October 24, 2011

Hard Lesson Learned

I'm still learning this game.  I suspect I always will be.

It's hard.  Very hard.

When my dogs let me down, I get a little frustrated but move on.  When I let them down I can't shake it and dwell and dwell.

First series of the Open in Missouri this week-end was a very hard quad.  The two middle birds were giving everyone fits.  The short bird was retired and thrown angle back against a tree line straight towards a stand out gun.  The birds couldn't have been more then 30 yards apart (I was out there to pick up the blind station later and was stunned at how tight they were).  Dogs were just NOT getting the short retired.

When I ran Darbs I tried to get that bird second, and expected to run past it as most everyone else was doing.  She PINNED that bird.  Absolutely knew where it was and face planted it.  Then the wheels fell off...

Judges said only one other dog had done that...blah blah blah...I started talking to them...made a joke or two...

I still had two more birds to pick up but I thought I had it in the bag.  There was a fairly straight forward retired gun off to the right and then the stand up gun just deep of the retired.

She came back to heel and I thought I was all that and a bag of chips.  Loosey goosey, look at me.  I took the bird and sent her for the right retired.  Sent her WAY fast, didn't bear down and she left weird and nervous and we ended up handling.  Out.

Kenny left me alone for about an hour and then we had the "talk".  EVERY bird matters.  EVERY send is important.  QUIT yakking, bear down and run your dog.

He's right.  I let my dog down and it really hurt.  Hard lesson to learn and I believe I wouldn't have learned it any other way.  I needed to pin the impossible bird to get that one through my thick skull.

Libby ran an amazing Derby.  First three tests were a little light for such a big field.  The third series water marks were kind of puppy markish, but we all had to run them just the same.  They had a 30 yard go bird across a tiny corner of water and Libby hunted that dumb little bird...a lot.  Then they set up a giant 4th series as they had too many dogs clean and knew it.  Not many dogs did it, but Miss Libby did it better then anyone else.  She made the big swim with the gun out of sight the whole way past the short bird.

Pin, pin.

7 flat out pins and a stupid hunt.  That is green and no other color these days.

She makes her debut in the Qualifying this upcoming week-end.  Qual debut and last Derby as we won't run any more after this.  She ages out two months from today.

She's really coming on and I highly doubt I'll be doing any training on 30 yard birds in the future to clean that up...but one never knows.

The Three Amigos came to Missouri with us and they're having a blast!  They stay in the trailer with us at night in their box, but come with us all day and spend lots of time outside in the x-pen meeting new people, and some time in a hole on the truck having naps.


Puppies have already been touched by greatness.

L to R: Dave Rorem, Bill Eckett and the Greatness that is my hubby.

October 18, 2011

Angry Birds!

Pups are having fun in the yard several times a day.

Miikka was more into her Angry Bird toy.


As you can see, Miikka is still wearing her brace.  The foot portion has been removed and it is being used as a "sports" brace now.  Her partial tear of her achilles is 95% healed and one can't even tell by looking at her that she was ever injured.  

October 15, 2011

Weaning

Weaning is always fun.
I wait until Momma tells me it's time and then we dive in.


As you can see, pups are still tubby little guys, so the food I put down for them was ignored the first couple of days.


Mr. Blue actually fell asleep on the food dish last night.


They started to show interest today.  
As you can see from the dirty little nose, I've been taking them outside a few times a day now.  They are having a blast discovering the great outdoors.


And they were hungry after their evening romp outside!  The kibble here hardly had time to moisten as I didn't think they'd want to eat tonight, but when Miikka walked away from them I quickly moistened up another round.  It was the first time they dug in to their food!
I let Miikka clean up any leftovers and there wasn't any tonight!

October 11, 2011

Three amigos walking!

Well, kinda.  Staggering maybe.


And yes, Miikka can sleep through anything.

October 10, 2011

Home again!

Back home from Kansas.

We're tired.

Darbi ran a great Open and was dropped after the water blind.  I thought it might be good enough, but alas, it wasn't.  They went into the water blind with 30+ dogs, so we all knew some would be pencilled.  Darbi is never going to run a 3 whistle water blind...that's just not who she is.  She runs workman (or lady) like water blinds.

Libby had her marking shoes on...mostly.  The last series was a tight, tight land double and I saw dogs hunt the old fall and switch, and do everything in between, and knew I might be in trouble.  Libby went a little deep of the go bird and looked over and saw the memory bird gunner almost right beside her...she made a couple jumps towards him and I was quick to hit the whistle. As I've mentioned before, I'm a big believer that no green ribbon is worth letting them get away with bad things, especially at her age.  Miss Libby has a bright future ahead of her if I keep her on the straight and narrow.

Can't complain...ran a very hard trying Darbi to the third series of the Open and a fantastic marking Libby to the fourth series of the Derby.

Puppies are big and happy.  Pics to come soon!!!  And a video or two!

October 4, 2011

3 Weeks

Pups sure growing fast!

3 weeks and 1 day old today.


We had a friend bring their granddaughter over the other day.  The puppies and her shared many cuddles.


Mommy Miikka cuddling with her boys.


Head rest.


They are really starting to interact with one another...including some play fighting.

October 3, 2011

Fun in Nebraska

Elmingo had a great week-end in Nebraska!!

Turq (Backwater's Smokin Turq) finished the Open with a Reserve JAM.
His Momma Darbi finished the Open with a JAM.

They both ran a great trial.

Zink (Elmingo's Little Man) and my Libby (Elmingo's Flip Your Lid) got 2nd and 4th in the Derby respectively.  Zink now has 30 Derby points and Libby has 19.

I've heard that Zink is now the highest point Shaq pup in Derbies to date.  Makes me pretty proud of Momma Miikka and her pups.

Puppies are doing wonderful.  Their eyes and ears are now open.  I'll get some pics up soon!