Canada Cup 2015

This past weekend we were off to Guelph, Ontario for the Canada Cup event which is held at Royackers Kennels in Arris, Ontario. Canada Cup is a private event that attracts competitors from all over Canada as well as parts of the United States. This year, I heard, there was even a competitor from the Czech Republic. The Canada Cup has two games events that are each a single heat and three championship events, Grand Prix, Jumpers and Steeplechase, that have two heats for each event with the top 45% of dogs moving on to the finals. The top four dogs in each height class win money prizes and really big ribbons.

This was our third year going to the Canada Cup. Some of you might remember that two years ago Beckett qualified to run in the finals of two of the events but I tore a calf muscle in his final Jumpers heat and I was unable to run. Last year we were not fortunate enough to make any of the finals so I was not certain what to expect this year and was thinking that it might be our last Canada Cup.

This year there was a UKI trial the day before Canada Cup was to start so we drove to Guelph on Canada Day so as not to have the long drive and trial on the same day.  We got to Royackers on Friday, 2 July with plenty of time to set up both at the outdoor ring for Canada Cup and in the indoor crating area for the UKI trial.  Royackers put down artificial turf in the indoor arena this year and it was just wonderful to run on, I hope the dogs liked it too.

Beckett and Keltic were both entered in Jumpers and Agility; Keltic in the Beginners level and Beckett in the Champion level. Keltic did rather well but no Q's. I was especially happy that he did 12 weaves and made the entry on both sets of weaves. He did pop but when I put him back in he did all 12, maybe we're seeing some progress. I thought we only had 5 faults for a dropped bar in the Jumpers run but the score sheet said 15; someone told me that they fault the weaves even at Beginners.  They didn't fault the weaves though in the Agility run, where we only had 10 faults for two missed contacts. I guess I have to read the rules before our next UKI trial. Beckett did well getting one Q in Jumpers. It was the first time he had to do a wall jump; I saw him hestitate taking the wall but didn't see exactly what he did to get over it. I was told afterwards he jumped up on the wall but managed to not to take anything down so he was not faulted. A great way to start the weekend.

Canada Cup started on Friday with one of the Games events, a Gamblers. We don't do the Games events. This year had we known the course in advance we might have entered; it was a strategic gamble not a distance gamble so Beckett would have done alright with that. The main Gamble was either four tunnels and a finish jump or three tunnels and the finish jump; if you did all four tunnels you got 25 points and three tunnels got you 15 points. The tunnels were placed around the outside of the ring and the time was tight so you had to really leg it to get them all done.

The first event we were in was Grand Prix 1. It didn't run until about 11 am so I had time to take Beckett and Keltic to play some Frisbee. On Friday and Saturday, we had three runs, Grand Prix, Steeplechase and Jumpers. We had just awesome runs. Over the six events, Beckett had one only bar down; the last bar in the first Jumpers round. Beckett finished 10th and 7th in Steeplechase so I was pretty sure we would make the finals there. He finished 14th and 12th in Grand Prix so pretty steady; some others who had finished well the first day didn't have as much success the second day so we qualified for that final too. In Jumpers, that one bar put us in 16th place; it's time plus faults so fast dogs can make up taking a bar down but Beckett and I have to go clean. I didn't think we could move up enough to make the final. We finished 8th in the second Jumpers heat and I was surprised to see that we made that final too. 

Just flying

Weav-o-matics

Focus!

On Sunday, the first event, Grand Prix was held indoors. Beckett and I were psyched to run in our first ever Canada Cup final, we, or at least I,  had been waiting for two years. We gave it all we had and ended up in 7th place out of the 12 dogs that were in the final or you could say out of 28 if you included all the dogs in the height class that didn't make the finals.We had a beautifully clear round with a time of 40.53 seconds. Our second final was Steeplechase thought this was our best chance to be in the top four but things didn't go so well. We started fine but had a bar before getting to the weaves to the second time. On the second time through the weaves,Beckett popped his entry. At Canada Cup, this is not faulted but you are losing time. I put Beckett back in but he popped again this time at pole 10, I tried to get him out but he back weaved for 5 faults. We tried the weaves again and again he popped at 10 so I decided to just finish the last three jumps. Not completing the weaves gave us another 20 faults so we finished this event in 11th place. Last up was Jumpers, it was getting rather hot and Beckett was getting tired but we still had a good round and finished in 9th place.

Grand Prix 1

Grand Prix 2

 Video of Beckett's Grand Prix runs

Grand Prix Final

We had a spectacular weekend of agility.  I'll have to really think about whether we go next year or not. Beckett did really well but he still was one of the slower dogs; don't know whether that's him or me.  As much fun as it is, it would be nice to have a chance to make the podium. We shall see....

But to all of you who haven't gone yet to Canada Cup, you need to go at least once!

Catching Up

Wow, it's been awhile since we wrote our last post, we've been busy and I just haven't had the time.

On 16 June, it was Beckett's 6th birthday where does the time go; it just seems like yesterday that I went to Oshawa to pick him up.  We had a low key birthday. Beckett and Keltic both got a special cookie treat and Beckett got three new discs; after all what else do you get a Frisbee-holic.

Beckett with his new disc toys

Beckett with his birthday cookie.

Since our last post we've done some agility trials including our first United Kingdom International (UKI) trial. I entered Beckett in two Speedstakes and the Masters Series event which is one round of Jumpers (with weaves) and one round of Agility (Standard to those who follow AAC).  Beckett got Q's in one of the Speedstakes and in the Jumpers run.  For the Masters series, they also do aggregates of the Agility and Jumpers rounds and the dogs that place first and second in their height class get a bye to the Masters series finals at the Canadian Open (the National event). Beckett placed third; it didn't really matter as we can't go to this year's Nationals anyway. Keltic, I just put in Speedstakes events since it was the only event that didn't have weaves. He did good but had three bars down in the first run and one bar in the second. I could hear him give a little grunt each time he jumped so that pushed me to finally make the decision to put him in a lower height class. We had another UKI trial right before our Canada Cup weekend (more on that later) and will have another later this month.

Keltic also had his first K9 Kup event on 28 June. K9 Kup is the agility house league in our area to get young dogs or dogs new to agility used to a trial environment. Keltic ran pretty well even in the pouring rain but none of his runs counted towards the team's placements as he now gets handicapped for having his Starter's title. He missed his dog walk contact in the Standard run which was otherwise clean. He did had a great opening in Gamblers getting the mini gamble and he also did get the main Gamble. The main Gamble was jump, jump, tunnel and I doubt I could have called him off the tunnel though so good thing it was that easy. We had a 40 second opening and 20 seconds to do the main Gamble, Keltic's time was just over 48 seconds. We were in an absolutely perfect position when the buzzer went and Keltic was done the Gamble in a flash.  We were clean in Jumpers only because the judge wasn't sure if he did the tire or not; he didn't. This was the first event he did back at the lower jump height so not sure why he didn't do the tire; it was probably harder to go between the tire and the standard than just doing the tire at 10". I'll have to lower my tire in the backyard and get him working on it again.

On the home front, I'm having a sun room built but so far the project hasn't progressed all that much. The contractors parked their trailer in my driveway on 8 June but since it was pouring rain, that's all that got done that day. The rest of the week was rainy and my contractor and his partner got sick so nothing got done the first week. The second week, the old deck came up and the technoposts for the foundation went in, but they revised where the technoposts were to be placed so we needed new drawings from the engineers before anything else could be done. Those new drawings took nearly a week. After we got the new drawings, the beams and joists went in and that's where we still are today as we are waiting for the city to approve the new drawings and we can't go any further until the foundation is inspected so the floor can't be insulated or closed in until that's done. This four to six week job will likely now take 8 to 10 weeks so it doesn't look like the sun room won't get much use this summer.

The beams on the technopost foundation

The joists are in.

The sun room will have tile floors and a tongue in groove pine vaulted ceiling with a fan and light. There will be three double (full screen) slider windows at the end away from the house, a double hung window near the sliding door, a fixed transom window above the slider window at the far end and two skylights in the roof to make sure we still get as much light in the dining room as possible. We will just be installing a storm door just beside where the double hung window will be so not quite mid way as I didn't want to break up what's to be the main seating space. Hopefully the city will approve the revised drawings soon as they've almost had them longer now than they had the first drawings which we submitted with the permit application.

It sure will be nice to have a space where I can wipe the dogs feet before they come into the house. It will also be a great space for brushing them too. And, of course, for it's real purpose sitting out in the evenings without getting eaten alive by mosquitos.

Arbor-eat-em?

Hey dere eberyone is me, Beckett.

Today Mums tooked us to a big park, she said it be called an arbor-eat-em.We didn't gets to eat nuthin while we were there though. It was quites a big park with a lake, an bridges to goes over a stream and lots and lots of trees. Keltic tried to pee on each and ebery one. There was lots of other doggies running around but Mum's kept us on our leashes.  I guess she was afraid of getting lost.

Where we entered da park dere wasn't so many peeps but when we gots to the paved walking trail dere was more an more peeps and loads of dem were on bikes. At da far end of da lake dere was tons of peeps all over and when we crossed the street it was hard not to get our leashed tangled.

Mums wanted to get our pictures with somethin called two-lips. We went into dis little park and walked around for a bit. Mums took our pictures with some flowers and lots of other pictures just of these flowers. Lots of other peeps were taking pictures of flowers too.  Didn't see no two-lips thingys.

 Mums said somethin about getting us a hot dog to share but then she said she saw a sign that said "no doggies allowed" so we turned back the other way. On our way back Mums said she sawed da same sign at the place where we wented into da little park, seems like we doggies should na of been in dere. Da sign was facing da wrong way, so Mums couldn't see it when we wented in but dere were other doggies dere and we was good boys.

We headed back da way we came and stopped to rest. Mums sat on a bench and we laid in da grass. Mums gave us sum water ta drink. Keltic had some but I didn't want any eben though Mums tried to get me ta drink sum.

Mums tooked lots of pictures. She wanted to get pictures of us in da park too, she was always making us sit an look at da camera.

It was quites a long walk.  We stopped again on da way back to da car. Mums said she saw a turtle but I did na see it. Mums gots a picture of it so I guess it be true.




It was nice to get back to da car. It was a very nice walk but it's was a little long. Mums said we should go on more long walks like that.  When we gots home we had lunch and den a  nap.  It was a very nice holli-day.

PS, you can biggify the pictures by clicking on dem.

Lots of licks from me, Beckett and from Keltic too.

Cookie Monsters

Keltic reminded me that we were supposed to show everyone what he got for his birthday presents. He got a dragon with a rattle and squeaker, a bone that you can put treats in along with treats for it and both he and Beckett got a big cookie.

 

Keltic got the crown shaped cookie and Beckett got the party hat. I tried to take pictures of Keltic eating his cookie but he runs away. I think he thinks that I'll take it from him. Keltic really is a cookie monster; he eats so fast that he's done long before Beckett so the video is only of Beckett.

Beckett had to eat the icing off of his cookie before he ate the cookie.What a guy!

Cookie Monster Video

Title Match

Well, last weekend we had just a pawsome agility weekend. The weather was nice so it wasn't too cold in the arena; in fact when the heaters were on I found it a bit too warm.

Saturday I was just there with Keltic, I had entered him in four events; two advanced games, a Jumpers and a Snooker and two Starter Standard runs.  He needed one Starter Standard for his Starter title - Agility Dog of Canada. Beckett stayed home so he wouldn't have to spend the day in a crate. The first run was an Advanced Snooker, I handled one of the red jumps badly and Keltic back jumped it, so tweet went the judge's whistle before we had enough points to Q. Our next run was  beautiful, just a lovely run on the Advanced Jumpers course. I felt very connected with Keltic.

Advanced Jumpers

Keltic ran the course in 26.4 seconds running 4.85 yards per second. The course time was set at 40 seconds so we were well under that. I'll have to watch who is judging the next time we run Jumpers as he has two qualifying scores with this judge and you need to have qualifying scores under two judges to move up to Masters.  We then had a bit of break before the Starters events began and I worked the first Starter event.  The Standards were the next two events so the wait wasn't too long. Keltic was pretty good about his start lines and in his first Starter Std he did try to get his weaves but he had no two on, two off on his contacts; he barely slowed down, luckily he hit the all contact zones.

Starter Standard 1

Video of Keltic's Starter Standard ADC title run

 Keltic got his third qualifying score on Starter Standard 1 and with that his title of Agility Dog of Canada. Since you can't do same day move-ups and in any case the Advanced events had already run, we still had another Starter Standard to run.  We could have just gone home but decided to stay and just have some fun.

Starter Standard 2

Keltic surprised me and got another qualifying score in this Standard as well. All of his Q's were also the best runs of the mini Regular dogs so he also got a stuffed toy for each of those runs. So now my little man is all in Advanced and, as a result, will run with a handicap in this year's K9 Kup.

Keltic with ribbons and toys.

When we got home, I told Beckett that he couldn't let his little brother show him up and he had to go three for four as well. I told him I wanted a Steeplechase Q and two Standards, Beckett didn't get it quite right, he got a Steeplechase Q, a Master Jumpers Q and one Master Standard Q.  The Steeplechase run was our first of the day on Sunday. They are nice flowing courses so they are a great way to begin the day.

Steeplechase

Beckett had one little bobble in this run but luckily for us there are no refusals called in Steeplechase which is another reason we love it. I love Beckett's weave entries in this run and he sure made me run to get the blind cross in after the last tunnel.  The little bobble probably cost him first place as we were 1/10th of a second behind the first place dog.

Video of Beckett's Steeplechase run

The Jumpers run was a beautiful run, again I felt very connected with Beckett. I just love when that happens; sometimes you seem to be just reacting but when it comes together you really understand that there is a deep human-animal bond.

Master Jumpers 

Beckett ran the course in 26.82 running 5.56 yards per second. The course time was 41 seconds. I think Beckett really likes to run as a 10" Special. This was also a first place run.

Beckett then had a five fault Master Std, he spun and got a refusal when I tried to get him to turn out to the tunnel off of the A-frame(obstacle 10 to 11).

Master Standard 1

The next Standard run had a turn away to a tunnel off the dog walk and I worried he would do the same thing but he didn't and we were clean for the Q and another first place. Beckett ran the course in 42.91, running 4.29 yards per second on a course that had a course time of 63 seconds.

So Beckett went 3 for four too but he only won one best run toy. Beckett has some stiff competition with a miniature poodle named Keaton. In the four events they did together, Keaton won twice and Beckett won twice. So why did Beckett only get one Best Run toy well that's because if there are not enough dogs entered they combine all Specials.  So in one events where Beckett was the first place mini Special (6" and 10" jump heights),   an Open Special dog (16" and 22" jump heights) was faster than Beckett, a mini dog. It's hard for the little guys to beat the bigger dogs but sometimes they can.

Beckett with ribbons and toy.

We had a great weekend, hope that it was the first of many more this season.