A very wet and bedraggled papillon!
Cassie is six months old today. She's had a fun Christmas and was spoiled rotten. Clean Run certainly did very well out of me. Cassie is now slightly over 25cms at the shoulder and weighs in at a hefty 3.5kgs! I haven't done a lot with her over Christmas. We've really just been hanging out and doing stuff around the house. Cassie doesn't seem to mind as long as she's involved and particularly likes helping with gardening activities especially helping to pull weeds out. Immediate 2012 plans are continuing with jump bump grids, recallers course, rear end awareness and starting some running contact work. My running contact goals are pretty small right now. All I want is to get Cassie "running". Sounds easy doesn't it? However when your puppy's stride going flat out involves air "skips" it adds a bit of a challenge. With a bit of luck she may grow out of the skipping as I'm hoping it's a puppy thing.
Cassie on magpie patrol. Maggies are definitely NOT allowed in our backyard...
We did manage to get down the beach last week so being a special occasion with Cassie's very first trip I had to video it. We left her on lead to be safe which was a good decision seeing as she would have been off after every new dog that came past. She was a little concerned about the "wet stuff". She really wanted to go in and get the toy with the big dogs but once she realised she was wet she was less than impressed. I have no doubt that after a few more visits she'll be jumping in with the others.
At the end of every year I really enjoy taking the time to sit down and look at video footage of some of Sonic's runs from over the course of the year. I found some of my favourite ones and compiled them together for a "Highlights 2011". This time I've put in heaps of clips in slow motion just for a different perspective (even if it did highlight just how many late front crosses I managed to do...). Both Sonic and I have improved so much over the course of 2011. By the last couple of months we really started working as a team and it showed in the results with Sonic placing even in what I would consider being conservative runs. I have a feeling that 2012 will be our best year yet and I can't wait for the Nationals in NSW's in June.
My last bit of good news is I've accepted a spot on the Australian Team for the World Agility Open to be held in Belgium in May 2012. Colin and I are going to head to Europe early and do a bit of touring first but the main reason for the trip will be so I can take up my spot on the team, Competing internationally against people who I've been watching via live streams or DVD's for the last ten years is an opportunity too good to pass up. Just to be a part of it will be amazing. As I'll be competing in the 300 height Mel & Maureen have been kind enough to offer me some practice on their gorgeous little sheltie Cricket who is competing in the 300 height here. The biggest challenge for us now is fundraising and trying to get sponsors. We did make it into the local community newspapers in Perth so hopefully that will give us a little bit more visibility.
