Cross Country TD/TDX May 12th

I'm very late in posting these pictures/results, and so just a few shots here.  Above is judge Pando plotting on the Sat. with tracklayer Eileen waving her finger, either giving him "pointers" or suggesting he slow up a bit.  They are in a TD field.

Judge Pando, tracklayer Marie, flagbearer Tascha, in a TDX field.  They are plotting out on leg three heading into a back field and looking to see if the bear might show up today before continuing onward!!  We had seen a huge male wild turkey out there earlier.

 

Above are the successful passing dogs from Sundays' test...six TD dogs and one TDX.  Congratulations!

This was from the start area of one TDX track.  Yes, it was May 12th, and there was a sudden storm with hail moving across, before the final TDX.  We waited five minutes until it moved out before putting the final dog on the track.  Our long drive home later (3 1/2 hr.) was either ice pellets, major winds, and/or snow the whole way...did I mention it was May 12th?!  Mothers' Day?!

Got very few pictures this day, but had to include this one....naturally....being a German Shepherd!  Judge Pando on the right, with the team who travelled from New Brunswick to S. Ont. to enter (and pass!) their TD).  Such a pretty young shepherd, she is nine months old.  Owner Gino behind.

Rose Breasted Grosbeaks

It was so nice to see these two males arrive!  We now have 4 male and 2 female regularly near the feeders.  They not only look beautiful, they have a lovely 'song'.

Tanks' first track of this year!

Intended to be a really well done, motivational track for his first of the year, this is what happened!  Our complete hard surface areas, on both sides of the buildings, was driven over and around, and over and washed by this fellow above...our article was sucked up as well.  Well, it turned into an interesting training track.

 Here we are on our third leg on 'grass' at the back side of this building. He has his first article, wood, coming up. We will then make a couple more corners before winding through a narrow area on the far side, and then head out to pavement.

 Found article, very nice.  I'm working on his down more, rewarding with treats, so that he doesn't move quickly past the articles and makes a better indication.

 We have already crossed a paved area, to my surprise, very nicely.  We are now on the area where our sock is missing.  Tank made some circles here and worked so well, I was very impressed.  Because I saw the cleaner before we left, I had a good idea what might happen, and decided not to age the track as long as planned.  So it was not too much over an hour aged.

 He is really working on this, don't you just wonder how they do it?!! This area was driven over, fellow circled on it at least 3x, sucked up sock, and then washed it. 

This is another section, still partly wet, and we just made a corner here.
I had left a treat shortly after the corner, and Tank is likely looking for it here where I saw 'something' little washed over to the side.  He continues on over a garden area, across more pavement and onto grass with another turn where he finds his final article.  He had less interest in it than I've seen with him, as I think he was totally pooped out after working so hard through all the hard surface.  He did great, considering.  We are rarely lucky enough to see "what happened" on many of these urban location when we lay a track, and go away for a few hours.  You never know what may have been on or over these places when you have left them to age.  Very interesting when you know and can really watch how your dog handles it.  This was very difficult for him being "just" back to working.  Good boy, Tank!!!

Finally Out Tracking Again!!!

 Such a lingering winter, last Sunday we finally got down to business again.  Emma just took her second corner of the little grass berm and works across pavement.

 She worked so nicely through here, we're getting Tascha and Emma ready for spring test.  After so long not able to work, she is doing great!!!

Perfectly moving across the hard surface dead on the track, which was aged about one hour.  Nice work for both!

 We did two tracks for Emma, one aged less, we each walked one of them.  So it was a nice, fun and motivational start for her.  Above she has just taken her first turn on grass, works around to the back of the building into a different scenario with wind, sun/shade, etc. before going out on the hard surface.  She finds her first article on the grass and will turn after this onto the parking lot with two turns.  Tascha and Emma did a great job on both tracks!

Bad, Bad Mr. Wet Blast!

 Well, I could have killed him, but he's been very good for a week, not going into the drink!  The snow is gone, so now there are "ponds"...I turned my back for a 'moment' and he was off like a shot, straight across the field.  He paused on the edge, looked back at me when I called, and jumped in.  Bad, bad, bad dog!

He came out pretty quick....soaking wet, knowing I wasn't too happy and ran through the field like a maniac, big smile on his face!  Hard to be mad at him, but when we went back to the house, he stayed out in the sun for a while before he could come back in. Lots of flooding up here, yesterday we went down to Gravenhurst for a scent detection seminar and Hwy. 11 was closed/detours in two places.  Never, ever seen that before.  Near me, I had to backtrack from 2 roads with water over them and closed.  Still some snow in the bush, hope it doesn't get worse.  Will put some scent detection pics. on soon, have to work on them, and way too many!!!

Tank is proud of his mom!

Tanks' mom, Marlo, earned her UTD (Urban Tracking Dog) title on April 14th in Whitby at the CCTC event.  Marlos' mom, Marie, (left) is very proud and happy.  Marlo is 12.  Judge Sharon Smith is holding the Rosette.
Congratulations, Marie and Marlo! (note - weather down there is completely different than here - it was snowing again up here!)

Visiting Friend & Hound Puppy Rescue 11 Yr. Later!

I visited my friend, Barb, 2 wk. ago and she has the nicest Siamese cats...these two cuddle up to sleep together.

 We drove over to look at the new buffalo farm not too far away.  Are these guys big!!!  I wasn't too impressed with their fencing for such weighty animals, so we didn't go too close to bother them, took pics. from a distance.

You can't really get the full impression of the size of this big boy, but that was a full round bale of hay he's eating.  The head alone, is enormous.

This is Craizin and Mac, two lovely Australian Shepherds.

 And this special boy is Isaac.  A friend near me, our local mayor at the time, and I took 10 hound puppies from a place in our township eleven years ago.  They were going to be shot the next day, as the man who owned them and their mom along with a couple of others, couldn't sell them for $50. each.  We did find homes for them within a couple of weeks.  They were very cute pups.  Barb took Isaac.  We hadn't been too sure of his fate, as he had a crooked/turned paw and ankle.  Our wonderful vet operated on him and it seemed to straighten out somewhat for a period of time, but eventually turned back again.  It never stopped Isaac.  It is the one he has his full weight on in the picture above.

You can see how it turns here, it has never caused him any concern, he runs and never had any trouble on stairs.  He's a very happy boy, and a very lucky one, that Barb has given him such a good life. 

The Bunnies are STILL White!

 And this means winter is still lingering.  They are just getting some brown hairs scattered here and there, but looks like winter isn't done with us yet.

Having said that, we, and some southern areas of Ontario are under various winter and storm warnings for the next couple of days.  At least the bunnies are cute!

Took a leave from the blog..

I've not given up on the blog, it's just been frustrating having nothing but pictures of snow, and snow, and more snow, with dogs playing in it!!!
And that's still not changed.  It is the 9th of April, I'm heading down to my clubs' tracking test this weekend to be a tracklayer, and the forecast for my drive down is another large dump of snow.
So, just a few more snow pictures here, and I sure hope these will be the last of those!!! We do have spring birds returning, feel sorry for them.  And we have had some melt and some rain, but then more snow keeps coming in.
At least there won't be snow (I don't think) at the tracking test location.

 This fellow arrived a few days ago after rain, before next snowfall and scratched around in dead leaves at edge of forest.  The ground was solidly frozen, so there were no worms.  I threw out some oranges, cut up, don't know if he came back.

 The red-winged blackbirds began to arrive during a new snowfall and scrounged around under the feeders.  At least they have some food.  And we ALWAYS get a snowstorm after their arrival in the spring!

 This grouse, and two others come every morning and at dusk to feed under the feeders.  He/she saw me peeking through the bedroom window.  And below, Blast is perfectly happy to have snow as long as it lasts!

Helloooo Spring!!!!! Huh?!

 No sign of spring here!  Snow every day all week, blowing snow as spring "officially" arrived, continuing since.

 So, the dogs love the snow, but I so want to get out tracking...

 Kira and I went down to check the salt lick and she, of course, had a great time.

 In her little mind...snow and a ball is all you need!

 Deer have been using the salt lick, it's odd, they make such an interesting pattern in it.  Haven't actually been many around...which is ok!

 I got a new Kong black frisbee a few days ago.  Unusual for Tank to get it, now he won't let it go so it's a tugging match with Blast.

 Blast eventually won, and now he is guarding the frisbee, a blue ball, and an orange ball.  Amazingly, he can carry all three when he puts them in the right order.

 I got this when Tank ran off with it.  Blast had momentarily dropped it and went after something else.  Poor Tank didn't have it for long!

 Right here...in the hole...I got ya'!!!  Kira, of course.

Blast doing his wolf imitation coming out of the bush...except...don't think wolves carry blue balls!
I looked a pics. of the dogs last year, same dates, we were racing through a pond in the field, splashing water everywhere and having a great time.  Not a flake of snow in sight! Come on spring!!!!!!!!!

I hate that groundhog!!!

 Here we are, mid-March and more snow than the picture above.  I can't even force myself to take a "new" picture.  Normally, before now, we are out tracking!  I'm so glad I decided not to enter Tank in the test coming up in a few weeks in S. Ont.  We'd never be able to get ready for that.

 Again, this picture from a while ago, but pretty much every day looks like this.  Sun has been pretty scarce this winter.

My only joy these days!  Dog walks and tossing the ball over the top of the snow piles for the dogs to climb.  At least they are keeping fit this way.  This was a really high snowbank and she really had to work...most I cut out at the bottom of the picture.

 And these two pictures are just to make me happy, and remind me, that maybe soon.....we will be out tracking again.  These two pics. are Blast working on hard surface, through multi obstacles, 3 hr. aged track.

"The Relatives' Birthday Party!"

Tanks' Uncle Elliott and his Mom, Marlo, celebrated their 12th birthday yesterday.  They had an outing with their friends, having a grand time playing and running through the snow. 

(note* we are not the only ones to have birthday party hats*)

A special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Marlo and Elliott!

 Their friends Dexter and Michibou helped celebrate the day.  Above is Mich in his lovely winter jacket!

"Where did everybody go?'  Dexter, in plaid, and Mich in green seem to looking for the rest of the party goers.  It's tough being short when you can't see over the snow!