Agility seminar April 25,2015

Perfect Pooches agility training presents instructor 
Ramona Stirling from Calgary to teach from a NADAC perspective of agility. 
This is a great chance to kick off your agility year. 
The PREZ

Sunday, April 26

9:00 - 11:30 - for our more Advanced Agility students.

12:30 - 3:00 - for our more Beginner Agility students

 

For those of you who are already attending classes (Sundays & Mondays) there is NO CHARGE except that we ask you to bring a food item for a Pot Luck Lunch to be held on that day 12:30 - 1:30.  Perfect Pooches will provide beverages, buns, plates, & cutlery.

 

For those of you who are NOT attending agility classes currently the fee is $50 plus an item for the Pot Luck Lunch.

 

EACH PERSON NEEDS TO REGISTER IN ADVANCE!!

 

Complete the enclosed Registration Form and return to me NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, APRIL 24.

 

OWNER'S NAME_______________________

ADDRESS, PHONE #, & EMAIL ADDRESS

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

 

DOG'S NAME____________BREED(S)_______________

 

DESCRIBE WHAT SKILLS YOU WOULD LIKE HELP WITH (e.g. focus, forward motion, weaves, tunnels, jumps, contacts, speed, etc.)

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

 

Dress for the weather and because there will be times when your dog has to wait their turn, bring a crate so your dog can have a comfortable place to relax.

 

If you have any questions or concerns contact me.

Evelyn

You can text me at 403-315-3262 as well as email info@perfectpooches.com or phone 403-381-6890

Congratulations

Congratulations MaryEllen Whyte and Tessa on their group 2 win at the Battle River Dog Show first time out in 2015

Thanks to Judge Michael Hill for finding this bitch from the Breed ring.

What a weekend!!!  Back-to-back seminars!  Southern Alberta Working/Herding Dog Association, you have done it again.

Amazing instructors with so much information and the ability to make every participant feel encouraged and supported.  
Thank you, Amanda Labadie, for explaining what nose work is  all about and showing us the steps that go into building a solid foundation for the sport.   Pixel was the best demo dog, indicating her find with a solid down. All the dog/handler teams were successful and entertaining as each dog had its own way of "telling" us that it had, indeed, found the "find".  Tails wagging,  ears forward, ears out to the side, tail wag stopping,
feet on box, nose pushing on box, and not to forget Noelle's raised right eye brow... don't know how Sheena could miss that. 

We loved the games and enjoyed each other's company a whole lot.  The fact that lunch was included was also appreciated by all participants, some of whom came from as far away as Grand Prairie, Red Deer, Calgary, and Cranbrook to "play" hide and seek with dogs.

Carolyn and Ben (the destroyer) 

Lore and Daisy May 

Donnie and Soleil

Darlene and Ben (7 seconds from start to find)

Laura and Sir 

And, thank you Sheena Malone for taking us through the various methods of weaving that are out there for dogs to try.  The gates and the wires and the 3x3's were really fun to learn and went from easy, easy, to a challenge.  Big and little, newbies and dogs that already had a good 
weave ethic were all on a level playing field when it came to the new approaches.
We got to try the weave-a-matics and found that while some dogs took to it naturally, others were not  impressed with the method.  Same with the wires.  They took some getting used to for the dogs that were touch sensitive.  

Throughout the entire day, we were given all kinds of pointers on handling and set-ups so that our dogs could be successful and pumped about weaving.  

When time ran out (boo hoo) handlers interested in learning more about the 2x2 weaves were told to google utube 2x2 weaves k9 dancer, for the absolute best video and instructions for introducing and proofing the 2x2 weaves.  This video, attached at the end of our blog, is stellar! 

Thanks to all those who were able to stay to help clean up.  As usual, the work was done in short order.  To the SAWHDA organizers, you rock.

Working with wires

Weave-a-matics

                                                             Gates 
                       

2X2 weaves 

      Now all that is left is setting up practice times so we can help each other. And isn't that  what we are all about?

The Prez 

AKC Scent Hurdle Rocked!

First of all, let us congratulate our SAWHDA scent team, DUE SOUTH, on placing second at the AKC Scent Hurdle Races last weekend at Spruce Meadows!  What teamwork.  Thank you all for pulling together and working at the event as well.  Deb says it ran smoothly and efficiently, thanks to all the team members being ready to race when needed.
Congratulations to the dog/handler teams that now have new titles. I love that Kelly has already send the Certificates from CSHDA to us. If you wish to get the formal certificate from the CKC, it costs $20 & gst. This is a CKC recognized title. If you are happy with our CSHDA certificates, that is fine.
Our next race is in Calgary on February 14, 2015.  

Congratulations to Castle and Drummer on being invited to attend the USA Rally National Championships at Grey Summit, Missouri,  in March of 2015.  Good for you, boys.

Our SAWHDA Nosework seminar is February 7th starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Cowley Hall.
A small lunch will be provided. A reminder to participants that payment is due by January 
31st to SAWHDA, by cheque or money order.  $50 for members and 75$ for non-members. 
All material is provided.


This workshop will be followed by a Weaves Workshop on February 8th at the Cowley Hall starting at 9:00 a.m.  Five different methods will be demonstrated and participants will have the opportunity to try their dogs on each.
Cost is $35.00 for SAWHDA members and $50 for non-members.

The Prez 

Christmas Fun Day at Cowley

Just got the photos from our Christmas Fun Day... thank  you so much, Lore. 
We really had a great day, from the games at the Cowley Hall to the luncheon put on by the Back Country Outhouse Restaurant in Cowley.  
Congrats, Lore, on winning the 50/50 prize!!!  Our part of the winnings will go towards our Christmas do for 2015!!!
Enjoy the pictures and remember to pay your 2015 membership asap so you can also enjoy the discounts for club days and workshops.

Novel Rally is nothing like Novice Rally.

Every exercise is  proofing for your dog and entertainment for the rest of us.

Here's Carol doing the hula hoop exercise while Emily sits in wonder....


















                               Getting the dog to step up onto an inverted                                bowl was more difficult than it seemed.



Recall through the 'narrows' and 
then handler returns to heel.





We even offered a chance for dogs to do some
'nosework' and all of them had successful strikes on box #3!!











Easy to see that we are an easy-going group.  Check out the dogs' posture.  So relaxed.

Bailey was the entertainment for the day!  She was soooo excited to do the go-back to the treat bowl that she lost her cool and tore through the door, onto the stage, off the stage, across the hall and ended up with her feet on the kitchen counter!!!  Here she is barking at Nikki because she thinks heeling is over-rated.

 Once again, it is good practice for dog shows to have your dogs relax while waiting for their turn in the ring.  Here are Tubby's dogs waiting patiently for their turns.

 We had a flyable machine and a pitching machine set up so dogs could try out their luck at catching a ball.  Justice was not about to share his ball with Shar.






             

Once the games were done, our band of merry-makers moved to the Back Country Outhouse Restaurant for an enjoyable catered Christmas dinner.   Fun, good friends, and lots of laughter accompanied the meal and it was great to have everyone together.

Moira and Leo, host to "Top of the World" summer party, joined the fun, having just returned from a tour of Europe.

The last 50/50 draw of the year was won by Lore and it was over $50!!  Not bad for a little club.

As the old year comes to a close, and we focus on the new, may all of our members find peace, health, and happiness in 2015!

God Bless.

Merry Christmas Wishes

Greeting card customized with Smilebox

Merry Christmas!!

Hello, everyone!
  Planning is in the works for our Christmas Fun Day at the Hall on December 14th from 9:30 until noon.  Following our canine fun events, those who have responded "Yes" will pack away the pooches and regroup at the BackCountry Outhouse Restaurant for Christmas Lunch! 
 Can hardly wait!!

Also, our K9 Nosework seminar on February 7th is full and our Wonders of Weaves Workshop the next morning has five spots left.  If you are interested in learning a variety of ways to teach your dog to weave, please contact shadowbr@telusplanet.net for more information.

The Prez