Thank you everyone for the congrats...Tats, congrats on Star's "shining" performance in agility Isn't it fun? I wish I had gotten my yellow lab Beener into agility, but I am not sure if he'd like it. He was one of the unusual cases, he did not care for obedience training, although he'd hang in there for me. I only took him to beginner class, he just did not care for it, don't know if he would have liked agility or not. I think he would have.

Tats, a WHOLE bunch of homemade doggie cookies??? Well Graham LOVES you now! I told him that just because he did not get a doggie diploma or a special doggie cookie with this agility place, that does not mean he's not a good dog! He told me to tell you that it was as sweet as sugar of you to offer to send him such a yummy graduation gift He wagged his stubble

Ok, it's bragging time now Graham, surprisingly, was the only mutt in both his class and the class before his (which I arrived early to watch every week). There was even an American/Canadian grand champion Rod. Ridgeback in my class, as well as a full border collie and Graham, once again, outdid his entire class! He won best in class in every obedience class, and he was by far the best in his agility class once again! The trainers told me (in private, so we would not upset the class) that Graham could have skipped the next class and placed well in the class after the next one, but I needed more training (correct ways of handeling him) so they told me I should do the next class so I am able to learn all that I have to learn (I've been outsmarted by a dog!!!)

The last class (graduation) they had us run the dogs through all the obsticles (in the weeks previus we were split into teams, and only tackeled 2-3 at a time), and, to my surprise, Graham knew the names of all the obsticles. I was closer to the middle of the arina and I would call out the name of the obsticle and Graham went right to it! He knew the teeter, "climb it" (a-frame), table, tunnel, "walk it" (dog walk), shute and all the jumps by name. I called out what he has to do next and he ran to it without me next to him guiding him My husband went to the last class and he was beaming with "proud daddy". He had never before been so proud and impressed of a dog. Graham had not shown fear once of any of the obsticles, but I did not know he actually knew the names of them all!

Sorry, had to brag about my boy. He was the only mutt and he was the best. I am determined to get his first title in agility because, not only is it oodles of fun, but also he makes mutts look good. I am not against purebreds, I absolutely love purebred GSD's, but when a "throw away" mutt does so well, it might promote more mutt rescues. I am so proud of him. He's so exceptional and I am SO lucky to have been the one to see him first and adopt him out of that aweful prison he was in.

P.S. Su, my agility class started at 9:30 PM, I hated that it was so late, I am an early bird, but I came to the class yawning every week and as soon as the class started I was wired! I ran and sweated and was more awake and alert then ever! My next class starts at 8:30 and I know that, once again, energy will intoxicate me and I'll, once again, be as awake as if it were a bright, sunny morning