This weekend we attended an UpDog seminar to learn how to play 2 games: Throw ‘N Go and 4 Way Play. My throwing skills are slowly improving. I’m lucky that I have a smart fast dog who can make up for my inaccuracy. Brodie had an amazing catch in 4 way play. We had a few seconds left when he caught a frisbee in the 3 point zone. I quickly threw one into the 2 zone and he ran there still with the frisbee in his mouth. My soft mouth boy managed to catch a second frisbee in his mouth, without dropping either, just as the time ran out. Unfortunately one of the instructors stepped in front of Don while he was filming so you can’t see the amazing catch but you can hear everyone cheering. We did get a video of a successful catch in throw ‘n go.
Category Archives: Brodie
New Favourite Toy
Auntie Dawn gave Brodie a new spiky squeaky ball. To say he loves it would be an understatement. He plays with it by himself and he will come and find me to ask me to engage with him and his new ball
Filed under Brodie
A New Blood Donor
Brodie made his first donation to the Canadian Animal Blood Bank (CABB). He did so well in a strange environment with 4 students holding him down. He is continuing the legacy of Wally who donated blood regularly until he was 10 years old.
Rat!!!
We spent this weekend at Prairie Dog Sports’ Barn Hunt trial. Although we’ve done some local barn dog trials, we haven’t been to a Barn Hunt trial since before COVID. Our weekend didn’t start out great but it ended with a bang. Although he Q’d in every Crazy 8 run we NQ’d in 3/5 Open runs. Sunday morning things started to click. We got our final Open qualifier to earn our RATO title. Brodie finished 1st in the large dog category and 1st in class. For our last run of the day we moved up to Senior. He was awesome and got 1st in the large dog category and 1st in class again. I am over the moon proud of how he managed to control his over excitement and hunt so well. We came home with a mitt full of ribbons and swag.
Big thanks to everyone at Prairie Dog Sports, Judge Christina Benishin, all the amazing hard working volunteers and my fellow barn hunt enthusiasts who support one another and find joy in each other’s success and share in our ‘oh so close’ moments.
Elite #4
It has been a very long drought for us but I am so thrilled that we earned our 4th SDDA Elite title today. Even better than that, my normally “chicken sh!t” dog amazed me by not only jumping on a table but he climbed up on a tractor and even on an open grate spiky metal platform. I couldn’t be more proud of him. Big thanks to Kristina of Little Nose That Knows, our Judge Kelly Ladouceur, the volunteers and my fellow competitors for cheering us on.
Sprucing Up
Brodie is feeling sorry for the himself. A bath, trim and mani/pedi to make him handsome for volunteering at #Muttstock. He much prefers eau de parfum “stinky dog” 😂😆
Filed under Brodie
Parkour for Nosework?
Brodie and I took an Intro to Parkour workshop today. I learned that he is a whole lot more confident/brave outside than he is climbing on stuff inside. I was shocked how quickly he took on each challenge. I am hoping I can transfer this confidence to his interior nosework searches. In SDDA Elite searches dogs need to be able to search up to 4 feet above a stable surface.
Sprinting Again
It has been almost 2 years since Brodie has been to Sprinters. We are signed up for a trial next weekend so we were thrilled to find out that there was a practice last night. As we were pulling into the parking lot it was clear he knew what was coming. My normally quiet, well behaved dog started moaning, barking and vibrating. I had wondered if he would remember the game or still enjoy it….. he LOVES it 
. He is so crazy at the start line that I can’t hold him….Don has to release him. It takes all of his strength to hold on to him as the lure is approaching the start line. I get to be the “catcher”. It takes all my strength to leash him up and drag him off the field. He is possessed!!! Took him 8.74 seconds to do 100 metres, which is just over 41km/hr. In between his 1st and 2nd run we had to put the shade cloth, doubled up, over the back of the car so that he couldn’t watch the lure go by.
Filed under Brodie, Sprinters, Uncategorized
Great Weekend Sniffing
We spent the past weekend in Olds Alberta at the Canine Coaching SDDA trial. Both dogs had a great weekend. Although Spirit had retired from SDDA more than 2 years ago, she came back this weekend without missing a beat. On Saturday so got an advanced title with 3rd place in exteriors, 2nd place in containers and 1st place overall. Sunday morning she ran in Advanced again and got 3rd place in interiors, passed containers but we timed out in exteriors. Sunday afternoon she tried Excellent and got 3rd place in exteriors and 3rd place overall. So proud of her. She got a Mickey D’s ice cream cone to celebrate her achievements.
Brodie ran in Elite on Saturday and Sunday. No title for us (or for anyone this weekend which is not that unusual for Elite). On Saturday he got a 2nd in Exteriors and Containers (we finally broke our container jinx) and Sunday he got a 2nd in Interiors.
It was so nice to reconnect with so many handlers that we haven’t had a chance to visit with in over a year. Overall and fantastic weekend.
Filed under Brodie, Nosework, SDDA, SDDA Title, Spirit, Sporting Detection Dog Association
Tracking Fun
Took the dogs out early this morning for some tracking. Brodie did a 300 metre field track. The crop was taller than him and filled with dew and seed heads. The yellow seeds turned Brodie into a “ golden” Golden Retriever instead of a cream coloured one. Both he and I have thousands of little seeds in every crack and crevice of our bodies and my clothes. My pants were so wet from the heavy dew that they were weighted down and moving towards my ankles as I ran through the field trying to keep up with Brodie 😂😆
Thank goodness we have a high powered dog blow dryer to get these seeds off.
Spirit ran a 700 metre urban track that was aged for 75 minutes. Unfortunately for the second time this week, just before we started to run the track, huge industrial lawn mowers went right over our track and articles. After a few expletives, I decided we would try and run the track anyway. She struggled for the first 200 metres weaving widely back and forth but eventually we made it to an area that hadn’t been mowed and she got back on track. So proud of her for handling this very tough puzzle and making it to end successfully.
We are having a heat wave!
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a crazy dog lady. There is almost nothing I won’t do for my critters. Case in point…..for the last 2 mornings I was up at 4am so that I could lay some urban tracks, let them age, have the dogs run them and back home by 8am. This morning it was already 26 degrees Celsius by 08:30. That’s crazy. No more tracking for us until the morning temps are below 20C.
The dogs sure enjoy their stuffed frozen zogoflexes when we get home.
Real Bikejoring
We had some fun this morning at Chickakoo. First time Brodie and I have tried bikejoring in the woods instead of on sidewalks in our neighborhood. I am struggling to get him to run in front, he always wants to be in heel position. Brodie did almost 4km and then Don Ho and I went and biked another very hilly 5km. Can’t wait to go again. Thank you Angela Stuber for you excellent guidance and the photos. It really helped having you and your dog in front for motivation.
A Very BAD Dog!!!
Breaking News: a very naughty Golden Retriever was seen committing a very bad and dirty crime in broad daylight today. The perpetrator has not been seen in public since the “incident”. It is not known whether he is still alive 😩😡.
Filed under Brodie
Happy Mother’s Day
Who could ask for a better way to get your Mother’s Day card delivered?
Filed under Brodie
Happy Gotcha Day Brodie
Four years ago today I flew to Victoria to pick up this beautiful bundle of joy. Best decision ever!!!
Filed under Brodie
More C-WAGS Mail
Brodie and Spirit got mail from C-WAGS today. Spirit earned her Level 1 Ranger Ace title which means she earned 14 qualifiying runs (4 runs for the Scent Ranger Level 1 title and an additional 10 runs to get the Ace). This is the first time Spirit has earned a title before Brodie. Brodie earned his Level 4 Super Sleuth Title (4 qualifying runs).
Wheel Dog League
With Iron Paws wrapping up this week I was sad our pulling time was coming to end. Not any more. We learned about a new group called Wheel Dog League. Now we will continue to have all the motivation we need to hit the trails. We can earn titles and participate in challenges. We’ve logged our first few runs and earned our first badge
Filed under Brodie, Fitness, Spirit, Wheel Dog League
Brodie Got Mail
Brodie got his medal and $50 cheque today for coming in 2nd place at the Boneyard Challenge (scent detection) He thinks that the cheque should have been made out in his name so that he could decide what to spend it on.
Winter Wonderland
We have been blessed with the most wonderful, mild winter temperatures for the last week…..sadly that is about to end. We took advantage of the winter reprieve to get out as much as possible with the dogs.
Filed under Brodie, Spirit, Uncategorized
Last swim?
We went out to a local man made lake for what could possibly be our last swim before it gets too cold. Brodie just loves the water.
Filed under Brodie
C-WAGS Back 2 School Trial
We had fun today at See Spot Run Doggy Daycare & Training Inc’s Back to School C-WAGS Nosework Trial. Thanks to Anneli Hilton and Judges Robbi Bitner, Deb Proc and Christina. Both dogs Q’d in Ranger 1 and Ranger 2 and Don Ho made his debut as a timer.
Toppl Day
Spirit had a great morning tracking and Brodie got to play disc dog. Now they get to enjoy a frozen Toppl with a sardine stuck in the middle. Mmmmmm
We got C-WAGS Mail
Both Brodie and Spirit got some bling in the mail. They both earned their Scent Ranger Level 1 titles. For the first time Spirit actually beat her brother by earning her title with 4 straight Q’s whereas it took Brodie 5 trials to earn his. Spirit also earned her Scent Detective Ace title which required 14 Q’s. Both dogs just love to play scent games.
Sniffing Time
Another great day at See Spot Run doing C-WAGS nosework. Thank you to Anneli, our Judges and the wonderful volunteers. Both Brodie and Spirit Q’d in Level 1 Ranger and Level 3.
Hot Snuggle
It is 32 degrees on our deck yet my sweet Golden boy still wants to snuggle on top of me. As hot as I am, I can’t bring myself to ask him to get off.
Filed under Brodie
Rat!!
Brodie and I spent the day at Dynamo Dogsports participating in a COVID safe barn hunt fun trial put on by Badger Barn Rats. It gave us the opportunity to try every level. We passed Instinct, Novice and Open but he false alerted in Senior and Master. It was nice to be back participating again and Brodie loves hunting gerbils (no rats 🐀 allowed in Alberta)
Calgary C-WAGS Scent League
Big thank you to Barb Burgess and her volunteers for welcoming us into Calgary’s C-WAGS Scent League. We enjoyed a very Covid safe trial and Judge Kelly Ladouceur rocked it running ahead of schedule. The dogs went 6/6 and we got to try Ranger level 2 for the first time. Pretty proud of them considering it was 30 degrees and they were still able to sniff despite their heavy panting.
First post COVID SDDA Trial
Big thank you to Samantha Freschette of Canine Coaching and all of her amazing volunteers for putting on a socially distanced SDDA trial. Thanks also to Judges Richard Hatchman, Lou-Anne Lambert and shadow judge Shanna Chynoweth. No Elite dogs titled on Saturday but 2 were successful on Sunday (#4 for Tracy Woroschuk and Max and yahoo Darla your 1st elite title). Although we struggled all weekend, I was so pleased with our final search today. Not because we were successful but because it felt like we were in unison functioning as a connected team. A positive end to our weekend. Thanks to Kerri for the pix.
Life In The Dog House 