Can you say Team F-O-U-R Dawg Flite!!!

Yep. You’re reading it correctly. I would have posted earlier, but it’s been raining night and day here (My dad said to call him Noah, ‘cause he’s going to build an ark…whatever that means.), and my mom couldn’t get any good photos outside.

Now, this addition isn’t just any dog. You’ll never believe in a million years who has joined our pack and our Team. I’m still in shock.

It’s Badger. My dad!! And Hoppy’s dad!

There he is…dear old dad. And when I say old, I mean old. He’s nine years old. Do you have any idea how old that is in dog years. Something like 70 or 80.

I thought I heard my mom talking on the phone to our breeder the other day. Of course, I only heard my mom’s side of the conversation.

“Patty (that’s our breeder), are you sure?” <pause>

“Well, of course we would. We would love to.” <pause>

“No, of course it would be better for him to come live here rather than make that big move with you to Colorado.”

Now, I’m thinking, what in the world are they talking about. I’ve heard my mom and dad say absolutely no more dogs. We don’t have the room!

So I knew they couldn’t be talking about us getting another dog. My little chocolate mind was whirring. Then I heard…

“Sure Badger would fit in here. After all, this is where his son and daughter live.”

BADGER!! My dad! And Hoppy’s dad! BADGER IS COMING TO LIVE HERE WITH US!!

I didn’t know what to think. On one hand, I was glad. After all, he’s my father. But on the other hand, that would mean one more dog for me to whip into shape around here.

And now, Badger is here with us. He’s okay. It was tough those first couple of days. He was really nervous and stressed…panting constantly and pacing continually, like a caged tiger. Spud and Hoppy and I tried to talk to him and calm him down. “Settle down, old man,” we told him.

But finally, after a couple of days, he’s calming down. After all, he’s nine years old and moving into a new home is a big adjustment. And what’s really good is that he and Hoppy are getting to be pals.

Here is the family photo. Dad, Son, Daughter.

And, of course, here’s is the new Team 4 Dawg Flite.

We’re going to try and get him to jump, but he probably will only be a little jumper. He’s old and FAT! My mom said he needs to lose about 15 lbs.  So it might be a while. He also might have a little arthritis in his front legs.

Now, for the question of the day. What do I call him? I can’t call him Dad. I already have a dad. I’m sure it would hurt my dad’s feelings if I all of a sudden started calling someone else Dad.

Should I call him Badger? I’m going to talk this over with Hoppy and see what he thinks. (Personally, I like “Old Man.”)

See you on the dock,

Sally, the Captain of Team 4 Dawg Flite

Proud member of Dixie Dock Dogs

Technorati Tags: dogs,labrador retriever,dock diving,dock jumping,dock dogs

Never in a million years will you guess what's happened.

I'm in such shock, I can't even write about it. All I can say right now is....remember my blog post a while back about my bio dad. The title was "Pedigrees and parents. My emotional trauma."

For those of you who missed it, you need to read it to understand what has just happened in the home of Team 3 Dawg Flite. Here is the link to that post. I'll put up another post and tell y'all what happened as soon as I recover.

Pedigrees and parents. My emotional trauma.

Now, where are those nerve pills!

See you on the dock,

Sally, the Captain of Team 3 Dawg Flite
Proud member of Dixie Dock Dogs

Do you think this dock makes my face look funny?

I can’t remember if I’ve posted these photos before or not. I was looking back through some old practice photos and came across this sequence from a practice back in January.

I remember after this particular practice my mom and dad were looking at these photos on my dad’s computer. Man, were they ever laughing!

“Look at her face,” my mom laughed. “Oh my god, that’s hilarious.”

“Look at that Stinky,” my dad squeezed out between chuckles. (His pet name for me is Stinky. Why? I have no idea. I do NOT stink!)

After maneuvering through their legs and the chairs, I managed to peer up onto the monitor to see what was so all-fired funny. And this was the sequence they were having so much fun with.

Okay. You can call it funny looking. I call it intense. I call it a game face. I call it Iron Dog!

And Dad, as far as calling me Stinky…maybe you should order me one of these:

I wear a medium.

See you on the dock,

Sally, the Captain of Team 3 Dawg Flite

Proud member of Dixie Dock Dogs

Technorati Tags: dogs,labrador retrieve,dock diving,stinky dogs,dock dogs,dock jumping

Iron Dog. That’s ME!

I’m going to be an Iron Dog! I’m going to be an Iron Dog!

No, not this kind of iron dog.

Nor this kind of iron dog.

And I certainly don’t mean this kind of iron dog!

I have qualified myself to enter the Iron Dog competition at our DockDogs Nationals in October. What does that mean? Good question.

In order to qualify to even compete at the Nationals, you must be titled. Well, Spud and I are both titled, so we are going. (We were going last year, but my granddaddy got very, very sick, and we had to stay home.)

Spud has his Master Title in Big Air.

I have my Senior Title in Big Air.(And 3 out of 5 legs for a Master.)

Well, I also have my Turbo Title in Speed Retrieve.

And just this summer I got my Cadet Title in Extreme Vertical.

Soooooo…I am now both titled and ranked in all three DockDogs disciplines.

And *that* qualifies me to enter the Iron Dog competition at the Nationals. It’s a real honor, but it is also going to be very, very strenuous.

My mom talked with me. “Sally,” she said, “did you know you are qualified to enter the Iron Dog competition at the Nationals.”

“Yes, Mom, I know,” I politely replied.

“Well, do you think you can handle it, Chocolate Dawg? “

“Handle it? You want to know if I can handle it? Mom, I can’t believe you asked me that.”

“Now, Sally, calm down. You’re starting to stress pant.”

“Stress pant, my little chocolate patootie!”

“Sally, do you know what all is involved with entering Iron Dog at the Nationals?”

“Well, not exactly, but whatever it is, I can definitely handle it!”

“You have to do the regular three disciplines. Then, on top of all that, you have to do the disciplines all over again in the Iron Dog category. Sally, hon, you’re going to be jumping continually the entire weekend.”

“And your point is…………”

“Okay, Sally, you’re in Iron Dog. I just completed the registration. You better start consuming your vitamins and Power Bones right now!”

<Gulp. BIG Gulp.> “Okay, mom. Thanks.”

Would someone please check my pulse. I feel a little faint.

See you on the dock,

Sally, the Captain of Team 3 Dawg Flite

Proud member of Dixie Dock Dogs

Technorati Tags: dogs,labrador retriever,dock dogs,dock diving,dock jumping,iron dog,big air,extreme vertical,speed retrieve

The Throwdown is over. Photos included!

Our dock diving club’s first event is over. Dixie Dock Dogs did a great job presenting The Fishing Creek Outfitters Throwdown. I was very proud of all the dogs…well, and humans too…who work so hard to make it so successful.

We had 186 registrations and probably over 200 people who attended to watch. But you want to know the very, very best part of the weekend?

We raised over $1400.00 for our charity,

Chase Away Canine Cancer!!

It was awesome!!

The first day, Friday, it rained. Okay, let’s not call it rain. Let’s call it a little hurricane! My mom had our crates set up in the admin tent because that’s where she spent most of her time. (You know, bossing people around and answering all kinds of questions.) That’s where they had all kinds of cool stuff like the computer, printer, stacks of papers, and best of all…the boxes of RIBBONS!

Well, it started to rain a little, so everyone put a couple of sides up on the admin tent to keep everything dry. Good idea, wouldn’t you think. Not exactly.

All of a sudden, it came up a big gusty wind. I yelled and barked, “Spud reach your big long leg out there and hold down our stuff.” He tried, but those tent sides just acted like sails. I barked and barked for everyone to grab something. GRAB ME and my crate!! Don’t let me blow away!

The rain was blowing right in through the sides, but the humans couldn’t cover up our stuff. They were all wrapped around the tent poles holding down the tent.

OUR RIBBONS AND STUFF WERE GETTING SOAKED!

“Let me out,” I barked. “I’ll cover the stuff while you hold down the tent. Let me out.” But they never heard me. By the time it was over, everything was drenched…the computer, printer, ribbons, papers. It was a mess.

Everyone pulled together, however, and dried everything out and, well…on with the show!

See what big crowds we had. (Well, big crowds on Saturday and Sunday. The rain on Friday hurt the crowd that day.)

Doesn’t it look like FUN!!

Here are some photos of me and Spud. I’ll have more when we get the photo CD from the photographer. (My dad didn’t take pictures because he was so busy working at the event.) I’ll also have a video soon.

But here’s the best picture of all. Our ribbons! Spud took 1st place in the Finals for his division. Believe it or not, that is the very first 1st place either of has ever gotten in the Finals.

I got 2nd place in my division. And see Hoppy’s ribbon? That’s his “Good Sport” ribbon because, once again, he didn’t jump. But he got a ribbon anyway.

We really had a blast, both participating in the Throwdown and also being the host for it. I loved seeing all the new dogs come out and participate. I’ve got a lot of competition down in Middle Georgia!

I heard my mom and dad talking last night and guess what! They are already planning the next event. YEE-HAW!!!!

See you on the dock,

Sally, the Captain of Team 3 Dawg Flite

Proud member of Dixie Dock Dogs

Technorati Tags: dog,labrador retriever,dock dogs. dock diving,dock jumping