All About Dogs by LowchensAustralia.com

16th September, 2004

Pippin goes MAD in more ways than one!

It has been an event filled week.
First, we received our certificate for the Masters Jumpers Dog of Canada title we completed on July 10, 2004.
Second, we received our Löwchen Club of Canada newsletter and read that Pippin was awarded Top Agility Dog for 2003. He had earned two AAC titles in 2003: his ADC and his AADC. (He was also AAC #1 Löwchen in 2003).
Next, on Saturday at the crack of dawn we headed for The Agility Farm to compete in our eighth trial this year. On arrival, in the off-leash field, we found a huge four-leaf clover!!
The first class was Masters Gamblers. You must earn 28 points in 40 seconds and then complete the main gamble. Pippin got the mini gamble twice, for 24 points, and accumulated 41 points in total. He missed the tunnel entrance in the main gamble but it was the fastest run so far for my Velcro dog and I was very pleased to see him working so well at a distance.
The next two classes were Masters Standards. He Q’d and got first place in both!!!
On Sunday the first class was a Masters Standard. He leapt over the down contact on the A-frame. I went “Aah” and he took off doing zoomies. The judge suggested my “Aah” could be stressing him out. I agreed and said my only excuse was sleep deprivation. Tent walls don’t filter noise like insulated house walls. Properly chastised, we left the ring.
The next class was Advanced Team Relay, the only Q of the seven required for the MADC that we did not have yet. Pippin ran the first half of the course. When we arrived at the 10 weave poles, we got the correct entrance and then a young lad leaned right over the fence, shoved a camera in Pippin’s path, and clicked the shutter. My clicker trained dog pulled out of the poles towards the camera, then turned back to me with an expression of what now, I heard a clicker, where’s my treat? I got Pippin back on track and we completed the poles. The judge gave us 5 faults. Disoriented, I almost forget the next front cross I had planned, but pulled it off and got a proper baton exchange with all of our six feet in the box.
My partner Sandy Harris and her dog Katie finished their half of the course, clean and fast.
I asked the judge for a rerun because of the click of the camera shutter. She said no.
We left the ring and my coach, Lynda Yielding, said “did you get the correct entry on the weaves and did you correct the popped pole?”
“Yes”, I said.
“Well the judge can’t fault popped and corrected poles at the Advanced level, so go ask for a clarification of the rule.” In other words, remind her she is judging Advanced now, not Masters.
The judge realized her error and changed the scribe sheet. Our team time was good and so it was a Q!!!!! Pippin got his MADC!!!!! High drama??
Everyone was so relieved, especially my coach’s husband who was destined to judge our next attempt on the following weekend, on my birthday no less!
One class left, another Masters Gamblers. When the whistle blew after 40 seconds, we were on the wrong side of the field with a dog-walk between us and the main gamble, a major tactical error. We blasted over that way. Pippin took a double bar jump and a single bar jump at an incredible angle just for fun.
I sent him over the lead-in jump to the tunnel. He made it to the entrance of the tunnel and at the last nanosecond deeked to the left to try to pick up a numbered upside-down green cereal bowl marking the gamble. Rats!
I called “Pippin, through.” He went to the far exit and entered the tunnel. Wrong course! The whistle blew. He knew he had messed up, so he ran to the gamble line, which was a three-inch wide crime scene tape, and started ripping it up and shaking it violently. The judge screamed “Aaaaaah” and dashed towards him! I called him over the finish line and left the scene of the crime, leaving a sheepish looking judge behind.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I should have left the ring saying “Pippin, I did not say GO mad, I said you GOT your MAD!”
So Pippin is now: Donalen Apple of My Eye MADC, MJDC.
Nine Q’s to go for the ATChC. Only three trials left and not enough classes offered to finish it this year; so we will just have to go out and entertain the crowds! Easy to do with a Löwchen!!
S

Brenda Laking & Pippin MADC, MJDC
Email: huntsvilledragonlady@hotmail.com
9 Glenwood Drive
Huntsville, Ontario
P1H 1B8
Canada

These photos have been taken by my private photographer and good neighbour Mary Munroe.