The Canine Catch-Up

by Doranna

As we know, Bob, it’s been a while since I was blogging with any regularity.  Long enough, in fact, that Things Canine have undergone quite a few changes.

Tristan, for instance, was less than six months old when I last blogged.  Now he’s a young man with significant titles on both ends, about to head to AKC Agility Nationals!  So here’s a part 1 re-introduction:

Connery: CH CT MACH3 PACH Cedar Ridge Doubleoseven VCD2 GN RE MXC MJC MXPB MJP3 MJPB PAX XF CGC

Connery Beagle is, amazingly, still with us.  He’s days shy of 15 years old, which is about 12 years longer than he was expected to live after his extreme autoimmune issues from puppy shots vaccinosis.  He’s now King of the Couch and he loves it!

Of course, he’s been retired from sports for a couple of years.  In his final active months he earned his AKC Obedience Open title (CDX) and then his tracking VST (Variable Surface Tracking), which also earned his CT (Champion Tracker).

These he did while mostly deaf and blind, although he compensated so well that I was stupidly slow to realize it.  He is at this point totally deaf, with the merest glimmer of peripheral vision.  But he still has his highly educated nose!  This he uses to great advantage in daily life.

We endlessly adore him.  I wouldn’t say he rules the household, but his comfort is pretty darned high on our list of priorities.

Dart: MACH2 Albedo’s Charter Member VCD2 PCDX BN GN RE TDX MXS MJG XF T2B BCAT CA

Dart Beagle is 9yo and not one whit more mature than he ever was.  His Ginger Beast antics continue, and he now has a neurological diagnosis to go along with them.  Supplements have helped to calm things around here, if not reliably.

So he remains a ridiculous unpredictable goof who sometimes channels his boundless energy into the correct things.  Along the way he’s earned not one but two agility MACHs, his obedience Open title and his TDX.  He even has a high in trial from his PCDX (Preferred Open Obedience).

Dart is currently training for obedience Utility, but only as a way to keep him engaged and actively learning.  His idiosyncratic neurology means some of the “this, then that” exercises in Utility are likely to remain beyond him.  He’s also working toward his tracking VST/CT, but I expect the same is true of this effort.

Still, because his agility activity is winding down, and because he’s a dog who’s very much better off when actively engaged in training, we’ll just keep playing with the Utility and VST work until Dart himself says he’s done.  Ultimately, that’s what training and trialing is all about—enhancing his life, and enhancing our lives together.

Meanwhile, he’s off to AKC Agility Nationals with Tristan! I am desperately hoping he can handle the chaotic environment.  But let’s just say I’m preparing myself for a very public display of Ginger Beastery.

(Catch-Up for Tristan and new-to-you Alice Beagle next time!)