Back to Back Agility Weekends: Part 2

I'm a slacker blogger lately! Izzie and I went to the Flashing Canines trial in Medicine Hat last weekend and the Pug did awesome! She brought home 1 Advanced Standard Q, 1 Masters Snooker Q and 1 Masters Standard Q. The Advanced Standard Q gave her the Advanced Agility Dog of Canada title too! Hurray! All her runs were great, especially her Masters Jumpers runs even though we were over time by a few seconds on each (my fault, I slipped and made handling mistakes). So I am very pleased!

The Masters Standard run was awesome. Izzie and I have been having trouble making time and that is no secret if you read my blog regularly. This run however was lovely, it was her first Masters level Standard run and we ended up being something like 12 whole seconds under time. That's huge! She nailed her weaves and was generally yippee skippy out there. So proud!

No luck with that last Advanced Gamble Q at that trial unfortunately. Oh well! I definitely know that our distance skills need work and that's something that I'll be working on over the winter in the barn for sure!

So in just over a year Izzie's in everything masters in AAC except Gamble. Not too shabby for a dog that some people said would never be able to qualify past starters level. 

Here's some video of our runs:

Oh and something else that might not seem like a big deal to some, but Izzie made the top dogs list for 2012! She's earned 11 Qs and 1 title this year with what they've recorded so far (she'll be up to 14 Qs and 2 titles when they get the ones from this weekend on that). Proud of the little Puglet. 

Super Kawaii!

Here's some of the photos I got from Izzie's supermodel shoot. Enjoy!

Thanks again Wendy!!!

Back to Back Agility Weekends: Part 1

Izzie and I have returned from our trial weekend in Kimberley, BC. I entered last minute as I wasn't planning on going but really the funds were there, they needed entries, and I get weekends off now. So why not? Just like last year it was a beautiful venue and since it was a smaller entry we were done in the early afternoon both days! How nice is that? 

Izzie ran well and she was feisty and I made mistakes in her first standard leading to just over 50 faults, my bad. Her gamble opening was fast and fun and she even got a mini gamble, but again I messed her up on the end gamble. See a theme here? Anyways, her jumpers was clean but unfortunately just 2 seconds over time. Story of our life. So no Qs on day 1, I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little bummed and I whined to Sarah in text messages that night. Sorry Sar. So day 2 began with snooker and Izzie and I nailed it, Q and a first place which moves her up to MASTERS! Woo! Our first event to get into masters with! Then we had another standard, Izzie and I were on and running quickly and accurately and we Q'd with another first place. Last event of the weekend for us was another Jumpers, I was nervous about making time again but Izzie ran her heart out and with a whole run of only blind crosses we pulled it off with about 2 seconds to spare! Good Pug! That was the last advanced Q we needed in jumpers as well so now Izzie is in Masters in 2/4 events! 

This is huge for me because I actually made a goal this year, a smaller attainable one, and we're coming very close to making it with several months to go. All we need now is one more Standard Q and one more Gamble Q and we've reached our goal of getting into all masters events for the year. Makes me smile at how far this little Pug has come. Just last year at this trial she earned her second Q ever, a starters snooker Q. Kind of fitting that she gets the Q she needs to move into masters snooker at this trial eh? 

We'll be taking it easy this week in preparation for the Flashing Canines trial in Medicine Hat this weekend. Which reminds me! I need to email to move Izzie up in snooker and jumpers!

Oh and here's a photo for you all to enjoy =)

She's a model

You know what she means and she does her little turn on the catwalk. Yeah, on the catwalk. She shakes her little tush on the catwalk.



Izzie had the opportunity to model for Wendy from Paws On The Run. Of course like a crazy dance mom I pushed the Pug forwards (figuratively) on Facebook and said she'd do it! Haha. Izzie had fun and I love seeing the perspectives from other people taking photos of my dog, I find it very interesting and I love Wendy's work!

Here's one of the photos she took of the Pug, there will be more to come later when I get them!

A Flat Coat and a Pug walk in a Parade...

About a year ago one of my parents' Pugs attacked Kaleb at a trial. Before that he had just met Izzie at our city's annual parade and adored her and would lick her ears until they were soaked. After the attack he generalized that all Pugs equal bad news bears and he even would try and attack Izzie out of fear. Poor Bird. So for the past year we've been keeping them relatively separated but not avoiding the issue, after all we tend to travel together quite a bit. It's been a slow go but Izzie and K were able to hang out together for his special trip to Abbotsford in July and yesterday I walked them both together side by side in our parade again. He's come around and now trusts Izzie again and I am so glad he does. They're quite possibly the cutest pair ever and lets face it I love K as if he were my own dog, his cheerful personality is infectious and I don't think I could ever give up hanging out with him. 

They're so freakin' cute together. 

Tequila Monsters and Science

33/52: Drowning On Dry Land, originally uploaded by mandypug.

So we're back from camp and it was an amazing albeit hot weekend!

First of all, Terry Simons was there. I love when he comes up for seminars because he's a really great guy with a lot of knowledge and he really pushes us to work hard. It helps that he's very honest and likeable too, even if he does force me to use rear crosses.

Another highlight of the weekend was being able to learn from a Canadian world team member. Anneli taught the distance portions of camp and I learned so much. I have a whole bunch of stuff to work on with Izzie.

Things not related to agility that were hilarious and/or fun... Well I learned to not turn my back to Terry unless I want ice water poured down my back and tequila is rather pricey but is also better than wine even if it gives me weird dreams lol.

Anyway, camp was awesome and I'm so grateful to everyone who had a part in putting it on. It was a wonderful experience and I really hope we do it again next year!

Seven Pounds

Isn't that the title of a movie?

Since Amanda asked, I'll post about Izzie's waistline.

In this first photo, Izzie weighed 20lbs. This was taken back in February of 2011, she was at her heaviest then.

She was still slim for a pug her height, but chunky. Not fit enough for sport at all and she was uncomfortable, always shifting her weight and standing funny.

This next photo is relatively recent, probably a month or two old now but she's 13lbs. Mind the crappy instagram awesomeness. This is her lightest adult weight.

See how much more pronounced her tuck is? She's also far more muscular and her collar size actually went down so much I had to give away both her nice leather collars as she didn't fit them any more and they couldn't be resized.

She lost seven pounds in a year. That's almost half her starting weight. She's much healthier for it and it wasn't that tricky to do. Her food was cut back and her exercise was increased. She's faster, more consistent and has more endurance now that she is at a correct weight. She could still have more muscle but we'll get there eventually now that she'll swim.

Anyways, there you go Amanda. A before and after of Izzie's weight loss.