "You did nothing wrong...she's a Corgi and she's ornery and she didn't want to listen to you. I've never seen a dog speed up for an off-course even after being called off!" While we didn't get the whole course, you see the naughty Corgi part. After that mistake, I decided we were running all-out for the rest of the course.




Corgis definitely have minds of their own! Just when I'm starting to feel confident, Dally knows how to bring me back to the ground. Gotta love her for that!!

6 Year Trial Anniversary for Team Dally: Greater Louisville Training Club

This past weekend at the Greater Louisville Training Club's Kentuckiana Cluster, Dally and I celebrated our 6-year AKC trial anniversary. It's hard to imagine that 6 years ago we debuted and now we're getting ready to hit our third straight AKC National Agility Championships!!

The Cluster has always been hot and cold for me and Dally…we have yet to QQ there. It seems like after our debut, where we went 3-for-3 for our first ever Qs, we do well to Q once a day.

And that continued this year. It was a long day for us--it went tall to small, and even though it's a 3-ring trial, it still makes for long days. I was lucky to not have to be there early, unlike Merinda and my other friends, but we still arrived around 1:30 and still waited until 5:30 just to walk our first course, which happened to be Masters Jumpers. Then within an hour we were also walking the Masters Standard. It was wait…then hurry!! We were done by 7:30 and on the road. Still exhausting.

Saturday's courses were fun, though. We tackled Tim Pinneri's Jumpers course just fine. I like courses that start with tunnels because it's a good way to rev Dally up early. Serpentines are a strong thing for Dally because she and I are able to do the straight line, which saves yardage. We Qd and finished 5th in a tough 4 Inches class and 10 PACH points.

The Masters Standard course was manageable, but for some reason Dally skipped a pole in the middle of the weaves--that was a first. So we finished strong and fast, just to have fun.



(Yes, we were the last dog of the entire day…how much does that suck??)

Sunday was a little better--we arrived around 1 and were actually done by 5:30. A lot of people were leaving early because of bad winter weather coming, which helped with the timing. Again, we started with Jumpers, which saw Dally Q with 4 PACH points. She was a little slower, but she kept things going. In Standard I swore we had our first QQ, but the judge raised his hand on a jump and it was noted as a refusal on the scribe sheet. I'm still not sure what she did, because he didn't raise his hands like she knocked the bar, No one knows exactly what happened still…it's a little irritating.

Oh well, that's agility right? We came out of it with 14 total PACH points and a good warm-up for Nationals. We hadn't trialed since November, so I was nervous about how rusty we were. Maybe the slowness was some of Dally's rust…I don't know. But I think we'll be OK for Nationals.

Here's LaMesa's trial wrap-up, including a little surprise... ;-)

Wordless Wednesday: Cartoon Dally

Cartoonize My Pet

2013 Review & 2014 Stump Kid Resolutions

Another year has come and gone. There wasn't anything too exciting for the Stump Kids, but it was overall a successful year.

January started off the year right with participating in a seminar with Dawn Weaver and celebrating Dally's PACH, not to mention the end of LaMesa's Q drought that was almost a year long. February was quiet, with only one agility trial, but some success along the way.

March saw a trip with Merinda and Porter to Tulsa for the 2014 AKC National Agility Championships that was a lot of fun because I had quite a few friends to share the event with. We chronicled our road trip for The Daily Corgi, as well as on here, so I hope you were able to enjoy the event, too.

April was a struggle to get back into a groove with both girls, though I'm not sure why. LaMesa and I started taking classes at Shamrock Acres in Louisville, which was a great decision because it helped us become more of a team. In May the Stump Kids tried out a Terrier trial for the first time, with barn hunts and lure coursing on the docket.

June saw LaMesa finally get a re-measurement to move down to the 8" Regular height, which has been a huge relief for us. She's now re-learning to not jump so high and it's helping her in many ways on the course. July Dally was on the injured reserve list and LaMesa got her first Novice FAST Q.

August was quiet--no agility trials, but we talked about different things like battling age with agility dogs, a police K9's legacy, etc. September was busy getting back into the groove of agility, but still no Qs for LaMesa.

October saw the girls earn plenty of medals at the Canine Olympics, but more importantly LaMesa earned her first MACH points in Tennessee and Ohio! November Dally finished qualifying for the 2014 AKC National Agility Championships, which I wasn't sure would happen or not. And, finally, December was another quiet month with no agility trials, but moving houses and talking about the mental aspect of agility.

So what's on tap for the Stump Kids in 2014? Well, Dally and I are competing in what is probably going to be her last AKC National Agility Championships. Next year's event is in Reno, so I don't see us making that long trek again. We're so close to finishing up her PACH2 (just 5 QQs & 205 points), so that would be great to accomplish this year.

LaMesa and I still have a lot of work to do, but I'd love to see if we can get qualified for the 2014 AKC Agility Invitational as being in the Top 5 Swedish Vallhunds. She's currently sitting #10, with points only from 2 Qs, so if we can start to be more consistent and Q (and start QQing), it could be very doable.

What do the Stump Kids think?

LaMesa: "My resolution is to try to harness my rogue-ness, as mom calls it, and maybe act a little more domesticated at agility trials in 2014."

Dally: "I don't need a resolution…I'm fabulous every year!"

What are your pups' resolutions? 

Agility Trial: Dally Gets Her Final Nationals Points

I'm a little late on wrapping up our last AKC trial we attended (Nov. 9-10), but I'm making up for it now. (Note: I've somehow misplaced all of the course maps from this weekend. Blogger FAIL. Sorry!)

Just a week after competing at Queen City, we were back. It was the third weekend in a row at an agility trial, but I knew that Dally and I could finish up the points needed for AKC Nationals this weekend, as long as I didn't make any unnecessary mistakes.

Saturday's runs were great. In Jumpers I made sure I didn't push too much in the weaves (which I know was my mistake the week prior) and to just run the course with simple cues. Standard was a little tricky with having to call her off the chute off the teeter, but luckily she listened.

(I love Blair Kelley and Dan Faulkner's courses, by the way.)




Sunday I wanted to push her a little more, but I had to remember to be more deliberate with my cues.

Here's the jumpers run:



This was fun with the serpentine, then a push for the big pinwheel. Both LaMesa and Dally handled that very well, so I was proud of both girls.

We didn't get a standard video, but I went in needing just a few more points for Nationals with that run. We came out of it in great shape! At the end of the weekend we had 513 points towards the AKC National Agility Championships!!

Dally's now on a long vacation from agility for a while. I usually do that a couple times a year to help her recharge her body and her love of agility. It's well-deserved--we're now just  5 QQs and 204 points from her PACH2. Who would have thought that we would be going to AKC Nationals three years in a row and be close to our PACH2??

For those pushing for their last points this weekend and next, I wish you good luck and best runs!! I was able to pull from the Merrillville, Ind., trial being held Nov. 29-Dec. 1 (I entered Nov. 29-30 just in case) since I have my points, so hopefully others can get their last points.

Dally Travels America

Disclaimer: I got this idea from Merinda. She did a "Porter Peeing Across America" map on the Brews Brothers' blog.

Merinda and I always talk about how our Corgis, Porter and Dally, pee and/or poop across America in their travels. It's a little bit of a good-hearted competition (I think) to see how well traveled our pups can be. We've done a lot of traveling together, but we've also gone our separate ways every now and then, so this map is all in good fun.

So here's Dally's map! We look forward to adding more states to it as time goes on!

Remember: Dally's Not Perfect

Dally's pretty good about keeping me grounded. Just when I'm thinking we're doing so well and maybe things are going perfectly, she reminds me that I can't slack off when I run her.

After a QQ on Saturday at the Queen City Dog Training Club's AKC Trial this past weekend, I was feeling pretty confident about pushing her for more speed--surely we'll Q, right?? Going into the weekend we needed 91 points for AKC Nationals. After earning 33 on Saturday, I felt like we could get even closer on Sunday.

Note to self: Don't ever take anything for granted and always keep on your toes, no matter which dog you're running.

Here were our successful runs on Saturday:

Jumpers:



Standard:


(I have no clue what happened at the chute and the teeter--it's pretty bad when the judge looks at you and goes "Whew!" and shakes her head because your dog barely hit the teeter in the right spot.)

On Sunday, we had miscues at the weave poles in both Jumpers and Standard. In Jumpers she popped out after the tenth pole. I'm not sure what made her do so--Porter had done the same thing in the same spot, so maybe it was a Corgi thing?

Then in Jumpers we totally blew by the weaves--I was pushing so much for speed that when I sent her in the tunnel, I ran by the weaves and signaled "Weave!" but I didn't hold the signal. I assumed she'd take them. I should never assume with Dally.



I've learned my lesson. Going into this weekend (again at Queen City), I'm going to push for speed, but still hold my signals and make sure we're more accurate than fast. We need 58 points now, and it can be doable, if we're both on the same page.

We'll let you know how that goes next week.

Double Q Dally in Dayton

This weekend, at the Dayton Dog Training Club's AKC Agility Trial, we saw the return of "Double Q Dally." Dally went 4-for-4 on the weekend, earning QQs #11 & #12 towards her PACH2 and a total of  42 PACH points to go towards qualifying for the 2014 AKC Nationals.

The courses were great--not a lot of traps, but very flowy. It was the type of course I needed to try to get lots of points with Dally, but she wasn't running as fast as I thought she would. The Standard and Jumpers courses allowed me to really work on my blind crosses with Dally. (I even heard, what I'll consider a compliment, when someone said, "There's the queen of the blind crosses." on Sunday.)

Standard:



Jumpers:



Saturday night I gave Dally half of a Traumeel in her dinner, just in case the hard ground made her a little sore (the footing was hard/tightly compact dirt with no give). She didn't show any signs of stiffness or soreness Sunday morning, especially with how cold it was Saturday and still pretty chilly Sunday. I took extra time to warm up Dally more than normal, including a warm-up jump, just to make sure everything was moving well.

Standard:



I didn't get a full video of our Jumpers run, but let's just say it was rather slow--we only earned 2 points out of that run. I thought she was ready to go, warmed up well and seemed revved up enough at the start line, but then it just sputtered after the first jump. I'm not sure if it was just being sore, tired, or Dally just not feeling it--one never really knows with her.

We have two more weekends to try to get the remaining 91 points for the 2014 AKC National Agility Championships. I've found another trial at the end of November in northern Indiana that I might enter if we can't get those points, but I'm crossing my fingers that Dally's love for Queen City equals lots of points and fast runs for her.

Next up, LaMesa's weekend...

Deep Dirt Isn't a Corgi's Friend

Have I mentioned that Dally's legs are really like 3-4" tall? And when you add in some deep, heavy red dirt in a horse arena, it makes for slower going than expected. And that's what I ran into with running Dally at the Greater Kingsport Kennel Club trial in White Pine, Tenn. And, of course, Saturday and Sunday was running small to tall, so Dally was the second dog on that deep dirt. While the "small dog people" were walking the Standard course, we were really trying to walk the dog's path so we could try to pack down the dirt. While it didn't seem to affect LaMesa much, it did affect Dally.

In Standard, Dally handled the course like a rock star. I tried to keep her as tight for the wraps as possible to save precious seconds. I run so much more relaxed with Dally than LaMesa, and you can tell in this run. She ended up winning this with 11 PACH points (not as much as she normally can get in Standard).



We didn't get a video of our Jumpers run (Jodi was running immediately after me with Maya as the first 8" and I didn't want her to stress about it), but we were clean. I felt like she ran it pretty well and maybe a little faster than her Standard run. However, she stopped the clock at 54.43 and the SCT was 54--a Q and first place, but no PACH points. That was a bit of a bummer. Oh well, QQ #10 for PACH2.

Sunday's Standard course was very doable for me and Dally, but I mishandled the flip off the dog walk into the first tunnel, causing her to come off and wonder where I wanted her to go next (I swear my toes and body was facing that tunnel opening). I think Laura English was thinking real hard about raising her hand...and I wish she hadn't. :-( A refusal knocked out a possible Q. But, I was proud of how I handled the double blind cross at the beginning--I'm getting more and more comfortable using those with Dally and they work.


Again in Jumpers, no video, but we attacked it with gusto--I wanted to go balls to the wall to try to get some more points. I figured we didn't have a QQ on the line, but I wanted points. I handled that tight wrap with Dally like how I handled LaMesa, with a blind and then a wrap to the triple before the weaves and it worked again. This time we came out of there with a Q and 9 points.

I went into this trial hoping for a good amount of points for AKC Nationals, so I was disappointed to only get 20 total with Dally. I know, any points and any QQs are great...I just need to cool it with my expectations. We have 133 more points to get for AKC Nationals and three weekends to do it (starting with this coming weekend), so we'll just keep plugging through, keeping those tight wraps and running for fun and speed, and see where we sit in a few weeks...

Agility Trial: Dally Finds Her Speed Again at Hamilton DTC

So remember my concern over how Dally ran (or didn't run) at the Louisville trial at the beginning of September? Well, I'm thinking that was just a bad, hot weekend with Dally still battling her sore neck. (And I'm hoping that was a single occurrence.) The reason I say that is because she was smoking at Hamilton! She was back to her usual, sassy, fast Corgi self, and I couldn't have been happier!

I love running technical courses with Dally because she can turn tightly and really listens to me. So I wasn't afraid of these courses. However we didn't come away with the two QQs I was hoping for, but that was just because of a couple slight mistakes, one by me and one by her.

Dally's weekend:

Saturday's Standard run saw a fast, happy Corgi, and an even happier handler! However, coming off the teeter I pushed Dally too much for the odd-angled jump. She thought I wanted a backside jump (which we had been working on) and by the time I realized what was happening, it was too late, so I let her take it the wrong way and go on--she was running fast and happy and that was all that mattered to me.

In Jumpers we made up for it, with a nice, smooth run. I was able to throw in a couple of blind crosses that finally looked smooth and fluid! We ended up second with 8 PACH points.

Going into Sunday's Standard, I was determined to not make a mistake with Dally. Unfortunately, she knocked a bar on the jump after the A-frame--I think her stride coming off the A-frame and then setting up for the jump was off. When I saw that happen, we just pushed it and ran. I threw in a front cross before the weaves and then a blind after, hoping she'd stay in them like we've practiced. Apparently she popped out at 10--bad Corg! So we'll be working on those more. It was still a fun course to run with her.

Jumpers she made up for it and we Qd with 12 PACH points. I was actually surprised when she almost ran by one jump, but I caught her in time to push over it. That judge had been picky all weekend, so I figured he called a refusal on us, but I discovered he didn't and was happy to place second to Porter.

We still have quite a few points to accrue for 2014 AKC Nationals. I don't know if we'll be able to get them, but we're going to have fun pushing for it while we do! I'm thankful for every happy run Dally and I have, knowing our time in the agility ring is starting to wane some. As long as she's happy running, I'm happy to run her!

In case you missed it, here's how LaMesa handled those courses: LaMesa Tackles Tough Courses at Hamilton DTC