Back in Black (& White)
Quake the dock diving fiend is back. Too bad it was for the last event of the summer. But my dear boy...message received. I will not take a Dock Dogs hiatus again. Its amazing how much he loves this. He REALLY loves this. Me...eh...I can take it or leave it. But he really loves it. I do it for him.
All his jumps were in the 20'5" to 21'11 inch range, no 23' jumps, but he is not in top notch shape right now either. So I was happy with anything over 20'. Even so, it was enough to win Big Air and the $100.00 prize. They used to cut you a check on the spot at the end of the event, but things have changed since I last participated. Now you get Dock Dogs "credit" towards future events. Bleh. I would rather have the cash. He also did Speed Retrieve, but I suspect he really doesn't get the point of it. "I swim out, get bumper from end of the pool and come back. No one is throwing anything for me....and this is fun?". His drive is just not there for it so he usually gets pwnd by the retrievers who live for that sort of thing. But that said, he did take 6th place in the Speed Retrieve finals with a 7.9 second time. I tell him its a squirrel, which gets him a little jacked up. No self-respecting border collie retrieves a decoy DUCK. I always feel kinda bad about the retrievers that Quake beats in Speed Retrieve...to be outdone by a border collie who clearly thinks its stupid cant feel good.
Swift even got in the action. He apparently remembered that is one jump last month at the Bite of Seattle didn't kill him. He jumped every time this weekend, and recorded a new personal best of 11'. That was actually enough to get him in the Amateur division finals...go figure. He was like 3rd or 4th alternate (they take top 8 dogs), but many went home and didnt check in for finals so Swift got in. He does what Quake used to do early on......he races down the dock and when he gets to the end he hits the brakes, skids to the edge and bunny hops in. The crowd always roars with laughter. Thats my Swift, quite the clown. But this will pass as he gets more confidence. Its a typical green dog move.
Tempie was the smooze queen. She came out between Waves and smoozed with the crowd. One rancher really liked her. I mean REALLY liked her. Enough that I kept a very close eye on her after that. She isn't much into dock diving. A princess would never jump into dirty pool water. 'Nuff said.
All in all it was a good time. It took place at the Benton County Fair in Kennewick, WA. Typical small town type county fair, reminded me of the ones I used to go as a kid in Eastern Washington.
Saturday night I spent with an old friend and her 2 children who live in Pasco. Had a great time. On Sunday we went horseback riding along the Columbia River. It was beautiful, sunny, about 75 decrees. However since I haven't been riding since 1996, today I'm sore in places I wont mention!
All his jumps were in the 20'5" to 21'11 inch range, no 23' jumps, but he is not in top notch shape right now either. So I was happy with anything over 20'. Even so, it was enough to win Big Air and the $100.00 prize. They used to cut you a check on the spot at the end of the event, but things have changed since I last participated. Now you get Dock Dogs "credit" towards future events. Bleh. I would rather have the cash. He also did Speed Retrieve, but I suspect he really doesn't get the point of it. "I swim out, get bumper from end of the pool and come back. No one is throwing anything for me....and this is fun?". His drive is just not there for it so he usually gets pwnd by the retrievers who live for that sort of thing. But that said, he did take 6th place in the Speed Retrieve finals with a 7.9 second time. I tell him its a squirrel, which gets him a little jacked up. No self-respecting border collie retrieves a decoy DUCK. I always feel kinda bad about the retrievers that Quake beats in Speed Retrieve...to be outdone by a border collie who clearly thinks its stupid cant feel good.
Swift even got in the action. He apparently remembered that is one jump last month at the Bite of Seattle didn't kill him. He jumped every time this weekend, and recorded a new personal best of 11'. That was actually enough to get him in the Amateur division finals...go figure. He was like 3rd or 4th alternate (they take top 8 dogs), but many went home and didnt check in for finals so Swift got in. He does what Quake used to do early on......he races down the dock and when he gets to the end he hits the brakes, skids to the edge and bunny hops in. The crowd always roars with laughter. Thats my Swift, quite the clown. But this will pass as he gets more confidence. Its a typical green dog move.
Tempie was the smooze queen. She came out between Waves and smoozed with the crowd. One rancher really liked her. I mean REALLY liked her. Enough that I kept a very close eye on her after that. She isn't much into dock diving. A princess would never jump into dirty pool water. 'Nuff said.
All in all it was a good time. It took place at the Benton County Fair in Kennewick, WA. Typical small town type county fair, reminded me of the ones I used to go as a kid in Eastern Washington.
Saturday night I spent with an old friend and her 2 children who live in Pasco. Had a great time. On Sunday we went horseback riding along the Columbia River. It was beautiful, sunny, about 75 decrees. However since I haven't been riding since 1996, today I'm sore in places I wont mention!