Helen's Home World: May 2020

Saturday, May 30, 2020

Virtual Agility

So in these crazy times, all of our agility competitions have been cancelled so the Agility Association of Canada started a virtual Fun At Home Agility League. You just need three jumps and a tunnel, it's supposed to be a 15 ft tunnel but a 10 ft one works too. The space required is 40 ft by 40 ft but you can get by with less. My problem is the slope of my yard and the trees. Every week there are two jumpers courses at each of three different levels. You can buy any or all the courses or you can buy the courses you'd like and judging too. You submit your videos to a FaceBook group.

Usually I buy the two level 3 courses and judging, this week I bought all the courses but no judging as I'd like to work a bit more with Teddy and it takes up quite a bit of time to walk the courses, then warm up Keltic and have him run the course. The courses are so nested that I really can only do one a day as otherwise I would get super confused.

The videos are from the courses from the week before last. Keltic ran well, I didn't. This was a mulligan run after we had already run the course. No handler or dog was hurt in the video.

Keltic Fun At Home

The next day I let Teddy have a chance on this course before learning the next course. He did really well considering how little training we've actually done. Level 3 is approximately Masters level. This week as I said I bought all the courses so I'll see how he does on Level 1 which is closer to Starters.

Teddy Fun At Home

Keltic has earned his Level III Novice Jumpers title the week before last. This past week although he was clean he was over time on both of his runs. This week we'll focus on some training.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Just Jump

So in this crazy time, I have lots of time at home so I decided to paint my outdoor agility jumps. I bought most of them off eBay many years ago and have always taped them which had to be done every other year. I'm hoping the paint will last longer.

I did an online order at Home Depot for paint and coloured electrical tape. I had to wait nearly three days for the order so luckily this wasn't urgent work. I ordered this spray paint in red and black as it said it adhered to plastic so we'll see.

It was hard to get the the old tape off. In some cases I just gave up and painted over the remnants of the tape. The jumps look fine from a distance but up close they're a bit messy. I also retaped my tire too but didn't have enough tape to do a really good job of it. I also learned that it is hard to mask off the jump bars to get nice lines, the paint bleeds under the tape. On the last jump bars I did, I masked them first with electrical tape then paper and painters tape which worked a little better.

I worked out of the garage, making a little spray booth with a garbage bag and my saw horses. It worked pretty well, there's spray paint on the garage floor but does it really matter. Once I had spray painted the first of the uprights, I realized I couldn't lay them down on the floor so I have to come up with a drying rack. I used beer bottles for that.

First Jump

First two jumps

All three jumps

I had a little blood shed doing these jumps when I pinched my finger trying to get the jump cup off of the upright. The PVC is sharp where the joint has been cut. It's not as bad as it looks, at first, I didn't even think that it had broken the skin but then it started to bleed.

Ouch

Jump Cups

We set up the back yard with the newly painted jumps. As I was painting the jumps, I realized that red, black and white had been Beckett's colours so I re-dedicated the backyard as Beckett's Field.

No one has yet to run in Beckett's Field, the Agility Association of Canada (AAC) has started a virtual Jumpers League. Keltic and I ran two events last weekend before I had painted the jumps. The link below is to our run on the second event we did. The AAC hasn't put out anything yet on the next event. Last week was free, the next time you have to pay to see the courses and, if you want to have your run judged. Pretty neat what we can do with today's technology.

AAC Level III Jumpers 2

I ordered a new rubber skin for my teeter just before the lock down happened. I haven't received it yet but they said delivery was six to eight weeks, hopefully by then my brother-in-law will be able to help me re-board the teeter.

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Agility Blessing

May the tunnels not have too much suction,
May the course be fun and fast.
May your dog not stop to say "hello" to the photographers they pass!
May the table not be too slippery,
May the chute house no scary beasts,
May all the yellow parts be touched with one little toe, at least
May the wind be always at your back,
May no bars fall on the ground,
May the A-frame have no stop sign on the top,
May the judge's whistle never sound.
May your dog obey all correct commands,
And ignore the ones that are wrong.
May your heart be light, your feet be sure, and the bond with your dog grow strong.
At the finish line, may great joy abound, regardless of your score,
You have your dog, your dog has you, and who could ask for more?

Written by: PJ Hughes

What is a Title!

Not just a brag, not just a stepping stone to a higher title, not just an adjunct to competitive scores. A Title is a tribute to the dog that bears it, a way to honor that dog, an ultimate memorial. It will remain in the record and in the memory for about as long as anything in this world can remain. Few humans will do as well or better in that regard, and though the dog himself doesn't know or care that his achievements have been noted, a Title says many things in the world of humans, where such things count.

A Title says your dog was intelligent, and adaptable, and good natured. It says that your dog loved you enough to do the things that please you, however crazy they may have sometimes seemed. And a Title says that you loved your dog, that you loved to spend time with him because he was a good dog, and that you believed in him enough to give him yet another chance when he failed, and that in the end your faith was justified.

A Title proves that your dog inspired you to have the special relationship enjoyed by so few, that in the world of disposable creatures, this dog with a Title was greatly loved, and loved greatly in return. And when that dear short life is over, the Title remains as a memorial of the finest kind, the best you can give to a deserving friend, volumes of praise in one small set of initials before or after the name.

A Title is nothing less than love and respect, given and received, permanently recorded.

Written by Sandy Mowery, Wisconsin

The Last Battle

If it should be that I grow frail and weak
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then will you do what must be done,
For this -- the last battle -- can't be won.

You will be sad I understand,
But don't let grief then stay your hand,
For on this day, more than the rest,
Your love and friendship must stand the test.

We have had so many happy years,
You wouldn't want me to suffer so.
When the time comes, please, let me go.
Take me to where to my needs they'll tend,
Only, stay with me till the end

And hold me firm and speak to me
Until my eyes no longer see.
I know in time you will agree
It is a kindness you do to me.

Although my tail its last has waved,
From pain and suffering I have been saved.
Don't grieve that it must be you
Who has to decide this thing to do;

We've been so close -- we two -- these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears.

Author Unknown

Beyond the Rainbow

As much as I loved the life we had and all the times we played,

I was so very tired and knew my time on earth would fade.

I saw a wondrous image then of a place that’s trouble-free,

Where all of us can meet again to spend eternity.

I saw the most beautiful Rainbow, and on the other side

Were animals of every sort as healthy as could be!

My own tired, failing body was fresh and healed and new

I wanted to run with them, but I had something left to do.

I needed to reach out to you, and tell you I’m alright

That this place is truly wonderful,

Then a bright Glow pierced the night.

Twas the Glow of many candles shining bright, strong and bold

I knew then that it held your love in its brilliant shades of gold.

For although we may not be together in the way we used to be,

We are still connected by a cord no eye can see.

So, whenever you need to find me, we’re never far apart,

If you look beyond the Rainbow and listen with your heart.

Do you think the time is right?

May I say goodbye to pain filled days and endless lonely nights?
I've lived my life and done my best, an example tried to be.
So can I take that step beyond, and set my spirit free?
I didn't want to go at first, I fought with all my might.
But something seems to draw me now to a warm and living light.
I want to go, I really do; it's difficult to stay.
But I will try as best I can to live just one more day.
To give you time to care for me and share your love and fears.
I know you're sad and afraid, because I see your tears.
I'll not be far, I promise that, and hope you'll always know,
That my spirit will be close to you wherever you may go.
Thank you so for loving me. You know I love you too,
And that's why it's so hard to say goodbye and end this life with you.
So hold me now just one more time and let me hear you say,
Because you care so much for me, you'll let me go today.

I Loved You Best

So this is where we part, My Friend,

And you'll run on, around the bend.

Gone from sight, but not from mind,

new pleasures there you'll surely find.

I will go on; I'll find the strength,

Life measures quality, not its length.

One long embrace before you leave,

Share one last look, before I grieve.

There are others, that much is true,

But they be they, and they aren't you.

And I, fair, impartial, or so I thought,

Will remember well all you've taught.

Your place I'll hold, you will be missed,

The fur I stroked, the nose I kissed.

And as you journey to your final rest,

Take with you this...I loved you best.

-Jim Willis

The Price We Pay

There is a cycle of love and death that shapes the lives of those who choose to travel in the company of animals.

It is a cycle unlike any other.

To those who have never lived through it's turnings and walked it's rocky path, our willingness to give our hearts with the full knowledge it will be broken seems incomprehensible.

Only we know how small price we pay for what we receive; our grief, no matter how powerful it may be, is an insufficient measure of the joy we have been given.

Suzanne Clother