Monday Round-Up

I hardly know where to start!!

Let’s go in age order — so Tristan (iPup) first.

This a double BAR photo — a Big Ass Ribbon (BAR) and a commemorative jump BAR to celebrate that Tristan finished his Preferred Agility Championship (PACH) yesterday.

There are so many reasons this is a Big Giant Deal.

First, a PACH is tough to earn, as it should be since it is a championship award.

Second, Tristan is Alison’s first real foray into agility — from Novice to PACH is amazing.

Third, Tristan is a typey Grand Champion MALE Berner.

Fourth and related, very few Berners (VERY FEW) finish both conformation and performance championships — Tristan has done it! He is the second Kaibab Dog to be a Dual Champion (Asia was a Tracking Champion in addition to her GCH) but Tristan is the first Kaibab dog to get an agility championship.

I am so proud of Team Tristan and inspired by Alison’s willingness to take on — and master — a whole new dog sport. SO COOL.

BIG ASS CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM TRISTAN. You can watch their final Double Q runs HERE.

The Sparklers also had a wonderful weekend, although their Uncle Tristan definitely got the best ribbon.

Alison and Kiri finished Kiri’s AXP!

Last weekend Kiri picked up five more points towards her Bronze Grand Championship — she is almost there. Definitely not just a pretty face. Congratulations to Team Kiri on a successful and fun January.

Jordan, Kiri’s sister, has been vacationing in Arizona where she added yet another qualifying draft run or two (hard to keep up with Team Jordan!) and edged closer to her AKC championship — she now needs just three single points to be finished. CONGRATULATIONS Team Jordan!

Ruthie, also a Sparkler, went off to the Big City to participate in a Meet the Breed event.

Lori shares, “…she was an absolute rock star at the event today. We were originally scheduled to be there only in the AM but they didn't have enough dogs for the afternoon so we stayed.

Ruthie did tricks, gave hugs, kissed kids and approached wheelchairs to put her head in laps. I was so proud of her…”

SO wonderful to hear how well Ruthie handled New York City but the best part? Here is the story Lori posted on Facebook:

“This adorable young couple appeared at the BMD booth very early, before the crowds, and approached Ruthie, who was up on a grooming table. He (I never found out their names) told me how much he loved Berners and we chatted for a few minutes. He then asked me if I would take a picture of the two of them with Ruthie, using his phone. After snapping two pics I was about to hand him his phone when he proceeded to get down on one knee and take out a ring box. He asked his girlfriend "will you get a dog with me?" and extended a beautiful diamond engagement ring. Thank goodness my brain got over the shock of him kneeling and I started snapping photos of the whole thing with his phone. It was the sweetest thing. She said yes! They came back later to thank Ruthie for being part of their engagement and I was able to get this photo of the three of them.”

ACK!!!!! Ruthie is now a Wedding Planner! GREAT JOB, Team Ruthie!

Meanwhile in Montana, Sparkler Claire needed a rest from just hearing about her family’s amazing weekend…

Have a productive and wonderful week!

When To Rat

The past week has had some bumps in the road of life. For example, it turns out the kitchen sink that finally arrived won’t fit in the cabinet. This matters because we cannot have the countertop measured and then made (a process that will take 4 - 6 weeks) until there is an installed sink.

The Sink Saga has been almost comical — a transit snafu and then misunderstandings about the sink has already delayed countertop measuring three different times.

Ugh.

Yesterday, as we learned of yet another episode in the Sink Saga, Dear Husband noted that he was impressed at how well I handle such things. Instead of getting irate and frustrated, I am sanguine about it all.

Nobody intended to create the Sink Saga, after all.

On the other hand, an IT Person scolds me (unfairly!) in front of my class and I had a meeting with the Head of IT within the day.

Huh.

What is the difference?

I pondered that because pondering is one of my rare talents (or more likely, one of my many annoying habits).

What I decided is that I get fired up about stuff when it has the potential to hurt others if allowed to proceed unchecked.

The only people “injured” by the Sink Saga is us and it is just an inconvenience; that is a situation that calls for patience and the immediate application of Grace.

But when people behave badly such that it might hurt or disadvantage others — and we say nothing — we are giving them permission to continue on that path.

AND we become complicit through our silence — ACK!

Further, what if the person doesn’t know or understand how their behavior or choice is “landing” on others? Is it kind to just ignore it and let them go on to blunder and dig an even deeper hole?

I do not think so.

In fact, I think it is cowardly and unkind to close our eyes to things just because it is scary to confront them. After all, don’t we all want someone to tell us if we are walking around with our zipper down or spinach in our teeth?

And so I got an apology, which is less important to me than knowing more positive IT interactions are likely going forward.

Change is invited when we respectfully offer our experience and perspectives as information to be considered by others. They can still be an ass or cheater if they want, but at least they will be a more informed ass or cheater — and I won’t be complicit through my silence.

So there you go. Do things that will potentially hurt or disadvantage others and your secret is not safe with me.

Be a human and make a mistake that delays my kitchen — oh well. It Happens…

…in Life with Dogs, and Life with Humans.

Berners On Track, Week Four

The Berners On Track gang has been doing amazing and fabulous work! It is awesome to see the progress of both dogs and humans over such a short time.

Some people are able to track with their dogs more than others, and so the group skill level is stretching out. This makes it hard to say what everyone “should” be doing this week since dogs are in different places.

Therefore, let’s make assignments based on competencies.

Baby Sadie is doing a 25 yard track with a gentle turn and food spaced at 12 - 18 inches (Video HERE). She is missing a lot of the food drops (a positive sign) and is doing a great job motoring down her track.

Therefore, Sadie and similar skilled dogs are ready for a longer track (increase by 10 - 20 yards) with one gentle turn and some experimentation with the food drop distances. This group should track 3 - 4 times a week if possible.

Other dogs are like Lily. She is easily ready for a 75-yard track and the angle of her turn can start to close a bit. Food should be placed such that it motivates and reinforces the track without distracting her. Dogs at this skill level should track 2 - 3 times in a week.

We are still not involving articles on the track but will introduce a fun article game next week to get ready.

The four TDX dogs are rocking it! Click HERE for a video we did today of Sundance’s track — it was aged 3+ hours, was about 550 yards and had four articles — he NAILED this track. The video focuses on turns and is fascinating to watch — Suzanne’s handling on this track is superb.

THIS is a link to a narrated video of parts of Claire’s track.