Stir Crazy

  Holiday shopping, family events, work schedule, and no dog class means the guys have been hanging around with little to do except wait.  December scheduling is always hardest on the dogs because they are excluded from the reindeer games while the humans run themselves ragged.

  For the first time in weeks, Mike and I had a day without needing to be some place and there was no forcasted rain.  Everyone was packed into the van and off we went to the local park for a walk.  I would have liked to go longer, but there were two separate walks and no where to walk to.  The park was empty since the temperature has finally started to fall and the day threatened to be wet.  I figured no one would be using the playground area and took advantage of a mulched border.  This made it easier for Mike who was going to take photos of the dogs while they worked.

  I set six hides, grouping three odors in the same area.  I figured we have not been searching much and scent might travel farther in the open area.  They dogs could work through converging odor to find each and figure out which one to find first.  Like everything planned, it did not go exactly that way for each dog.










  The threshold/start line was a gravel pathway that cut between two hides.  The water fountain on the left was Clove and the park bench on the right was Birch.  From the start, all four dogs nose-flicked toward the park bench, but all of them went straight to the water fountain.  From that point, it was about me following each dog to dispense hot dogs as the next hide in whatever order was located.





 
While the first Clove hide was relatively easy, the second Clove hide placed on a swing seat seemed to disperse odor further away.  Each dog used the swing set legs, mulch divots, and border, but
 struggled to look up at the correct hanging seat.  We did move the metal container back and forth between the different swing seat to see if that helped, which it did not.  The Corgis were disadvantaged by having short legs, Niven struggled to look up, and only Tarot found it almost immediately.




  The Anise hide pushed into the mulch caused the most problems, but at least each dog caught odor and tried to track it.  I thought the moisture would hold scent close to source and the general area, but instead it traveled further and pooled in two different areas about four feet away.  All I could do was limit the dogs to the area and let them sort through the challenge.   Ironically, Niven never found this hide and offered the "I have nothing" indicator.





  The only thing colorful in a dreary day needed an Anise hide to find.  This was stuffed in a hole where odor seemed to stick as it traveled upward, backward, and underneath.  The Corgis had no problem going under, but the Labs had to duck, if not crawl.  Everyone quickly figured out how to go around from the back to front to find source.  Tarot was the one who had to climb high, but discovered odor was coming from below and she could not contort without using the sliding board.








  Both Birch hides were set to be easy and I was happy to see the wind was kind and kept it that way.  I was not sure how environment conditions would affect the rest of the search and I wanted something I knew would be straight forward.  I am very surprised that out of all the hide placements, none of the dogs went into this area as a first or second choice.











  So we got out for an hour or two and had some photos taken.  Of course we are all now ready for another outing, but we are back into Holiday mode with the New Year and we need to go to work to pay for more dog time.

  Hope the warm early winter is kind to you too!

  Joyce Smuda
  www.foxglen.net

2015: An Awesome Year

 The last time I had a year of accomplishment with the dogs was in 2009 when Niven completed her Agility AKC Novice & Open titles and USDAA Starters titles.  Although the following years saw other accomplishments with both Niven and Torch, it was not in the same manner and never of that "wow what a year" sentiment.  2015 did not have the rake in of titles 2009 did, but it did have accomplishment, this time spanning two different sports.

  Last November Niven was spayed and had three mammary masses removed during the process.  I do not like to focus on the grim, but as we sat in the living room recovering from surgery, I had to face a very negative reality.  Time was suddenly long and short for each dog, so much potential still untapped, yet so much already proven.  When the Vet called a week later to say the blood tests looked good and the masses benign, there is no way to express the relief of knowing life would go on.

 With the new year starting, it was time to plan out the dog adventures in Agility and Nosework.  We would return to Agility, keep getting out in the Breed ring, and find Nosework trials.

Niven

Photographer: Mike Rickenback

 2015 began with limited Agility practice, mainly to allow Niven to loosen up and get back into the groove of obstacle performance.  She looked fantastic in ability and  jumping, so I had no problem entering a few winter Agility trials.  For a nine year old Lab, Niven ran smoothly and completed the AKC Excellent FAST title and picked up a few Master and Time2Beat legs.  During late Spring, I noticed she was not getting the lift needed to clear 24 inch Jumps and decided to enter Preferred where she could jump at 20 inches.  Niven seemed to enjoy herself at this lower height, winning a few more Master and T2B legs.  By summer I realized it was really time to retire the Labrador that gave me so much.

Photographer: Lonni Berger

  Instead, I focused on Nosework where there was little worry about the aging dog body and Niven could have fun sniffing as a retirement game.  We had spent the end of 2014 troubleshooting issues that stemmed from searching for Primary and Paired Odor for too long and finally tested on Birch.  For this year, I wanted to focus on the remaining ORTs and maybe finding a trial to enter.  In February, she tested on Anise and in May cleared Clove.  Now it was time to trial.

  I was not sure how we would do as a first time NW Dog & Handler, but Niven was turning out to be a fantastic partner.  I missed two trial opportunities due to other obligations, but we were finally entered in a mid-October trial.  It was then that we held it together through four searches to complete the NW1 title.  I knew some of our searches were quick, but I did not know she was holding the top six positions in most of the tests.  When the trial was over, Niven was 3rd place in Overall searches out of 45 dog teams and had placed 1st in Vehicle searches, with a Pronounced in Exteriors.  For a dog I had struggled with and had to develop a troubleshooting program for, this made the frustration and effort to not give up so worth it.

  Where does 2016 leads us?  We continue.  I was originally going to retire Niven from trialing after the NW1, but she still enjoys working and this sport allows for her to do so.

Torch

  Torch and I have been focused solely on Nosework this year.  Although I have some desire to enter a few Rally Trials, they are often in conflict with other events.  Torch has really enjoyed searching, the "liquid Corgi eyes" and howling from the van the telling factor.  We ended 2014 by passing the Birch ORT, but the start of 2015 was not as positive.

  During the February ORT for Anise, Torch started to fringe boxes and false alert to a non-pass.    The next test was not scheduled until the end of May and I was able to play with practice sessions.  For the May ORTs Torch did a fantastic job of locating both the Anise and Clove boxes and the fringing issue did not emerge.  Family parties took priority over the dog shows and I did not have Torch entered in a trial until the weekend of Halloween.

  During the summer and early Fall, the fringing issue periodically reared its ugly head, but I was not in the realization this issue would always be underlying and that it needed more attention that I was not giving it.  At the trial, Torch did a great job of working through different issues, plus approaching search areas from upwind.  Unfortunately, the Container search room did not provide optimal conditions for a dog with fringing tenancies.  After the second false alert and his refusing the budge from a wrong box, I called the Alert to end it.  I knew this was a training/practice issue that we needed to focus on and there would be other trials to enter. We did however, get an Interior Pronounced.

Although there is disappointment in not achieving something Torch can do, we have something to work on and through.  This issue is common and the challenge is developing fun solutions to strengthen weakness.  Sometimes a non-qualify is what is needed to make you think, plan, and work smarter.

  For 2016, Torch and I will continue to practice with moving odor and he will be entered in another NW1 trial.  As it becomes available, we will continue on with the NW2.

Tarot

Photographer: Mike Rickenback

  This year has been busy for Tarot, as we continued with Nosework and started Agility training.  At the beginning of the year, Tarot started on Agility ground work and very quickly progressed through the incremental criteria.  By June she was performing basic equipment and segments, while progressing with Jump height increase and Weavepoles.  In the following six months, we have reach competition performance with the periodic bobble in the Weavepoles, which will iron out with more time.  I am very pleased with the progress we have made in less than eleven months and look forward to entering our first trial in February of next year.  I have no idea of how well we will do working in a new location, but that is not what this sport is about for me.  Tarot enjoys performing and it is all about the fun.

Photographer: Kristy Boki

  To keep Tarot busy, we started the year with the Birch ORT in February.  The linoleum flooring added a level of difficulty and I learned patience while she worked through the different odor movements to find the correct box.  At the beginning of the summer Anise and Clove oils were introduced to our searches and by September she was ready for the remaining ORTs, which were both passed.  Our first trial was held in mid-November and Tarot did a great job of completing the NW1 with a 3rd placement in Interiors and Pronounced Exteriors & Interiors.  What a nifty way to start the career of your first home bred bitch!

  2016 should be a busy year as we polish the Agility performance and enter a few trials while continuing to work towards the NW2.

Desi

Photographer: John Ashley

 Little Dog has had some fun this year balancing the schedule from the breed ring and starting Nosework.   I tried to get Desi out in the breed ring as often as I could, starting the year by showing in the Open Bitch class while she transformed from being a puppy.  During the summer, she picked up a few championship points and as Fall progressed, high placements in large classes were won.  I believe 2016 will be the year she starts to make progress toward that Championship.

Photographer: Mike Rickenback

In July we started Nosework and gained experience searching for Primary source (food).  My intention was not to push too hard because her human had more experience within the Sport, but by Corgi nature Desi pieced together the game quickly.  With both us understanding our jobs, we added Birch and followed soon with Anise and Clove.  Now at the end of December, Desi is confidently searching for odor and I have her entered in the ORTs at the beginning of February.

  In 2016 Desi will be out in the Breed rings and going for ORT Testing, followed by an NW1 trial sometime during the year.



  2015 has been a busy year in balancing the training classes, finding time to practice and trialing.  All of my guys are enthusiastic about going out for training sessions and love working through whatever is thrown at them.  I am so proud of each and the accomplishments they have achieved while enjoying the day's outing.  Where we came up short, there is a solution and always another trial.

  I can only trust that each of you have had a fantastic year of doing what you love to do and completing goal sets.  More importantly, I can only hope you have learned from accomplishment and mistakes.  May 2016 be that year where it all comes together.

  From the guys at Foxglen, we all wish you a very Happy New Year!


                           



  Joyce Smuda
  www.foxglen.net