Princess Pauli

This post is about my little Pauli...my 14-year-old Jack Russell Terrier...the best little dog ever, ever...who has started to become quite needy as the senior citizen in our house...our life and home pretty much revolves around Pauli, which is totally fine with us.

Pauli cannot jump up on to any of the furniture in my house anymore, so I pick her up and place her wherever she wants to be.  Lately, she will not jump off of anything I place her on - she will just sit there and bark and scream at me to come and get her off.

Pauli came to live with us when she was 6 weeks old...at the time I was married to Marc and he insisted that she sleep in a crate...being the dog trainer I was, I was like, sure no problem, she will sleep in a crate...that first night she barked and carried on so that Marc and my Rottweiler, Jake, finally left the room and went to sleep in the guest room...as soon as they left, I opened up the crate and put her in the bed under the covers and she never made another peep and this is where she has slept like a little rock for the last 14 years.

But lately, she does not sleep so well and can be pretty restless...I've worried that she will fall off the bed in the middle of the night and hurt herself.  So last week I decided to re-arrange my house.  I moved the futon bed that was in the guest room into my bedroom as it is much lower to the floor and moved my bed into the guest room.

My bedroom has french doors that lead out on to a patio into my backyard and I've been folding up the futon into a couch and have so much room now in my bedroom - it's kinda like a second living room!

This is the guest room now - Bosco has no problem getting up on anything these days!

Pauli had no problem getting up and off the futon bed while it was in the guest room...however, once I moved it into my bedroom, all of a sudden, she was not able to jump off of it...really????  So I had to make one more adjustment for Pauli...

how cute is she???

new beds for everyone...

and everyone seems pretty comfortable, for now...

Good news!!!!!

Just got back from the orthopedic specialist with Burn...oh good news!!! 

Burn had a complete physical and orthopedic exam - his entire body - the ONLY thing the specialist could find was a very old injury to the third toe on his right rear foot that had a 30% decrease range of motion but no inflammation and no pain.  On movement, he could see that Burn took 3 or 4 mis-steps on that right rear, so he said that whatever he did, is about 90% healed.  He suggested I give him another 7 - 10 days of no activity and when his gait is 100%, he can start to resume normal activity.

So I've pulled him from Dog On It's upcoming local USDAA trial in 3 weekends and will shoot for the USDAA trial coming up next month in Jacksonville.

SO RELIEVED!!!!!!

TLC weekend and Halloween

Happy Halloween!  Here's a pic of Marc’s son’s costume – pretty scary!

We get to stay with friends when we go to West Palm Beach - they live on 6 fenced acres of paradise with a pool - my dogs are in heaven there especially little Bosco!

In spite of the crappy weather, we had fun at the 3-day USDAA trial this past weekend in West Palm – lots of bad stuff but lots of good things too!!!  Fun but VERY challenging courses...if I remember correctly, there was a TOTAL of only THREE qualifying Grand Prix runs - total!

We drove down on Thursday morning and went to Gayle York’s so she could show me how to teach Triumph a 4-on the teeter – all that diving for the ground that he has been doing just cannot be good on his body, his wrists, shoulders, and on my mind!!!  It was time well spent and in one lesson and one practice session, he got it AND he gave me three 4-on teeters this weekend – I was thrilled and absolutely amazed.  Either he is just brilliant and/or realized very quickly it was much more comfortable for him to NOT dive for the ground. 

While we only came away with another Steeplechase Q and a master pairs Q, I was very happy with bits and pieces of most of his runs – especially happy with his teeter performances, dog walks and aframes and his jumping – his startline, however, is our next battle. 

On Friday we had standard, Grand Prix and Snooker.  He pushed his startline right off the bat but I let it go as I really wanted to see what his teeter would be like – he did not dive but after one lesson, I didn’t expect it to be perfect.  However, allowing him to get away with not staying at the start line in that first run set the precedent for the next two classes and the rest of that run, was a total trainwreck!

Grand Prix would have been a fun course to run but he decided to release himself and went without me and ran past the second jump.  I asked him for a sit, he sat, and then as soon as I moved he took off so we left the ring.  I hate that.  Then we had snooker and I needed a long lead out for my course and again, we had to leave the ring…I REALLY hate that.

For the rest of the weekend, I decided to leave him in a down and he was actually pretty good – well sort of.

Recap of the three days:

Master gamble 3^rd place, master pairs Q and 2^nd place, Steeplechase Q and 1^st place, Steeplechase round final 3^rd place ($12.48), master standard 1^st place and master jumpers 1^st place

A highlight to my weekend was having the judge pull me aside to tell me she thought my dog was fabulous…I’ve always thought that but to hear that from other people is really nice and to have a judge go out of their way to tell an exhibitor that, is really, really nice.  However, the biggest highlight for me was that by Sunday morning, Burn was not limping at all – yeah J

_________



Here is his master standard run from Saturday – although he took an off course after the dog walk, I was pleased overall with his start, his jumping, his teeter, dog walk, aframe and even the table and with his sit at the end of the run - yes, he used to jump on me and bite me!  I gotta give him credit, he sure gives 100% effort and really does try to please me. 

He thinks he's fabulous too!

oh yeah, and just for some entertainment value, here's my ONE point snooker run...I hate that too...BUT he did give me a decent lead out, and had this been a year ago, he would have launched himself from about 20 feet away from that jump, so while he did "measure" his take off, he did NOT take off way early so I was pretty happy with that...

crap...

we did a little training in my yard on Friday evening...Burn came up lame in his right rear...he's never ever been lame in the rear...I immediately feared it was his knee...he was really lame Friday night...Saturday morning he was still lame but nothing like Friday night...Sunday his lameness was there but not as bad as Friday...and this morning same thing, there but not severe...

I spent all Saturday afternoon searching Youtube for videos of dogs with ACL injuries and Burn was exhibiting the same kind of lameness as the dogs I saw on videos...I also watched an entire TPLO procedure...oh dear God, please, not that...

my chiropractic/holistic vet just left my house and she believes he does have a partial ACL tear...she does not believe it's ruptured as he is not on three legs...she also does not recommend the TPLO surgery and wants to treat him with chiro, acupuncture, laser, supplements, and REST...she believes it can heal but it could take 3 to 4 months...

Now to change our whole entire lifestyle and routine...from where everyone gets fed to sleeping arrangements, going out to go potty, going outside to hang out in the back yard, walking every single morning, going to Marc's on the weekends we don't show, going to trials...etc etc...

I'm at the computer right now and normally Burn would be at my feet...instead he's in the dog room on the other side of the house behind a baby gate...banished...how do you explain to an 8 year old border collie who has never been bad a day in his life and who has played and trained and interacted every day of his life with me that now he gets to do nothing...nothing but eat, sleep, and walk on a leash...this is not going to be easy...crap

Just made an appointment for him to see an orthopedic surgeon/specialist next Wednesday morning...hoping it's not his ACL and something else that isn't so serious...

vicariously...

bummer...Marc called me from Daytona yesterday afternoon and one of the hubs on the race car had broken...so no ride for me today...so my ride in a race car will have to be lived vicariously through Enzo for now...

I finished reading my book last night...and I cried...Enzo only got to ride with Denny in his race car that one time but it was an experience of a lifetime and something that little dog never forgot...

Speed

So this weekend there are no dog shows for me...I am going to do something that I have never done in my life...I am getting to ride in Marc's race car in Daytona, on the track, Daytona International Speedway...

I have known Marc for 35 years...it's a long story, but we met and started dating in high school in Miami, Florida in 1976...damn that was a long time ago...Marc has been racing since about 1987 and I have only been in his race car to help him bleed the brakes!!!!!

I don't have any good pics of his car on the track in Daytona...these pics were taken on the track in Sebring, Florida...but this is his car...

Ironically, I have been reading a novel by Garth Stein...The Art of Racing in the Rain...it's a book narrated by a terrier mix named Enzo about his life as the dog of a race car driver named Denny...Enzo loved car racing as much as Denny...the chapter I read last night was about Enzo's very first ride in Denny's race car...Denny told him two barks would mean to go faster!!! 

Don't ask me to bark...

agility gymnastics

as usual after a trial, I come away with a long list of homework...good grief, that list just continues to grow and I can only imagine how long it is going to become now that we are about to start up the USDAA trial season...but what else do I have to do, right???!!!!

we've worked SO hard on Triumph's jumping and he has made HUGE improvements...while his jumping was pretty good this weekend, he did take off early on a couple of jumps, but no crashing of any spreads, and only 2 bars in jww on Saturday, which I will blame on his start line...or I should say, lack thereof!!!

once again, back at the top of the list is the startline...Triumph believes a lead out is just the most ridiculous thing I could ever ask of him...I mean really, mom, you want me to run a jumpers course as fast as I can so why can't I just go????

same goes for the contacts...and besides, I could just do a hand stand...nice, huh??!!!  Liz was impressed with this one - she says I have good abdominal strength :)))

Really Triumph, what ARE you doing????!!!!

My mom thought she'd try something different...quick releasing me off the dog walk and aframe because I so love to dive into position...this is what she got...and the table, PLEASE, talk about ridiculous!!!!   get rid of it!!

the weekend was fun, the courses were GREAT, the judges were very nice and it wasn't a total loss...Triumph did earn his second Excellent A jww leg with a blue ribbon and Burn got his 16th Double Q on Saturday with two blue ribbons...yeah!!!!!

Sketch

I love my iphone...the apps are so cool...my favorites are the photo editing apps...I found this app yesterday...it's called My Sketch and I love it...I also love local agility trials...we have a local AKC trial this weekend...yeah!

This time last year I was in Kentucky with Burn for USDAA Nationals...it was great fun and we had a wonderful trip...Triumph had just started showing at this time last year and he hadn't qualified so he stayed home...both boys were qualified to go this year but I just didn't have the means, so a local trial this weekend will be just fine!

Star

Triumph's little bit of stardom...there was a photographer at the Labor Day night trial in Deland...she's such a cool kid, takes really great pictures and she really likes Triumph...she did some artwork for Countryside Animal Clinic in Deland and they picked a picture of Triumph for their waiting room...how cool is that???  The Noodle's picture hangs in a vet's office that he's never even been in!

Speaking of stardom, the FCI Agility World Championships are happening this weekend in France...all I can say is WOW...the dogs and handlers are truly amazing to watch...

Bucket List

We had a great time at the USDAA trial this past weekend in Palmetto...BUT we have SOOO many things to work on...the list never seems to end and it seems to grow after every trial...why is that???!!!! 

While Triumph did not get a DAM team Q, damnit, or a Grand Prix Q, shit, he did manage a steeplechase Q - his time was fast enough to Q WITH two knocked bars - almost 3 seconds faster than the 1st place dog. 

He was the only 26" dog to get the master gamble on Saturday and he got his first master jumpers leg with a 1st place!  He also placed 2nd in team gamble, 4th in team standard and I guess it's possible he could have won team jumpers had he not done this...

He did lots of diving into contact position on the dog walk and the aframe and way too much scooting at the start line...more things to add to that huge bucket list!!!! 

But all in all, while he did take off early on a few jumps and he did overjump a couple of jumps (yes he can over jump a 26" jump!) his jumping at 26" was MUCH improved and I was quite pleased with his jumping progress. 

"TRC"

I remember the story you told us about how your Japanese students referred to you as "THE Rhonda Carter" and that was back in the day when you spelled your name with the "h" in it...and how much we laughed about that...so you became TRC to me and Sherrie and nobody else knew what we were talking about...it was our little silly private joke and so we called you TRC from then on.

I remember the first time I ever worked with you, Burn was 11 months old...I was so excited to get to work with you and so nervous...you hated his breeder and I was so worried you would not like him because of her, but I was so wrong...you loved him and you helped mold him into the agility dog he became.

I remember confiding in you years ago about some things that had me so upset and will never forget your advice..."rise above it" you told me...those are words that I try to live by to this day.  You were the first person I called when Burn had his first seizure...you were so supportive and so willing to share your experiences and knowlege about seizures...I can't tell you what that meant to me...I wish I could.

I can't tell you how many times just recently I have wanted to call you and ask for your advice or to send  you an email with one of Burn or Triumph's runs to ask you what you think...I've had so many reasons lately to want to talk to you...everytime I did, you would have the answer or you would make me feel better.

I regret not picking up the phone more often over the years just to say hey...your phone and email and address are still in my contacts and I can't bring myself to delete them...I don't know if I ever willl...I check your Facebook wall on a regular basis and each time, my heart races a little because each time I type your name, I fear your page will be gone...death is so final and I never got to say goodbye and to thank you again for the help you gave me, for your advice, for listening, for helping me pick out Triumph, and for just being my friend...so thank you so very much.


I'm so thankful Michele did this memorial for you for Clean Run...I think you would like it...

Rest in peace, TRC...I miss you...

YPS

We left from the AKC trial in Ocala before ribbons were ready on Sunday...a friend of mine who was in Novice picked up Triumph's ribbons and brought them to me on Tuesday...I have boxes and boxes of ribbons from over the years, so these days I usually just pick up the qualifying ribbon with the sticker that contains the info on the run...I have this really cool app on my iphone where all my dogs' agility records are stored...this app also computes the Yards Per Second...Triumph ran this jumpers course in 6.2 YPS...large dog world team requirements are 5.4...cool!!  Not that I have any aspirations or goals of trying out for world team, but it is nice to know that his times are more than good enough!

I'm glad to have his first excellent ribbons, including the blue one!

mine...

yes, all mine!

Rock 'n Roll Jesus

I posted this the other day and then this morning, I saw this tag sitting at a red light and just had to add it to this post!

while this is completely non-agility related, I'm happy I love someone
and I love the words to this Kid Rock song:

I tell you it will shake the earth beneath your feet, the light that shines will redefine your old beliefs, what you reap is what you sow and so it goes, where you plant your needs is where your garden grows, before you think about yourself, think of someone else, it will make you feel

Each day ain't wine and roses, I doubt it's meant to be, always a cross to bear salvation don't come free, a heart that beats is a heart that bleeds and you know that's true, so don't deny yourself of something good for you, before you do it for yourself, do it for someone else
That makes it real

Chorus:
'Cause when you love someone, it don't matter what you say, when you love someone
you will dance the night away, when you love someone, there ain't nothing you can't do
ain't that right, yeah I want to love someone tonight

Will you believe in love or just sit around and judge? Can you forgive someone or will u hold a grudge? Cuz above selfishness there lies a bright blue sky and wealth and happiness can be a long and lonesome ride yes it's hard to steer yourself without that someone else to take the wheel, take the wheel

(Chorus)

Do you believe in the art of growing old? do you believe that rock n roll can save your soul?
Do you believe in everything you do? Cuz when you do that's when it all comes back to you
Before you think about yourself, think of someone else, do it for yourself and do it for someone else

When you love someone -

such

a happy dog no matter what I ask of him...

a first and a first!

Triumph's got his first Excellent A JWW Q and his first excellent blue ribbon today...

we've spent the last 7 months working SO hard on his jumping...do we need to spend the next 7 months working on that damn start line again??!!!!

such a bad dog!

Open certificates

not to be outdone by his older brother Burn, Mr. T received his own little surprise "envelope" in the mail today...two envelopes actually...one contained his AKC Open Agility certificate and the second envelope contained his Open Agility Jumper certificate...why the AKC wouldn't just send both in one envelope, I'm not sure, but here they are...so he officially gets to play in both Excellent classes this weekend and because of that, we officially get to leave early on Sunday - whoohoo!

I can't freakin figure out how to get this one to upload correctly...but you get the picture...

this was taken Tuesday morning around 5:30...I'm trying to drink my cup of coffee and he would NOT leave me alone with that damn toy...so, I put it around his nose and he quit bugging me...what a face!!!!



2 in 1

Two posts in one day...that's a record!!  While I created this blog to journal Triumph's training and trialing, I just had to say something about Burn...he received a really nice package in the mail on Saturday from USDAA...his Bronze Lifetime Achievement Award...it's a really cool plaque for a really cool accomplishment...150 qualifying scores overall...wow that's a lot of Qs!!!!!

yeah so what says Burn...I will still hate not running first this Saturday!

AKC again

We get to play in AKC again this weekend coming up in Ocala...Triumph will show for the first time in both Excellent A standard and Excellent A JWW...I entered him in the 24" jump height for this show and big dogs run first on Saturday so he will run early...I like it when it's small to tall as I get to run Burn first...and Burn likes that...

But Triumph likes going first...Mr. Smiley

sepia

nothing exciting to blog about today...it's kind of cloudy and gray out...I'm house and dog sitting for Marc this weekend and we usually play in the yard and pool when we're here but it's not nice out and acts like it's going to rain...plus his AC froze up so I had to turn it off for it to "thaw" out and it's starting to get a little warm inside...AC is the greatest invention in the whole world and it really sucks when it's not working!!!!!

so playing on my iphone with a photo app...really like the sepia look...here are some sepia pics of all four of my dogs...

Sepia Pauli...

Sepia Bosco...

Sepia Burn...

and Sepia Mr. GQ SQ Triumph...

Photogenic

Some great pics taken of my guys at the USDAA trial this past Labor Day weekend in DeLand, FL - photographer and friend Kelsey Reinersten does a great job

http://kelseyreinertsenphotography.weebly.com/

here are some of the pics she got of Triumph and Burn...

Mr. Super Q & such...

Triumph earned his very first Snooker Super Q last night...I love snooker and LOVE to run Burn in that game...he's a great snooker dog...I usually go for all 7s with Burn but decided to be a little more conservative with Triumph as I wanted him to have a successful run and still qualify...I wasn't even considering a SQ or even placing so I planned a course that "flowed" but was an easy 4, 5, and two 7s...he still ended up with the Super Q and a 2nd placement in an unusually large 26" class...

It helps when you never have to worry about a bar coming down...Snooker hasn't been the most fun or easy game for me and Triumph mostly because I worry about his jumping - taking a bar or crashing a jump...but last night I felt more comfortable and I think Triumph did too...





Mr. Handsome - Labor Day morning in the yard holding his favorite ball...

So I didn’t accomplish all the goals I set for myself this weekend – neither of my boys qualified in Grand Prix or Steeplechase and not for lack of trying…Burn displaced the break-away tire which I can’t remember him ever doing and then he took a bar at the end of the run but it was the back side of a jump and I really haven’t practiced that with my dogs very much…but then in Steeplechase he completely blew his aframe contact and then cut across my path and took an off course jump…bad dog J

Triumph had a nice Grand Prix run going but did not take the back side of that back-side jump and took the side I presented – good boy J - he had a nice Steeplechase run but cut through the broad jump and I didn’t fix it – bad handler!  I really need to train the broad jump especially considering how HUGE it is for the 26” dogs!

But most importantly, Triumph’s jumping at 26” was so very nice – his take offs were appropriate, he did not over jump, and he only took two bars one of which was on a bounce and the other was that giant triple jump they had that was going into an empty dark corner of the ring.

I went in to this weekend really okay with the thought of moving him to Performance 22” had he had any major jumping issues…I struggled with that and actually agonized over it for some time…but I came to realize that it would make absolutely no difference to Triumph whether he ran in Championship or Performance…he would get to play and run for me and that is all that would matter to him…I was very pleased with his jumping efforts this weekend and I now have more confidence with the idea of continuing to run him in the 26” Championship classes for this upcoming season…

I continue to remind myself of how fortunate I am that all of my dogs are happy and healthy…every time I trial, I think of my good friend Neta and her fabulous dog Toast that she lost so tragically not that long ago…not only is she my friend, but she is one of the agility people I have known for many many years and I truly admire for many many reasons…doing well in agility with our dogs is really just a bonus...and so are rubberized contacts!

Triumphant jumping!

One year ago this weekend, Triumph made his USDAA agility debut at this trial...he ran starters jumpers, starters pairs, starters gamblers, Grand Prix and Steeplechase...he ran most of the courses with his superman cape on and launched early on most of his jumping especially in jumpers...his early takeoff and over jumping progressively got worse as we continued to trial...the more classes he ran, the higher he got and the more inappropriate his takeoff and over jumping became until he eventually started crashing the double and triple jumps...this was a new experience for me and a challenge I wasn't sure I could handle and I really didn't know what to do to help him...Burn was a naturally talented and exceptional jumper and I never had to worry about him taking or crashing jumps, ever...Triumph has been a different story.

But we have worked very very hard since the beginning of this year on his jumping and he has made huge improvements and I was just thrilled with his first time ever in master jumpers last night...now to go back and fix that damn start line scooting!!!!!!  Always something, huh???!!!!

local labor day weekend trial

Yeah for long holiday weekends and yeah for local trials on those weekends!!  I'm not exactly thrilled about a night trial as I am usually in bed before 10:00 every night even on the weekends...but it will be cooler and the trial is being held at a site where we train on a regular basis and we will have rubberized contacts...bonus!

I ran Triumph last night in class at the 26" jump height and he adjusted nicely after showing last weekend at the AKC trial in 20".  He only took one bar coming out of a tunnel and his takeoffs were appropriate and he did not over jump the jumps - yeah for him!  He can over jump 26" jumps???  Yes, and not that I want him to or ever taught him to he just can and does...when I first started agility back in 1994, omg that was a long time ago, there was no 26" height, it was 30" and that is what my Rottweilers had to jump - and they were awesome jumpers...I think 30" would suit Triumph just fine!

So my hopes and goals for this weekend will be to get a 2012 steeplechase and grand prix for Burn and for him to not do any drop and roll manuevers on course!!!  And for Triumph, this weekend will be to evaluate his jumping at 26" and decide whether to keep him at that height or to move him in to performance 22" for a while.

Good luck to my two red boys!

Excellent!

Triumph had a pretty good showing at the AKC trial this past weeknd in Arcadia, Florida earning his open standard tile and his open jumpers with weaves title!  He qualified in 4 of the 6 runs and came home with three blue ribbons and one yellow.


I ran him in 20" for the first time all weekend and while he over-jumped a few jumps and left early on a few as well, he did seem to settle in to the height and he seemed to be thinking a little more about his job instead of mindlessly blasting around the course. 

But, oh, do we have so much to train and so much work to do!!!  He is still diving into his contact position and is still not shifting his weight back on the teeter and he definitely could have a faster table position!  However, his start line stay was much improved and he never missed a weave entry and never came out of the poles in the 6 runs.


His first standard run was going nicely until he decided it was time to do a running aframe right into the chute...I marked it and asked him to sit and we were eliminated for training in the ring...yeah but...he knows better!


He earned his open jumpers title on Saturday and so I moved him in to excellent for Sunday - he was the last dog to run.  I now had two dogs to run in 20" excellent jumpers so I moved Burn to run first.  Burn had a great run going but ended up taking off way early on the triple, which he has never done, totally crashing into the middle of the jump and ending up in a horrible tumble and fall...it was truly horrifying.  Thankfully, he was okay. 

I almost scratched Triumph from running this course as I was concerned about how he would handle that line to the triple.  I did run him but decided not to get too far ahead of him on that line.  He took off a bit early and cleared it but then I was not where I needed to be and was very tentative so he took an off course...all in all, he did pretty good his first time in excellent.




Sunday's open standard run and title...






Saturday's open jumpers run and title...

Burn's crash...

And Triumph's first excellent jww run...

Go Away Irene!

We haven't shown since the beginning of June (with the exception of DACOF) so am really looking forward to the 3-day AKC trial this weekend in Arcadia, Florida.  This is Calusa Dog Agility Club's very first AKC trial and it is a two-ring one-judge trial.  The site is the Turner Agri-Civic Center...an indoor air-conditioned site on dirt - my favorite!

Triumph is entered all three days and currently has one open standard leg and one open JWW leg...it would be nice to earn these open titles and get him into both excellent classes...that is my hope!  In training, we have been playing around with different jump heights and I decided at the last minute to move him to 20" for this trial...we'll see how it goes.

Burn is entered on Saturday and Sunday and is working on Double Q number 14...we'll see how that goes too :)))

I'm just hoping that Hurricane Irene continues to move in an easterly direction and does not ruin the weekend!  Right now, it looks like that's the path but as we know, all that can change!

border collie conformation and structure

I recently joined a border collie structure group on Facebook...the group was set up for people with border collies to join and then post stacked pictures of their dog for structure evaluation from the other members...it turned out to be a very interesting group of people...in the short lifespan of this group, there were some pretty flaming posts and very ugly comments that went back and forth and unfortunately, there were a couple of members who used the group as a means to attack each other and so the group was shortly deleted because of the animosity that ensued...seems as though there is huge contention in the border collie world between the "conformation" people and the "working dog" people and there are some pretty strong feelings and opinions about what is correct and what is not in the breed...conformation breeders were bashing other conformation breeders and working/performance dog breeders were bashing conformation breeders and conformation breeders were bashing performance dog breeders, etc etc...it made for some very interesting and entertaining reading but it also made me somewhat uneasy to post any pictures of my own dogs...it was then that I actually realized I had not one picture of Triumph standing still, all of his pics are that of some kind of agility action shot :)

So I attempted to take some...ha!!!!  Getting Triumph to stand still and stay in a "stacked" position while I backed up and took a picture of him was no easy feat!!!!

I did manage to get a couple pictures...pictures taken on an iphone do not make for beautiful conformation shots and I also quickly realized that this would be a two-person job!


In the pic below, I hung a toy from a plant post so that he would have something to look at and I told him to stand and stay!  He does have a very nice topline but he was having a bad hair day so his topline looks like there's a hole in it - there is not!  And to me, he looks fat in this picture but he is far from fat!

In the below picture, he was watching Nancy and Rudy work and was peering around a tree - he was just free-standing and this was not a stacked picture

But hey, we don't care what anyone on some Facebook group thinks about his structure...in his humble opinion, he is absolutely gorgeous...and in my opinion, he is perfect! 

jumping experiment

The other night I played around with Triumph at 20" jump height...he ran really nice at the lower height...granted, he has made huge improvements over the last several months at 26", but he still struggles at times with the double and triple especially if I am ahead of him and he is running as fast as he can to catch up...he's never run a full course at the lower jump height, so we played around with that this morning and he ran great especially over the double and triple...his take off was very appropriate all in all with the exception of taking off once or twice a little early and I think he over-jumped a couple of jumps once or twice...I then ran him over a short sequence at 26" and he made the transition very nicely and seemed very comfortable at the higher height...

this is the second course we ran at 20"

and here's a part of the sequence at 26"