Virginia Beach Heat and Cold Tail

Team 3 Dawg Flite got back home from our dock diving event in Virginia Beach very tired, but happy and loaded down with bling and ribbons! See….here’s all the cool stuff I won.

It was pretty hot up there, but not as hot as it gets down here in Georgia. We arrived Friday morning, and Spud and I had our first jump Friday afternoon.

Then something bad happened. The next morning, when we went out for our walk, Spud looked funny. His tail wasn’t wagging or even moving. It was just hanging straight down.

My dad asked my mom if she thought he might have something called “cold tail.” My mom said maybe so.

Now, I don’t know what cold tail is, but after experiencing that heat the day before, I thought it sounded pretty good. I was about to ask if I could have some of that cold tail.

Then I realized that it was something bad. My mom took Spud by the tail and tried to move it, and he yelped. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Spud yelp before. I yelp all the time…but then I’m a drama queen. So I knew when I heard Spud yelp, something was wrong.

When we got to the dock that morning, I heard my mom tell the event secretary to scratch Spud from all of his jumps that day.

What!!!!! They expected him to sit there and watch all that dock diving and not participate! How cruel.

Back in our crates, I talked to Spud and told him that I was mad at them for pulling him out of competition like that. But Spud said he was glad they did…that he didn’t feel good at all and his tail hurt.

Poor Spud. So the only ribbon he ended up getting was the on from Friday afternoon. It was a first place Senior Division.

Poor Spud.

Well, I kept jumping. Here are some pics of one of my Big Air jumps.

Here’s the last photo from that jump. As you can see, the throw was a little behind me, so I had to put on the brakes, but I could only stop the top part of my body. The bottom half just kept on flying. I could feel myself coming in for a landing on my back, so I tucked my tail, clamped down on that duck (so I wouldn’t lose it), and prepared to make a landing flat on my back.

I actually managed to pull out of it just at the last minute. I landed more on my butt and not on my back, but the crowd loved it!

My best Big Air jump was only 19’ which is only average for me. I don’t know why I didn’t do any better, but it was still fun.

Here are some Speed Retrieve pics. Speed Retrieve is my favorite type jump!

I was really disappointed in my Speed Retrieve times. My best was only 7.63 seconds. I can do under 7 seconds. My mom and dad said that the heat got to me and I just gave out of gas. Now, I have no idea what they were talking about, but something sure made me not on my “A game.”

I also did Extreme Vertical, but we don’t have any photos of that. Besides, I didn’t do so well in EV anyway. But my mom talked to an EV expert while we were there and got some tips that might help next time.

The only other thing I need to tell you about it Hoppy. Oh geez! I’m going to make an entire separate post about that boy. What a goof ball!!!!!

All in all, it was an okay event. It would have been better if Spud hadn’t have gotten that cold tail. He only needs one more leg for his Master Title, and we were all expecting him to get it at this event.

Well, there’s always next time! Only two weeks and we’ll be at another event in North Carolina! And this time, Spud, keep that tail high and dry and warm!

Sally, the Captain of Team 3 Dawg Flite

Proud member of Dixie Dock Dogs

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

Virginia Beach, here comes Team 3 Dawg Flite!

Oh boy! We’re going on another dock diving trip this weekend. There’s a big event up at Virginia Beach, and we’re leaving as soon as my dad gets home from work tomorrow. Yippee and Yee-Haw!!!!!

Today is packing day, or at least start packing day. And it’s my job to make sure my mom doesn’t forget everything. I know she has a packing list, but it’s the Captain’s responsibility to make sure the flight is smooth and problem-free. So today, I’ll be following my mom around making sure everything is ready and packed.

Let me add right here…for those of you thinking about taking your dog to a dock diving event, you do NOT need all of this stuff. All you actually need is a leash and a throw toy. But because we travel so much, we take all of these things to keep us…especially our mom and dad…more comfortable and make things easier.

Okay, let’s see, we need…

shamwows (to dry us off)

old sheets and blankets (to put over our crates if needed)

my Power Bones (energy bars)

our treats

box with any meds we might need

Oxyfresh (add to our water for Hoppy’s bad breath!)

our competition vests

water dishes for our crates and food bowls for our meals

various bandanas so we can be “cute”

poopy bags for….well, you know

leashes and extra collars

our crates

the E-Z Up tent (2 in this pic, but we only take 1)

chairs for our mom and dad (we, of course, have those comfortable crates!)

our throw objects: (L-R Flappie, DFT/duck, bumper, Wubba)

Spud’s tennis ball (our dad decided he wants to try throwing this for Spud)

travel water dish and jug of water for us

Dixie Dock Dogs and 3 Dawg Flite banners to hang on our tent

ice chest full of drinks and snacks (for our mom and dad)

equipment case to carry all our “stuff” from hotel to event

cart to carry our crates, chairs, etc. from our truck down to the crating area

cart unfolds to look like this. cool, huh?

enough food for all three dogs for all the days we will be gone

Nylabones to keep us calm in the hotel room (good luck!)

old towels and lots of plastic bags because everything gets wet at dock diving events

our e-collar chargers and power strip (also for their cell phones and computer)

We wear the e-collars while traveling since we are in unfamiliar territory and stop at so many roadside places.

Whew! That’s a lot of stuff. And that’s just the stuff for us. It doesn’t even include my mom and dad’s stuff.

But when they start getting all of this stuff out, it sure gets me all excited. And I’ve followed my mom around all day today making sure she didn’t miss a thing.

I’m happy to report…..we are ready to goooooo!

Virginia Beach…..here comes Team 3 Dawg Flite!

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,travel

Sally's mom here. Ashamed to say, I need some help!

I've got to hurry with this. Sally would kill me if she knew I was posting on her blog. So, here goes.

I make a living working on computers. I am very computer savvy. Not bragging, just stating a fact so you'll see how desperate I really am.

Now, here it is. I kept hearing all about Twittering. They Twitter on GMA, all the radio and TV personalities Twitter (or is it Tweet?), everyone in the world is communicating with Twitter.

Well, don't leave me out. I want to Twitter also. The problem is, I can't figure it out!!!!! It is sooooo aggravating. Over the past 14 years, I've figured out all kinds of computer programs without any instructions. But for the life of me, this Twitter has me stumped.

Posting comments is not the problem. The problem is how do you find people on Twitter? I want to Tweet with people....communicate back and forth with them. To put it bluntly, I feel like a LOSER!

Anyone out there in blog land that can help me? TIA!

Nancy

Hoppy is the Biggest LOSER!

Well, I know I’ve made some posts complaining about Hoppy and ragging on him because he’s not a retriever…nor a dock diver. But now it’s time for a little brag about that little brother of mine.

If you remember, when we got Hoppy, he was HUGE! He weighed 86 pounds. EEK! That’s more than 25 pounds heavier than me (or I? Don’t tell my mom. She’s an ex-English teacher). Here’s what he looked like when we first brought him home.

Now, if you know my mom, then you know absolutely she would not stand to have a fat dog. And if you think back, when we got him, she was planning on him being a dock diver, (yeah, right!) and fat dogs aren’t good dock divers.

So she put him on a diet which she called the “Green Bean Diet.” Every morning, she would give him a little dog food…even less then I got….and mix in some green beans with the food.

Then there was the exercise part. Every day either my mom or my dad take Spud and I out for our “romp” as they call it. It’s a 30-minute exercise session of hard retrieving with the chuck-it. And, of course, Hoppy would go with us.

At first, he wouldn’t run at all. He was too fat! But as the weight started dropping off, he began running more and more. And now, he sprints along with us most of the time. He still won’t retrieve the ball…totally clueless, but he sure enjoys trying to keep up with us as we retrieve.

Okay, enough of all that. Here’s what you’re waiting for…the final results.

Hoppy’s start weight: 86 pounds (12/29)

Hoppy final weight: 74.5 pounds (4/14)

That’s a total weight loss of 11.5 pounds!!!

Way to go, Hoppy!

And here are some before/after photos of Hoppy now. See how sleek and sexy he looks. :)

As much as that boy aggravates me to death….and as much as he embarrasses me at dock diving events, I must admit I’m very proud of him. He not only looks better, but he’s so much more active and playful and definitely has a better quality of life.

But the best part of all, for Hoppy, is no more green beans!

I hope someone reads this post to Hoppy soon. I guarantee you, I will not be posting another bragging post about that royal pain anytime soon!

See you on the dock,

Sally, the Captain of Team 3 Dawg Flite

Proud member of Dixie Dock Dogs

Technorati Tags: dogs,labrador retriever,retrievers,dock diving,dock jumping,dock dogs,diet,weight loss,dog food

Oh Martha? Where are you? (for everyone, but especially Bassets)

I might have mentioned before how we used to have Basset Hounds when I was younger. We had two of them. Lucy and Buster. They mostly stayed on the back porch. Lucy was older and didn't like me very much because I was an active, playful puppy and she was an old dog who didn't appreciate my puppy antics. Here's Lucy in her younger days...long before my mom and dad got me.


Buster liked me, but couldn't keep up with me. He had a crippled leg and just couldn't maneuver very well. Here's Buster in his younger days.


Well, the other day when my mom was taking a break from her video editing, I grabbed the computer and started looking around. And look what I found! A really cool video of me when I was a puppy....and it's got Lucy and Buster in it.

Click To Play

We don't have Lucy or Buster any longer. One day about a year ago, I heard my mom and dad talking about Lucy, and they kept mentioning the words "bone cancer" a lot. That evening, my mom spent a lot of time with Lucy...giving her all kinds of treats and food that she never got before. I wondered what was going on.

Then the next day, my dad took Lucy for a ride in his truck, but when he came home, Lucy wasn't with him. And I never saw her again. I know she didn't like me, but I still miss her.

My mom and dad (especially my mom) were very sad for a long time. I even saw her crying sometimes. But it was poor Buster that was upset the most. For days and days, he kept howling out on the back deck. He would go lie down under the deck where Lucy liked to sleep and just stay there.

They even started taking him over to our day care. And soon, Buster started being happy again. He was his usual playful, happy self. I even started playing outside with him more.

But misfortune was about to come to us again. One morning, my dad went out to feed Buster, but couldn't find him. He called and called for Buster to come to the back deck to eat. When he found poor Buster, he (Buster) couldn't walk. Something had happened to his back.

My mom rushed him over to the vet, but there wasn't anything they could do. He was paralyzed from the waist down and was also very sick. I don't remember what my mom said was actually wrong.

Buster never came home again either.

I think about Buster and Lucy every time I go out on the back deck. I can even still smell their scents occasionally. I wish I could run around with Buster and jump all over him again. I even wish I could hear Lucy snap at me again!

But now you know why my mom and dad love Basset Hounds so much. I love Basset Hounds, too.

See you on the dock,
Sally, the Captain of Team 3 Dawg Flite
Proud member of Dixie Dock Dogs

Nothing like a day at the lake!

Before I write even a word of this post, let me make the obligatory excuses as to why I haven’t posted in so long. It’s my mom! This is her busy wedding season (she’s a wedding and event videographer) and she has been at that computer non-stop. I keep asking her, “Mom, please…puleeze…let me use the computer for just a little while.”

The answer is always something like, “Just a minute, Sally. Go play with your brothers.”

Yeah, right!

Well, this morning I’ve found a few minutes to make another post. I really want to let y’all know how much fun we had this past weekend when we went out on the boat down at Lake Oconee.

The day didn’t exactly start off like such a winner. When we got to the marina, we found the reverse gear on our boat didn’t work. We couldn’t event back out of the boat slip!

So while we waited for the mechanic to come fix it, my mom had a great idea. You know what is all around a marina? That’s right. DOCKS!

So we practiced our dock diving for about 30 minutes while waiting. We actually got a small crowd there watching us. It was pretty cool.

But then the mechanic came, fixed our boat, and we were off for a day on the lake. Here are some photos from all the fun we had when we stopped back in this little cove.

Then there was poor Hoppy. My mom tried and tried to get him out in the water swimming with Spud and me, but he would have none of that. He did, however, have fun watching us.

And for a little while, he actually got in the water….at least a little way.

But then he was right back over to the boat trying to climb in. Poor Hoppy. My mom is determined to get him out into that water one day.

We had a great time. I keep saying this, and I’ll say it forever:

There’s nothing as great as retrieving in the water!

YEE-HAW!!

I like this photo. Hoppy and Spud crashed in the boat on the way back to the marina. They were worn out!

Gotta run. Here comes my mom, and I know she’s going to make me…….. <Uh oh. I can hear her already, “Sally, are you on that computer? You better be off of it by the time I get in there.” Oops, bye.>

See you on the dock,

Sally, the Captain of Team 3 Dawg Flite

Proud member of Dixie Dock Dogs

Technorati Tags: dogs,Labrador retrievers,dock diving,dock jumping,lake,boats,water retrieving,retrievers