I celebrate Ruby.
Nine years old.

Smart, courageous, funny, beautiful, wise, and loving.  

With each passing year, she just gets more amazing. 

Thank you to Pat Boggs and Kathy Lytle for bringing this gem into my life. 

Ruby achieved her Advanced Agility Dog of Canada last weekend.
In the past she has preferred to hunt for vermin rather than play agility in this barn. In our first run she left three times to check out the ring crew, but she came back each time and played with me. Our second run was perfect…but slow.
It was a big improvement in a high distraction environment. My training goal now will be to build up her speed in trialing. I know she has it, she gives amazing speed in practice.

We’re on to ‘crackin’ the Schipperke code, Level two. 🙂

His first real ‘trial’ environment…and he was awesome.

Ruby and I took part in our very first Regional Agility event, June, 2023. It was held on the beautiful We Wai Kai Sports Fields, in Campbell River.
It was presented by an extraordinary team of dog agility clubs and their members, from both Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Their collaboration and enthusiasm set a benchmark for the future.

My personal goal was simple. Keep connected with Ruby, for six runs. Four on Saturday, and two on Sunday.
On the preceding Friday, I entered two SteepleChase runs FEO, which allowed us to experience two of the Regionals rings.
I also did two warm ups in the other two rings.
I’m delighted that we achieved our goal and she didn’t leave me once during those six runs.

Here’s a little memory video of the event.

I love my Ruby.

Trust is 14 months old. I celebrate months in my puppies’ lives, perhaps because so much happens in those first two years; it’s a way of appreciating the changes and the challenges you’ve overcome.

This birthday, is especially special as it marks one year since Trust came to join us.

I took a wander through my photos and put a few together into a little movie to reflect on all the fun we’ve had so far.

I had dithered about which puppy I should take from Frany and Naish’s lovely litters, not sure about taking a male since I had another male at home. It was ‘crunch time’ so I slept on it, one last time. His name came to me, in a dream.

And so it came to be, that MysticIsle “Always Trust Your Heart” aka “Trust,” came home to me, August 1, 2021.

And I’m so grateful for that.

https://youtu.be/Fu2fl-nRxoE