Alright, so as you may have noticed, I'm really bad at keeping this blog updated. I tell myself "oh I'm going to wait on getting these pictures uploaded" or something like that so just keep putting it off longer and longer. Anyways, I thought making one all-inclusive update would be better than nothing at all. Since the last update, we traveled to Champaign, IL where Rhys wonderfully earned his first Senior Earthdog leg. I had all but given up hope that he wasn't going to come for his recall when all of a sudden, his head popped up right in front of me and scared the crap out of me. I made a grab for him, which scared the crap out of him, and he yelped. Either way, it means we got leg #1, and 2 more to go. I was just so tickled and couldnt' keep a grin off my face that whole day.
The weekend of April 25th, Rhys and I headed to Michigan for the Westie Club of South East MI speciality. Rhys' breeder, Dawn Martin, and her breeder friend Jane Sajban were there. They took Rhys in hand and made my grooming mistakes somewhat managable and presentable. ;) They also provided many tips and tricks in to this showing world that is new to me. Bless him, Rhys won his class in Sweeps. The judge went back and forth between him and his half brother, Granite, for BOS in Sweeps but ended up picking Granite. Then Rhys came in and won his class in regular and also took RWD. We were thrilled! That's the best we've ever done in confirmation to this point. Well, not officially, but it's the best we've done when actually having competition and at a speciality too. I say it's cause he looked so pretty from Dawn and Jane's ministrations but I've learned from them too to relax in the ring and have fun with him, which helps. I think that really helps him relax too and make the show ring a game to him. . .or at least a place he gets treats for tricks! ;) Now, I just might be addicted to specialities. They give you good stuff there and have good food, etc! Just a lot less hectic than all-breed shows!
Last weekend was the first outdoor agility trial of the year. Riley was super pumped but that did not work to our advantage. ;) I've come to notice that she runs so much faster outside or on padded flooring but hates dirt or wood chip surfaces. Anyways, she takes off like a bat out of hell outside. There were some definite handler errors this weekend. . .I had to jump a jump with Riley cause I stupidly didn't get a front cross in with enough room. Then I fell again on Sunday. . . graceful, I'm not. Luckily, neither of these follies was caught on video! ;) I don't think we hit the weaves on the first try for any of the runs. Pat Kay came up and stayed with us to join the fun. As she said, "it wasn't a good weekend in Westie-ville". Between the two of us, we went 0 for 8 runs! Blah!
That's about it for a summary of our last month or there bouts. So this coming weekend, we are heading to Roscoe, IL for a big earthdog trial. Hopefully, fingers crossed, I'll have good things to report about later! ;)