I'm a Flyball Dog!! Really, I am!!!

This past weekend we headed across the border to Betavia, NY for my first official NAFA flyball tournament! My mom was suppose to run my mother TNT Rio and I was scheduled to do warm ups on 2 teams. I had the best time ever.

TNT Baxter - keeping that ball secure :)

On Saturday we started with just doing box turns and 1 run back for the first race. I did a pretty good job so in the next race, we moved back and did 1 jump, then 2 jumps before my time was up. Waiting to go in is the hardest part (or so I thought at the time) because I really want to get in there and play so I bark as loud as I can and jump up and down. So far it has worked, I do this "popcorn" jumping/barking as my mom calls it and then we get to go in and play, woohoo!

My "popcorn" jumping/barking with mom

By the final race of the day, my mom and I had moved up to the full 4 jumps. I did an amazing job and completed my first ever full run at a competition. Our team captain said that they were going to let me run a race if I did the full run and still had a nice box turn. I did the best I could and got the call to play!! Man was I ever excited. I couldn't believe it when I had to watch all the other dogs run the line (I thought I did that only!...told you there was something harder to wait for) So when it was my turn I was all concentration. My mom was saying "get your ball" and then off I went. I was over the first two jumps and just starting over the third and I am pretty sure I heard my name being called (mom doesn't remember calling me early but it shows that it wasn't my fault on the video tape). I turned to see what she wanted and what did I see but another red & white BC like me in the other lane. I thought I would go say hi, maybe that was the box I was suppose to go to as well. I guess that was a bad thing because I got yelled at and then didn't get to play again :(

On Sunday, Pam and my mom decided to try again. This time they waited for the other lane to finish before they let me go. It turned out that on 2 of the races the other team had to send another dog at the same time and I didn't even look over there (so makes me think I was right about mom calling me by mistake) It turns out I helped my team win 2 of the 3 heats! Pretty good for a rookie dog, don't you think? So in the end, I ran 6 full runs and came away with enough points to earn my Flyball Dog (FD) Title!! (I told you I was a flyball dog!)

TNT Baxter, FD

Mom is saying that we are taking a month off from flyball until after Ontario Regionals, man am I going to miss it :) Till June....

p.s. Thank you Len from TTL Photography for the great pictures of Baxter above!!

Touch N Go Flyball Seminar

My mom and I headed to Ottawa, Ontario last weekend for a flyball seminar put on by my flyball team Burnin' Rubber. We were lucky enough to have the 4 Touch N Go Handlers that broke the world record with a 15.210 come to Canada to teach us their flyball training methods.

Both my mom and I had a great time and really learned lots. She said she would recommend anyone that can do a TNG seminar to go, they were really great ladies with tons of great training ideas. I was a very good boy (aren't I always) and did my very best over the weekend. I even ran my first ever full run! and had a time of 4.9 which for a newbie I think is pretty good. They gave me a nice report telling my mom to take it slow and that I will be a good flyball dog :)

Here is a video of me doing run backs, do I look fast? I like driving for my tug toy.



Here is a video of me doing the box turn. My mom says this is a good turn as I do not reposition my feet and don't smush my face into the box :)



After a long day at flyball, it was nice to get back to the hotel and relax.

But I hate when one of the other dogs was out and I had to actually see what they were doing.

Next weekend I get to go to my 2nd flyball tournament. My mom is running Rio and I get to be on 2 teams for warm ups...I can't wait!!

Abbey's gone MAD! and is on countdown!!

I know, it has been a long time since I have posted but I am one very busy red border collie!

This past weekend my mom and Abbey left without me to the Acton Agility trial! Can you imagine? On Sat night they came home with a very big ribbon...Abbey finally got her final Masters Standard Q to earn her Masters Agility Dog of Canada (MADC) title. She is now only 4 Q's away from her Trial Champion title and mom seems very excited about that.

On Sunday we all got to go to the trial. I got to play in the Steeplechase, Team and Standard. I had an off course in Steeplechase to keep me out of a Q but I had 2 great contacts and even got the weave entry! I was a butt head again in the Team but what did mom and Andrea expect when they make me stand in a little box while Peso gets to play MY game!? I was lunging back and forth and almost got out of the box while my mom was trying to hold me. When Peso was done, I tried to run over to see them. Both Andrea and mom flipped out and yelled at me! So then I realized it was my turn but I just didn't jump high enough and took the first jump down, then I couldn't wait at the bottom of the frame and went off course :( Sorry Peso! However, on the final run my mom was thrilled with me. I did have a bar down and missed the weave entry but I nailed all my contacts and even stayed for a sec on the start line and listened to her. I love when she is happy...I got tons of belly rubs for that run :)

Morningstar Agility Trial
A few weeks ago we headed to an 3 day weekend of agility in Kingston. It was really cool because it was just my mom, Andrea, Peso, Abbey and I. The first day was all gambles, I did pretty good in the gambles but unfortunately didn't get any Q's. Abbey however did get her first Masters Gamble Q! On Saturday I was still on a high from getting to run gambles that I just couldn't understand why mom wanted me to do the course the way she wanted :( She was very disappointed with me because I let down our teammates Peso and Andrea. Sunday was a much better day for me because mom decided to just work on my start line (I have a hard time staying there when she walks away) so I decided to behave and we had a better day. Abbey got a Masters Team Q and Peso got his final Masters Jumper Q for his Masters Jumper of Canada Title