The Good Shepherd

This is my favorite blog

Sounds almost a little like the tending GSD's in Germany

Wow Kristine, congrats, this looks like a blast

I would have the instructor make a short announcement at the beginning of each class that under no circumstance can anyone give your dog (at that point you and the dog step forward and wave )any treats

Happy Birthday Golan Thank you or posting, it was very uplifting, just what I needed

Geee - very interesting, figured it out

Thank you for sharing and have a safe trip home

Before they became "Mini American Shepherds" people would PAL them as Aussies in order to run agility and such. I know of people who put MACH's on them, then turned around and reregistered them as "Mini American Shepherds" and started over in the novice group. That being a reason I dislike agility (I have my flamesuit on )

As Liz can attest in NM the temps are very hot but we have no humidity to speak of. Last July at a SDT in NM the temp was between 100 and 107.

Heads up on Mini-Aussies The AKC opened up a "New" breed and is calling them the "Miniature American Shepherds" Go figure :rolleyes:

Congrats, he is really really handsome

Welcome I am down in Albuquerque, I can give you contact info for Agility, e-mail or PM me Oh, what a cute puppy

I will hopefully see all of you at Free To Be, I will be there to watch and learn (again )

Debbie I had an interesting discussion with a well-know local Kelpie trialer who told me there are Great Dane people who are pushing for their dogs to be included in Herding trials. He instinct tested about 5 of them already I can not picture a Great Dane herding

There is no "holier then though outrage" It was just a simple question from a person who does not do agility and was told by local agility people I was crazy for herding in the middle of winter. reading some of the replies I am now glad I decided against doing serious agility. It would be nearly impossible to run a course in a "Flamesuit"

I guess I don't really understand the hard-core agility people. It was blowing all day, it blew roofs of buildings, it blew down huge trees, it took out gigant bill boards, visability was 50 feet from the blowing dust and sand. Its one thing to have the dog run on the flat, do weaves and jumps, but to be up on the dogwalk, the aframe or the teeter seems really unsafe and downtight stupid. The gust were soo bad it blew a 60 pound dog of the dogwalk. The health and safty of my dog is more important then any ribbons or titles, regardless of the venue. And the agility folks call the herders weird as far as working in weather?

I do not run in Agility, so I am real clueless Anyone who trials in AKC Agility please enlighten me We had an outdoors agility trial last weekend at our local Rodeo arena (Sand for footing). The arena is covered but has no sides and is in the outskirts of town. Sunday we had the worst day as far as the winds go. It blew steadly at at least 40 miles an hour with very very gusty winds often. The top windspeed was clocked at 70 mph. It was so bad that it actually blew a 60 pound dog of the Dogwalk. One of the wellknow hotshot trainers put out an e-mail that evening to rinse out all the dogs eyes because of all the flying sand However the trail was not called off and went on as scheduled. I ask the Agility director of the club that held it and was told that the trials will go on as scheduled and it is the responsibilty of the handler to scratch the dog. Then he said and I quote: "No refunds will be given if the dog is scratched" So my question is this now: Does the AKC or any other Agility org not have rules against weather like that? Or is it just greed on the part of the club? It seems awful to make the dogs run in this kind of wind.

One part of me is glad that Kati went peacefully, heaven knows she was not the dog she was 3 years ago before she got sick. After she was sick and got better we made the best with what we had. I think back then I had lost a piece of Kati, but I think she was contend just being a dog and "queen" of her surroundings with no demands put on her. I too adjusted to the "new" Kati, but boy there where days I cursed her illness that took away her ability to work her woolies. But you know I think all in all she was okay with being a couchpotatoe, eating icecream and bossing everyone (including me) around. Deep down I knew a week ago that she would not be here long. I saw the tired look in her eyes, I saw she only went out to keep the wollies of the fence because I called her. Night before last she would not even take a morsel of anything I tried to tempt her with. Yesterday morning I told her it was okay to rest

My Kati is gone. She went very peaceful on her favorite blanket. Gods speed my girl

Sorry - big hug

I was reading the book last christmas eve and day. I will read it again this christmas eve and day

I have to have this

Herzlich willkomm en

Don't forget UKC just started to offer Rally Obedience Already have 1 leg with Bandit (his first time in any ring, q'ed with a 98 ) and hubby has 1 leg on Leo (who needs 1 more AKC leg for RE)

I have 4 muflon ewes that are extremely flighty, so flighty that they are going to a game ranch in Texas as soon as the lamb and the lambs are weaned! 1 had a ram lamb and is in the barn with the baby, we let her out last weekend and had to rope her to get her back in the barn