I just had to share a few photo’s of Maggie from a walk a couple evenings ago. The weather here in Northern Maine has been unbelieveably warm for this time of year! I took Maggie up in the field that is behind our house. We used to walk there all the time especially before amputation but if the owner of the field doesn’t mow it, it’s tough going for her as it was a bit that night…so we didn’t spend much time up there but she very much enjoyed herself, as did I 🙂
My pretty girl 🙂Can hardly see it due to the bushes but Maggie is standing on what I used to call our "thinking rock" - Maggie and I used to spend alot of time up there just sitting and thinking & looking at the lakePortage Lake - our house is at the base of this fieldPhew! says Maggie - it's hot and rough going in this long grass!
I had taken a video too but I can’t seem to get it loaded onto Youtube or Vimeo…Wish WordPress would take Facebook links as I did get it loaded to Facebook…
Hope everyone’s fall is as nice as it’s been here lately…but it’s getting cooler now….suspect it won’t be long and the leaves will be gone off the trees….
Phew! I’m tired from our exciting weekend competing in Rally obedience in Saco, Maine this wknd! We stayed at the coolest KOA campground….it had LOTS and LOTS of chipmunks for me to stalk! LOVED that part immensely…here’s a few photo’s of our cute kabin and of course, ME! How do you like my glowing eyes? 🙂
Nice comfy bed at KOA campground
Look closely...you can see my crazy little sister, Haley, in the screen door
So on to the Rally-O trial! It was held at Finish Forward Dogs in Saco, Maine. I was entered for the first time in Level 3(the highest level) and also in Veterans class that I used to like much better before they went and changed the rules in June and took out my favorite part – the JUMP! 🙁 So sad to see that taken out of Veterans class and they also took out some of the “Down” signs and added more stupid “sit” signs. Gawd, don’t they know us rear legger Tripawds HATE sitting? Boo-hoo. Well, at least there are jumps in Level 3…and TWO of them! Yeehaw! But Level 3 courses are TOUGH and longer…but I got my Level 3 title by earning 3 qualifying scores of 206, 204 and 205 – a perfect score is a 210. Here I am performing my very first Level 3 run of the weekend. I was a little scared of the shadows on the floor in this run:
And my 2nd Level 3 run was much better:
My Mom had to make me pose for a picture with the judge with my two new titles of the weeknd, earning my RL3 title(Rally level 3) and my RLVX2(Rally level Veterans Excellent 2).
Maggie earned her RL3 and RLVX2 titles!
I did have some fear issues of the shadows along the edges of the walls over the course of the weekend. I have been having some fear issues at home too. My Mom wasn’t too sure just what is going on but pretty sure it is my eye sight. She wishes that I could talk so I could tell her for sure…but I looked at the floor quite a bit in some of our runs and I was seeing shadows…I’m not sure if I was going to fall in a black hole or what. My Mom says her eye sight is changing too and maybe we both need glasses now! It’s not fun getting old, is it? 🙁 But I was VERY brave for my Mom…she says that I have “heart”…whatever that means?
And the best for last….competitors were to nominate an individual for the “Inspiration Award” based on a performance that they were ‘moved’ by. The fact that yes, I CAN back up on 3 legs really “moved” alot of fellow competitors and I was awarded the Inspiration Award for the weekend! And there was another disabled dog there in a cart…that was a Corgi that did fabulous all weekend. So, here’s me and my BIG ribbon for the Inspiration Award!
Maggie earned the Inspiration Award!
So, there you have it! Our exciting weekend, with some up’s and down’s. Mom won’t be bringing me to Finish Forward again due to the shadows – she doesn’t want me fearful in the ring again. My Mom tries so hard to protect me…she doesn’t like seeing me scared of things…but this 3 leggedness on top of my eyesight maybe changing can get challenging at times. Thankfully, she brought my rugs down for the kabin floor at KOA cause I did NOT like that kabin floor…too slippery for me!
Well – guess that’s all I have to report! Another great weekend out and about with my Mom and oh yeah, that crazy little sister I have, Haley…
Phew! What a busy time we had from 8-26-11 to 9-1-11. First, my Mom left me and little sister, Haley, at my Auntie Gina’s house for a day!!! Can you believe it! She left us as she had to go to a wedding and we weren’t invited!!! Imagine that!!! Argh! I was NOT too happy about being left behind! The next day, though, we went with Mom, Auntie Gina and her two Dock Dog Jack Russell’s, Cue and Dory(Mom and daughter team). The event was at L.L. Bean in Freeport, Maine. Mom took me out for a walk among all the people and dogs galore at the event and I just lay there on my mat enjoying the scenery and the wonderful weather cheering on Cue and Dory diving. So, then Mom decided she’d go get Haley and my crate and put us both in it together. Huh? What was she thinking? Well, we really surprised her at how GOOD we can really be! Here’s proof! Look at all the people and dogs milling around…I never said a “peep” to any human or dog 🙂 Neither did bratty little sister!
Maggie at LLBean Dock Dogs event as a spectator 8-27-11
This is Auntie Gina and Dory doing a practice jump:
Mom was sooooo impressed with me and little sister on how well behaved we were at LLBean! She just had to video tape us! She thought for SURE we were imposters! Nah, we can be good sometimes!
Then Sunday, we were supposed to leave for New Hampshire for the beginning of Wag It Games Camp where Mom would be helping instruct campers/dogs but this little thing called Hurricane Irene sorta slowed our progress to leaving 🙁 By Sunday afternoon, the power went out at Auntie Gina’s, several trees down in her yard missing her deck and house but landing on the dog fence. It was quite scary! By Monday a.m. it was done and we were headed to NH for Wag It Camp!
Main Dining Lodge at Camp Robin Hood where Wag It Camp was held - Freedom, New Hampshire
Haley & I hung around a lot not doing much while Mom taught the ‘games’ to dogs/handlers. But when she wasn’t teaching she had us participating in the workshops she wasn’t teaching. I got to do a “Sniff It” workshop! That was pretty darn cool! Searching for food! Heck, who can beat that?! FOOD! The Instructor said I was the “over achiever” as I was trying to retrieve the items that the food was hidden in. Guess my retrieve training was coming out and I was generalizing the behavior well! Mom was actually quite impressed! 🙂 But she said “use your nose Maggie”…guess I’m not supposed to retrieve, it’s sniff it!
Then after campers were done teaching their dogs in other games that we already knew, Mom practiced with me and Haley. We both ROCKED! It was a great time playing with Mom doing No Need For Speed obstacles and Shadow Skills courses with her. Someone commented that I was the “famous Tripawd” 🙂 Guess someone has been talking me up doing Wag It Games.
We took fabulous walks around the 300 acre camp…fields galore and Lake Ossippee to swim in! Well, I don’t really swim but here you can me do my version of it…I’ve never been a swimmer 🙂
having fun at the beach of Lake Ossippee, Freedom, NH
Haley & Maggie by Lake Ossippee
Me and my bratty sister swimming! She’s such a L-U-N-A-T-I-C barking and trying to herd me!
And here’s me swimming alone….ahhh, peaceful…just me and Mom 🙂
So, our vacation has come to an end. We were pretty sad leaving camp…it was sooo much fun!
