What a very exciting time we had at the Newfoundland Dog Club of Canada National in Chilliwack. I knew I was in for a bit of a trip when mom & dad loaded just about everything I own into the truck, including my bed and my stuffie!!!.... After a 2 hour ferry ride and a 2 hour drive we finally arrived at our hotel which was going to be our home for the next 5 nights.
We settled in for the night and first thing Thursday morning, before breakfast even, we were at the site for the Biggest Draft Test in Canadian History, over 35 dogs entered all working hard to get the prestigious title of Draft Dog or DD. We were number 10, I like that number!...we settled down for a bit and watched all the other amazing dogs before us, Berners and Newfies in our group.
Then it was my turn....the 1rst leg of 3 which was the obedience part. This test is done all off leash, so it was very important that I listened to dad and stay by his side, well for most of it anyway. We did our left turns, right turns, about turns, fast walking, slow walking, normal walking, we stopped at the same time, and then it was time for the 1 minute stand stay. I'm not supposed to move at all just stand and face my dad who is 6 ft away from me for 1 minute. Then he comes back and the judge says "exercise complete". We had 12 dogs in our group and once all 12 were finished the last 6 entered the course for the 3 minute down stay. This is my favorite, we just lay down and dad walks to the other side and faces me for 3 minutes. Then he comes back, and again the judge says "exercise complete." Now it's rest time while the 9 before me do their controlled cart exercises.
So one at a time the carts get moved up to position for the next dog, and when my cart moves I know it's my turn. So off dad and I go. We enter the course and dad puts my harness on and hooks me up to my cart. The judge then goes over everything to make sure dad had done it right. The 2nd part of the test has begun. Off we go forward, left turns right turns, slow walking normal, stops, we go around some trees, but on the way I see my mom and want to go say hi!...I just about left the test area and dad tells me "Gizmo NO!!" oh oh....so I stop and he backs me up but then I see her again and want to go and the same thing happens....why can't I just go see my mom for a sec?
then we do some figure 8's around some barrels, dad has to back me up for me to make the tight turns, but I did it. Then we back up 4ft, piece of cake, I like my back ups!
Once we do that, the judge says exercise complete and we are done!!...well stage 2 anyway, now we wait for the last and final part of the test, which is the field work.
We split into groups for this part of the test, and there was only me and 1 other dog in my group. I never did see mom at all during this part of the test, I think dad told her to hide or something...VBG!!
So we do some field work then the 40lbs of weight gets put into my cart, and off the 4 of us go, but just a little ways into it the cart behind me, his wheel falls off...something about it breaking, so they can't finish the test, but I have to wait for someone else to join me so that I don't complete it alone. Once that is all done, we have to wait for the next set of 12 to complete their test before we find out if I pass or not.
Mom thinks that because I tried to leave the course I'm going to have to take the test again at another time. So it was a big big surprise to us when they called my name at the award presentation and I got 3 Red Ribbons and a trophy!....I got pictures with my cart and the judges and a big celebration happened, but I really was too tired to enjoy it and just wanted to go back to my hotel.
My next blog entry will be about the Dog show itself. My secretary needs a break.
Oh so now I have more letters at the end of my name, I'm now:
Can CH. Mainsail's Blackbeary Express CGN TD DD
whew...that's a mouthful!!!!
I like Gizzy better!!!
