Welcome to the World of Team Cheetah

I have created this blog spot to keep people up to date on the Adventures of Cheetah. I will back track a little bit, so that I can put some video of other events up that people had wanted to see. Cheetah is a 4 yo Golden Retriever aka "Fireside's Screamin' Cheetah" She has been so much fun to train and she is a great dog to live with too. She has a lot of drive with out being too crazy (just a little bit)

I will start with the weekend of March 9, 2008 ( the day that Cheetah MACHED)

On Fri 3/7/08 we needed 2 QQ's for her MACH and I really wanted to get it at the Blue Ridge Trail in Winchester, VA. because I love club and the facility and I had gotten my MX and MXJ titles there too. Well I suppose I was a little more stressed about getting that QQ than I thought, b/c she was all over the place, I think we NQ'd 3 times before obstacle 8. I think that was a sign that perhaps I should snap out of it and just run my dog!

Sat the 3/8/08 ( we STILL need 2 QQ's) but this time the agility gods were kind and I didn't loose my mind and we got our standard run.

Std course time 62 sec yds 176

Cheetahs time was 43.82 and 4.02 yps 3rd place

Next it was time for Jumpers. This was an interesting course in that there was this circle of jumps that you had to go around 2x before exiting, and we were joking that we were going to get stuck in the loop and never come out. I said that I would know exactly when to leave b/c it would be after we went past the weave poles twice ( her favorite obstacle) and I wouldn't want to go by them again. I was so right, she drifted out to them both times we went by, she wanted them soo bad, but she was a good girl and didn't take them, but it did make the crowd ( who know how she is) laugh.

Std course time 42 sec yds 157
Cheetah's time 30. 72 yps 5.11 ( darn those weave pole sirens!)

Sunday March 9, 2008

Well this was the day I had be dreaming of (literally) I had a dream that we got our MACH this weekend, at this location, and I even remember what I was wearing in the dream when we took our victory lap, so you best belive I wore this outfit today.

The Standard course was interesting and I think that I was running her alittle tight, but she was a good girl and did everything I asked.

Std Course time 64 sec. 184 yrds Cheetah's time 46.13

OK - only one more run to go.

I watched the little dogs run this very technical course up close and personal - I was assistant scribe. Dog after dog NQ'd on this course. It got to the point that the timer rather than saying go when ready wanted to say "next victim" or "may the force be with you"

I thought I was going to throw up. Sheli said she couldn't even talk to me, because she was nervous for me.

JoEllen helped by yelling at me as she had the other runs for the weekend ( this worked for me - I don't know why?)

When I finally walked to the line, I was sorta numb. Once I released her, I don't really remember much else until I got the final Front Cross in to shape the weave pole entry, and I suddenly thought OH MY GOD - I am clean we just have to weave and take the last jump, then I'm like SHUT UP and handle the dog. She cleared the last jump and the building exploded with Cheering! I was exstatic!!! We made our customary MACH lap and Cheetah was looking at me like I was crazy until I could get her close enough to stuff to start sending her to obstacles. Then as we came around the last section of the course I sent her to the weaves, and she NAILS the entry - this was from the same jump that was in the course and was the one that I was SO worried about. I was so proud of my little girl. She was amazing.

Std course time 36 sec, 135 yards Cheetah's time 25.84 (3rd place)

I will continue to look into the video uploading...