01/04/2024
I am so bad at remembering to post here, but please enjoy our recap of 2023!
January - we moved from Vancouver to Saskatchewan, which was a huge change for both us and the dogs.
February - Tony and I survived a rollover car accident. We managed to get into the ring and get him his second point toward his Championship.
March - I flew back to Vancouver and drove up to Forest Grove to pick up Astra!
April - Tony got his RATN at our first BH trial of the new year, and then I headed out on a solo road trip to show Astra in her first Baby Puppy show in Vancouver with her siblings! Definitely not a trip I would do solo again... Tony ran his second full-weekend BH trial at the end of the month, and absolutely KILLED IT in the Open class - he only took 2 NQs in Open, and picked up a couple HIC that weekend as well.
May - Tony took 2 more points in the Hub City show. Astra also showed in BP again, taking 3x BBPIG. Most incredibly, she won BEST IN SWEEPS that weekend, beating almost 50 other dogs, from 4-18 months. She was one of the youngest there, at not even 5 months. Tony ran in his first Sprinter trial this month, and we quickly learned that this is one of his absolute favourite things. He got his Novice Sprinter, averaging 52 points (26 km/h) per run.
June - Astra took 6 championship points the weekend after she turned 6 months, and Tony took another point that weekend as well. The weekend after that, Tony took another 3 points (bringing him to 8 with a major) and Astra took 3 as well (9 with a major). It was so stressful being so close to finishing them both!
July - My mom and Toby came and visited this month, and Jamie and I went on a road trip down to Yellowstone!
August - After our month off from dog stuff, August was full force. I took both Tony and Astra to the Alberta Kennel Club show, where we got to see our friends from Vancouver! Tony got to try Earthdog for the first time in almost a year, and it took him a minute to get the rules again - especially with the jump to Junior. He loved it though, and it gave him the confidence to take a 3-point major that weekend, finishing his Championship with a bang! Astra wasn't far behind, taking another 2-pointer to finish 2 weeks later, and took a 2-pointer select placement that weekend as well. We threw another Sprinter weekend in there, getting Tony his Sprinter title, and recorded his tricks for Novice and Novice Masters trick dog as well. This all qualified him for his Versatility Novice.
September - Jonah came and visited at the beginning of the month. Astra got her first Group placement at the HOTC show, a group 3 in a beautiful lineup. She has achieved a lot of BPIG, but a G3 against much more mature dogs was a real honour.
October - Astra started BH in October, getting her Instinct and Novice.
November - Both Astra and Kingston got their Novice and Novice Masters trick dog titles. Kingston also has his Intermediate tricks recorded, but we are waiting to submit them until we have his Intermediate Masters as well. Astra competed in her final show of the year (and her last show as a puppy), taking 9 more GCh points (1 point select, 2 point BOB, and 2x 3 point BOB).
December - We ran in one last BH trial for the year, and while none of our dogs did anything special on the surface, it was a great weekend for all of them in personal growth. This was Kingston's first time doing a dog sport with other dogs around, and while there's still work to do, I'm happy he was able to handle the blind for the most part.
Stay tuned for 2024 news! Our spring is going to not be very eventful, as I finish up my Masters and start my new job, but we're excited about the summer and beyond!!!
