Pico had some great times at the Dutchess County Fair. It was quite close to home, so we drove back and forth each day, which was nice. The crowds were very big and very enthusiastic! We were asked to do a practice jump before the competition, which I hate to do lately, because it seems that Pico is so excited at being on the dock that her first jump of the competition is really big. This one definitely was, and I was surprised and bummed to hear that the two Dock Dogs staff eyeballed it at over 28 feet. However, eyeballing is far from accurate, no matter what anyone says, so I put it out of my mind.

Pico got a 27′5 that day and continued with many more jumps in the 26 and 27 foot range over the course of the competition! A nice way to end the year, I figured. However Pico was not done yet! Before finals she was really out of her mind with excitement. She kept body slamming me, and even bit her toy in half! I viewed that as a good omen! By the time we got to the dock I had her in a frothing frenzy and when I released her and she came flying at me so fast I remember thinking “Damn, if I can throw this right, it will be a big one!” I was right and she got her personal best, a 28′2″ jump!! A really great way to end the competition!

However, I have to say I was much more excited about EV. I am really surprised by how much Pico loves it. She seems to understand the game and watches the other dogs intently when they take their turn. In big air and agility she is barely able to hold her stay, but for EV she sits frozen in place, staring at the bumper until released. We both had a lot of fun with it, and Pico finished 2nd to Nestle, a former world record holder! We both got catches at 6′8″ and missed 6′10″ but Nestle had less misses so he got the win. I cant wait til our next competition so we can do this again!

It looks like our next competition will be at the end of September, either in Chantilly, VA or Nelsonville, OH. I’m leaning toward Chantilly, though it is an indoor event. I dont think it will matter to Pico and it’s four hours closer to home! I think we will only go for EV and two big air waves. That will be our last Dock Dogs event of the year, because we really need to get back to agility, and fast!

Pico spent a few days in West Virginia, at the Dock Dogs event at the West Virginia State Fair. She had an amazing time there!

There was soooo much to like about this event. The fair was great, and we were smack in the middle of it. Pico was thrilled about the frozen custard booth a mere dokken dft’s throw from her tent, Granite was thrilled with the hundreds of people who stopped by to pet him and tell him how gorgeous he is, and I loved everything, especially the weather - cool and breezy! When you are fetching and carrying for two dogs all day long, cool weather is appreciated.

Pico’s big air jumps were good, but not so great for her. This is always my fault because of throw timing. She had most of her jumps in the 24 foot range and didnt get up to 25 feet until day 2. So, she decided to find herself a new handler, two actually. She test drove a junior handler, 15 year old Chris from the Keystone club. He did a fantastic job throwing for her and Pico hired him immediately!! They will be teaming up again shortly!

She also let Bill Helfer try his hand with her. She said he did a good job, but I think she was only being nice. What is with these lab owners and their short throws??

Because there were so few dock dogs there, there was plenty of time to try EV with Pico, though I didnt think she’d want to do it. I was wrong! Bill and the dock dogs staff AJ and Shaun taught Pico in no time. She LOVES it. There weren’t enough dogs for a competition so Pico and Scram did a demo for the hugely enthusiastic crowd at the end of the day. Pico went from 5 feet to 6′8″!!!

She followed that up by putting her new junior handler thru his paces in a final big air demo for the crowd, and then enjoyed a frozen custard as a reward for her efforts.

I’m so glad Pico likes EV. It will give us something else to do at events. We’ll be able to do it at cynosports too, and Pico can go head to head with her sister Emmy!

Who knows, maybe I will “teach” Pico snooze retrieve… err, I mean speed retrieve and compete in Iron Dog…. Ummm… Nah, I dont think so! For one thing I’d need someone to wake me up when it’s our turn to go up on the dock. That discipline is a sure cure for insommnia.

Pico and I went down to the Harford County Fair, in Bel Air MD, to compete at the Dock Dogs event held there. I figured even a bad day at the dock dive is better than a fantastic day at work, so I took the day off and we went. I stuck with my strategy of no practice jumps, and just let Pico swim around the pool to cool off on that hot day. She jumped 26′4″ off the bat so that was quite nice. She got a 25′11 in her next wave, and a fair vendor cheeseburger as a reward for her efforts. She said it was delicious.

We wont be able to go back the rest of the weekend, so no finals for us. It is just not worth contending with Jersey Shore traffic on a Sunday night. But this was a great event, BEAUTIFUL scenery, a perfect site for the pool, lots and lots of enthusiastic spectators, great dock dogs staff, spotless portapotties that were cleaned even when they werent dirty, a shade tree for Pico’s playpen and a constant breeze.  We’ll be back next year!

I havent told Pico, but I pulled her out of Worlds the other day. I was having a hard time working up enthusiasm for it, given the high gas prices and the fact that agility is consuming more of my time and thoughts. I have different goals for her in dock dogs this year and competing at worlds is not going to get me closer to them. (more…)