Porter was a little slow, but the course wasn't great for front crosses, so I ran it with the wide rear crosses on the flat. At that point, I just didn't want any dropped bars!
He still got 15 points, which is really high for him in a JWW course. I think the judge must have been very generous when she wheeled it!
Before we leave for our agility trial this weekend, let me catch you up on last weekend's agility trial :)
Yes, A LOT of agility trials right now... After the runs below, Porter is now only 4 speed points short of qualifying for the AKC Nationals! I purposely entered a bunch of trials to try to get this done sooner rather than later!
Our first run last weekend featured our first-ever trial experience of taking the back-side of a jump:
Not really what I had in mind going into the back-side jump, but it actually set him up pretty well for it!
And our JWW course:
And a QQ! Our 9th!
I ran this next one very conservatively... I knew I was close to being able to get all my points at this trial, so I just wanted to make sure I Q'd! Of course, if I had run more aggressively, I may have been able to actually get all the remaining points on just this run... Didn't think it through completely!
And an NQ:
I walked this course every conceivable way I could run it, and yet I never considered that jump after the tunnel as an off-course possibility :)
We went into last weekend needing 56 points. Now we're going into this weekend only needing 4. Not bad for a little corgi who couldn't Q at all 6 months ago!
Pending any future doping allegations, the boys each won a medal!
Stout got to compete in his event first. We had signed him up for the Straight Line Dash, hoping to use his little vallhund girlfriend as bait to bring out his blazing speed...
Up next was Porter's costume debut. I worked hard on his costume, and it paid off. Gold Medal in "Most Creative Costume!"
So what was he?
Chia-Port!
He beat a swiffer & a bag of pug cotton candy :)
Although not entered in the costume contest, Stout showed his support by wearing one of Porter's old costumes:
Stout-a-saurus Rex
"Rowrrr!"
And then came the highlight of the Canine Olympics: the Cookie Toss!
Porter has a long, glorious history with the Cookie Toss. He was the Gold Medal winner his first year out - not bad for a rookie. Then he was a back-to-back Silver Medalist. This was his year to regain the title. John had been practicing with him. He was in peak physical form.
The competition was stiff. Including a rookie from his own household. Yes, Stout was going to give it a try.
How many cookies could they catch in 1 minute? The air was still, the boys were hungry. Armed with a bagful of biscuits, the whistle blew.
Porter ate 32 cookies.
And Stout? He ate 36! Stout surpasses his brother to win his very first medal - a Bronze!
Stout - Hot Dog Dash! He ate the hot dog before making it even half-way across the ring...
Stout - My Dog Will Eat Anything! Stout ate everything but the lemon slice. He ate the ritz cracker, shredded wheat, marshmallow, beet, mandarin orange slice, cabbage, parsley, & broccoli.
Porter - Also competed in the My Dog Will Eat Anything contest. He did not eat the cabbage, parsley, broccoli, or lemon.
Porter - Outfield Catch. For each successful catch of a biscuit, John took 1 step back. It was close, but no medal.
And perhaps the biggest victory of all? Neither one threw up on the car ride home!
Over the weekend, Stout, Porter, & I got to participate in the annual Cardigan-Only herding clinic hosted by our trainer Dana.
There is nothing better than spending a weekend with cardigans, sheep, & friends! I learn so much by watching other people work. And it pushes me when it comes time for my turn.
"Watch out sheep, here come the Cardigans!!"
I forgot to hand my camera off when I worked Porter. So no photos of Porter :( But I do have photos (and a video!) of Stout! (thanks Dina!)
"What?! Stout gets to herd too?"
Yep, Stout got to participate in his first clinic! He shared a spot with another puppy.
Deep breaths for me, a mouthful of sheep poo for Stout.
"Walk up"
"Wait"
Stout loved it! And he was fairly normal, not his usual out-of-control, over-the-top corgi-self.
We progressed from a lot of walking around the pen the first day (see video below), to using a long line the 2nd day.
I think I'll wait before I do too much herding with Stout. Our online agility class just started & there's only 24 hours in a day... So Porter will continue to get the herding lessons while Stout will only be available for limited engagements.
While on vacation in the Outer Banks, we visited Jockey's Ridge State Park. It was so cool, we actually went back the next day :)
It's a huge sand dune system between the ocean and the sound. People actually hang glide off the dunes. Stout kept begging us to sign him up, but he didn't meet the height requirements.
Stout led us up the first dune.
It was quite a climb for those of us without "4 paw drive"
As we crested the top, it was like we entered the Sahara Desert.
We headed to the "corgi oasis"
Ah, it was not just an illusion!
The oasis was rainwater - completely clear & clean
(Porter was a little disappointed that there weren't any fishes)
We trekked across to the sound.
Overlooking the sound
Then we climbed the huge dune that they hang glide from
A view from the top
We could see out to the ocean
And now it's time to go down the huge dune!
Stout & John got a head start.
"Release the hound!"
After all the walking in the sun & sand, we all needed to cool off!
Cooling the belly
And Stout enjoyed showing off his swimming skills:
