Becca and Her Upcoming Schedule (as told by Donna A.)

Becca has been "resting on her laurels" after finishing her Breed Championship and earning her Rally Novice title.




But she's ready to get busy with furthering her obedience training as we start our Open Obedience class in a couple of weeks--it consists of two 8-week sessions. The first 8 weeks consisting of learning to retrieve the dumb bell, retrieve on flat, drop on recall and out of sight groups; the second session deals with retrieve over the high jump and the broad jump. She's getting ready by practicing holding her "REAL" dumb bell; lots of treats immediately follow!




She still has work to do in Novice training, but my obedience club only offers Open classes when enough students sign up (approximately 6 to 8 people) which means there can be quite a long time between when these occur. So we don't want to miss out on this opportunity. It will give her busy little mind something to keep it occupied by learning new things, and we are both looking forward to it. Wish us luck!!

Lyric and Open Obedience

Lyric made her debute in Open obedience last week. Although she didn't earn a leg it wasn't for lack of trying. I am so proud of her performance-it was me who failed her by leaving her crooked on the long 3 minute sit. I was so concerned about her front legs I forgot to check her rear and left her sitting rolled on one hip. She made it two minutes before she went down. Oh well.

Lyric hates the dumbbell and retrieves it so slowly I gave up trying correct this. Both on the flat and high jump she would walk back. One time she went over the high jump picked up the dumbbell and walked back to the high jump and stood on the far side hanging her head over the jump with the dumbbell in her mouth looking at me as if to say "what do I do I can't go over?". I actually stopped training her for months and have been focusing on Echo and Whisper. With the specialty coming up I wanted to show Whisper and Lyric in obedience so started again with Lyric. To speed up her retrieve I decided I would try making her retrieve for her dinner. Bring me the dumbbell and exchange it for dinner. It worked and you can see the results in the video. I also realized I hadn't taught her the finish after the broad jump. Earlier that week in our obedience lesson she still wasn't finishing. You can tell after the broad jump she wasn't quite sure what to do but she came back to me for direction and did a finish.

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Echo Continues In Agility

Echo has had her fourth class lesson and is definately improving in her enthusiam and time between rewards. When we first started the class I had to reward every two or three obstacles. In addition I used the fuzzy lunge line as a drag toy to motivate her-awkward to carry and run but whatever motivates her. The last half of the class I switched to bait bag with food which now seems to work as well. Currently she seems to love contacts more than jumping. We are training 2 on/2 off and still have a ways to go.



Although we are still are having troubles with the weavepoles-right handed used to be impossible without hoops, now they are just hard. Her rhythm is picking up in them as well although we still have alot of speed to develop.

Ch Aragon Morning Mist RN(by Donna Arcaro)

Back-to-Back Titles Earned in Two Days for Becca!!!

After adding "Ch." to the front of Becca's registered name, it seems a little unbalanced. The next day at the Ventura County Dog Fanciers Association Show, she received her third qualifying score AND a 4th place in Rally Obedience Novice B!!! So now her registered name is "balanced" on both ends. She had missed a lot of her naps this weekend with all the dog shows and decided to get caught up on her sleep. Since I always leave the door on her crate open, she went in there on her own and "scooted" her head under a blanket to catch some shut eye. Sweet dreams, my fabulous little girl--you deserve them.

Another New Adventure in Bryn's show career(by Marie Hamilton)

We had a very long drive from Northern California to Northern Oregon-Hillsboro-. We had lots of stops so Soda Pop, Gator, and I could get out of RV and stretch our legs. Lots of people asked Marie if we were rescue greyhounds. I didn't know what that meant until Marie explained that we were AKC show dogs and there is a great need for those dogs rescued from the racing track to find homes. I like to race with Soda and Gator, but we are having fun. Doesn't sound as if those track dogs had such a nice life.
But on with my story.
The show we were going to was a Hound Specialty along with an AKC Canine Experience and ALL Breed " B Match". (More new terms for me to learn). There were lots of tents set up by clubs for other dog breeds.
There were people selling all kinds of dog goodies, obedience, rally, handlers, and new exhibitor classes.
The club decides who is eligible to compete in the B match and this was open to all except Champions- so I was able to be entered. I'm so new to all this ( I even thought I earned a QC title behind my name for padding the lure course test, but I was wrong). I'm only a young dog and can't be right all the time.
I wasn't entered in the Saturday Hound show , so I thought I would have a quiet, lazy greyhound day. WRONG
The match started at 1 PM and ran like a regular show. I realized right away that it was going to be a long day. I won the Breed, a group 1 in Hounds, and therefore, went in for Best in Match. It started to rain around 5 pm and I am too long to get both ends under the umbrella, I became quite vocal about that situation. I did not like that!!!. It stopped just before I had to go into the ring. This rather wet disgruntled greyhound still managed to go Best in Match. Marie and Tamara were beaming (and wet). Lisa was at the other show in Group with Darby. The Aragon dogs were quite busy that weekend.
On Sunday, I had to go into the regular match. The judge had a little extra time, so she fussed with me a little longer that usual. I felt very important, but, still, the RV sounded really good. I still had to wait to get to the couch because a friend of Tamara's was taking pictures of Tanner, Darby, and me.
But, I am now going to take that nap that I so well deserve. (But, I bet I'll have to share with Gator!)
He didn't do anything all weekend (sore toe). He doesn't understand a growing girl needs her beauty sleep.
More later (I have so much to learn)
Bryn age 18 mo

And Becca Makes Four

It's now Champion Aragon Morning Mist!!!

Now there are four puppies in Lyric's litter with their breed Championship.
Becca finished her Championship today at the Santa Maria Kennel Club Show in Ventura, CA!!! She went Winners Bitch for her last remaining point. Becca, being the playful puppy that she still is, wanted to play in the ring a couple of times while gaiting by grabbing my hand, BUT fortunately the judge overlooked that and saw her for the lovely Greyhound that she is. Last year at this same cluster of shows, Becca made her show debut, so it was most fitting that she finished her championship at the same group of shows a year later.

Whisper In Agility Practice

The last few months Whisper hasn't seemed to enjoy agility as much as previously. Then in May we had the horrible crash and we haven't done well in Jumpers since. Well she came into heat shortly afterwards and I had hopes that her mood changes were hormonal. I think they were as she seems to be enjoying agility again.




The first video is the same exercise that Echo did in the agility post. Difference between a baby dog and an experienced dog



I had debated skipping our weekly class at Power Paws but decided to go. Luckily as soon as she was out of heat she was back in her old form.

Echo Starts Agility

Echo started her first agility class this month. Up until now we have been working on individual and two jumps sequences and individual contacts. Time to move on. She started her first class at Power Paws. Unfortunately as there was no room in a novice class she had to enter an intermediate level class. Some of her classmates are actively competing at the Excellent level. Much more difficult moves than we had been practicing(serpentines? huh? 270s? who would have thought...right handed weavepoles? I don't think so!)



Even though the class was way above our head and we had to stop to reward every few obstacles I was pleased she tried and worked with me instead of trying to play with the other dogs.
Weavepoles we have a long way to go. We have been out of guidewires only a handful of times. Obviously need much more practice for her to understand the concept on her own.



After looking at her enthusiam for the dog walk I decided it is a good thing AKC is not judging the upcontact of the dog walk after September of this year.