Santa Claus Parade

Hi, Everyone

Good weather, good friends, large crowds & made for a great day for all those who attended the Fort Macleod Santa Claus Parade. Members from Coaldale, Calgary, Crowsnest Pass, Lundbreck and Pincher Creek were on hand to show off their dogs and we were very well-received. We were approached by adults and children alike, all wanting to know more about our club and our dogs. Tubby would have been proud of our two-dog hitch and our cart dogs for sure. And we already have dreams (maybe nightmares) of this great drill at Pet Expo 2011 with four carts and four dogs (with doggie passengers) and then a brace with cart and a team with wagon..... filled with all the smaller dogs!!!! Man, what a finale!

Congratulations to everybody who attended the Lethbridge Show. We had numerous placings in rally, in standard obedience, and in conformation with our dogs.

Psst.... Hunter is a champion! Thanks Mary Ellen! Liz, with Breed and Winner placements, did well with her flatcoats. Amanda did a very nice job of handling Judy's high energy pup and Kona was great with Judy at the helm.

Mary Ellen's Weim entry picked up four points from Group placings......... no weims entered in classes.

Canuck Dogs has all the exact results for the performance events but I know that Jolene and Amanda qualified in the Novice exercises and Sarah in Open! Unfortunately, my Swayze became somewhat "attached" to me during his recall and we missed passing but did entertain the spectators with our "slow dance." The rally ring was filled with Q's and High in Class performances! Congrats to Vicky, Shar, Heather, Liz, Louann, Nancy, & Sarah for terrific course negotiation, some perfect scores and new titles as well.

I would like to thank Canuck dogs and especially Patti Taylor for being "Johnny on the spot" with performance event results from the Lethbridge show.

Calgary performance results are not in but Shar phoned and let us know that she and Ryder gained another leg towards their RAE-4. Good deal.

Good luck to everyone who is entered tomorrow.

The Prez

Great Day!

Another great club day at Cowley. Tubby and Kerri joined us from Calgary, Donna, Judy and Sarah from Lethbridge, and Denise and Sylvia from Fernie so counting Shar, Deb, Shirley, Barb, Russell and I, we had a really good practice.

We started off with conformation and Judy, Deb and I played judge and exhibitor in turn.

Then we played scent hurdle with Kipper, Kona, Drummer, Jagged, Ryder, Mesa, Roxy, and Token.

Sylvia and Shirley had their dogs run over a second set of jumps to see if our team would leave the course and join them. Drummer had a moment but all in all, we had a good round. All the dogs ran the jumps well and they all brought back dumbbells. Not always their dumbbells, but dumbbells. Everyone wanted Denise's dumbbell and Ryder, who never pays attention to any dumbbell, was convinced it was his for sure. At times, we had six dumbbells in the box at a time and the dogs were really having to check to find theirs. As usual, everybody played and everybody had a good time. We are looking forward to our practice next Wednesday with the Lethbridge team.

We switched to standard obedience and had four dogs in Open, one in Novice and one in PRe-Novice.

All did very well. At times, we had ten dogs on the floor working stays and figure eights and broad jumps and drop on recall exercises all at the same time. Talk about organized confusion, but we all managed. Then I put Sarah and Donna through an Open routine and their dogs did very well.

We set up a combination novice/advanced and then an advanced/excellent course of rally O and

after setting up the course, I was the first one to make a boo boo on the straight figure 8 . Duh, how many cones are there in a straight figure 8 anyway..... maybe five????

We were all proud of our dogs today. Kipper's moving down as fabulous, and Charley's drop on recall was snappy. Janet's pup allowed everyone to pet her which was super and Sylvia's poodle was relaxed and happy in the midst of all the dogs. Jagged was happy to be with everyone and she really liked the sheltie. I think he is in love with her.

Mojo was just zipping along and did an excellent backup three steps as did Kipper. I was just happy that Swayze stayed with me. Tubby's new pup, Cagney, wasn't phased by the action at all. She was relaxed and enthusiastic about everything.

With seven people helping with cleanup, we were out of the hall in less than 30 minutes and on our way to the craft fair in Pincher Creek at the golf course. Deb bought a rug and I bought a neat little sweater/shawl thingy that will work well when the house is cool.

Last night, five of us entered the Parade of Lights in the Pass and Fyre won hands down for the cutest outfit. Deb had bought these large battery-operated bows from Canadian Tire and we made a harness for Fyre with the bows on each side of her. She looked like a lit-up butterfly as she zig-zagged back and forth across the road in the parade. Mesa and Ryder were also 'lit up' with mini-lights and bows and Drummer hopped and skipped and jumped his way into everyone's heart along the parade route. Jan and Anita's young dogs did very well, actually visiting with kids along the route. The night was warm and just perfect for the parade, which introduced Moonlight Madness shopping.

What a good weekend.

New titles

Congratulations to Judy Hunt and Kona, her young flatcoat retriever on gaining the title of Rally Novice dog. And to Amanda Labadie and Wicca, her wonderful Cardigan Corgi, for reaching the title Scent Hurdle Dog Champion!!!!

Performance events take practice and good management and these two ladies have shown that they have both.

Sit Happens APDT Rally O Trial Results

A little brag from the Oct. 30/31 APDT Rally Obedience Trial in Calgary:

Sat. Oct. 30
Jagged & Viper - tied for High in Level 1B with perfect scores (210's) and same times
Jagged - High in Level 2B
Jagged - High in Level 3B

Sun. Oct. 31
Jagged - High in Level 1B
Jagged - High in Level 2B
Jagged - High in Level 3B

High in Trial for Sat. & Sun. is shared by Viper & Jagged.
High Speed Duo awarded to Jagged & I
Viper awarded ARCHX title & ribbon
Jagged awarded ARCH title & ribbon

A special THANK YOU to Jill, Alison and staff of "Sit Happens" in Calgary, Alberta
and to Judges: Tammy Brooks & Lisa Wright!
Thanks also to Mungo's Books and Urban Mushers for the lovely prizes.

Denise McKay
PROUD PARTNER OF:

Ch. Karlee's War Without Prejudice, CD, AGNJS, AGNS, NAC, NJC, VADC,
VSGDC, RL2
All CD legs HIC
Call sign: TAMSEN - 10 1/2 year old red female Doberman; Status - retired
(IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER)

ARCHX. Karlee's Just To Satisfy You, PCD, AGNJS, RE, RL3(AOE), RL1X2,
RL2X, SADC, NJC
CKC Rally: 7X HIC, 2X Perfect Score, APDT Rally: 20X HIC, 8X HIT, 7X
Perfect Score
Call sign: VIPER - 5 year old male Doberman

ARCH. Montwood Arista Just Show'n Off, CD, RE, RL3, RL1X,AGNS,SGDC
CKC Rally: 16X HIC, 5 perfect scores, APDT Rally: 25X HIC, 9X HIT, 12X
perfect score
CKC Agility: All legs HIC
Call sign: JAGGED - 3 year old female Doberman

*** Canadian National Rankings - APDT Rally Obedience - 2009, Viper &
Jagged are ranked #1 in Canada (tied with 341 points. each)!

Red Deer Results

What a nice weekend for SAWHDA members! No one came away empty-handed.
Maureen and Levi qualified in two Advanced Rally classes with 87 and 97.
Amanda and Wicca picked up two legs towards their RAE title. (8 to go!)
Sara and Kaleb got 2 Excellent legs in Rally and ...... and.... Kaleb qualified in the Open
Ring.
Shar and Ryder picked up 33 points in the Canadian Rally standings and 3 more scores towards their third RAE title. They only have one more set to go!
In the Breed ring, Judy and her flatcoat pup, Kona, went Winners and Best of Winners to end with 5 points towards a Canadian Championship. Breeder, Liz Saunders, did well, too, with her male dog Tinbie taking Best of Breed and Cava, the flatcoat pup ending with Best puppy in Breed. Liz's Rally dog, Lupin, passed in the Excellent ring to gain a qualifying score there.
Judi Snowdon's German shepherd, Hunter, ended the weekend with two points and Best of Winners.
Shar and Judi entered Ryder and Token in the International Therapy Dog Association's test and both dogs passed with flying colors. Tester Chris Cornell made the test both fun and interesting for all competitors.
Scent hurdle was the chaos it generally is but we got the job done. Wicca was just not herself as she had previously eaten a roll of Rollover dog food with Tim's timbits for dessert. What a girl!
Lots of opportunity for visiting with friends and watching rally and obedience.

We have Dog Club on the 13th to provide everyone with the opportunity to practice before the Lethbridge Dog Show. Conformation at 9:15. Scent hurdle at 10:00. Mayhem afterwards with obedience and rally.
See you there.
The Prez