A WOW Week

This past week had been a bit of a roller coaster.
First bottoming down with Blink's repeat seizure on Tuesday and then steadily climbing back up to a super high this weekend.

First off, on Wednesday an awesome (as usual) agility workshop with Stacy Peardot-Goudy.
Man can she be creative, whipped our butts into shape for sure. Really cool and challenging sequences and learned yet another little trick didn't know I could do. Banshee didn't even blink.
Later on had a fabulous private with Stacy where I worked Riot. That girl is the bomb, but needs to get out more. She did all the masters sequences, I taught her the new trick and then VOILA, we did the whole course, 21 some obstacles, tight wraps, sends to back of the jumps, boxes, forward sends to a wrap, front crosses galore, pull throughs and that girl did it flawlessly first time through.
I was in shock when we reached the last jump. SWEET!!!!!!!
It is quite an adjustment running a much smaller dog I have to say. Very much so that Stacy had to hold me back few times as I tended to rush things, also forgetting I was running after all a very, very green dog. But Riot reads those front crosses beautifully and sends to a jump like a pro.


After all that, then it was time to get ready for a full weekend of agility as we were hosting a USDAA trial, the very last trial of the year.
It was a brilliant weekend for Grommit, Banshee and myself.
It started off by me getting Banshee's Lifetime Achievement Award, a bronze plaque, that Stacy had picked up for me at the USDAA Nationals where they were awarded, since we didn't go this year.

Then it was off to a winning streak, Grommit and Banshee both won the Steeplechase in their class, followed by fantastic Std and Gamblers runs and to finish off the day with the last needed Pairs leg for Grommit's final Championship title:

Agility Dog Champion Silver (ADCH-Silver)

with great help from our dear friends Lexie and Andrea who stood by us throughout this endeavor.

ADCH-Silver MACH2 Grommit TM-Gold

The next day was marked by even more awesome runs, more Std, Snooker SQs for Grommit and Banshee as well as a coveted Grand Prix win for Banshee and a bye to the Regionals.


Both dogs were just on fire all weekend, it was that special time when we were all ON top of our game. That feeling of togetherness and gelling sure gives me a high. I think the dogs know that too.
We were great teams.

Of course now I just want to get out and train some more. Every trial and every run teaches me something new. There are still so many more skills I'd like to perfect.
A new opportunity for training in the winter has opened up.
We'll be joining an afternoon group at the Legacy Center that has opened up a day to the dogs. It will be all an agility day.
I am looking forward to getting Riot out into new surroundings, different atmosphere and on different equipment. What a great experience that will be.


This week Riot baby started a Canine Good Citizen class. It's a lot different training environment than what she's used to, so I think it will be very beneficial to both of us. The first class went great and I am looking forward to the next.