3 for 3 Agility Trials

Syd ran in agility trials this weekend, and she did great! She hasn't gone to any trials in almost two years, and she hasn't had much opportunity for training recently, so I had no idea what she would do.

I was really proud of her. Saturday, she NQ'd in all three events, because of slight bobbles, including the weaves, but I have not done re-training so I could not fault her for that. I was pleased that she was focused, stayed with me, and she seemed to enjoy herself.

On Sunday, she ran Novice Fast and Q'd, with a send bonus of Aframe and tunnel. I was so proud, because contacts are not Syd's strong suit! Then she qualified in Jumpers, and finally in Standard. So on Sunday, Syd picked up three legs, one NFP, NJP, and NAP! This video is her Standard run. We almost had a crisis at the teeter when she let it tip back, but she persevered. A couple of refusals because of my handling, and at the end of two very long days. But Syd did it, and contacts, weaves, table all very well.

If the embeded video doesn't work, here's a link directly to YouTube

NAP run: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FM4lBcxVEw

And here's Syd's Q NJP run in Jumpers from Sunday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMzanRlAj0Q (direct link to YouTube)

And finally, her first run of the morning, the NFP leg that was my favorite run of the day:

direct link to YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmGNq0QH3JQ

Training the Youngster

Sydney takes training very seriously. This winter, she feels that her son Biscuit is old enough to learn to "really" play in the snow. She's tired of holding back, going easy on the puppy, being a "good" mom... Look out Biscuit, this will really be an education!

Poor little boy, he has NO idea what his mom has in store for him. She looks sweet enough... And now for Syd's 12-step program!

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Step 1: Bite your opponent on the neck to get his attention. That'll really increase the odds that he will chase you. .

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Step 2: Take off, watching over your shoulder to be sure loyal subject, err, Biscuit, is following.
(ed. note: Now that's what I call some FLUFFY PANTS!)

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Step 3: Pause for a moment to let your opponent, uh, son, get his mind wrapped around what's happening here.

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Step 4: Take off again, leaving subject in your (snow) dust.

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Step 5: Stop again, review rules of the game with trainee. Ask him to recite rules 1 through 4.

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Step 6: Run THIS way.

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Step 7: Run THAT way.

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Step 8: Pick up speed, since he almost caught you in Step 7 (above). But DON'T get yourself into a skid (below).

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Step 9: Dash left, zig when he zags.

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Step 10: Change direction, never let him see your next move.

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Step 11: feel sorry for poor subject, uh, son, and let him rest for a minute. Fall for his sad, sappy expression when he asks if this lesson is over.

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Step 12: Lead trainee "back to the barn," time well spent, knowing The Biscuit has had training from The Master.

Please...

Please can I go back to class and dog shows? I promise to be good...

New Spectator Event

Syd and Jazz have created a new spectator sport, and they hope to become famous by performing at agility trial halftime shows around the world.**

Introducing, The Great Sydini.

And her assistant, Jazzarooni.
Their basic moves include synchronized A-frame leaping, all together now, UP and Over.

But the move that brings the crowd to their feet is the Double-blind, Up-and-over, Mid-air Cross with an over-the-shoulder twist. Oooh, it's so dangerous, and daring. I could hardly watch them during the practice and perfection of this move. When they pull it off, it's a sight to behold.

Applause, Please.... Tah-Dah!

**(shh, I haven't been able to break it to them yet that there are no halftime shows at agility trials)

Where Did the Puppies Go???

Sydney decided it was time for her to reclaim her blog, and I decided it was time to really start working with her again and getting back to training. I'm hopeful that this summer, Syd will get back to agility, and also get started in obedience.


But where did the puppies go???? No worries, the puppies have their own space, and it's right here:

http://hurrikanepuppy.blogspot.com/

So if it's [muddy] puppies you are looking for, run on over to the Hurrikane Puppy Blog!

Now I can keep the puppy blog, and Syd's blog can get back to Syd's training blog. Everything should look familiar over at the Hurrikane Puppy blog, and all the posts moved successfully.

We are officially back to our regular Sydney broadcast at the Sydney blog! There are still some housekeeping items to tidy up on both blogs, but the main content is all straightened out.

Multi-tasking Momma

I'm sorry, but there should be some type of award, certificate, title for this kind of talent. Syd is participating in Extreme Multi-tasking. She's nursing one puppy and wrestling with the other while contorted into a canine pretzel in her favorite dog bed.
No puppies were harmed in the making of these photos.

In fact, Syd's lower half never even moved, so Mr. Brindle was completely oblivious to the Corgi Wresting Federation match taking place. Take a look at her back leg that's propped up on the side of the dog bed. No matter what her front half is doing, the back half never changes position!

She's one happy (albeit totally destructive) momma dog, enjoying the pure fun of puppyhood once again!

And after one final face grab by the fuzzy pup,

Tah-dah! Game over, everyone's happy.

A Mother's Love

It's the only thing that explains this kind of patience!

24 Hours

The puppies have crossed 24 hours, and they seem to be doing well. Each has gained over an ounce from their birth weight (I'm so tired, I spelled that "wait" and had to go back and fix it- haa). So I'm hopeful that for now, they will continue to be OK. I'm seeing the slightest fuzz of fur on their toes and muzzles now. The red boy is a bit slow in the eating department, so I'm supplementing him a bit. Thankfully he took right to the bottle (I am now the proud owner of every brand of baby bottle Walmart carries in the baby section). The Playtex bottle worked like a charm, and everyone is happy! I just keep watching and waiting for some sign that the puppies are either out of the woods, or taking a bad turn. Right now, they are looking healthy.

I want to thank everyone for the thoughts and prayers for the boys and Syd, and for the puppies who were lost before they ever got started. Yesterday was tough for me, and the events were so quick it was surreal (until about the second time my alarm went off at the 2-hour increments). I'm so happy to have the two boys, and relieved that Sydney is OK. I also feel thiankful that if the other puppies were not able to make it, they didn't linger on and struggle.

Syd has taken to motherhood quite nicely, and I might even call her an over-achiever to the point where I have to tell her to knock it off on occasion. She'd really rather lay on my bed and have me deliver her puppies to her there for nursing, but we're going to have a talk about that one. Stay tuned for Sydney's bedtime story that she tells the two baby boys.

Early Delivery

Syd's puppies are here. Yes, they are here 5 days early. Like 58 days after ovulation. Syd's temp dropped last night, and this morning (sparing you the reason I took her to the vet) she had an emergency c-section. She was carrying six puppies (5 dogs, 1 bitch), but one was not alive from the start. Five were 'breathing' and we got three to cry. Two were trying hard to keep breathing, but they were just too early. In the end, by the time I left the vet, I have two boys, and I'm going to do my best to keep them going strong.

It was not a good morning when I was carrying Syd to the back for surgery, and Dr. Becker said, "We just have to hope for the best" when he's usually so optimistic and reassuring. After all was said and done, he thinks it's very lucky that two puppies are doing as well as these boys are.

Basically, in a nutshell, Dr. B says that one of the puppies was trying to abort, and in doing so, it detached all the pups (? it was really stressful, so I might have butchered that explanation).

Syd is doing OK, she's still very groggy, but she's let the boys nurse twice, and she did sniff one when I held it up to her. Her eyes got really wide, and I have no idea what she thinks it is, but she was not growling or trying to get away from it (yet!).

So keep these two baby boys in your thoughts and prayers, I don't think they are by any means out of the woods yet. Nothing like worst case scenario, damned if you get them out, damned if you don't for the first litter.

It's Official!

As long as everything continues to go well, we WILL be hearing the pitter patter of Sydney-Mick puppy feet the day after Thanksgiving!!!

I was such a wreck at the vet today, I made Dr. Becker write it down and fold it up for me. I didn't watch his face as he palpated, and he really played it up, asking how many days from first or last breeding, etc. I was really discouraged, but he's quite the actor, because I got out to the car, and unfolded the paper to a big YES!!! written across it.