Lyric

                                                                               LYRIC    

                                    BISS  GCH Aryal Aroi Stoney Ridge CDX TDX RE AX AXJ SC
                           
                                                              April 4 2005-April 17 2014

  You came into my life when I needed a puppy and I had no idea what the future would bring to us.
Together you and I learned so much from each other.  From the start you taught me what happens mentally to a puppy when they are sick and hospitalized away from everything they know, how frightening and traumatic it is for them. I changed how I approach and hospitalize ill puppies and am a better veterinarian because of you.

When we entered the conformation ring, you and I could beat almost anyone. Rarely had I ever placed in the group, yet we started off earning a Group 1 from the classes. I looked like a rank novice in the Best in Show lineup. You looked like you belonged and owned the ring. That was just the beginning of your career. You won specialty after specialty including our National always owner handled. One of my dreams was to win a specialty and High in Trial with the same dog. You did that for me.

Performance sports were never your first love but you did everything I ever asked and with a style and steadiness everyone envied. You taught me to be a better more patient trainer. You hated being asked to do the same exercise more than twice. You taught me "Less is More" in training. Once you learned the exercises you were so reliable, I could count you to quailify. In fact we earned multiple specialty High In Trials both from the Novice and Open obedience ring.

In tracking you were the only greyhound I have ever had that would track in the rainstorms. You were one of the few that earned their TDX on their first attempt. Your TDX test was in dry year with little vegetation. The conditions were hard,the grass was short, the track was long with turns on dirt. You stuck it out  and after 44 minutes of hard work  you did it and became one of the few TDX greyhounds.

Agility was never a favorite once the tunnel "bit you" . But you continued and succeeded so we went onto other venues.

Your first love was running as it should be with a greyhound. You could run like the wind and never wanted to stop.

You were always such a serious dog but sometimes you would forget and be a silly puppy again.

You were  the most beautiful greyhound I have ever seen. Because of you I became recognized in the greyhound world. I was often asked-Are you Lyric's owner? You were known and made me known internationally.

I can't believe you were fine one day and gone the next. I had no warning, no time to say good bye.
I hope I gave to you as much as you gave to me.
Be free and run the hills again

Breeze AX

It took a long time to earn 3 Excellent Standard legs. Something always went wrong. At first it was weavepole entrances but contacts were great. After practicing and practicing, weave entrances were much more reliable but the contacts broke. Then the table broke, then distance never a strong point broke. Once we fixed one problem, another would surface. It seemed to take a long time to get in sink but in reality, we trial less than once a month.

On her first Ex Std leg, weave entrances were still broken and you can see how I have to guide her to the poles.

The second leg came months later. I was so excited that we were Qing I forgot what to do just before the last jump. I went to front cross then realized I didn't need to and almost knocked her off the jump.




The last leg and her title was memorial. The day before the run it rained SO hard, it sounded like bullets on the roof. Ducks were swimming just outside the rings. After the teeter and to the tunnel you can see the ducks in the distance. Imagine running and looking over and seeing ducks almost beside you. We again almost got a refusal at the weavepoles but luckily with all our practice she has learned to rear cross weaves.



She is now SBIS Ch Aragon Northern Lights TD RN AX AXJ JC

Lyric's 9th Birthday

Lyric turned 9 years old today. She wishes her sister Betty and brothers Morgan, MacTavish and James a Happy Birthday as well. She is the Queen of the house and the toys and treats are all for her!

Breeze AXJ

Breeze has so much enthusiasm for agility, she is a fun fun dog to run. Recently she earned her AXJ at Mensona Kennel Club. Unfortunately her first run wasn't videoed but her second and third leg were. She is fast, she is agile and she is very willing to play the game.

I have to keep remembering though what a baby dog she is, her mistakes-and they are many-are honest misreadings or misunderstandings. It took me a long time to realize dogs have performance nerves as much as we do and can forget what they have learned(ie holding contacts, leaving the table, how to enter weavepoles etc). They are not being bad just excited-these are what I call baby dog mistakes. If they are corrected poorly it makes playing the game, be it agility or obedience less fun. Dogs also need to learn confidence and trust in the handler to do their best. I have trained dogs for years and have learned something new from each dog along the way.

I think Breeze is getting the benefit of my past mistakes and current knowledge. She is willing-if only I were a better handler!!!



Her third leg was the next day-again another fun course.




The following month-last weekend she earned her first 14 MACH points. The course was tricky and many experienced handlers went off course.

Echo CDX

Last month Echo and I were in an obedience trial trying for her 3rd CDX leg and we did it!! The obedience trial was huge-33 dogs in her class. She ended up with a fourth place, not bad for a greyhound. She had a no finish which cost us a tie for first place. Oh well... I am so proud of her anyway. She has been my easiest dog in a long time to train for her CDX, 3 legs out of 6 attempts. Two were NQs due to not dropping on the cold or rainy wet ground-understandable for a greyhound. One was an NQ when she got up to do the broad jump on her name. I have always used their name then the command. After that NQ for anticipation, I changed to the command only. It worked well for Echo and I will probably change in the future and no longer use their name. If they are paying attention, they don't need the added cue of their name.

It's not all about work. When the dogs do something for me(like obedience etc) I try to take them out and let them have some fun of their chosing.

Echo is now my third VCD2 greyhound(Versatile Companion Dog). To earn a VCD2 the dog must have a CDX+TD+OA+OAJ. Now we look forward to Utility!!!