Catching up!

Hi everyone!
It has been a long time since I could get to the computer...those humans are ALWAYS on it! Anyway, mom hasn't commandeered the blog either because she is having operator trouble. Can't figure out a quicker way to get the video links to work so my poor blog has not had any action. So, let me catch you up:

In the world of agility, things are OK. I have been practicing about once a week with my human and letting her think that I am having some fun. I wouldn't consider it a party but I am at least humoring her.

Hasten on the other hand has no idea how she plays into these humans's hands! 


1. She is rocking a super fast and full height teeter (That's crazy! I HATE that contraption...but strangely always feel drawn to it.)

2. She can do all 12 weave poles on both sides (although she tends to lose what is left of her little pea brain at times and flips out when doing them off side.) I tell her it is because she is doing them too fast...but mom says there is no such thing as too fast...unless she misses a pole! Hmmphff!

3. She is doing well with the "hit it" box work that mom has me do also.  This should mean that her contacts will get better as she likes to sail off (who knows why--sounds dangerous?).

4. The one thing she can't do...that dog can't jump! I think it is funny---she can't take a simple jump in front of her--that is SO easy (and often boring) but she gets too excited and looks at mom too much...so tee hee there is something she ISN'T good at! This past Friday night I heard some of the agility people wonder what was wrong with her! Hah! She did get a little better near the end of the evening.

Let's talk about Hiking!!!

For the last 3 weekends we have gone up to the Shenandoah National Park for hikes--as the weather has been decent on Sunday afternoons.
I really like these  hikes (although I haven't seen a single squirrel or chipmunk!). Today we did over 6 miles and it was exhausting and a little hot. When we stopped a little more than half way for a short break I spread out frog-legged on the cool ground...then we found a series of creek streams and I really enjoyed those!  Although there wasn't much in the way of leaves yet--there was some green in the moss and a few small bushes.

 I actually sat in one that was about 6 inches deep but then decided it was too cold to just sit! Hasten really likes water--she always heads downstream as she likes the moving water.

It was a good hike and we had lots of fun dragging our humans around.

We were exhausted on the ride home!

Oh and Happy 9 Month Birthday to my sister Hasten. She's weird. 

Barclay,
Reluctant agility dog

St. Patrick's Day, a really nice hike and the case of the strange bunny

This week was a good one. Mom was SUPER happy because I looked happy enough on the 3rd day of the Blue Ridge trial to run a full course AND I Q'd. (She has been trying to trick me with this new thing...we go into a run at at a trial and we only do 3 or 4 obstacles and leave...I get LOTS of treats, praise and to run around---SHH!!! She thinks I don't know.)
I did it just to make her a little happy. She has really been trying lately! The woman deserved a little happiness. I made sure that I really poked on the 2nd run...didn't want her to get TOO confident!


I am reporting that St. Patrick's Day was uneventful! Thank goodness! Well, they did put us all in green scarves, but luckily we didn't get dressed up like my cousin Winston! Whew!

The week was pretty uneventful. I did some agility on Friday night. Hasten started her 1st Intermediate Agility class on Thursday--all was good.

On Saturday mom took me to practice Rally. That was OK too--I got lots of treats.
Later that day we all drove to the Shenandoah National Park for a hike...Hasten's first hike. It was the 1st pretty day we had had in quite a long time...I really liked it!

Hasten didn't embarras me even once! We all walked, and sniffed and looked around. Hasten did have to stop and talk to ANYONE who would notice her on the trails. She is such a girl!

We had a really good walk and Hasten met several friends---especially the people who were repelling--they were all resting and were perfect targets for her overly friendly greetings. Don't talk to strangers I tell her...look for vermin! 


So I am closing this post with The Case of the Strange Bunny.

Mom, Dad and Sam have been freaking out about this stuffed bunny toy. Several times they have walked into a room and found it sitting up. 

Here it is in the bathroom!

Here it is in the living room!

I have to admit--it is a bit strange. But I don't get freaked out about these things...but they all think it is SPOOKY!

That's all I have to report this week. 

Have a good one! 

Barclay, Reluctant Agility Dog and brother to Hasten. 

Odds and ends...of stuffed animals!

Hi everyone,
I am happy this week and reporting on some general doggy-related things.

My mom has been trying this new thing with me...she thinks she is SO sneaky...she runs with me and I chase her (to make her happy... a little...I don't want her getting too smug). I get to chase stuff and run recklessly through an agility course...taking stuff or not--however I feel. That has made me pretty happy...but don't tell the humans!



I have been sleeping... I do like to sleep upside down sometimes.

Look at this goofy picture of me after Samy fluffed out my hair!  Embarrasing!

And I have done much playing...here's mouthwars with my sister, Hasten:

This week Hasten did get to finally sleep on a real bed! For the past 3 months she has had to sleep on towels that she shreds to pieces. Mom and Dad finally trusted her (at night) to sleep on a real bed.

Notice--there is nothing else...really--because she pulls it through the crate and shreds whatever is on top of the crate too---everything we own looks like Mothra attacked!

Hasten has been playing but mostly wreaking havoc! That girl never stops!

Deliah is doing well. We all received small bully sticks tonight and as usual, Deliah just carried hers around....for hours! Finally she stopped, put her foot on hers and finally tried to chew a little.

I call this: Bully Stick, I claim thee! 

Not too bad for my 16 year old sister!

This week Hasten got to do many obstacles in Friday night class. She really did a good job...I think I might be somewhat happy for her...but don't tell her. She has been playing with Sully on Thursdays and that makes me mad...he was my friend first! But Mom let me play with him too...so all is good. 

Anyway, not a bad week. 

That's all folks...

Barclay, the Reluctant Agility Dog

Updates...finally!

Greetings all,
My mom has been so busy with school and taking Hasten and I to stuff, that I haven't had a single doggy minute to write on my blog.
So, I will do some quick updating.

First, Hasten and I went to who mom calls, "the goddess of agilty", Silvia Trkman's seminars in Richmond, VA. We left on a Thursday evening and stayed until Saturday afternoon. I overheard mom and Wendy say they were going to kidnap the goddess but I think that didn't happen...no one else rode home with Cheetah, Hasten and I. (Silly humans)

So, some of the things we worked on was motivation. Here is clip of me, mom and the "goddess."

My sister did a bunch of tricks---and learned some new things. Like to put her back feet on stuff and to close a drawer. These new things were really hard for her in the beginning--I am pretty sure it is because she is a GIRL!

Here are a few clips of me doing more motivation things with mom...

I don't mind the getting the food part--just not the touching me to do it part!

Here is Hasten practicing her Tic, Tap

Hasten's practice and mouth wars!

So, my sister has some agility showing off to do---below are some clips of her practicing agility. Mom got a new camera so there are a bunch! I think they are quite boring but I  hear humans like watching these things.  The last clip is of my sister and me. My mom caught me playing with her...busted! But, I was having fun and I don't have to like her ALL the time! 




Wait:

Tunnel combo:

Aframe

Small combination:

Big combination:

Mouth Wars!

TTFN!
Barclay!

toy drive...by Hasten

Hi everyone!
I LOVE agility and so I have taken over my brother's blog---while he is outside looking at squirrels.
I got to practice on the equipment last night and that always makes me happy. My mom has decided that I need to learn to play agility and use toys as motivation...that is ok---I like them--but food is SO much better! I can't think of toys if I know food is coming!

Here are some clips of me playing with the toy for reinforcement.

The one above is my favorite---and the following clip---I figured out that I DO love toys...and no one can have them! Hee hee! Listen closely and you can hear my ferocious bark!

Gotta go...barclay's coming!
Hasten...the less than feral spider monkey

Playing, Destroying and General Slowness

Hi everyone,
There has been no time to post updates lately--so here goes:
1st I went to a three day agility trial in Lexington, VA (site of this year's AKC Agility Nationals!) just 45 minutes from our home.
I was signed up to compete in FAST,  Standard and Jumpers. In the FAST class, I renamed---SLOW. I was thinking about other stuff and not capable of going really fast. Mom had to really cheer--so the the timer went off as I was most successfully going to complete the "send." So, no Q for me or mom.

Friday: Standard class--well, I don't know what was wrong--but I felt very sad as I started the course and mom had to PULL me along---begging, pleading and I just didn't really want to play along. I did like the last 4 jumps. They always make me happy--I can see the end!
Jumpers--Mom handed me over to Wendy. She tried to run me. But I mostly walked for her too.

Saturday: they thought they would trick me. Samy played with me before the run and I was SO happy! I was tugging and playing and then she took me in that dreaded ring and as soon as she touched me to take off my collar...I deflated. I walked through most of the course--trotted some. Yeah, I am not into speed right now.

Sunday: Same thing... I did have a little bit more interest in the scary course with the dreaded "box" that everyone was talking about all day.... but I was still well over time. Samy did a good job handling me...I just didn't feel like going fast.

I am a VERY accurate dog. Some say, it's hard to be inaccurate when you go that slow..but they are just haters! (probably border collies!)

Hasten has been having fun. She had her first official agility class this week and that's all she has been talking to me about. She really likes it and gets really happy when there is equipment. I will say that when I watch her play on the equipment with mom and get treats, I am a tiny bit jealous...but not THAT much.

Mom has some video of Hasten playing with her new friend (and my friend too--I LOVE this dog!) Sully. He is a very cute Jack Russell who I have known longer than Hasten. He is about a month older than her.

Hasten has been destroying many things...toys, garbage, pens, and for some reason the little freak likes baby wipes! Who knows what goes on in that girl's mind.

Here is her pretty pink camo jacket--which she ate the front off on the way to the trial.

No brains in this monkey!

Sincerely, 
Barclay, the REALLY reluctant agility dog