Jump ... JUMP!!

If you ever want to have a good time and laugh a lot, go to a Dog Agility Show.  I promise you'll have a great time and meet some very friendly canines!!

The weather has been terrible this last week with lots of rain, wind and cold.  I really didn't feel like venturing out very far and hiking in the rain was the furthest thing from my mind.  There's always something going on at the fairgrounds however, so when I checked in at the office and discovered the Saguaro Scramblers (sounds like a breakfast order) were meeting in the big arena.  You couldn't keep me away.

This is no small course.  There are eighteen jumps to be completed over a VERY large arena!!  After walking the course, handlers take their dogs to the start line one at a time.  At the signal to GO, they run as fast as they can to keep up with their dogs.  I probably would have made it to the second jump.

As each contestant heads in the arena, the jumps are adjusted for height, age and the class (beginner, intermediate, expert) they are in. This baby took some long flying leaps and did excellent until she spotted the Judge.  Judges are friendly ... maybe I'll get a pet!!  WRONG!!  He stood there perfectly still looking away.  She finally gave up and went back on course.  You can't help but laugh!!

The first group of experts ran the course in record times without a single miss.  Thrilled when they completed it, they jumped up and down and acted SO happy they got lots of treats.  It's all about the treats!!

This guy just couldn't help himself.  He wanted to go Go GO!!!!  He got the fastest time of the day.  It was all his owner could do to keep up to the end.  If you didn't notice, there are no purebreds here.  Most all of these dogs are rescues.  There were several greyhounds, some Jack Russells, Australian Shepherds ... you name it, they were here, and all so well trained!!

Although I'm probably WAY too late, it made me want to train mine a little better.  Actually just TRAIN them, since there hasn't been much of that in their lives at all.  Wait ... they will sit for treats, so it's not ALL bad.  So far Cooper has done all the training.  Some jumps are set really high like this one ......

And some really low for the short-legged variety or the elderly.  This little guy licked his lips every time he went over a jump.  In the background you can see the tunnel they have to run through.  I didn't see any humans scrawl through the tunnel so their dog would follow, but I've heard about examples of that.  One little lady went way off course, taking four jumps backwards before stopping.  I think she was 94 years old.  Makes you feel bad, right??

This guys course of choice was the long jump.  Look how far away he was when he took off!!  Never the less, he made every single jump and came in second place in his group!!  A couple of elderly puppies went very slow, sniffing the ground the entire way and walked over most of their jumps.  

Did I mention the belly laughs that come with this dog show?  Every time this baby went over a jump his ears went straight into the air.  He cleared every one flawlessly and was first in his group.  Good Dog!!!  When done, he jumped into his owner's arms .... Awwwwwwwww!

I'm telling you, this show was a hoot!!  The Saguaro Scramblers had a great time, but not near as great as the puppies who were showing off their stuff for a few little snacks.  I'm thinking I can set up a small course in my back yard .... or maybe not!!

I took a lot more pictures, but many were blurry ... the puppies were just going too FAST!!

Here's the view out my window that morning.  It looked like you could reach up and touch the clouds they were so close to the ground.

Dinner at Patty and Dan's Ranch Restaurant was barbecued chicken as we watched the rainbow.  There was no pot of gold at my rig when I returned home however .... just another big black cloud dumping rain all night long.  I suppose it does keep the dust down!!

Feeling terribly remiss for not training my puppies better, or training them at all, I wandered off to the Mission San Xavier Del Bac for some lovely cloudy pictures when the sun finally decided to shine.  Not that it was warm, it was still in the 40's, but just a fantastic day I'll tell you about tomorrow.