2015 Year in Review

Hmm. It seems that I missed doing this for 2014, that year when I didn't actually write anything until March.

2015 wasn't a bad year (as much as Dec 2014 ended with a trial run for a new dog not going well and me deciding that the dog just didn't fit and this wasn't a challenge I was willing to undertake.)

I started teaching agility classes, first @ 2 Paws Up in Jan, and then after @ High Tails in Sept/Aug.

Made for a heck of a busy schedule with a FT job, teaching 2 days out of the week, TA on some Tuesdays and the rental practice group on the weekend. Resulted in a little bit of agility burn out as the year progressed.

March 2015 Blog Header

Aug 2015 Blog Header

Sept 2015 Blog Header

Agility Trialing

Baxter moved to 6" Veterans from 6" Specials in 2015, after his 7th birthday. Spencer is still running 6" Specials. So this year the boys didn't compete against each other at AAC Regionals.

We didn't trial very much at the beginning of the year with the bottom falling out of oil prices and concern over my job while companies are laying people off in droves. Agility trials this year were:

March - Training Troop
May - P'N'E Regionals Warm up
June - AAC Regionals
July - Top Spot @ Indus
August - Dog Days of Summer @ Wet Noses
Sept - 1 day of P'N'E (indoors)
November - CAA
December - Top Spot Christmas Fundraiser

2015 Agility Titles

Baxter finished 4 titles, attaining his Silver Award of Merit, Expert Standard Silver, Expert Jumpers Silver, and his Expert Gamblers Bronze. He's also starting to actually get Steeplechase Q's now that he is in Vets, although we did finish his MSCDC title before moving to Vets!

Last agility trial of the year was Baxter's first perfect trial, going 7/7 getting 2x Steeplechase, 2x Standard, 2x Jumpers and a Gamblers Q. Good Fluff!

Spencer finished 3 titles, attaining his Bronze Award of Merit, Expert Standard Bronze and his Expert Jumpers Bronze as well. He doesn't rack up Q's the way Baxter does being pretty hit and miss. He doesn't trial well when it is really cold out because of his knee issues. He also doesn't like to trial inside, he does better outdoors.

2015 Regionals

Synopsis is both boys placed 2nd in their divisions. Very happy with my little dogs this Regionals, a little less happy with myself. But I think this has helped me grow and be a stronger person and handler. I feel like I handled the stress a little better than last year and really pushed to do our best.

2015 Regionals Review


2015 Review

2015 was all about kind of settling back and taking stock of what I have and being happy and grateful for what I have.

We climbed mountains.

We explored new horizons.

We played in the dirt.

We ended up flying high.

2016 is going to be about changes, challenges and taking it up a notch! Bring it on!

Other random goals for 2016

• Polish my mechanics, I do okay - take that up to the next level 
• Work through online courses instead of saving them for review "later" and never really getting to anything later!
• Journal and record keep (fits nicely with mechanics and skills)
• Fitness - mine and the dogs'
• Rally Obedience - this is do able this year. DO IT
• Heeling & Stand!
• NoseWork - keep working on training this