I am soooo addicted!, Rally-O, Obedience, Agility Options

[Shannong73432]

I wanted to just do Agility, then, my friend talked me into trying Obedience. That led to Rally... I now my ACD now has a CD and RN what happened to wanting to do agility??

I guess that's next!

Everyone I am Shannon, I have an Australian Cattle dog, and a Miniature Schnauzer. Nikki is my ACD and Allie is my MS.

Thanks,
Shannon

[Karen]

I love Rally. I started it with my (now passed) senior dog who anted to work but due to a heart condition, could no longer do Agility. I got his RN a couple weeks shy of his 14th birthday and started working for his RA when hes heart gave out.

I got an RN on my second oldest dog, I started him for an RA but not sure if I will go for it. He has a couple of lipomas that need to be removed at some point (the vet said no rush). He actually prefers being my youngest's Jr show dog.

I used to do Agility but it is now a time and money factor. A friend of mine has a great facility but she has not been able to get enough students to run a beginner's class (I was going to trade teaching an intro class for her allowing my son and one dog a spot for free) but with the economy, she cannot get enough students to make it worthwhile. This is the second cycle she has not been able to get more than two students (she needs six to break even).

Currently, I am concentrating on Conformation until my youngest is in Kindergarten next year, then I will take my youngest dogs and get back into Rally and Agility.

It is addictive huh???

[Shannong73432]

Be careful it is really really addictive! I am planning to get a conformation dog after I get a UD on my MS.

Shannon, Nikki, and Allie

[Karen]

I have been competing with my dogs in various sports for over 25 years...



You do not have to tell me about addictive!

My son and I have two UKC Champion titles pending confirmation and are starting to work for Gr Champions and top ten points as of this coming weekend.

I have titled dogs in Rally, Agility, Obedience and Conformation over the years plus done packing, skijoring and cartwork over the past two and a half plus decades. You will learn though when you have young kids an da huband that travels a lot for work, priorities change a bit.

You can see here what we have done over the years with our dogs. I do have to change the slide show as my sister has placed one of the pups she was growing out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2vgcOfrMbw

[Shannong73432]

Awww.... That was really cool. My husband and I have been talking about having a kid and I am still back and forth. It probably sounds selfish but I really want to do something greater with the dogs before I have a child.

After seeing the kids in the slideshow though... I don't know. They were just sooo cute.

And might I add you have some really nice dogs.

Shannon, Nikki and Allie

[Karen]

Thanks.

Kids do make you alter your priorities. The problem I have is my husband's job often requires weekends and travel and due to the nature of things, often he does not know in advance enough for me to do AKC (UKC often has day of show entries) entries. But if your husband works a more definite schedule, you can always plan one mommy day a month to do a trial. Heck, the last Agility trial I did (when my daughter was an infant) I was sitting in the car, pumping milk and packing it in ice. But my oldest dog was getting set to retire and my other dog just does not have the heart for Agility. he will do it but just...

I like things right now that I do not have to head out for classes right now. I go to drop in conformation handling classes periodically. I prefer drop in classes right now.

I also trained and competed while pregnant in Agility. Just be careful and work with your doctor.

Sadly, the economy is hitting trainers all over here! It is hard for people to get classes filled and the one group that is always running classes, well, I have experience with them and will not return to them plus I have rehabilitated too many dogs right out of their programs.

[Shannong73432]

I am actually taking my first class starting next week with my little Miniature Schnauzer.

Hubby and I agreed that if we have a kid he will watch him/her while I am at shows. He is a pretty awesome fella.

Entries close next week for an agility trial I am going to try to get our first Q at. Then we will show at Two Agility trials and on Rally in October.

Man, that's alot of money... did I mention I have a really good fella?

Shannon, Nikki, Allie