Raven is now Toven Crave the Rave, CL1-F. Nice, easy babydog title – 1 Q in jumpers, 1 Q in Fullhouse and that’s it. No video, but here she is with the new title ribbon that’s as big as she is :).

It was a mixed bag this weekend. Saturday was OK aside from 2 frustrating “almosts” for Bryce. In standard he back-jumped a jump, and in jackpot he got a tantalizing 2 obstacles from the end and couldn’t stay out. Obstacle #2 in the gamble was the teeter – I knew from previous experience he had to run it straight into the yellow and not “think” about it or he’d revert to “Mama’s Boy” mode. Unfortunately, he stopped early and thought … and worried… and wouldn’t push out to the tire after it. It didn’t help that the tire was black and not highly visible. Oh well …

Jayda had the same problem as Bryce in Jackpot, but Q’d in Snooker and Fullhouse (I hadn’t entered her in standard). I wish I had video of the snooker run, because somehow I got her to take a more-advantageous but seemingly impossible left tunnel entrance in the opening – she was on my left, doing a tight curve to the right, which ended up with her facing the RIGHT end of the tunnel! I really wish I knew how I pushed her in that OTHER entrance in case I need to do it again sometime! (And no, I didn’t do the obvious and cross behind her.)

Raven Q’d in Colors and in Fullhouse to get her CL1-F title. She was doing the bratty jumping up thing again all weekend though, after not doing it at ALL in class Thursday. Sunday I experimented with starting her with a control sequence in Fullhouse, thinking maybe the big, open sequences were just getting her too revved up – that just brought on the jumping a little sooner.

On Saturday I also ran Bryce’s half-sister (and grandniece, I think) Mysty in Colors – what a hoot! She’s like a young Bryce (even SOUNDS like him when she barks), except that she spins. She didn’t spin TOO much for me, and we brought back a nice, shiny Q for her mom Karen :).

I also tried an experiment at this trial – putting the two girls in the same crate together (Jayda just curls up in the back and Raven’s so tiny there’s plenty of room for her). Other than it being a little difficult getting Jayda out without Raven, it worked out really well. They’re such good friends and it may have been good for Jayda to have her confident little “sister” for a roommie. Yay – no more lugging 3 crates !!!

I never used to go to trials if it was raining, but I’ve been spending so much in entries lately that I’ve been going anyway and hoping for the best. However, Sunday I came to my senses and remembered WHY I always used to stay home: Because the only dog who would do anything would be the baby dog du jour (because of the lower performance standards) and the rest of us would just end up wet and miserable and I’d have to spend the next day doing laundry and drying out all our stuff. Enough said!