When Good Dogs Get Mad

Today Moira, Bogey and Georgia got to go on an outing to the Mattaponi KC agility trial.  Sam and Gin stayed home.  Unfortunately, the day ran long.  This is what Gin thinks about that....

The tote bag was hanging from a shelf support near Gin's crate so she had to work to get it.  Now I get to clean up the mess.  Serves me right.

A Change of Venue

Moira is entered in an agility trial this weekend.  She's actually just entered on Saturday and the only reason I entered the trial is because a friend from New England is judging.

Anyway, the trial was supposed to be held at a horse barn in NoVa.  We went to a trial there earlier this year and didn't do well at all.  The noise was more than my girl could deal with.  Over the weekend I got an email indicating that the horse barn was closing and they were looking for a new trial site.  Wow!  That happened fast! Those of you who are on trial committees know how far in advance these things are planned.  To lose a venue barely a week before an event is crazy-making.

This morning I got another email indicating a new trial site had been secured.  All in all, I like this site LOADS better.  We will be journeying to Morven Park in Leesburg, VA.  If you click on the Mansion and Grounds and scroll down you will see a map of the grounds.  The trial will take place in the area known as "The Green."  How cool is that?  What a beautiful place to spend a fall day!

I Am a Convert

First, thanks to UHM for the guest post while I was out of town at the dog show.  Second, no we didn't get any points :( but, as a neighbor pointed out, Georgia got some "experience under her collar."  So did I, for that matter.

Now, on to my conversion.  My job does not require me to dress up.  If I did, people would wonder if I had a job interview.  I am quite happy wearing jeans to work every day - although sometimes I change it up by wearing khakis or cords!  Dog shows are a different thing though.  I feel obligated to look nice at dog shows.  My mentors have taught me that looking nice- even wearing a little bling - is a good thing.  For fall/winter shows that also means wearing stockings.  You know, nylons, pantyhose, whatever your mother taught you to call them.  Mine called them stockings.  I hate stockings.  I was never so happy as when company dress codes started to relax and I didn't have to wear them.  Now I have to wear them again - and for DOG SHOWS!  It's not like I'm even getting paid to dress nicely.

Knowing I would need stockings for this weekend, I gritted my teeth and bought a pair.  Only I didn't buy regular, control-top, light support stockings.  I took a chance, I listened to what I've been seeing and hearing in the media for the last several years and I bought Spanx.  Only I didn't really buy Spanx, I bought the Target brand, designed by the same woman who brought us Spanx.  The name they sell under is almost embarrassing - Assets.  Yes, I bought some Assets.  Ok, that makes it sound a little better.

Saturday morning I showered, shaved my legs, blow dried my hair, cursed because I didn't bring what little make up I do wear and then prepared to do battle with my Assets.  Anyone who has ever pulled on a pair of stockings knows it is a procedure fraught with danger.  Your nails can go through the fabric, you can snag them, you can get a leg twisted, if you don't pull them up just right the crotch ends up around your knees and no matter how many times you try to adjust them, it stays around your knees.  So I carefully pulled on my Assets.  And I pulled them up, and up, and up.....  Yeah, these are what is tactfully known as "shapewear" folks.  The design is such that if you get the wrong size you can wear them as pantyhose, girdle and bra all in one.  Fortunately, I had the right size and still needed a bra.

I got everything adjusted and then I pulled on the skirt I also bought at Target - on sale for less than $11.  The skirt that fit nicely without shapewear.  The skirt that was now at least a size too large because all my "shape" was being beautifully compressed by my Assets.  I am a convert.  Anything that can make me a size smaller -and not cut off the circulation to any vital parts - is ok and worth the money in my book.

I won't be wearing Assets all the time but I will buy a couple pair for dog shows and other events.  I guess it's really true what our mothers and grandmothers tried to tell us.  Having a good foundation garment makes all the difference.

Herding Boot Camp

D took Bogey and Georgia to Maryland for the CCWCC Specialty this weekend. I, UHM, quite happily remained at home with the rest of the Horde.  I was "invited" to make a Guest Post in her absence, so this is my first attempt to entertain and engage you.

Regular readers might know that I have only recently become acquainted with Cardigans and have fallen head over you-know-what for their quirky and laugh-inducing personalities.  I've been thinking about my limited exposure to their herding abilities, and how much I've become to love it so quickly.  Unfortunately although I've taken both Bo and G to be instinct tested (see photos from G's introduction last weekend - thanks Dana!), and Bo has had a few herding lessons, it hasn't been enough for any of us.  I crave that first herding “fix” feeling again -- not only could I (who knew nothing!) see that Bogey was hooked, but I also can’t forget the thrill of that occasional moment (I think once) of smooth perfection amidst the bedlam and confusion of a chasing dog and stampeding sheep.  Alas, our herding lessons seem to be over in a flash.  If only we lived on a sheep farm....  I'm looking for a very focused learning opportunity for both Bo and me.  A weekend isn't enough for us.  

Has anyone been to a herding boot camp before?  What was it like?  Would you go again?  I'd love to hear your thoughts pro and con for such an experience.

Birthday Party Invitation

Moira's 5th birthday is just a couple weeks away - Halloween, to be exact.  This year we will be celebrating by attending our first USDAA agility trial.

This is an open invitation to all our Cardi/Blogger friends to join us at the Madco Agility trial, October 30-31, in beautiful Crozet, VA.  There is still time to enter the trial and I haven't heard that it's filled yet.  We'll set up a tent and tables and share birthday cake and treats with all our friends on Saturday.  I think there will be separate cakes for the dogs and the people :) but the treats will be from Sammy Snacks in C'ville and can be shared across species.

Even if you aren't an agility addict, we'd love to see you there!

What's in a Name?

The dogs that live here are known, collectively, as The Heathen Horde or sometimes just "The Horde."  Pretty much everyone knows them by that name.  At the 2009 National, UHM was walking them for me when someone stopped her and said, "That's The Horde but, you're not Dina."  Dogs that we are fond of but don't live with us are called "Associate Horde Members."

Last weekend I met a lady who has 3 black dogs - not sure of the breed(s) that she calls "The Legion of Darkness."  I thought that was spectacularly funny.

Anyone else have a name for their group of dogs?  I know there's the Trio of Trouble out there and Moira, Scout and Grace are sometimes referred to as the Trio of Terror (they're Halloween babies, after all).

A Close Look at a Big Weekend

So it was a big weekend for at least a couple members of the Horde.

Sam had another modeling assignment on Friday.  We were in and out in about 10 minutes because he's such a pro :)  Look for his photo in the Winter edition of the Plow & Hearth catalog.  He's demonstrating the efficacy of a pet barrier.

Saturday Georgia and I went to our first real show together and she picked up her first point by going BOWs.  She also got a very nice leather lead as a prize.  We're searching for the equivalent of Show Frog - preferably in better condition than he is in this post.  Today we tried Show Donkey, Show Giraffe, Show Puppy - none of them made the grade.  Maybe we will just have to wait for a bigger show - and a major.

Today was the 2nd day of the show and G was WB (only bitch) but that was it.  It's ok though because there weren't any points available.  The judge was P. Levi Marsman and what a lovely man he is!  I would show to him any day.  Afterwards, we stopped at a state park near the show grounds.  They were having a Fall Festival that included a pick-your-own pumpkin patch.  So Georgia got to search for the Great Pumpkin....

It's not either of these.......

She finally decided on this one....

It's Semi-Official

InfoDog has posted the results from yesterday's Warrenton KC show in Millwood, VA.  Georgia picked up her first point by going WB/BOWs.  By the way, all three class dogs are related through Sam.  The 6-9 Puppy Dog is a Sam great-grandson and the Open dog is a Sam grandson.

Cardis are on at 10 this morning.  The entry is very small so there aren't any points available but it's a good opportunity for me and Miss G to work on our skills.

Time to feed the big dogs and then start getting myself ready.

Puppy Up! Walk

Several months ago I posted about an organization called 2 Dogs 2 Thousand Miles that is raising money and awareness for canine cancer research.  At the time, I pledged to take part in their 2 Million Dogs campaign.  The idea being that if 2 dogs can walk 2000 miles then it should be nothing to get 2 million dogs to walk 2 miles.

The first  2 Million Dogs Puppy Up! Walk is scheduled for November 7th and will be held in several cities.  There's actually going to be a walk in Richmond, VA, just about an hour and a half from us.  I am going to do my darndest to take part in it.  Too many dogs lose theirs lives at too young an age to cancer.

Vogue

Sam has another modeling assignment today!  The Creative department at work called me Wednesday to ask if he was available and, of course, I said yes.  Check out the location - Ragged Mountain Farm.  We'll be shooting in the main house.  This time the product is a pet barrier (read, baby gate).  I'm going to take Moira and Georgia along as well.  Moira has grown up so much in the last year that I think she might be able to handle all the chaos associated with a  photo shoot.  Plus, she has a great down-stay now.  Georgia can use the exposure to new places, people and stuff and she's great at standing on the other side of pet barriers and peeking over the top :)

Based on the timing of the shoot, I think this will be in the winter catalog that comes out right after the holidays.  I'll keep you posted!