Happy 12th Gotcha Day to Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Yes Dogs, my Gotcha day was yesterday but we were busy running gility up in Manchester and we all sort of let it pass by. I was a rock star this weekend and mom is really thrilled with every run we take together. Dad got another one on video and it's a run that I did perfectly and Doolin messed up!!!! BOL! I still rule!

So, anywho, I was lavished with special attention tonight and had many snuggles and cookies.

Thanks to all my furiends for sending me special pressies to commemorate this special day. When mom adopted my 12 years ago, I bet she didn't think I would still be here letting her know how special I am. I am special you know... I AM!!!!!

Hugs to you all,
Duncan McLeod Corley

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!

October 19th to January 28th... That's how long I was out for surgery and PT. Now I'm back and last Saturday I took my CT-ATCH8, my 10th Championship Title overall. Mom really babies me now and worries every time I get out there, but I'm a rock star and going like gangbusters. My PT and my surgeon said that my knee if fine, but I need a load more muscle on my thigh. It degenerated at an alarming rate when my knee blew due to my age. I'm running now and chasing tennis balls and doing great and I hope mom realizes that I'm good. She still takes every run and every minute with me as a gift (as she should), but she needs to lighten up. I'm good, I'm strong, I'm a rock star!!!!

Peace out,
C-ATCH2 CT-ATE CT-ATCH8 Duncan

Owwwwwww!!!!

Last night we were all out in the yard and playing my FAVORITE game of Chuck-it and tennis ball. Mom threw mine one way and then did a pivot and threw Doolin's the other way. When her back was to me and yelped and came back to her (with the tennis ball mind you) holding up my back leg. She thought I might have hit some of the agility equipment or that Dori had center-punched me like she is known to do. She brought us in and did a full range of motion exam on me and I didn't yelp, but I wouldn't put my foot down. Last night I was very uncomfortable and shivering. Mom covered me up and laid down with me for a while until I went to sleep. This morning I was no better, so dad took me to the Dogtor. X-Rays showed that I tore my cruciate ligament and now I need surgery. I'm 12.5 years old and mom is worried, but I'm an athlete and I'll do fine. Geez! A very good friend and agility competitor is my surgeon and she's an orthopedic specialist, so I feel pretty good about it. They say that I'll be better than before when it's all finished. I sure hope so cause I really can't give up chuck-it!

Hugs,
Duncan the Tri-pod

CT-ATCH4, My SIXTH C-ATCH Overall!!!

Hi Pups... Today mom and I ran up in Portland Maine and we had a really great Standard run taking my 4th Enthusiast C-ATCH, my 6th C-ATCH overall!!! This was a brand new club with new ribbons and mom really wanted me to make it today so I told her no problem. The course was tricky with loads of places to go off course, but I know my job and really didn't even need her out there :) She's a worry wart! We rocked that course and then found out that a good furiend had taped it (Thanks Mulligan's Dad!!!). Anywho, there was much whooping and yelling and yet another pretty ribbon and mom almost forgot about the chicken *gasp*, but she did remember and I got LOADS of it. The best part is that I went on and rocked the rest of the day too! Old dogs rock and don't you forget it!

Rock on,
CT-ATCH4 Duncan

Happy Happy 11 years!!!!!

Today is my "Gotcha Day". I have been with my pack for that long and I was the FIRST dog. I joined a pack of CATS!!!!! I'm sure glad mom thought to go look for Duffy a year later cause I'm not sure I would do so well with a pack of cats. The good news is that the cats are still here (16, 15 and 12) and I never hurt them, I have a huge pack of dogs around me now and I'm still king in mom's eyes. Yes dogs, I rule!!! Soon I will turn 12 and mom is having Aunt Nancy do a special cake for my "assumed" barkday, but she wanted to tie in all the other double digit dogs that are still running agility, so she is having Aunt Nancy do a cake with every name of every team over 10 years that is still running. Isn't that coolio??? Anywho, we will take pictures when that happens this summer, but for now, thanks mom and dad for taking a chance on a rag-a-muffin little black dog and thanks for giving me all the love that I can give back to you!!!!

My Fifth C-ATCH!!!!

Today up in Portland Maine I ran a perfect Standard run and took my third CPE Enthusiast CT-ATCH, my fifth C-ATCH overall. I'm getting pretty good at all this championship stuff. Mom says I make it easy, but she makes if fun. Later in the day we had a jumpers run that was CRAZY! Mom totally mishandled me and I ended up running around a bunch of jumps with her laughing hysterically and trying to get me back on track. After a while I just stopped, looked at her and thought "what a nutty broad!!!" Anywho, we still finished clean and she was still laughing when she took Doolin out on the same course and ran a perfect, super fast run. I guess I got her all loosened up from all the laughter.

Later Pups!
Duncan
#1 Enthusiast Dog
CPE Agility 2010

CT-ATCH2 Duncan

OK, I know you are probably sick of hearing about it, but I took another title this weekend. We were at this million dollar equestrian center out in the western mountains of Massachusetts and surrounded by all this perfect foliage and gorgeous horses (or so mom says since I just think they are big ugly dogs). Anywho, I took my title in the last class on Saturday and mom was all happy and leaky and all the same stuff she does every time I do this. Don'tcha think that after 9 years she would get over it??? It's OK cause there was CHICKEN involved. I'm gonna keep on going as long as there is chicken...

Peace out,
Duncan Corley
Rock Star Extraordinaire

CT-ATCH Duncan!

Yes dogs, I did it again... I went to an agility trial this weekend in Littleton Mass and mom and I took my CT-ATCH title. That's an Enthusiast C-ATCH. I have 2 regular C-ATCH titles and my Enthusiast C-ATE, so she dropped me back down a level to go for multiple C-ATCHs to finish out my career. We have most of my CT-ATCH2 finished too, so it won't be long for that one. I still love to run and play with mom and sometimes Dad. I may be getting on in years and sometimes I walk a course more than run it, but I usually make time and mom loves seeing me having fun out there. The run that I took this title with was a "Jackpot" where I had to work away from her and I did it in about half the allotted time to finish with enough points. YEAH US! Mom loves this ribbon most of all cause she keeps thinking I'm too old to play and I keep proving her wrong. Come on mom! Let's go practice!!!!

Rock On!
C-ATCH, C-ATCH2, CT-ATE, CT-ATCH Duncan

I have been immortalized!

The beautiful pencil sketch on my page is a print mom and dad purchased a few weeks back at a fund raiser. The artist is Heather Berry Belanger from NH and she can be found at www.heatherberryartwork.com. Mom saw this print and screamed. It's me in my younger days with that look on my face that says "yes I am smarter than all of you humans and I will rule your life". BOL!!!! That and the curly fur really got her. I think it's pretty nice, but will never capture my true stunning beauty....

peace out,
Duncan

Happy Decade!!!!!

10 years ago mom got a burr in her bonnet and decided to go look for a dog. She didn't know what breed, color or size, but it had to be a rescue. I was waiting for her and we found each other on a Friday afternoon at Cocheco Valley Humane Society, just a few miles from my furever home. It was fate I tell you! When she signed the paperwork and they brought me out of the jail, I wasted no time in peeing on her sneaker. Yup, I marked her, she was MINE! BOL And she STILL took me home!

We have had the best decade a pup and human could have. We climbed mountains, walked trails, ran beaches, traveled to other countries, played agility, went to dinner pawties, visited nana at the old folks home and basically had a blast. Yes, I am covered in stitches on this annifursary, but I know it's for the best and this too shall pass. I know that a week from now I'll be stitch free and running in my beloved backyard, chasing my beloved tennis balls. I love this home, this life, these hooomans. I know that they love me right back. *sigh* Life is very, very good for an old pup.

Peace out,
Duncan