return to top

Life in Schnauzerville

There's one born every minute

My friend Lexie was lucky enough to score a whole bowl of suckers off a desk even though she's blind. (She's really cool - yesterday she saved her whole family)
I've never been lucky enough to get a sucker, but today, just for a second, I thought my luck had changed.
Momma took us to Nashville Pet Products. Mr. Joel and the other staff always give us goodies. So, when I saw a bowl of suckers on the counter, I was excited.
I figured they give us treats, surely they wouldn't mind me getting my own, and if Mom did, she wouldn't yell at me in public.
Momma was talking to a lady with a greyhound, who was loving on Rocke, and I saw my chance.
The bowl was right on the edge of the counter. I jumped for it, and horror: my leash was too short. I only managed to bump the edge of the bowl, and it fell. It was metal, and the floor is concrete, so it clattered so loudly everybody turned to look.
I was so stunned I didn't even have a chance to grab a sucker before Momma snatched them up and and fussed at me.
Fortunately, the newest clerk thought the way I cowered and batted my eyes was adorable, and gave me a cookie, and I sidled up to her and she gave me even more, so I guess I 'got' a 'sucker' after all.

The S word

Our three-day agility trial is finally behind us. We had lots of 'almosts', and Rocke ran a lot better since his visit to the chiropractor, and I did weaves very well onside - Momma didn't try any offsides. I got fussed at bigtime for refusing to run for Miss Joelle in Pairs - I kept running back to Momma and Rocke. Then this morning in Gamblers I got chewed out for not touching my contacts. Momma says she doesn't think we got 7 whole points in the whole thing. Boy was Mom sore, and said some rather unkind things to me.
We did do well in Snooker yesterday - Momma went for the max points, three 7s, and we got 'um, but didn't finish the closing so we didn't get enough points for the Q. Momma said if we handle well enough that she can get us three 7s, we can work on speed in the closing.
We had a costume contest, and Momma colored our mohawks. We didn't win, but got a lot of complements.
Today I did Snooker again. The 7 had weaves in it, and Momma said no way was she going to try to get me to weave 4 times (three in the opening and one in the closing. So, we went for three 6s and got those and got almost to the end of the closing sequence. It was a Q for sure. We celebrated with a piece of my birthday cake - a big orange pumpkin.
We hung aroung to see how I did on the placements before we got our ribbon. They took furever putting up the sheet and the scribe was talking to the judge and showing him the sheet and stuff. We knew there must be some question about the SuperQ.
Our buddy Marvel is up for his 4th Championship Yep, ADCH #4 if you can believe that. Last time he beat somone else out of a SuperQ they needed, and his daddy got called a name. Momma didn't like that, cause he's a real nice guy and she says she learned a lot from him.
Anyway, finally Momma went over and looked at the score sheet in the judges book so we could get our ribbon and head home. Where it said Q there was an S by my name. Momma looked at Miss Jackie who was doing the score book and said "No". Miss Jackie looked and said "Yeah". Momma screamed and spun around, and scared our friend Pepper, who almost bit her.
"Raoudi" she screamed "You got a SuperQ, baby!" She had to tell all her friends and dance around. I was glad she was pleased, but I was ready to come home for dinner, thank you very much.
Momma's smilin even bigger than the smile on that pumpkin on my birthday cake. Yawn. Ok, already, Mom. If this isn't going to translate into more treats for me, I'm headed to bed.

What a super day!

This weekend Momma and big brother Rocke and I went to Cullman, AL to a 'gility competition.
Yesterday we didn't get any Q's, but we ran well, and Momma was proud. Rocke's back felt a lot better after seeing the chiropractor, and he was faster, and I showed improvement, so Momma was just happy about that. Poppa came and brought Bella K, and Cousin Dana came and brought Izzy, so we got lots of love and goodies. I did get first place in 16" Advanced Gamblers even though I didn't Q, so apparently nobody else in our height and level did either.
This mornin' Momma was in a tizzy - I was in Advanced Gamblers in ring 2 and Rocke was in Masters Gamblers in ring one. Just as she and Rocke walked into the ring, they called me in the other ring. Well, Momma went ahead and ran Rocke, and he got everything 'cept the gamble. She gave him treaters real quick and popped him in the crate and grabbed me and we ran like mad to the other ring.
Turns out they skipped me and put me at the end, so Momma had time to start breathin' again.
We went out and did our opening and got lotsa points and timed it just right to be in the right place to start the gamble. The gamble was 2 jumps, turn right - away from mom - into a tunnel, and then back over the 2nd jump. As I sailed over the 2nd jump, Momma yelled "TURN" and I glanced back at her to make sure she meant go into the tunnel. Her face was red and was flailing her arms and yelling "GO!GO!GOOOO!" so I went on through the tunnel and went I came out she yelled "Run!RUN! HURRYYYYYY!" and I hopped over the last jump and she bent down and scooped me up and kissed me -how embarrasing.
I almost Q's in Masters Standard - I did my weaves beautifully, but Momma did what's called a rear cross - changing what side of me she was on from behind me, and I spun to see where she went and hesitated just for a second, and the judge called a refusal, so I didn't get it.
We both tried for a Super Q in Snooker - Momma ran us the hardest opening she thought we could possibly do. Unfortunately, I took a red jump between the teeter and the A-frame in the closing - a no-no, and Rocke put his front feet on the Aframe but didn't go up it, so neither of us got #7. We did both get a regular Q and I got 3rd and Rocke got 4th place - just no SuperQ. I beat Rocke by like 2 seconds.
Anyway, Momma's gonna move me up to Masters Gamblers now - I only had to have one leg in Gamblers for my AAD title. I could try for two more Qs and get an Advanced Gamblers title, but Momma says some of the Masters courses wouldn't be any harder for me than so of the Advanced ones, that it just depends of the judge's course design.
It would also mean no more panic-y runs from one ring to the other if we were both in Masters in everything. So, now I got to be all in Masters next weekend.
When we got home, we looked and Rocke and I got first place in the Schnauzers Rule 'Dancing With The Schnauzers' contest. What an honor! And our former foster brother Reece got 2nd place and our good buddy Ernie George got 3rd, so we're happy for them, too. Thanks to all our friends who voted for us, and to Reecie pup for Makin Momma proud, too and to Ernie George for bein' a good sport and sayin' nice things about our choreograpy. Next time we'll help him, too.
Boy, am I ever dog tired! I've gotta sign off now so Momma can write the trial secretary and tell her to move me up for next weekend to Masters Gamblers, and save Momma from havin a heat attack!