molly

Not sure about you, but we’re not so much into entertaining unless we are around other ‘dog folks’ because those who don’t like the dogs just can’t understand us that well. We decided that we’d host a pot luck Christmas party at our house this weekend (after Fin’s big trail!) and invited the group that we normally go trailing training with. The only requirements were to bring something and to come in dog clothes. Some folks also brought their dogs to play and we had a great time together! Thanks to everyone who came, we had a fantastic time and the dogs did too. Bloodhound (well, and black/tan coonhound – thanks Chip!) folk just ‘get it’ and b/c of that we all had a great time… 🙂 Thanks Mike for the photos!

Yep, that’s right!! The oldest trail Fin had worked to date was a little over 24hrs old. We went trailing last weekend and all week afterwards I wondered if Fin could do a ~really~ old trail. Could he be put up to the test to run 36 or 48hrs old? What about a week long? Wouldn’t that be asking a lot? It was b/c of these nagging thoughts that I finally decided I’d act upon them and see what he could do! We got out there Sunday, harnessed Fin up, gave him the search command and he commited to it right away. Parts of the trail were foot step for foot step and other parts he worked fairly wide. This trail had aged in a very busy corporate park, next to (and the bulk of it parallel to) an interstate (separated from the interstate just by a wrought iron fence), through rain & snow over the course of that week. He made his way to the runner in about 15 minutes and boy were we ALL so happy!! These dogs never cease to amaze me with their abilities…what a neat day!

We went out this weekend and met up with a great group of folks to go trailing. We are working towards the Feb 2010 ABC trailing trials that will be held here in our very own NC! All of the dogs did very well throughout the weekend. Some of our own highlights were Paisley running a trail laid to MT specifications but w/two runners at the end, her getting to the end with a great jump up ID on the correct runner and Michael not realizing SHE was correct b/c he had confused the scent articles!…..Higgins working an 18 hour old trail and his first one with two runners at the end (one of them was Molly (the cross runner) – that was HARD for him not to focus on just saying hello!) and ….drum roll….FINNY working a 24 hour old trail with three runners at the end (two cross runners – one of them being Michael) and him going to the correct runner…was a fun and great weekend had by all! Here is a photo we liked of Michael & Paisley working.

It is hard to believe that you are ten years old today! We worried a lot after you lost your sister that you’d have a terrible time without her. You adjusted well and we are so thankful for the fact you are still with us and doing well for ‘our old man’….Happy Birthday sweet, sweet boy!

Sherick M&M’s Red Hot Burning Love, CGC … “Presley” had her first call out last night. Michelle, her Mom and handler, said she worked the area beautifully and properly indicated negative scent. Apparently the sheriff’s department had their Bloodhound try to trail the individual and it was confirmed later there was no scent in the area. WAY to go Presley and Michelle. We are SO proud of you – keep up the great work!!!

Well….with many thanks to Betsy Copeland & Beth Mares from this past Nationals, I was encouraged to jump into the Rally Novice obedience ring this weekend and who better to do it with then my little Finny? I am proud to announce that (with NO class training!) Fin earned his three legs to obtain the title (RN) starting this past Friday at the Concord, NC shows. Though his runs were not perfect (Friday’s was FAR from it, LOL!) he did a great job and loved it. Everyone enjoyed watching ‘the Bloodhound’ and clapped for him when he was done. 🙂 What a fun thing to do with your dog! I encourage anyone to look into doing it.

You can view Saturday’s run (his best – score of 91!) by clicking here

This was another wonderful show weekend! Congratulations to Sherman (HIT Sherick M&M’s Red Hot Howlitzer, CD, EECT, Can MT, Can RN) for getting his third leg and new CD title at the Salisbury, MD shows!  In Napa Valley, CA both Buck (Sherick M&M’s Red Hot Buckshot)  and Carolina (Sherick M&M’s Red Hot Carolina) picked up their second majors – both 4pts. We are so proud of you all. Keep up the great work!!

Happy Halloween and more importantly, HAPPY, happy birthday to our Nolan! It is hard to believe 6 years have flown by so quickly. May you have many more. We love you!

Holy smokes – what a week!

It started out Monday not so well with our try at running Fin’s MT. Unfortunately the start of the trail was, well lets put it this way, very busy with distractions and Fin never got committed to the trail. Add 45mph wind gusts to this picture and it just wasn’t the day for Fin! We’ll try it again at another trial and we’re just as proud of him for trying the best he could in the situation. Oh well! 🙂

Tuesday was Paisley’s 1st birthday! Though we were not home we still celebrated and had a great day! Hard to believe the baby is one now! Happy Birthday sweet girlie! We decided we’d take advantage of the fact we were with trailing judges during the week and decided we’d try to get Price’s EECT done. He passed and did very well! So proud of Pricey!

Wednesday, brought the next event on our list that week which was Futurity where Paisley placed third in a class of six. Her sister Tater won the class (!) and her other sister Ella placed fourth. At the beginning of the day I ran Tater through a rally novice course and I think this is my new thing – So fun! The VERY best part of this day was Sherman not only qualified for both an obedience leg AND rally leg….he won in regular obedience HIGH IN TRIAL! WAY TO GO SHERMAN!!

The next day was sweepstakes and although we did not place this day, we showed well and that is all we ask of a baby! 🙂 This afternoon – Nolan passed HIS EECT – way to go my big goofy boy – I am so proud of him! He has not been in a harness in over 2yrs. Obviously they don’t forget!

Friday….ahh…Friday…the day of bitch classes and best of breed. In a class of 11 bitches, and the fact that I was showing a 1yr old bitch who JUST turned one year days before…I was figuring that placing in the ribbons would be wonderful. Lo and behold – PAISLEY won this class! Wow, what a complement! After this, Ella won the BBE bitch class with Tater taking second place – whoo hoo! When it came time for Winners Bitch….never did I think that Paisley had a true shot at it. We went in, showed like we normally would and when Dr. Edwards pointed to us I could not believe it. WAY TO GO PAISLEY – winners bitch at a National to finish her championship – with five majors!!! When it came time for best of breed, b/c I was showing Nolan, Michael was showing Price …. I decided it would be great if Paisley’s breeder could show her for best of winners. The pressure was off, she had finished her championship and they could just have fun. WHAT an honor to have Betsy & Paisley win BOW – we are SO proud! Nolan and Price both made the first cut for BOB and showed well. After breed, we showed Nolan in stud dog with his get – Price, Buck & Carolina. Nolan won best stud dog! AFTER all of this excitement of the day…Paisley was not too brain dead and she and I went in and she accomplished getting her CGC. What a day – what a week!!!

We’d like to thank everyone for their nice words and feedback on the dogs. It was great to visit with everyone and to catch up with what little free time we had to do so over the week. Thank you too to Bryan & Chris Flessner and the rest of the Prarielands Bloodhound Club for such a wonderful event that they hosted. You all did a fantastic job!

We came home flying high and are very honored and humbled to have such special dogs in our lives. Thank you!

Molly 🙂

Sherick M&M’s Red Hot Howlitzer, EECT, Can MT, Can RN

WAY TO GO Sherman – he outdid himself this past weekend at the Canadian National Specialty!! Sherman earned his Canadian MT and his Canadian RN – Whooo hooo! AND to top that, his scores for Rally Novice were 100/98/99 placing him first and (two) third places over the weekend in his class – WOW! And he is just 17 months old 🙂 We are so proud of him and his Mom Beth!