Oh so close!!

 So one last try to get enough points to get to go to AKC nationals.  Ive never had a dog that could double Q before. So when Java started double Qing this fall, I looked up what I needed to get to nationals.  I probably shouldnt have gone to UKI nationals if this was that important to me. I could have gone to a 4 day AKC trial and gotten the points I needed. But O' well.  So this weekend was my last shot. I had all the Q's and Double Q's. I just needed 80 more points. I knew it was a long shot for me but I would try. When I got there I went through my points again and only 71.  Ok.
The first day we Qed in standard and took 3rd place. Man there are a lot of really fast little border collies now in the 16 inch jump height. Ack!!

This course had some challenges.  Coming off the running a-frame, making the turn and getting the tire , instead of the weave poles.  Lots of dogs took the #6 jump and then went into the tunnel.  I was really hoping we would get the correct end of tunnel after the dogwalk.




Well we Qed and got 28 points or 29, I cant remember. We took 3rd place behind 2 border collies.

Jumpers we were having  a beautiful run and then she popped out of the weaves. Oh well.

Saturday, no Qs at all. Man we needed at least one Q , to take the pressure off.

Now its Sunday.  Standard was first.

OMG, we were so close.
I was so worried about the opening line. I knew I wasnt going to get much of a lead out and how would I tell her where to go when she gets to #5 and makes the turn?  (Miley had gone off course there).



The turn wasnt a problem at all. The teeter was. If she hadnt left early, I would have been in the correct position to cue the jumps. Ugh!!

I kept debating going home after this. It was Thanksgiving weekend and I hadnt spent much time with my family.  Poor Miley, stressed in the standard ring. As soon as I took her outside she had really bad diarrhea.   I had to take her to the RV and wash her up.  I walked her a few more times before Jumpers.  She stressed again in jumpers and I had to leave the ring. Again, I took her outside and she had bad diarrhea again and I had to go wash her again at the RV. Poor Miley. She continued with diarrhea until Monday after noon. She had a few more baths. She wasnt to happy about that.  I sure hope it was her upset stomach that made her act so crazy in the ring and we arent back to all that stuff again.

Next up was Java. I stopped watching people run because it was making me nervous.  We stepped to the line and Java was on fire.




I was falling so far behind I had to push in for the RC on the flat at #4, and basically use my arm to cue the turn. Then she was just flying and seemed to know where she was going that I put a front cross in after #11. (I hadnt planned on this. I was going to RC after #12.)  But it worked beautiful!!.  And we Qed.  She ran 6.3 YPS which was only good enough for 4th place.  A border collie ran this in 20 seconds. Holly crap that is fast!!  Java was 24.06.   So we missed nationals by like 23 points.

Oh well, at least we had a nice last run.  The drive home was really nice. I was expecting bumper to bumper traffic, due to Thanksgiving weekend. But I didnt hit any traffic at all.

Ive Got to FIX THE TEETER!!!

Eyes, Kidneys and trials

 

Went to a trail last weekend.  I guess I will no longer get pictures with Miley's eyes open.  this was taken in the shade. Hmmmm.

 

Anyway, went to an indoor trial.  This is the first time Ive been to this venue and people rode their bikes inside the building. Ugh.  I wondered, as I was working the 20 inch class, if Java would continue to stay in the ring if someone was riding their bike pass the ring. It didn't seem to bother anyone else's dogs. I guess its just mine.

 

First up was T2b.

 

She popped out of the 10th poles , so then I was behind because I was really trying to drive down the line of poles so she wouldnt pop out. ugh. Because I was to far behind after the a-frame, she missed jump 6. But she stopped on the teeter. WhooHoo!!! 

The teeter has been  a huge issue for us. She just kept flying off. I thought she was just to excited and didn't want to stop. So I had been pulling her off course, for flying off. But she would do it again the next time or get it once and then fly off the time after that. So at this point I figured she didn't understand the criteria.  If pulling your dog doesn't work after a few times, your dog doesn't understand what you want , at least in my opinion.  So someone gave me an idea on retraining the teeter. I changed the idea a little.  I worked on getting Java to scratch a target on the ground. Then I put the target at the end of the teeter and had her scratch when the teeter hit the ground. Im still working on fading the target by cutting the circle target smaller and smaller. But the idea seems to be working. She stopped on the teeter in T2B and in standard.

Next up was standard. This course was eating dogs up. I worked the 20 inch dogs and so many of them dropped bars going down the first line.

They seemed to drop the bar either 3 , 4 or 5. The next problem, coming out of the chute, they wouldn't turn and took the off course jump.  The last problem, running the line at the end. 4 jumps out, you are getting behind as your dog runs ahead. Then they spin because they are unsure where to go.

Java did great except I messed up my rear cross at 5. Ugh!!



Then last was JWW.  She popped the weaves again!! ack!! Some how we recovered and didn't have any other mistakes but it wasn't pretty.

Then we went for a walk before going back to the hotel.

I love this picture. I have no idea who this lady is but her horse sure like rolling in the fresh grass.

The Java and Miley were running around. I have no idea what happened. I don't know if Miley slipped and fell on her face or if some small gravel got kicked up and hit her in the eye but she couldn't open her eye for the next 12 hours.

I didn't know what to do. But lucky I'm facebook friends with an Veterinary ophthalmologist. She sent me a message and told me what to do.  The next morning Miley couldn't open her eye at the hotel room but when we got to the trial, she could.  Ive been treating her with antibiotic ointment and she has been ok. She goes to the eye specialist Monday for a recheck.

That morning I went to McDonalds and ordered a Egg McMuffin. The weird thing was , it didn't have any Canadian bacon on it. WTH???   Then I get to the trial, right before Im suppose to run, while warming Java up. I think I see a slight head bob.  What???  (that usually means some type of compensation for a front end injury. ) I watch her, sometimes I see it, sometimes I don't. Ack!!  Then we walk inside on the rubber mat by the door. And she limps across.  I check her feet and find nothing.  We walk some more and on gravel she is limping. I check her feet several more times and I cant find anything. I decided to scratch her runs for the day and go home.  Bummer. Then while driving home, Im tired and stop at a rest area.  I decided to get some candy, which I never do.  I go to buy some M&Ms with my last few quarters.  Its one of those machines with the spiral thing in it and it turns until the candy drops down.  Right before its suppose to drop, the spiral spring stops turning.  Crap!!  No candy for me.  Today wasn't my day.   We finally get home. I check Java's feet again and find a small piece of gravel stuck in the fur between her toes.  That was the problem.  No more limping after that. So at least it wasn't any horrible.  
Ok, Ill have to talk about Miley's kidney probably later, I have to go.