The Days of Johann, an agility dog!

Looks like the video feed is up and running!

Day 1 - Wednesday, October 29th

Results:
European Standard
European Standard Performance

See the course.

So far, we've found one vid on YouTube, enjoy!


Day 2 - Thursday, October 30th

Results:
Steeplechase Quarterfinals
PNS Quarterfinals
Team Jumpers
Performance Versatility Jumpers
Veterans AA Jumpers
Team Snooker
Performance Versatility Snooker
Verterans AA Snooker

See the courses.

Day 3, Friday, October 31
Scheduled:

Steeplechase Semifinals and PSJ Semifinals
Grand Prix Quarterfinals and PNS Semifinals
Team Standard, PVS and VAA Standard
Performance National Finals

Update:
Live streaming video (change - Performance Standard Championship Finals - 10/31/2008 06:30 PM is off the list now):

• $10,000 Dog Agility Steeplechase®/Performance Speed Jumping Championships Finals - 11/01/2008 06:30 PM
• Dog Agility Masters Three-Dog Team/Performance Versatility Pairs Championships - 11/02/2008 09:00 AM
• Grand Prix of Dog Agility World Championship Finals - 11/02/2008 12:30 PM

Get more information about Dog Agility.
Get more information about Cynosport and the USDAA Nationals.

Nearly every week day we surf the 'net sniffing out news about us pups. We find so much good info, and fun and interesting stuff, that there is no way we could blog about it all. So lately, we've been Twittering about it through Twitter.

Twitter bills itself as a "a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?" And that's just what it is. We have over 800 Twitter buds, many of them, what I call, Twoofers (those are dogs on Twitter), and many two-leggers as well. It's a great way for us to share even more information beyond that on our blog.

But we felt we needed to bring this info that we find too, as well. So today we added a Twitter widget on the side of my blog - appropriately named "Twitter Updates". So if you're in the mood for some interesting dog info, be sure and check out the Twitter feed.

So why the title of this post "The dog ate my...."? Today we found some pup swallowing nightmares caught on film. X-ray film that is - with some very interesting pics of just a few of the things dogs gulp down that may require some expensive surgeries. Check 'em out!

Play, it's the best thing ever! Gracie and I love to play, and we love to play with Mum.

The very first minute Gracie and I met, it wasn't play at first site. When Mum was looking to add to our pack and find me a playmate, we met a lot of pups.

But after being attacked by several dogs about 5 months earlier, I wasn't in the mood for some of the pups we met. So we kept looking to find just the right bud for me and for our pack.

When I first met Grace, I gave her a little fake snap/bark to show her who's boss.

Growing up in a pack of wild dogs, Gracie was (and still is) very keen to dog communication. She had to be to survive. Consequently, Mum and I both have learned a lot about dog relationships and communication from watching how Gracie handles herself with other pups. I still have my moments, but because of Gracie (and with Mum's help of course), I am getting better and better with all kinds of pups, all the time, even in a highly charged environment like an agility trial.

The best part is Gracie took my little initial 'tiff' in stride. So we took her home to live with us, and we've been the best of friends ever since.

Play is an important part of our life. Every single day, we play together in the backyard, and we spend time individually just playing with Mum. We play bow each other, Mum included, and have a great time, just spending a little quality time together.

So when we saw Patricia's McConnell's recent posts on her blog about dog play and her recap of the Association of Pet Dog Trainer's recent symposium, with an entire day of seminars devoted to play, we had to share it with you.

For more about dog play, check out Tricia's new book Play Together, Stay Together

"Play is fun, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s just goofy or frivolous. Play is powerful stuff, and it has a profound influence on your relationship with your dog. This engagingly written booklet shows how play can enhance your relationship with your dog, improve your dog’s responsiveness, and provide your dog with the mental and physical exercise he or she needs."

We arrived at the party and what did we see? Devils, ghouls, princesses, and other fun costumes on dobes, boxers, shelties, border collies, terriers and more!

Gracie, Mum and I had a fantabulous time at the Howl-o-ween Pawty, hosted by the Pawsitive Partners Dog Agility Training Center on the south side of Indy.

After we were freed from our costumes we got to play. Play at agility!

Mum had decided before hand that she wanted to work my dogwalk, some jumping sequences and turns off the Frame. And we got all of that in. I think I must have done 8 or so dogwalks and about 5 frames during my two runs, but I was loving it!

We really pushed the running dogwalk to test it out. I did great if Mum was running laterally, but the minute she veered out, I bailed. So we need some work to get me to understand I have to run it all the way down, no matter if Mum turns or not. But it's really coming along. And we are pleased.

We did a jumping sequence with three jumps to the teeter and Mum did three front crosses to handle me through the sequence, all in a row. She stayed out of my way, and still was able to keep me pretty tight. She was really happy with that. And she did a nice rear cross after the frame to send me to a jump, worked really well, much better than the same situation last weekend.

Still need jumping practice, tighter turns, and of course the dogwalk work. But what a great time I had. I ran my guts out, and was super fast. What fun!!!!

The best part of the evening? Gracie ran two runs, with a course that Mum planned with about 12 obstacles. Gracie was super focused and didn't run off a single time, not once!!! She actually looked like an agility dog :) and Mum was super proud of her. She did a nice running dogwalk and frame, a super fast down on the table x2, she took jumps in long lines, and turns as well. And after a few tries she did her weaves, but that was Mum's fault for not helping her with the entrance. She still needs that reassurance.

There were probably 20 or so dogs there, and a fairly charged environment. So to see Gracie super, super focused was really great. She had the, and I mean the, best time!!!!!

We want to thank the folks at PP for holding the event, it was a great time to get in some practice, and see all of our friends!

Hope you all have a Happy Howl-o-ween!