Introducing Sweetbay's 2008 Titlists

Introducing Sweetbay’s 2008 Titlists

We'd like to introduce you to the Newfoundlands and their special owners who achieved titles in 2008.

Rory bullets through the tire jump at an agility trial

Sweetbay’s Aurora CD MX MXJ AXP AJP OFP NFP WD, OFA NF-7502, EL-1660
Call name: Rory
Born: 3-19-00
Sire: Ch Ralee’s Winddancer, OFA NF-4890, EL-247
Dam: Sweetbay’s Padgett AmCanCD, OFA NF-6539, EL-1025
Owner: Anna Lewandowski, Houston, Texas
Title earned: OAP (AKC Open Standard Preferred agility title)

Anna Lewandowski’s amazing Rory was approaching her eighth birthday. Last year, Rory and Anna reached the MX pinnacle in agility. But even though she is at an age when most Newfoundlands are long retired, Rory was working better than ever and was still passionate about the sport. So it only made sense to continue to show Rory, this time in “preferred.” This meant they had to start over in novice, a title they earned in short order. Then it was on to Open – and this one, too, wrapped up quickly, with three first place finishes. The final leg arrived on January 12.

Rory

Rory sails high over a bar jump

Sweetbay’s Aurora CD MX MXJ AXP AJP OFP NFP WD, OFA NF-7502, EL-1660
Call name: Rory
Born: 3-19-00
Sire: Ch Ralee’s Winddancer, OFA NF-4890, EL-247
Dam: Sweetbay’s Padgett AmCanCD, OFA NF-6539, EL-1025
Owner: Anna Lewandowski, Houston, Texas
Title earned: OJP (AKC Open Jumpers Preferred agility title)

On January 13, the day after Rory and Anna finished two agility titles, they added an open preferred jumpers title to make it a trio. Rory is always a crowd-pleaser. True, she’s almost always the only Newf competing, and that garners her a fan base. But her exemplary, exciting work equals or betters that of the most accomplished agility breeds. And Anna says that Rory just gets better and better. And the rewards get better, too. For instance, at the local trials, the host clubs provide really nice gifts for the dogs who place in the ribbons. First place at this trial was given a choice of several things: bowls, beaded dog collars, and plush toys. Rory loves soft toys, and has quite a collection going, all courtesy of her agility wins.

Maisie

Sweetbay’s Maisie CD RE DD, OFA NF-8251, EL-2225
Call Name: Maisie
Born: 3-28-02
Sire: CanCh Sweetbay’s Kyak CD CanCDX WRD CanWRDX DD CanDDX W-FD FDN, OFA NF-7189
Dam: Sweetbay’s Darby AmCanCD RE TD WD AmCanDD, OFA NF-6811, EL-1205
Owners: Judi & Ellis Adler, Sherwood, Oregon
Title earned: RA (AKC Rally Advanced title)

Maisie finished her RN on March 16, 2007, the first day of a three-show weekend. She performed superbly and earned a perfect score of 100, earning first place uncontested in the large Novice B rally class. Owner Judi Adler had entered her the following two days as well, so she bumped her up to the advanced class. This meant off-lead work and more complex and more numerous stations, but Maisie didn’t mind. In fact, the more complex the courses, the happier Maisie was.

On Saturday, she placed fourth with a solid 97. On Sunday, she did even better, with a 99 and another first place. As he handed us our ribbon and trophy, the judge commented to the spectators, “Isn’t it nice to see a Newfie work so fast and so happy? We’re so used to seeing them be slugs. Congratulations to you both on a fine, fine job.”
Maisie finished her RA title at the Newfoundland Club of America’s regional specialty in Portland on January 17. She took first place in her class with a stellar 99, again earning the judge’s compliments, along with a nice trophy and a fuzzy squeaky toy. Maisie earned yet another round of applause as she proudly carried that toy out of the ring, delighted with her prize.

Lyric ascends the steep A-frame

SpCH Sweetbay’s Lyric CD TDX RE WRD OAP OJP OFP (VCD1) OACV EGCV OJCV TNE TGO WVN UAG1 CSL3F, OFA NF-7437, EL-1624
Call Name: Lyric
Born: 12-17-99
Sire: Sweetbay’s Cheechako AmCan CDX TD WD TDD, OFA NF 4603, EL 173
Dam: Sweetbay’s Talisman CD, OFA NF 6525, EL 1016
Owner: Lois Apfel, Lakeside, California
Title earned: CSL3-F (CPE Specialists Level 3 Fun Games agility title)

The way you earn titles in CPE (Canine Performance Events) is a bit different than with other agility organizations. For one thing, they require more qualifying legs as you go up the levels. And they pair classes together (excepting the standard games). They have handler games (Colors and Wildcard); strategy games (Snooker and Jackpot) and Fun Games (Full House and Jumpers). You must get three legs in each game to earn the title.

Jumpers is like any other jumpers course; it gets more difficult as you move up the levels. In Full House you make up your own course, making sure you amass enough points and are still under time before you cross the finish line.
Lois and Lyric competed over the winter at various agility venues. Lyric finished her third leg of both jumpers and full house on January 20, 2008 at an agility trial in Temecula, CA. This completed her Fun Games title in level 3.

Anna alertly handles Rory through the weave poles

Sue and Quin pose with their judge at the completion of their CD title

Pat chose a travois as Leo’s draft apparatus

Sweetbay’s Galileo DD, OFA NF-8283, El-2252
Call Name: Leo
Born: 3-28-02
Sire: CanCh Sweetbay’s Kyak CD CanCDX WRD CanWRDX DD CanDDX W-FD FDN, OFA NF-7189
Dam: Sweetbay’s Darby AmCanCD RE TD WD AmCanDD, OFA NF-6811, EL-1205
Owners: Pat Nevils, Houston, Texas
Title earned: DD (NCA Draft Dog title)

Pat Nevils is active in Newfoundland rescue in Texas and has fostered countless dogs over the years. Leo welcomes these short-term visitors, often in quantity, and helps get them ready for their new homes. In January 2008, a good friend commented that since Pat was currently fostering only one dog, she should spend some focused time with Leo. He deserved to have time with Pat, all to himself. The friend suggested she train him for draft. Better yet, she made him a harness and loaned Pat a travois (a wheel-less two-pole sledge).

Leo was well versed in obedience, but even so, Pat was surprised with how easily Leo took to draft. From the first day he was hitched, he seemed to know just what to do, and he loved the cart work. Pat trained Sundays and occasional weekdays from January until the test weekend, March 1 and 2. Although their training time was short, Pat knew he was ready – even though, having never seen a draft test, she was far from ready herself. On Saturday, Pat’s nerves did them in. On Sunday, both Pat and Leo were more settled and they qualified with a lovely performance. Pat commented that if draft was a timed event, Leo would have been in first place – by a mile. Leo loves to work fast. The freight haul route was over rolling hills in central Texas and a good dog could really rack up some speed. Each time Pat halted him to make sure he was under control, he was eager to catch up to the stewards leading the walk, but he always listened and did as Pat asked. There was a rousing burst of applause as he and Pat passed the finish line. Everyone there was rooting for this grand boy.

Maisie

Sweetbay’s Maisie CD RE DD, OFA NF-8251, EL-2225
Call Name: Maisie
Born: 3-28-02
Sire: CanCh Sweetbay’s Kyak CD CanCDX WRD CanWRDX DD CanDDX W-FD FDN, OFA NF-7189
Dam: Sweetbay’s Darby AmCanCD RE TD WD AmCanDD, OFA NF-6811, EL-1205
Owners: Judi & Ellis Adler, Sherwood, Oregon
Title earned: RE (AKC Rally Excellent title)

Albany is about an hour south of Portland. Each February and March, two kennel clubs host paired obedience and rally trials at the local fairgrounds. The venue is cozy, informal and convenient, and Judi Adler and Maisie began and finished their RE title there.

Saturday, February 9, Maisie had her first try at excellent. The judge had set out a marvelously challenging course with lots of tricky corners and tight turns. Despite her size, Maisie excels at pinched-tight courses, and she nailed this one, scoring a solid 97 and taking first place in the class of thirty dogs. The following day, she did equally well in a more spread-out course, scoring 97 for second place.

Maisie finished up her Rally Excellent trial in March at the Saturday Chintimini show. It was one of those shows that left every entrant shaking his head because the judging had been creative and puzzling. For example, Maisie’s score of 88 left everyone dumbfounded. They were even more stunned when the judge explained that Judi had lost ten points because she failed to back up the required three steps on a particular exercise. “You only stepped back one step,” she claimed. Everyone saw otherwise, and a video (viewed later) confirmed there were three steps, exactly as required. It was a rather bizarre ending to a high-scoring rally career, but it did not diminish Maisie’s accomplishments one bit.

Sharon and Sonnet enjoy an afternoon at the ocean

Zip

Sweetbay’s Mississippi CD RE WRD, OFA NF-7892, EL-1951
Call name: Zip
Born: 3-17-01
Sire: Ch Ralee’s Winddancer, OFA NF-4890, EL-247
Dam: Sweetbay’s Parmalee AmCanCD AmCanTD AmCanWRD TDD CanDD, OFA NF-5341
Owner: Kathy Robbins, Mt. Airy, Maryland
Title earned: RA (AKC Rally Advanced title)

Kathy Robbins will tell you she originally viewed rally with skepticism. It sounded like a sport for novices – after all, how hard can it be if you can talk the dog through the course and use unlimited commands and signals? But she, too, discovered that rally can be as challenging as you wish to make it. And Zip, her Newfoundland, loved the moves and loved the variety. They completed their novice title easily, and both were delighted to move onto rally advanced. First of all, it’s off-lead, and Zip is a brilliant off-lead dog. Then, there are forty-five different stations, and each trial’s judge gets to choose which fifteen or so to use, so there is no “same old, same old.” That advanced title was wrapped up in no time, with the third leg coming on March 16th.

Brody flies over the high jump during a rally excellent run

Sweetbay’s Brody RE WRD TDD CanDD, OFA NF-8266, EL-2238
Call Name: Brody
Born: 3-28-02
Sire: CanCh Sweetbay’s Kyak CD CanCDX WRD CanWRDX DD CanDDX W-FD FDN, OFA NF-7189
Dam: Sweetbay’s Darby AmCanCD RA TD WD AmCanDD, OFA NF-6811, EL-1205_
Owner: Mark & Jean Ochsner, Lake Oswego, Oregon
Title earned: RE (AKC Rally Excellent title)

Brody’s first two tries at Rally Excellent came at the Linn-Benton trials in Albany, Oregon, on February 9 and 10. Brody and Mark were well prepared, having practiced tough, tight courses, and they found the actual trial courses much simpler than their practice runs. Brody breezed through on Saturday, despite the hectic outside-the-ring conditions, earning leg one. On Sunday, Brody was having so much fun that he charged through the course, completing it in record time but taking the bar off the bar jump with that long, wild tail. (Yes, that’s failing.) At their next trials, march 15 and 16 in the Chintimini shows, Brody was a little more settled, still showing his typical enthusiasm, but keeping the bars up on the jump uprights where they belong. He earned 97 scores both days – and his gleeful nature and exuberance brought plaudits from his judges and stewards as well as the spectators.

Sonnet and Sharon

Sweetbay’s Sonnet CDX U-CDX RE TD WRD CanWRDX, OFA NF-8250, EL-2224
Call Name: Sonnet
Born: 3-28-02
Sire: CanCh Sweetbay’s Kyak CD CanCDX WRD CanWRDX DD CanDDX W-FD FDN, OFA NF-7189
Dam: Sweetbay’s Darby AmCanCD RE TD WD AmCanDD, OFA NF-6811, EL-1205
Owners: Sharon and Michael Marcus, Portland, Oregon
Title earned: CD (AKC Companion Dog obedience title)

Sonnet earned her first Companion Dog leg on October 28, 2007, at a relatively small trial in Ridgefield, Washington. She did a superb job – and her 195.5 placed her in a run-off for second place. Her second leg was in a much bigger venue: at the Exposition Center in Portland at the Newfoundland Club of America’s regional specialty. She took first place in Novice B with a solid 191.5. Her final leg came two months later, in Albany, with a score of 186.

Anna and Rory

Rory explodes from the agility tunnel

Zip

Sweetbay’s Mississippi CD RE WRD, OFA NF-7892, EL-1951
Call name: Zip
Born: 3-17-01
Sire: Ch Ralee’s Winddancer, OFA NF-4890, EL-247
Dam: Sweetbay’s Parmalee AmCanCD AmCanTD AmCanWRD TDD CanDD, OFA NF-5341
Owner: Kathy Robbins, Mt. Airy, Maryland
Title earned: RE (AKC Rally Excellent title)

Once you have successfully made the leap from novice to advanced and you move on, the excellent level poses relatively few new challenges. There are but five new stations, and although they are more challenging, a smart dog can master them quite easily. Zip is a very smart dog, and she loved the new exercises. The 1-2-3 back-up where both handler and dog smoothly switch into reverse, with the dog remaining in heel position? That was fun. The “moving down and walk around dog” exercise, a real bugger, is rarely done well in trials, but Zip learned it and loved it and would drop like a stone on Kathy’s signal while Kathy continued moving forward, then around Zip in a circle. And the “honor” exercise was a cinch. Any dog who knows to stay and who has been adequately proofed can hold it while another dog runs the course. So Zip’s RE title came along quite easily, with Zip and Kathy giving crowd-pleasing performances each time.

Sonnet retrieves her dumbbell over the high jump

Ida and Magic celebrate their new draft dog title

Sweetbay’s Magic CD RE DD, OFA NF-9448
Call Name: Magic
Born: 2-21-05
Sire: Sweetbay’s Tanner AmCanCD RN AmCanDD, OFA 7777, EL-1867
Dam: Sweetbay’s Darby AmCanCD RE TD WD AmCanDD, OFA NF-6811, EL-1205
Owner: Ida & Robert Freimer, Dover, Massachusetts
Title earned: DD (NCA Draft Dog title)

Draft training is usually done in quiet venues: the neighborhood park, the nearby woods, the local school ground. But Ida Freimer chose to try for Magic’s draft title in the most public arena possible: the 2008 Newfoundland National Specialty in Warwick, Rhode Island. You can well picture the myriad distractions a dog would encounter when carting past hundreds of other Newfs and all the activities that take place at a National.
As if this weren’t difficult enough, Ida had to factor in her schedule. Each spring, she takes an extended trip to Poland to visit her family – and this year, she would arrive back home the day before the draft test. Jet lag, plus no time to practice – plus she had entered rally and obedience on the same Tuesday. Could she manage it all? She was determined to give it a try.

Everything fell into place. Ida managed the draft test (plus sandwiching in rally and obedience that same day, taking a first place in both classes). And Magic was superb, listening closely to Ida’s commands and prancing through the maneuvering course and freight haul like a far more experienced dog. What makes it even more impressive is that Ida does all her draft work behind the cart, out of reach and virtually out of sight. Magic responds to voice commands and the occasional peripheral hand signal.
The passing rate at Nationals is usually really low, and this test was no exception. There were only two qualifiers, and it was a proud moment for all their friends when Ida and Magic were one of the two.

Magic and Ida line up for the long sit exercise at a novice trial

Sweetbay’s Magic CD RE DD, OFA NF-9448
Call Name: Magic
Born: 2-21-05
Sire: Sweetbay’s Tanner AmCanCD RN AmCanDD, OFA 7777, EL-1867
Dam: Sweetbay’s Darby AmCanCD RE TD WD AmCanDD, OFA NF-6811, EL-1205
Owner: Ida & Robert Freimer, Dover, Massachusetts
Title earned: CD (AKC Companion Dog obedience title)

Ida’s first try at obedience came on March 15 at a local all-breed obedience show. It couldn’t have gone better; Magic qualified easily with a solid 193, good for second place in a class of 22. She also took home a trophy for High Scoring Newfoundland, for which five Newfs were in competition.

With one solid leg under their belts, Ida and Magic headed for a much bigger arena: the National specialty in Rhode Island. It offered two days of obedience trials, April 29 and 30, and if they worked well together, Ida and Magic could take home that CD title. Not that it was easy. Tuesday, Ida was not only in obedience but in rally and in the specialty draft test. She managed to make each event, racing back and forth across the show grounds, and qualified in each one. And Magic took first place in her obedience class for her second leg. On Wednesday, it felt almost relaxed: rally and obedience but no draft. Magic had the hang of things by now, having coped with all the craziness that accompanies a National, and she again qualified easily, taking second place in the class and earning her CD.

Ida commented that Magic is great fun to be with, even at competitions. She is very happy to work, she loves socializing with everyone there, and she especially loves when there are prizes. Every entrant got a dog toy, and Magic was thrilled, bouncing about carrying the new stuffie and proudly displaying her prize to everyone at ringside. It’s impossible not to have fun with a dog like that!

Quin

Sweetbay’s Quin CD RE WRD DD, OFA NF-8101, EL-2105
Call name: Quin
Born: 11-15-01
Sire: Sweetbay’s Cheechako AmCanCDX TD WD TDD, OFA NF-4603, EL-173
Dam: Sweetbay’s Esme AmCanCD TD WRD AmCanDD, OFA NF-7215, EL-1456
Owner: Sue and Mark Raney, Arvada, Colorado
Title earned: RE (AKC Rally Excellent title)

Quin found rally was a lot of fun, particularly the fast courses with lots of movement. Unfortunately, judges seem to want to salt their courses with tons of “halt” exercises, which just slows a party-boy down. But Quin handled those courses with aplomb, even though he voiced his opinion that he really wished there was more hustle and less of the stationary stuff.
His first leg came at the NCA National Specialty in Boulder in spring 2007, where Sue finished their RA and bumped him up to excellent. Then, in the intervening months, Quin earned a CD, which moved him into the “B” rally classes for his final two RE legs.

He finished his RE at the back-to-back Mountain States trials in Colorado on May 3 and 4. Sue reported that the last leg was not a given. Their “honor” location was right next to a floor drain – and all morning, little mice had been popping up out of the drain holes to see what was going on. Fortunately for Sue, by the time Quin’s turn came around, the mice had satisfied their curiosity and stayed in hiding.

Peyton

Sweetbay’s Peyton CD RN, OFA NF-7248, EL-1477
Call name: Peyton
Born: 6-3-99
Sire: Sweetbay’s Bounder CanCD, OFA NF-5924, EL-685
Dam: Sweetbay’s Parmalee AmCanCD AmCanTD AmCanWRD TDD CanDD, OFA NF-5341
Owners: Janelle Wilson, Redmond, Washington
Title earned: CD (AKC Companion Dog obedience title)

Janelle Wilson took her time before deciding to try for an obedience title. After all, it would be Janelle’s first time in an obedience ring, and that’s daunting! When her Newf, Peyton approached age nine, Janelle finally worked up the gumption. Their first trial, on March 29, confirmed that the time was right: Peyton took first place in her class and had a great time in the ring, performing her exercises with her typical energy and happily wagging tail. The following day, Peyton again took first place in the class, with a solid 189 score. They had to wait till May to try for their third leg, but it was worth the wait. On Sunday, May 11, Peyton was the lone Newfie in a sea of German shepherds – it was a GSD-sponsored trial. And she held her own, qualifying easily for a third place.

Sloane

Sweetbay’s Sloane CDX RA WRDX DD (NF-6830, EL-1214)
Call name: Sloane
Born: 4-30-98
Sire: Ch Ralee’s Winddancer, OFA NF-4890, EL-247
Dam: Sweetbay’s Scout CD TD WRD DD, OFA NF-5140, EL-323
Owners: Debby Rothwell, Long Beach, California
Title earned: RA (AKC Rally Advanced title)

Debby Rothwell got a great present for Sloane’s tenth birthday. On May 25th, Sloane finished up her Rally Advanced title with a lovely performance. She isn’t quite as fast as she was when a teenager, but she handled the jumps with ease and navigated the course with her trademark smooth gait and precision.

Lyric

SpCH Sweetbay’s Lyric CD TDX RE WRD OAP OJP OFP (VCD1) OAC EGC OJC TNE TGO WVO UAG1 CSL3-F CSL3-R CSL3-S CSL3-H, OFA NF 7437, EL 1624
Call Name: Lyric
Born: 12-17-99
Sire: Sweetbay’s Cheechako AmCan CDX TD WD TDD, OFA NF 4603, EL 173
Dam: Sweetbay’s Talisman CD, OFA NF 6525, EL 1016
Owner: Lois Apfel, Lakeside, California
Title earned: CSL3-R (CPE Specialists Level 3- Standard)

Canine Performance Events (CPE) is a great agility venue. The courses are always varied and great fun to run. Unfortunately, trials are infrequent in the San Diego area where Lois Apfel and Lyric compete. However, they were in luck: a weekend of trials on April 19 and 20, close to home. Lyric must have known that she wouldn’t get lots of chances; she gave her all at these trials. She finished her sixth leg in Standard on April 20th to finish her Standard title in Level 3. (She also qualified in Snooker and Jackpot at the trial, adding frosting to an already very sweet cake.)

Ida and Magic hustle through the rally advanced course

Lyric shows off her syle at the weave poles

SpCH Sweetbay’s Lyric CD TDX RE WRD OAP OJP OFP (VCD1) OAC EGC OJC TNE TGO WVO UAG1 CSL3-F CSL3-R CSL3-S CSL3-H, OFA NF 7437, EL 1624
Call Name: Lyric
Born: 12-17-99
Sire: Sweetbay’s Cheechako AmCan CDX TD WD TDD, OFA NF 4603, EL 173
Dam: Sweetbay’s Talisman CD, OFA NF 6525, EL 1016
Owner: Lois Apfel, Lakeside, California
Title Earned: WV-O (NADAC Open Weavers)

The NADAC agility organization has a wide variety of events to enter. A “Weavers” course consists only of weave poles and tunnels. Typically, weave poles slow a dog down, and tunnels allow the dog to zoom. Lois Apfel’s Lyric has always been astoundingly fast through those weave poles – but the tunnels are a different matter. It isn’t that she lacks speed; it’s that the large breeds create friction as they go through, and this slows them down. When a small breed like a border collie or sheltie goes through a tunnel, it doesn’t move; the dog sails on through without contact. But when Lyric charges through a tunnel, you can see it go up and down as well as sideways. The time limits in Open are very, very tight, and Lois wasn’t sure Lyric would be able to make time. But she did, and in spectacular fashion, earning the three necessary legs (and, on May 31, taking first place on that all-crucial third leg).

Lyric exits the tunnel and races for the next obstacle

SpCH Sweetbay’s Lyric CD TDX RE WRD OAP OJP OFP (VCD1) OAC EGC OJC TNE TGO WVO UAG1 CSL3-F CSL3-R CSL3-S CSL3-H, OFA NF 7437, EL 1624
Call Name: Lyric
Born: 12-17-99
Sire: Sweetbay’s Cheechako AmCan CDX TD WD TDD, OFA NF 4603, EL 173
Dam: Sweetbay’s Talisman CD, OFA NF 6525, EL 1016
Owner: Lois Apfel, Lakeside, California
Title Earned: Open Versatility (NADAC)

When Lyric earned her Open Weavers title the end of May, that completed the last of the six Open-level titles required for NADAC’s Open Versatility title. It was a long road, but Lyric loved every stop along the way. She began with her Open Gamblers certificate in April 2004; Open Tunnelers followed in June, and Open Agility in August. The following year she earned her Open jumpers, in June. 2006 was a quiet year with no Q’s. Then in June 2007 she finished her Touch N Go requirement. The three Weavers legs came in June and November 2007, with the final leg arriving in May 2008.

Lyric is eight years old. You would expect her to be slowing down considerably, and you might think this title would be impossible to achieve. But she is as fast as ever, and every bit the “wild child” that her many fans have come to expect.

Jean and Nova

Sweetbay’s Nova CD RAE TD WRD CanWRDX TDD CanDD, OFA NF-8113, EL-2111
Call name: Nova
Born: 11-15-01
Sire: Sweetbay’s Cheechako AmCanCDX TD WD TDD, OFA NF-4603, EL-173
Dam: Sweetbay’s Esme AmCanCD WD AmCanDD, OFA NF-7215, EL-1456
Owner: Jean & Mark Ochsner, Lake Oswego, Oregon
Title earned: RAE (AKC Rally Advanced Excellent title)

Jean Ochsner began rally work with the idea that it would give Nova some positive experiences in the ring. They did really well, zipping through novice, advanced and excellent, and Jean decided to try for the ultimate level, the RAE. You need ten legs for this title – and you must qualify in both advanced and excellent at the trial to earn one leg. It is, to some extent, and endurance exercise. But Nova was up to the task, and with so many shows, Jean and Nova improved their already praise-worthy working partnership.

Their last two runs (last leg) of the RAE were definitely the most memorable. The trial was outdoors, in Elmira, Oregon, with the excellent level first, then advanced. The judge’s course was tight and challenging, but both Nova and Jean like it better when they have to work. They sailed through Excellent without error, scoring a perfect 100, and first place in the class. The advanced run was also tight and tricky. Jean and Nova started through the course, working well together. When they approached the jump, Jean paused, pointed to the jump, and commented to the judge, “We’d be glad to take this, but I don’t think it’s fair.” The stewards had forgotten to reset the jump and the judge hadn’t noticed. The eight inch height was set for chihuahuas and pugs, not a Newfie. The judge grimaced, summoned her stewards to raise the jump, then asked Jean and Nova to start the course from the beginning. They did, running the course quickly and smoothly, and were rewarded with their second 100 of the day. They again took first place, winning a tiebreaker with the fastest time.

Hayley

Sweetbay’s Hayley WRD DD, OFA NF-10036, EL-3686
Call name: Hayley
Born: October 6, 2006
Sire: VN Ch Sweetbay’s Liam CD RN WRD TDD, OFA NF-7984, EL-2023
Dam: Sweetbay’s Taylor, OFA NF-8333, EL-2288
Owner: Carol & Mike Perkowski, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Title earned: WD (NCA Water Dog water rescue title)

Hayley has always been an enthusiastic water dog. In September 2007, she entered her first water test as a puppy and came within inches of passing. By the summer of 2008, she was a more seasoned and focused dog – still with the same enthusiasm, only Carol now had a lot more control. Hayley flew through the July 27 water test, completing each exercise in lickety-split time and with that trademark joy.

Michael and Petra

Sweetbay’s Petra CDX U-CDX RN UR01 WD DD
Call name: Petra
Born: October 6, 2006
Sire: VN Ch Sweetbay's Liam CD RN WRD TDD, OFA NF-7984, EL-2023
Dam: Sweetbay’s Taylor, OFA NF-8333, EL-2288
Owners: Sharon & Michael Marcus, Portland, Oregon
Title earned: WD (NCA Water Dog water rescue title)

Actors know that a terrible dress rehearsal means the performance will go fabulously. Michael Marcus’s Petra had that exact experience at the PNNC water test. She had been making steady progress that summer, but her last training session had not been promising. Then Petra pulled it all together and put together a focused, powerful and enthusiastic performance to earn her WD.

Sonnet

Sweetbay’s Sonnet CDX U-CDX RE TD WRD CanWRDX, OFA NF-8250, EL-2224
Call Name: Sonnet
Born: 3-28-02
Sire: CanCh Sweetbay’s Kyak CD CanCDX WRD CanWRDX DD CanDDX W-FD FDN, OFA NF-7189
Dam: Sweetbay’s Darby AmCanCD RE TD WD AmCanDD, OFA NF-6811, EL-1205
Owners: Sharon and Michael Marcus, Portland, Oregon
Title earned: CDX (AKC Companion Dog Excellent obedience title)

Sharon Marcus’ Sonnet prefers indoor shows. In Oregon, only the summer shows are outdoors, so fall and winter are the perfect time to get ring-ready. Sonnet earned her first CDX leg in Corvallis, Oregon, on September 27th. She scored a 190 and took second place in the class. The trial is held in a cow barn, and the dirt floors muffle the trial noises – and mean fewer broken dumbbells. Her second leg came at Ridgefield, Washington on October 26; she qualified easily with a 188.5 and won a run-off for second place. The third leg came on November 9 at a difficult venue. Dozens of barking dogs were crated right next to the ring, making concentration difficult. But Sonnet pulled it off, qualifying with a 185.5 and third place.

Carol and Hayley finish the freight haul at Lion’s Park

Sweetbay’s Hayley WD DD, OFA NF-10036, EL-3686
Call name: Hayley
Born: October 6, 2006
Sire: VN Ch Sweetbay’s Liam CD RN WRD TDD, OFA NF-7984, EL-2023
Dam: Sweetbay’s Taylor, OFA NF-8333, EL-2288
Owner: Carol & Mike Perkowski, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Title earned: DD (NCA draft dog title)

The High Country draft test, on November 11, 2008, was one of those dream draft tests where everything goes smoothly. Hayley did an excellent job in the obedience portion. Then she slipped between the shafts and worked elegantly for Carol, managing the maneuvering course with skill and grace. The group freight haul began auspiciously, with Hayley under beautiful control and in the lead. The one mile course weaves its way through a city park, then continues through downtown before circling back through the park. Spectators abound, and Hayley knows to concentrate on her job. That is, until the woman with the miniature pinscher approached. Apparently the sight of a dog pulling a cart was riveting, and when the stewards asked her to please not interfere, it was as though she was in a trance, because she just kept on, straight for Hayley. Hayley loves all dogs but is particularly enamored of the small breeds, and this min pin definitely caught her eye. It was all Carol could do to keep her on course. The min pin’s owner was laughing uproariously at Carol’s efforts and refused to move back. Fortunately, Hayley was responsive to Carol’s entreaties, and they completed the remainder of the mile without incident.