Bad Hair Day

Carbon is not a morning poodle. This is what she looks like when she is awakened suddenly.

Carbon and her Sit-Upon

When I was in Brownies -- a LOOOONG time ago -- one of our projects during day camp was to make a 'Sit-Upon" which if I recall was about half an inch of newspaper? sandwiched and sewn between two layers of heavy naugahyde (there's another dead giveaway of my age...) and then we used it to sit on around the campfire, etc. -- the purpose was to keep your rear end off the cold wet ground. Well, Carbon likes to use our little doormats as her sit-upon. They are tiny -- maybe 18" x 22"? -- but she can also curl herself into a little ball and sleep on them. Here is Carbon on her sit-upon.

















Here is Cody, her dog, on HIS sit-upon. Oh, excuse me -- Mike tells me that 'boys don't HAVE sit-upons. It is his orange dot.' OK, fine.

















And here is Carbon trying to steal Cody's orange dot. Not that she wants it -- she just doesn't want HIM to have it.

Carbon's First Singapore Agility Trial!

Carbon overcame the mud and slop to put in three respectable runs (OK, two respectable runs and one pretty sorry one) at her first Singapore USDAA trial on Saturday, September 12. Unfortunately, she did not earn any qualifying scores, but we were both just glad to have stayed upright.

It had rained the day before; and the park maintenance people had mowed, and then dumped composted cow manure on the whole place, some of which was raked out, some of which was still in huge mounds. It wasn't muddy IN the ring, thank goodness, but outside the ring it was a mudhole. The compost built up on my shoes till I had huge Mickey Mouse feet, and it was slick. I was amazed that Carbon was willing to walk in it at all - she can be such a Miss Priss about the terrain over which she prances. I was able to set her little pen up in a dry area on higher ground, though, which helped our mood.

The trial was held at an off-leash dog park, and the agility area was not cordoned off (the ring itself was, but that's it) so there were loose dogs everywhere, many with oblivious owners, which made for an interesting day. The loose dogs had a grand time rolling in the mud and compost and then gleefully running past and onto people and swishing their muddy tails all over everything, so we humans, too, were covered in the mud and compost.


But Carbon the Poodle Princess made many new human friends! She lay there on her little woven plastic mat, paws crossed, looking like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. She can be so prissy. The little queen. "What a BEAUTIFUL dog!" they would say. "What an amazing color!!! Is that a FRENCH poodle???" "LOOK at her just lying there so quietly --- HOW did you train her to be such a GOOD DOG???" And I would just smile and thank them, all the while thinking, god help us all if a little white Maltese wanders by right now. Somehow I got lucky and she did not act like an idiot more than just a couple of times --and was certainly no worse than any other dog there.

Poodles are fairly uncommon in Singapore, especially standard poodles, so she got a lot of attention just for her poodledom.

The trial started late so we did not have our first class till 1:00 and it was good and hot by then...but Carbon did not embarrass me; she was hot and not very energetic but she tried hard; she was a good poodle for the most part. She got distracted a couple of times by squeaky-toys being played with on the adjacent field -- but overall her course times were fine and she only knocked one pole, and not hitting any when running in Championship level where she had to jump 26".

The last class of the day was the one I would have liked her to qualify in; she had a VERY good run overall but knocked a bar -- it was my fault because I didn't give her a good approach. So no Q ribbons -- too bad!

The last class was around 7 pm - Carbon was the last dog in the last class -- and then they had a nice ceremony to give out the prizes and loot! Carbon won a bunch of treats and toys and food for her 2 second place ribbons -- that was a nice surprise (they don't do that at U.S. trials).

Kenneth Tatsche, the president of USDAA was there -- there is a new USDAA chapter starting in Italy, too, so he was visiting it, and us, and then to Hong Kong, and then back to Dallas. There was also an agility trainer from Australia there, who had been in town doing agility workshops, and we chatted about Singapore agility, Australia agility, and of course dogs in general. We also met many other friendly dog people and had a good day.

Sunday was the Masters Team classes and also the World Frisbee Championships but I was still recovering so we stayed home on Sunday.

My shoes were disgusting but I was able to rehabilitate them over the next couple of days...
The photos in this post (with the exception of the ones of Carbon in her pen, and my disgusting shoes) were taken by Fawn Loong of Malaysia.

The Pood Tackles Singapore Agility

The Pood is already eyeing her first USDAA trial in Singapore, coming up in just two weeks on September 12. It will be held at West Coast Park and is the 6th USDAA trial in the country. In preparation, we attended a practice match at Ethans Pet Resort in Pasir Ris, where the PUPS Agility group meets.

We were made to feel very welcomed there. One of the members, Anderson, drove us to the practice location and we got in one warmup run before Carbon succumbed to the heat and humidity, the long winding car ride, and the excitement of being out of quarantine (I'm FRRREEEEEEE!), by repeatedly getting sick to her stomach. We tried two more runs but both times she left the course to pee/poo and then returned to her little corner to barf. Poor thing!! I had wondered why she seemed to be behaving VERY well (not really being too obnoxious to the other dogs, etc.) and sure enough, it was because she didn't feel good.

So my new agility buddies think I have a much friendlier and less capable dog than I actually have.

The fun thing is that if Carbon gets even one "Q" at the upcoming trial, she will be the top-rated USDAA poodle in Asia. That's because she appears to be the only poodle competing in Asia.

Here is her practice run. You can see that it is a very small course, and she found the distraction of the dogs tied to the fence irresistable!!

Pood in Jail

Well, the Pood arrived in Singapore on July 29 via Amsterdam, traveling with her buddy, Cody, with whom she is sharing an air-conditioned jail cell in quarantine (Singapore requires a minimum 30-day quarantine for pets coming from the U.S.). We contracted with PetMovers, a local pet care provider in Singapore to visit and exercise the dogs daily until I arrived on August 14 (Mike could see them only on Saturdays due to his work schedule and the limited visiting hours at the quarantine station.

The dogs did fine in their travels, leaving LA in the care of Pacific Pet Transport, each dog in a huge pimped-out crate with water and food bowls, absorbent padding, and fuzzy blankets from the thrift store. Their 13 hour flight from LA brought them to the KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) Pet Hotel in Amsterdam, where they had a 9 hour layover to rest and relax (they have not disclosed their activities during the layover, apparently feeling that 'what happens in Amsterdam stays in Amsterdam') before boarding the 9 hour flight to Singapore.

Mike saw them at quarantine the morning after they arrived in Singapore (he tried to meet them at the plane per my insistence, but was not able to enter the airport without a passport) and they were fine. I went and saw them on my first day here, and every day thereafter except when I had a bad cold and could not ride on public transport to get there.

I was able to exercise them in a big grassy pen, thrown the ball for them, etc. Cody spent most of his exercise time rolling around on his back; Carbon mostly ran up and down the fenceline, challenging the other dogs who were visible in their kennels.

The staff was awesome at the quarantine station and the dogs did just fine, staying happy and healthy the entire time. AND, it was great to get them home this past Friday afternoon!!! The photo is of the dog and Pood settling in at their new home.

Eye o' the Pood

This poodle has some amazing eyelashes!! They are just so long and pretty, and when she looks at you with that fringe of lashes, it is quite something.

Our friend and agility coach, Karen Van Hoy of the Santa Barbara Flyers, took this photo of the Pood at her most alluring!

Friends of the Pood

Carbon has just a few really good dog buddies. She's not the kind of Pood who just loves everybody -- oh, no, she is very selective. She likes and respects those who can stand up to her particular play style, which is an attentive rigid stare followed by a pounce and nose strike, and then about 5 or 6 360-degree spins (done to confuse and amaze her target) and then an enthusiastic run at top speed with her target hopelessly trying to catch her.

Cody is her best buddy really, although she takes terrible advantage of him.

Mango, the red Australian Cattle Dog, is her boyfriend. Carbon is actually just Mango's "winter girlfriend," but we have not told Carbon that. She would be very insulted to hear that he has another girlfriend during his summers in Stanley, Idaho.

Jasmine, the Australian Shepherd, is Carbon's winter nemesis, a new arrival to our winter camp community and a very energetic and playful girl! She and Mango are really well matched in terms of energy and endurance, but I think Carbon really has Mango's heart...thanks to her long legs and her "bendy-straw body," as Cindy calls it.

The Skunked Pood

Here at El Capitan State Beach, we have a rogue skunk. It sprayed Carbon, on leash, at 8:30 in the morning as it rooted around in deep grass!! A week later, it sprayed her boyfriend Mango, also on leash, in deep grass, at 4:30 in the afternoon!! So much for being nocturnal. Actually, Mike says they are crepuscular, meaning they are typically active at dusk and dawn. Anyway, this skunk is soooo bold.

Carbon got sprayed when she was mere inches from Monseur Pepe....a blast right in her fuzzy face. She was so dismayed. She was foaming at the mouth and vomiting. She wished she had just stayed in bed. Cody managed to avoid a direct hit this time.

I started the bathing ritual while Mike went to Albertson's for peroxide, baking soda, and douche. Yes, you read that right. The new treatment is a mix of peroxide and baking soda, followed by douche.

Unfortunately the odiferous Carbon had rubbed against him as he came back to the house. As a result, when he went to town, he was carrying that lovely odor with him. I am sure he garnered some interest anyway as he tried to locate the douche. A woman passed down the aisle doing her own shopping, and complaining, "Wow!! Something smells really BAD in here!!" and of course it was my dear Mike. Well, not him exactly, but his jeans. Above is a photo of the Pood post-bath(s) and pre-blow dry. Also, as you can see she is tied to the back of the Explorer like, well, a dog. How humiliating!

Carbon had about 6 baths that day, and was absolutely humiliated by the whole process. I had to blow dry her and then clip her pretty short, as the eau de skunk was pretty intense on her little poodle head.

Above are a coupleof photos post-blowdry (and before the clipping). Cute again, isn't she? She felt muccccchhhhh better after her 6 baths.

More on Pood Agility and Being a Poodle among Border Collies!

So, in early March, as the Pood and I ramped up her training in preparation for the last weekend of the month, in which she was to make her move for the big title, as we trained, and drilled, and practiced...I ran out of poodle.

This has happened before, when she has gotten too tired, or bored, and wished to be indulged, and spoiled, and not pushed so danged hard, and she looks at me as if to say, well, no, I don't think I do want to jump that; you go ahead if you like, but I am taking a break....what do you think I am, a Border Collie?!?!?!!

But this time, she actually seemed depressed. I thought maybe she had hurt herself somehow, although she was not lame, or acting sore (although she DID appreciate her massages more than usual...)

So I spoke to my pal Maia. Maia is a Life Coach and Animal Intuitive. She checked in with Carbon and conveyed to me three observations.

First -- Carbon knows how to do this stuff, and she does not want to be drilled. She just wants to go in the ring, do her thing, get her treats, and then play. And then rest.

Second -- she finds it confusing and not fun to be working at both Agility and Obedience at the same time. (I had been working on both for a month or so. ) She likes whatever we do together, but she wants to do one thing at a time.

Third -- her two buddies in camp are an Australian cattle dog and an Australian Shepherd. She, however, is a poodle. She finds that she cannot play and run on the beach all day and then find the energy and motivation to do agility also. At least not without a massage, some champagne, and a few bites of Miss Cindy's quiche. So, basically, she wants to play, for 15-20 minutes, but then she wants to rest and be catered to.

So, (this conversation was on a Monday afternoon) I gave her the whole week off, with just a few mellow short walks on leash, and a brief agility practice over 12" jumps on Friday night, with rests in the car in between runs.

We left for the trial early Saturday, and had two runs Saturday -- PI Standard and PII Jumpers. She qualified in both!!! Hooray!!! Once again, I had enough poodle. The first photo in this post shows her impersonating a shark.

Sunday she had two runs also, and she qualified in both PI Standard, and, finally, in PI Gamblers!! That class was the last Q she needed, and so she earned her PI title. Karen and Mary were there cheering us on, and Mike was there too, taking pictures, and providing moral support!!

We were all so pleased with Team Pood.

Carbon was so pleased her ears puffed up.

The Titled Pood!!!

Well, there is big news around here in that the Pood has reached the nadir, the heights, the pinnacle of Poodledom. Well, not really, but she has accomplished several agility-related feats, namely earning her first two AKC agility titles (Novice Agility Preferred, and Novice Jumpers with Weaves Preferred) AND her first big USDAA agility title, Performance Dog I, which she finished just a couple of weeks ago. Here is a photo of me and the Pood with her 'new title' rosette, which she earned at Happy Dog Agility in Moorpark at the end of March. Our trainer, Karen Van Hoy of the Santa Barbara Flyers, helped and coached us every step of the way!!

The Pood tackles AKC Agility

Here is the Pood with her weekend booty from her very first AKC Agility Trial (until this past weekend, she had competed only in USDAA trials). She was especially pleased that she got to share her wins with her boyfriend, Mango.

Mango's mom, Cindy, had the inspired idea of having a 'girl's weekend', leaving our menfolk at home and traveling to the Ventura, CA event in the 'Lazy Daze' RV with Carbon and Mango riding shotgun. Carbon REALLY liked riding up front with the rest of the people, rather than in the back of the Explorer like, well, a dog.

Friday afternoon we settled into our spot at McGrath State Beach and enjoyed the quiet and serene evening before heading indoors for dinner and several segments of the 'Dog Whisperer' that Cindy's husband Rock had taped for us....we were as content as could be. The dog and the Pood played and wrestled themselves to sleep.

On Saturday, we arrived at the trial site in plenty of time to check in; Mango wasn't too sure about all the commotion at the trial site on Saturday, but he had greatly relaxed by Sunday and was able to watch his woman (Carbon) burn up the course.

Carbon won 2 seconds on Saturday, along with 2 Q's (qualifying scores, or 'legs' toward titles) in both classes -- Jumpers with Weaves, and Standard. On Sunday, she earned 2 firsts, along with 2 more Q's. All four of her scores were perfect 100's. She could conceivably earn both her Novice titles in just one more weekend! Of course, then she would move up to Open, where the competition gets MUCH harder...the jumps get higher, and the dogs are allotted less time on the course, and fewer faults are permitted....!!!!

It was really fun to spend the weekend with so many members of my agility club, the Santa Barbara Flyers. Karen was there with (Border Collies) Waggz and Zing (Zing's VERY first trial, and a very successful one!), Janet and (Miniature Poodle) Rowdy, Disa and (Parson Jack Russell) Benton, Dika and (Labrador Retriever) Adeline, Mary and (Portuguese Water Dog) Kona, and Eric, our official photographer!! ...we ALL did well; lots of laughs and moments of terror, but it was all good.

Carbon and Mango are both worn out after all the excitement of the weekend -- but they did spend a little time together today, just to reconnect...

Citizen Poodle

Carbon Rose has earned her AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate! She did very well during her test today, and passed. She was not too sure about allowing the evaluator to touch her right front foot, but relented.

She did beautifully considering that I have never used the formal commands 'heel' or 'stay' with her before.

Naturally, she took a moment to inspect the evaluator's tote on her way back to me during the recall. I suspected that she could never walk past a tote without looking for possible treats and toys, and I was correct. She's always good for a laugh.

Carbon's First Agility (Jumpers) Title!

Carbon Rose has competed in 3 USDAA agility trials and has had some great adventures. At her first event, in July, she was very excited at being in a new place with new dogs, new smells...she was very interested in the dogs and toys outside the ring so she simply took a few minutes to leave the ring and explore during her first run (Gamblers). It was very amusing for her and everyone except me. After many excruciating seconds she returned to me and finished the course.

In the standard class (2nd class, same day) she looked blankly at the weave poles as if she had never seen anything like them before. EIGHT tries later, she had completed them and we went on. She held the distinction of being in the ring longer than any other dog in any class in that trial (98 seconds -- the allotted time was somewhere around 48 seconds if I remember correctly) and likely earning the most faults, too, although I did not really take the time to verify that. Naturally, she did not qualify in that class. She did great in Jumpers, however, and placed 2nd and also Qualified in that class and in Pairs, with Waggz (it was Waggz's speed and accuracy, NOT Carbon's, that accomplished that win!).

The second day she stayed in the ring with me, and was more focused. In all we came home with an armful of ribbons. The next event was in August and she did well there too, coming home with more ribbons, and a Qualifying ribbon in Jumpers. Most recent event was in October, where we FINALLY got a Q in Standard, as well as 2 Q's in Snooker and one more Q in Jumpers. So she has earned a title in Jumpers!! and now we need just a Q in Gamblers and 2 more in Standard and she will have her first USDAA Agility title.

In a couple of weeks we are competing in our first AKC Agility Trial at Hobart Park in Ventura. The biggest differences (between USDAA and AKC) are that she will jump slightly lower (20" instead of 22" in USDAA) and there are weaves in the Jumpers class. Several people from our agility club, the Santa Barbara Flyers, will be going, so it will be a fun weekend.

Above are photos of the athlete at work.