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Romeo has been named as a finalist on Dogster's 5th Annual World's Coolest Dog and Cat Show (phew, that is a mouthful!).

The picture of him keeping an eye on some sheep has placed top 5 in the Working Dog category. The top 5 dogs of each category then go on to open voting for Best in Show! While the winner of each category is selected by a panel of judges.


We would LOVE if all of our Dogster friends would please go and VOTE FOR ROMEO for Best in Show!!

VOTE HERE!
(Romeo's picture is near the bottom.)

CARO Rally-O Videos

At the HCKOC CARO Rally-O trial on October 3rd and 4th, a friend was able to get some video of many of the runs. She was kind enough to send me copies of Gio's and Romeo's runs. They both did SO well at that trial, I am thrilled to have their performances documented!

Gio - Excellent B - Round 1
If it weren't for that darned jump redo he would have had a perfect 200/200 run!


Gio - Excellent B - Round 3
Again, an NQ, but some of the individual elements were really nice!


Romeo - Excellent C - Round 1
Final score 198/200


Romeo - Excellent C - Round 2
Final score 197/200 and finishing off his CARO Rally Bronze (CRB) title


Romeo - Excellent C - Round 3
Final score 200/200, first leg of his CARO Rally Silver (CRS) title


Huge thanks to Sophie Brunet for taping the runs and putting the videos all together!

"How did you do your hair dude?"

Let this JAPANESE guy teach you how to achieve that short spiky hairstyle in under a minute. It's like AWESOME!

Perfect for the emo/bad boy/Yakuza!!! look.

World Travelers

Okay, so not really "world" travelers. But it seems like I haven't been home in AGES!

Last Monday I hopped onto a plane headed to San Francisco to attend a conference for work. While there, I was fortunate to be able to meet up with a couple of friends from Dogster.com; Veronica (of Ollivander and Sabrina) and Sonja (of Jolanda and Josephine). I never did make it to Dogster HQ, located in San Francisco (sorry Lori!), so will have to put that on the list for "next time".


They toured me around Fisherman's Wharf before we indulged in some fabulous Thai food!

The Bay Bridge, all lit up.

The Ferry Building at night.

I was able to find time later in the week to get back to Fisherman's Wharf and do some souvenir shopping and picture taking in the daylight outs. This small-city kid is very proud of herself for braving the BART train all by herself! *chuff*

The sea lions at Pier 39. (Awesome to see, not so awesome to smell.)

That's a LOT of sea lions!

I really (really, Really, REALLY) wanted to go on a tour of Alcatraz. But apparently the "good tours" book up weeks in advance, and I just wasn't on the ball. So this is as close as I got to the island. Still pretty amazing to see.
I got back home on Friday morning, picked the dogs up from mom's place, loaded them in my NEW Sheltie-mobile, and headed off to Regina for a Rally-O trial hosted by KAOS Dogsports.

Yes, that is right, there is a NEW Sheltie-mobile!

Found this cute little car sign at Le Beastro in San Francisco. For you dog lovers out there, if you ever find yourself in San Francisco, head to Fisherman's Wharf and check out this store! TOO COOL!

Well, the car is not really "new" in the traditional sense of the word. But new to me, anyways. It's a seafoam green (ooo retro!) 1999 Ford Escort wagon. In pretty good condition, low mileage, and fit my available price point. I figured a trip to Regina with dogs in tow would be a good way to break in the new transportation.

The main selling feature ... the ability to fit both dog crates in the back of the car! WOOHOO!

The Rally-O trail was great. KAOS always does a really good job hosting trials. Romeo got 3 more legs towards his CARO C Stream Silver title, taking two High in Class awards. He only needs one more leg! And Gio tried really really hard! He nailed the stations that normally cause him problems (namely, the weave poles and broad jump), but there were a few other tiny things that resulted in NQ's. At Excellent level, everything has to be pretty near perfect, so it is very easy to disqualify a course. But good ol' Gee, he never gives up or loses enthusiasm. Just keeps giving 110% each time. One of these days we will put it all together, then WATCH OUT! But, until then, we'll keep showing everyone how to have some fun in the ring.

We got to see a bunch of friends at the trial, which is always nice. Romeo got another opportunity to flirt with his girlfriend, Niki.


While Romeo was busy flirting and playing coy with Niki, Gio was smoozing up a friend's new Miniature Poodle puppy, Mab (Queen of the Fairies).

OMG! Too cute, right??
This puppy has NO FEAR and doesn't think twice about trying to take your nose off. She is going to be a LOT of fun ... and by "fun" I really mean "real handful"!

Romeo got a couple of prizes for the High in Class placements. Mostly cookies and treats, but there were a couple squeaky tug toys thrown in as well.

The toy, as you see it here, lasted long enough to be thrown across the hotel room
exactly 3 times.

The boys decided that the toys were best as EITHER squeakies OR tugs, not both at once, so they remedied the situation quite quickly.

The squeaky went to Gio.

While the tug went to Romeo.

Now we are all home at last. Exhausted and worn out. The laundry is done, the dogs are fed ... and I am contemplating when is "late enough" to go to bed!

To Grandmother's House We Go

I'm leaving on a jet plane tomorrow, headed to lovely San Francisco for a conference on qPCR (aka "work stuff"). I always have a hard time leaving the boys behind, I stress out so easily. But they are staying with my mom, so I know they are in capable hands and will be absolutely spoiled and pampered all week.

I've packed their over-night bag of all the important things ... toys, food dishes, leashes, and treats ... Romeo helped.

"What's all this for, ma?"

"It's all going in the bag? And the bag is going to grandma's!?"

"What? We wouldn't want you to forget ME at home!"

I have one day to do touristy stuff. The rest of my trip is booked up with the conference and workshop goings-on. I was hoping to book a tour of Alcatraz, but when I checked their website they are all booked up for the evening tours ALL WEEK! *pout* So I think I will head down to Fisherman's Wharf and take in some festivities there. Seems like that is the location of most of the touristy stuff anyways. Has anyone been? Any recommendations for a good sea food supper?!

Tub o' Trout

I love my job! For many reasons, actually, but the focus of today's adoration revolves around the surprise gifts of meat.

See, I work at an Agricultural college. As part of the college, there is a research farm including beef and dairy cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, and an aquaculture center. Occasionally, animals from any one of these areas need to be cleared out. Sometimes they can be sold commercially, but often they are deemed "research animals", even though the research that is done is all nutritional (so no funky disease or chemical research), and they cannot be sold commercially. The college then sends out an email to the employees and grad students in the Animal Science department offering to sell the meat for SUPER CHEAP or, in some cases, give it away for FREE!

Today there was an e-mail for FREE TROUT! Intestines removed, but everything else intact ... just the way the dogs like 'em.

So I stopped by after work and picked up about 40lbs of trout.

The car rental place is going to LOVE me! First, 25lb of raw bison in the trunk. Now 40lb of whole trout. The contract I signed said not to smoke in the car ... but it said nothing about not hauling around tonnes of raw meat in the trunk.

The boys love these days, too. Especially when the meat is frozen into large lumps and must be thawed in the bathtub before repackaging.

"What do you mean? We have to wait until they are thawed?"

"But they are so close. Just riiiight there."

"If I just stretch a little ..."

"... Stretch a little bit more ..."

"JACKPOT!"

Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

The Sheltie-mobile

2001 - October 31, 2009

Today, I said "good bye" to the Sheltie-mobile. My little Chrsyler Neon made its final journey this morning.

My little car has seen many things in the past few years. Its tiny back seat reluctantly accommodating two excited Shelties on trips around the province for various trials and competitions.
Lugging around countless pounds of raw meat. (Including dog toys and tracking stakes on the floor.)
Toting all forms of "dog stuff", including awkward test props for therapy dog evaluations.
And galantly braving the crazy Saskatchewan seasons.
Today, it performed its final haul. On the way back from picking up a load of raw bison RMBs, some idiot, in his exuberance for a Big Mac, decided to snub the laws of physics and cut across my lane. Little Neon tried, but just couldn't stop in time. We rammed the back wheel well of the McMonster Truck, buckling anything bendable on the front end of the Neon ... and barely scraping the mud off the rear hubcap of the gas guzzling male ego booster.

All opinions point to my little Neon being written off. The police were called and the independent witness vouched for the McIdiot being in the wrong. The insurance company has been notified, and my little Neon towed away.

I can only be thanksful that the dogs were not with me in the car and that no one was injured. Well, no living being, anyways. My poor little Neon will never be the same.

Good bye, little Neon. You were a good car.