July 2008 -

I really need to talk to my owner about the frequency of updates. A year and a half? Come ON now, am I that bad?

So what, you may ask, have I accomplished in my year and a half? Well, at Regionals 2007, I did some nice things, like placing in one Jumpers run. I also developed a freakish aversion to the contact equipment in the Standard ring, and refused to perform the DW or teeter either day. Despite this, I almost qualified with 298.5 points (300 was qualifying). Then I went to the USDAA Northwest Regionals, where I was qualified to run in the Grand Prix. That didn't go so well.

Then December of 07, I earned my Superior Tunnelers Elite, so that may be it for NADAC for us. That, and I miss the teeter. It's kind of like Touch n Go is now Go n Go. :-)

In May, I made my flyball debut! I know it has nothing to do with agility, but just thought I'd throw it in there. I ran one day, sharing a spot with another dog. I earned 291 points, and only made a couple of mistakes. The following weekend, I went MADC! Sure, everyone's always known that I'm insane but now I have the certificate to prove it!

Finally, at Regionals 2008, I had some nice runs, some odd moments, placed 3rd in one of the Jumpers runs, and qualified for Nationals with a score of 374. This year's qualifying score was raised to 350 points, so I squeaked by.

I'll be doing a few more trials this year, trying to finish my ATChC. I need 3 Gamblers Qs. Pray for us.

Alphabet soup to date: Wicked MADC AGDC MJDC MSDC MSCDC OAC OGC EJC TG-E S-TN-E FDX

January 2007-

Hey, it's been a long time since an update! Let's see - I finished my Masters Steeplechase Dog of Canada title in October, and we did a NADAC trial in December. I do love NADAC. Picked up a pair each of Elite Tunnelers and Jumpers Qs, got an Elite TNG Q, something called Elite Chances, and oh yeah, a Weavers Q! Only one more for my, er, Novice Weavers title. Took the rest of December off, and I raided the house for anything edible.

We went down to the other Vancouver for the CAT USDAA trial at the beginning of the year. The highlight for me was eating pizza in bed ... oh, I mean, the highlight was getting a Grand Prix qualifier with what I believe was my best run in a long time. Also got a bunch more Starters games Qs, but just couldn't chuck out 11 feet to that Starters Gamble. :-)

Then, last weekend, after 28 months of glory ... I got out of Advanced Standard in AAC! Holy mackerel, that was a long road! Then to just show what a sh*t I am, I went out the next day and Q'ed my first ever Masters Standard course with a fast, somewhat loud run that was 17 seconds under time. I also got another Steeplechase Q, then we had to leave because Lou was competing in a stockdog trial that evening so I didn't get to do Jumpers. But everyone is happy that I've learned to weave in public (paws crossed)!

Alphabet soup so far in 2007: Wicked AADC AGDC MJDC MSDC MSCDC OAC OGC EJC TG-E O-TN-E

September 2006 -

Well, Nationals were a bit of a wash. We couldn't quite get it together, and every run was pretty much a disaster. I had fun though - lots of barking and darting into 'wrong' tunnel mouths (if these aren't the "right" tunnel mouths, then why do they put them there??). I earned a Steeplechase Q on the warm-day Friday, but that's it!

Then at the Matsqui trial this past weekend, I earned my Masters Snooker Dog of Canada title with what I thought was a very good run. I did 3 sevens in the opening, and had plenty of time to finish the closing. Next time, we'll do 4 sevens! I also picked up another Advanced Standard Q and I just might get out of this class before I complete all my Masters games titles! Oh, and I got Masters Team, Jumpers and Steeplechase Qs, so that makes it just about my best trial since Starters. :-)

Let's check the alphabet soup: Wicked ADC AGDC MJDC MSDC OAC OGC EJC TG-E O-TN-E

June 2006 -

Back from Oregon, and did we have fun! We were at the USDAA Northwest Regional Championships and there were some awesome dogs to bark at! First, on Friday, I got to run 5 times in the DAM classes. Our team, In Deep Sheep, placed 11th out of more than 45 teams, earning us a qualifying score for USDAA Nationals. We would have placed higher if I (a) got the gamble or (b) made any of my weavepole entries. Sorry, team!

On Saturday and Sunday, I got to run Starters classes, which were a blast! I went 5 for 6, and had some very fast, fun runs. I only needed 29 seconds to earn 46 points in Snooker. I don't know why we didn't try for 3 sevens - mom said something about not wanting to take placings from true Starters dogs. Then in Jumpers, I kicked it up a notch and finished the course in 18 seconds, which is half of the allotted standard course time. I was going just over 6.6 yards per second, which means that I was moving pretty fast.

Oh, I got the Starters Gamble! Mom threatened to withhold my tennis ball if I couldn't make the gamble, so I concentrated and was able to send a whopping 10 feet to a tunnel. Never underestimate the power of the tennis ball!

May 2006 - Pack your bags, I'm going to Nationals! Well, actually, no bags necessary, as it's 10 minutes from my house, but I am now a two-time Nationals qualifier! I did some good things, though gambling continues to plague me. I came 5th in one of the Jumpers runs (out of 72 in my class) and when the barking stopped, I came in 22nd, with my best ever total of 370 points. We won't discuss how Bear beat me by 100 points.

Next up is the USDAA Super Regional in Oregon. I also am going to try some USDAA classes - it's nice to be in Starters again. Maybe I'll get the gamble ... but let's not bet on it.

March 2006 - We've done some agility since my last update but my mom was slow to do a write-up.

We kicked off the year at K9 Cliffhangers in January. I had some fairly random runs, moments of sheer disaster, and one really nice Jumpers Q. We came second in the class to that darned Jenny, the speedy border collie. Then we did a LOT of running at Jumpstart at the end of February and all I had to show for it was one lousy Jumpers Q. And yup, we came second again ... to Jenny. What is the name of that guy that whacks the knees out of your competitors? Just kidding ... mostly.

Finally, we did a NADAC trial with Feelgood Dog Sports, where I got 3 of 4 Elite Touch n Go's to complete my title, 3 of 4 Elite Tunnelers (finally ended my streak of 17 consecutive Elite Tunnelers Qs), and I got <insert triumphant Olympic theme> my first Novice Weavers Q! I averaged about 5.5 YPS in Touch n Go and 6.5 YPS in Tunnelers, despite some rather dodgy handling. Tally for the year so far: AAC, 2 Qs, NADAC, 7 Qs and one title. Alphabet soup: Wicked ADC AGDC MJDC OAC OGC EJC TG-E O-TN-E

November 2005 - Last trial of the year - darn it. I could run every weekend, but apparently mom and Bear want to take a break. So we're off until February or so, and I have promised my mom that I will learn to weave this winter.

We went to Nanaimo for the fabulous DAWG NADAC trial - my favourite trial of the year. I didn't do great - 5/12 for the weekend, but I got my Open Touch n Go title and picked up another couple of Tunnelers Qs. The weaving, well, I already said I'm gonna work on that this winter, but at least I'm acknowledging that there are poles out there.

Tally for the year - AAC, 17 Qs, two titles, one National Qualifying score. NADAC, 24 Qs, four titles, a whole lotta barking. And now it's turkey time!

October 2005 - OK, I haven't given an update in a while. I've been busy chasing balls! So let's see, what do I have for an update? I ran in the Matsqui Agility trial in September and didn't have much to show for it. I got another one of those Snooker Qs so one more for my title. Barking, I think I did a lot of barking. And tunnel sucking rings a bell too.

Then I just finished PAC's fabulous trial last weekend, where I ran 15 times! Whoo hoo! 8 Steeplechase runs, and I failed to qualify in any of them. I did get a nice Jumpers Q, and an Advanced Team Q, so I've got my Advanced Games Dog of Canada title. Hmm, 2 for 15. I guess that's not so good. :-) But I did find unique ways not to qualify, so if nothing else, I'm keeping Mom on her toes.

That's it for the AAC trial season. Total titles - 2. Total Qs - 17. Total trainwrecks - too many to count! Just one more trial at the end of November, in my favourite venue, NADAC. Then it's holiday time!

August 2005 - Sound the bugles, I'm out of Advanced Gamblers! I finally got not one but TWO Advanced Gambles at the K9 Cliffhangers trial over the weekend. Hooray! The two-year drought is over! I also got a Masters Snooker Q and was THISCLOSE to a perfect run (4 7's) until I bought the wrong tunnel in the #6 combo. My mom may never forgive me. :-)

July 2005 (Pt II) - I'm finally earning my keep! Well maybe not but I won $25 by finishing 2nd in the finals of the Leaps n Bounds Steeplechase trial. I also picked up a couple of Qs, though I did lots of weird things too. Along with the $25, I won a prize, a pink tuggy thing of which I am terrified. So I gave it to Bear, because he likes to steal my toys.

July 2005 - I believe I have met my match. We went down to the Northwest Regional for my first USDAA trial. Holy cr@p, are those dogs fast! I look quite average compared to them. This was my first field trip without my beloved brother, Bear (who stayed home and kept the grandparents company and watched golf).

Our DAM team didn't fare too well, with two of the members brought down by injury. :-( I didn't do so great either but I had a good time, especially since I got my mom all to myself. So not many highlights, a lot of "if only"s, and a determination to learn to weave properly. Well, my head will still be waaay up in the air, but I will find my entries - promise!

Here's my first run of the day. I don't know why they put tunnels out there if we're not supposed to take them every time we see 'em! Very silly course design, if you ask me.

June 2005 - Well, I did it! I qualified at the 2005 BC & Yuon AAC Agility Regional Championships in the scorching heat. Of course, being nearly bald, the heat doesn't affect me too much. In fact, I earned 100 points more than last year, to finish with about 349 points. The highlight was a smoking Jumpers run on Saturday where I ran REALLY fast and finished clean with a time 10 seconds under the standard course time. If my mom hadn't been late with her first front cross, I might have been even faster. Even so, I finished 3rd in a field of 48 dogs in that run.

Of course, I was unable to get either gamble, as gamblers isn't my thing, and I had the usual weaving issues. But I did stick all my contacts and my mom said I was awesome.

No more trialing til July. We're going to take June off and then head to Vancouver, WA for a USDAA trial. I will be running in the DAM Tournament with Xena and Twist, an aussie and a JRT. Our team name is "No Tails with a Twist". I think it will be a lot of fun!

May 2005 - Another NADAC trial. Outdoors this time - yahoo! I did quite well, earning 6 Qs out of 10 runs, and finishing my Elite Jumpers Certificate (EJC) with a smoking run at 7 in the morning. Mom needed a lot of coffee to make it through that run. I also picked up a couple of Open Touch n Go Qs (by actually doing my proper stop on the contacts). My mom was very proud of me. Oh yeah, got another couple of Tunnelers Qs - even though my second run was a bit of a train wreck. And I almost got an Elite gamble! I chucked waaaay out there for the jump, but I ripped the bar. Oh well, at least mom knows now that if I have to, I can get out there. Alphabet soup update (and my goodness, do I have some letters now!): Wicked ADC SGDC MJDC OAC OGC EJC TG-N O-TN-E

April 2005 (Pt II) -I did it! I earned my Outstanding title in Elite Tunnelers (O-TN-E) at the Dogwood Pacesetters NADAC trial a few weeks back, with two more Elite Tunnelers Qs. I also picked up a couple of Open Standard Qs, to finish that level, and my first Elite Standard and Elite Jumpers Qs. Probably would have got my Elite Jumpers title but my mom fell again (though on her butt this time, not her face).

We are taking a bit of a break (Bear is tired after 3 consecutive weekends of trialing, though I'm not) and then we'll do one more NADAC trial in May before driving off to Kamloops for the AAC BC & Yuon Regionals at the end of May (where I hope to improve on my showing from last year). Alphabet soup time: my full name now is Wicked ADC SGDC MJDC OAC OGC OJC TG-N O-TN-E

April 2005 -We've done a lot of agilities in the last little while. At the NADAC trial in February, I earned 4 more Qs, including a couple more tunnelers. I am very close to my O-TN-E, which would be quite an accomplishment given that we don't do very many NADAC trials. But the exciting news is that there is a new class in AAC called Steeplechase and it's all about speed. Basically, it's a jumpers course with an A-Frame and weaves, and the goal is to run as fast as you can. Yeah, I kind of like it. In fact, I have 4 Steeplechase Qs already and my mom thinks I may finally have figured out how to weave in public. We even got to "run for the money" at the PAC trial. Though I was very good in the qualifying runs, my brain fell out in the finals, and we got no money. Oh well. Also got (finally!) an Advanced Standard Q, and an Advanced Team Q (thanks to our partner, Reveille). Now we are doing two NADAC trials before I take another shot at Regionals. Hooray! Me likey NADAC!

January 2005- And we're off! I took the whole Christmas holidays off, ate lots of turkey, followed by restorative naps on the couch with Bear, and then we had a whole lot of snow! I hunted the rare Kitsilano Snow Bunny but it eluded me again. Next year!

So I got to run 10 times at the Dogstar trial. Wow, did I have fun! I did some nice things, some strange things, and generally barked and flung myself around the ring. I managed another Snooker Q so I get to run Masters Snooker, just like Bear. Oh, I also got two more Masters Jumpers Qs so I got my title. As for the other things, um, yeah, not so good.

My mom says that my Jumpers runs were very good and I even got 1st in one of them. In the other, my mom went SPLAT and I stopped to see what she was doing. We still Q'ed, just in a weird way. Here's the run - note that it's not MY fault that she fell. And speaking of video, I got a new little music video. Mom has edited out the barking.

Oh, Bear got his VATChC! My mom was so proud of him and I am too. I just don't know why he got a steak and I only got chicken. Hmm, must have something to do with the alphabet soup. Speaking of which, here's my update: Wicked ADC SGDC MJDC NAC OGC OJC TG-N TN-E

November 2004 - Well, the season is finally over (darn it!). I ran 12 times at the DAWG NADAC trial. That's how it should be, BTW. Lots of running, some quick napping, and then back at it.

Anyway, of my 12 runs, I Q'ed 7 of them, with a couple of first place ribbons to boot. I did some odd things but I'm an odd girl, what can I say. No luck in Elite Gamblers, as the line was WAY too far away, but I Q'ed a couple of Tunnelers, some Standards, a Jumpers, and two Touch n Go's. I earned my Novice Agility Certificate, got my first Open Standard leg, got my Open Jumpers Certificate, and my Novice Touch n Go. My mom was very proud of my 2nd Touch n Go run as I nailed all my contacts (including two fast teeters) and was the fastest of ALL the dogs at the trial. All I know is I had fun and I could do it over and over and over and over and...what was I talking about? Oh well.

My tally for 2004: 11 AAC Qs, who knows how many NADAC Qs, 1 AAC title and 9 NADAC titles (yes 9! I was a busy girl). My alphabet soup at the end of 2004: Wicked ADC NAC OGC OJC TG-N TN-E

I'll see you in 2005, when I also hope to add flyball to my repertoire.

October 2004 - Oh boy, oh boy! I am running A LOT these days, with varying degrees of success. At this past weekend's Dogstar Trial, I did a lot of good things (like hit my contacts, stay at the start line) and a few not so good things (I don't know why I can't weave in public - I guess I'm shy). My brother, Bear, showed me up but good, as he got his MASTERS gamble and I couldn't even get one stinkin' Advanced Gamble. But I sort of redeemed myself in Masters Jumpers, when I went fast and clean (and mom was spinning around like a top, trying to keep me on course). That's my first Masters Q, and a nice way to end my first full AAC season.

We're going to the Island in November for a NADAC trial - hurray! Mom says I get to run Tunnelers, and Touch n Go, and a whole bunch of other things. Yippee!

September 2004 - I sure like running agility! This weekend, I went in my second full trial, this time with the Matsqui Agility and Flyball Club. I ran three Starters titling, Starters Team, Advanced Snooker and Masters Jumpers. Like a good girl, I listened to mom, followed directions (mostly) and ended up with 5 Qs out of 6 runs! Oh, and four of those Qs came with a 1st place ribbon. I now have my Agility Dog of Canada title - more letters! And mom says my Masters Jumpers was my best run ever, even though I knocked a bar. We had the second fastest time of the whole class, which is pretty good for my first ever attempt at a Masters course. Oh yeah, I also got a really big ribbon for being the Top Starters Open Dog! I kinda wish they'd given me a ball, but the ribbon is very nice.

Alphabet soup update: Wicked ADC OGC NJC TN-E. I'm catching up to Bear!

August 2004 - Even more running! I went in my first full trial in the middle of August. 8 runs, some moments of glory, a lot of moments of frenzy and panic. I did get another Advanced Jumpers Q so I'm going to try Masters Jumpers now. Oh, and I got another one of those weird 'snooker' things, so I'm in Advanced Snooker.

Then I got to run 12 times at the Feelgood Dog Sports NADAC trial! And would you believe that I Q'ed in 9 out of 12 runs? I earned my Open Gamblers title and my Elite Tunnelers title, and if the mean judge hadn't put all those decoy tunnels in the other courses, maybe I would have gone 12/12. Oh well. Here's one of my Elite Tunnelers run. Note how close I come to taking out my mom's knees.

July 2004 - Fun fun fun! My brother, Bear, and I went to Nanaimo for a one-day AAC trial and I got to run 5 times! I ran three rounds of Starters Team, and two rounds of Snooker. In Team, I ran twice with my friend Tarren, and once with a pretty border collie named Meg. I went clean all three runs, and Meg was clean too, so I got my first Starters Team Q.

In Snooker, I ripped the first bar, and mom didn't notice. It's kind of a complicated game but yada yada yada...I got 0 points. :-) In my second run, I did better, with 41 points and my first Starters Snooker Q. It was really hot, but very fun, and I can't wait for my next trial.

June 2004 - Wow, what a month! First, I made my Touch n Go debut a few weeks ago. It wasn't pretty as I flew off the teeter, which scared the dickens out of me. I'm ok now, though. Oh, and then I forgot how to weave, which is too bad because the course I was running was called Weavers. Then (finally!) I got to do Tunnelers. I had a bit of an oops on my first run, but ran very well on my second run, and that's my second Elite Tunnelers leg. One more for my title!

But my big news is that I got to run in the BC & Yukon AAC Agility Regionals! I had some pretty bad crash and burns, but I did some really nice things as well, such as nailing all my contacts (even in the gamble). My total was 248 points, which isn't enough to qualify, but is about 150 more points than my mom thought I would get. Hmm, maybe if I hadn't got 92 faults in one run, I would have qualified ... but that's ok!

May, 2004 - Yay! Another title! This is my Open Tunnelers round that earned me 1st place and my TN-O. I also picked up my first Elite Tunnelers Q with a 1st place Q that was 8 seconds under Elite course time. I've never run so darned fast - neither has my mom.

My weavers debut was less than spectacular. Can you say "Speed kills"?? Oh well, I'll get the hang of it one day.

March, 2004 - Hey, look what I can do. It takes me just over 2 seconds to do the 12 weaves. I think if I really apply myself, I could actually do these in a trial!

February, 2004 - Oh boy, have I been doing a lot of running! There was that trial in January where I finally got an Advanced Jumpers Q (and had some fun on the other 5 runs) and then that other AAC trial where I was a brattenella and got no Qs, then this past weekend... I ran 6 times! Well, really 5.5 because I was very bad in my first run and I had to go sit in the pen and think about how to be more like Bear. When I came out, I tried so hard to be good, and Q'ed my next five runs.

I got two Open Tunnelers Qs, and if my mom hadn't got lost in the second one and stopped to read the numbers, I would have had a pretty darned fast time (I still won my class). Then I got a pair of Jumpers Qs, with the highlight being that I got to re-run my first round because they had a timing problem. Wait - I ran 6.5 times! And in the second gamblers, I tried very hard to follow my mom's instructions, and I slid to a nice stop on the A-Frame, then I did that gamble thing where my mom stands behind the line and points wildly. I got my contact in that gamble too, and am proud to announce that I have TWO new titles. I am now Wicked NGC NJC TN-N. Yay, I have alphabet soup after my name, just like Bear!

November 30, 2003 - Back from Nanaimo, and boy did I have fun! I was bad too - nipped at mom and got myself a big fat 5 faults on an otherwise clean but ugly jumpers run. Then I took BIG air off that a-frame in Gamblers. Mom almost had a heart attack. I thought it was cool. Oh, I Q'ed that run. :-) But being a border collie, I am a tunnel specialist and I got to run Tunnelers twice! My first run, Mom took too long telling me where to go so I bought the wrong end of a tunnel. In the second round, Mom got it right and we ran real nice. I got second place with a Q that was 17 seconds under course time and I got my first title! I am now Wicked TN-N. I don't know what that means exactly, but I think I get a piece of paper to go with my ribbons.

Here's my Tunnelers run. As usual, turn down the volume - I had a lot to say. Have a great holidays and see you in 2004!

November 2003 - Well, my first season in AAC is over, and man, did I have fun! I learned that mom is not a chew toy, that my tuggy leash is waiting for me when I finish, and that speed kills! I only earned 4 Qs this season (and I still have not made my titling debut) but I have to say that I am very proud of myself. At the PAC trial, I almost got it right in Advanced Jumpers. It's just that I had a little too much speed coming out of that tunnel - did I mention that speed kills?? You can watch my run by clicking here.

In a few weeks, we're heading to Nanaimo for my second-ever NADAC trial, where I will play in Gamblers, Jumpers, Tunnelers, and maybe Weavers. Wow, that's a lot of runs! Rest up, Mom, you're going to need it!

October 2003 - OK, I'm really loving this agility thing. I got to do Gamblers where, well, let's just say there was a tunnel in the main gamble and I was only supposed to do it once. Oops. Then I got to do Advanced Jumpers, which is just about my favorite thing. Jumps and tunnels, and lots of room for barking! Things were going really well...for the first half. All in all, I thought it was really fun. Click here to watch mom try to keep up with me.

August 2003 - It's like I died and went to heaven - I got to run 5 times this weekend! OK, so one of the runs was a fun game called Tunnelers where mom found out that speed kills, but I also earned another Gamblers Q with a first place. Now I'm in Advanced Gamblers, so I better learn those other obstacles soon. I also ran an Advanced Jumpers run and didn't have any refusals (except at the start when my mom set me up BESIDE the jump instead of behind it so, when she called me, like a good girl I came to her side, carefully avoiding the first jump). But the rest of the course, I was flying.

Of course, there is no video evidence of this so you just have to take my word for it - I looked good. ;-)

July 2003 - Could you hear me? I got to run again! This time, I got my first Gamblers Q, even though I didn't stop barking the whole time. I've added that run to my video page - click here to watch my run.

June 2003 - I am such a star - I have my own video! Just like me, it's kinda crazy. Click here if you have Windows Media Player and a bit of bandwidth.

April 2003 - Oh man, is this agility thing fun! I haven't got any more of those Q things, but I am having such a good time, who cares? I've got an official record page now - click here to see my two Qs. Hee hee!

March 2003 - Whoo hoo! This time I got to run TWICE! I got another Starters Jumpers leg, and then I crashed and burned BIG TIME in my first Advanced Jumpers run. Luckily there is no video evidence this time.

February 2003 - I got to run again! Click here to watch my AAC debut in Starters Jumpers

December 2002 - NEWS!!! I got to run! Click here to see how it turned out. Here's a hint: I'm two for two in Novice Tunnelers!