Ralle "The Agility Judge"

The Main Dog

Well,  Ralle was not the main dog, he was more of an anomaly as we attended an agility event our very first week end in California.  Agility is BIG in California.  Overtaking regular dog shows in popularity by leaps and bounds.  Buddy is an agility star!  This event at Casa De Fruta had about 500 dogs entered.  Mainly collies of various kind and cattle dogs some poodles......  

Maria, Laura, Buddy, Neta, and Ralle

That said even Pyrenees compete amazing as that might seem.  If I am not mistaken someone had a dog from Oneida Acres as a contender.  Papillons are increasingly popular and those little cuties just seem to fly!

The Competition looks tough.

Maria's veterinarians,  a couple who have Madonna Mountain Veterinary Service, are avid competitors and they have a Great Dane!  As a puppy she learned how fun it was!  She, the Dane, grew up with some Border Collies and as a puppy she had no problems going through the shoot.  As she grew she simply learned to scoot!  Pretty awesome we think.

The courses are tuff!  Never the same!  The dogs have to follow the signals of their person!  It is very physical for both "partners".

We were too distracting for Buddy who kept looking for us so we left and did not get to see him perform and we did not get any pictures of "the team" during this event.  Laura who is an instructor in the sport "runs" him in Linnea's absence.  Laura calls Buddy her "good luck charm"!

Linnea will be home in the end of this week after finishing her first year at the culinary university she attends in Providence Rhode Island and we know Buddy will be elated (as will the rest of us).  The two of them will have a blast at the events this summer.  We will be there cheering them on that's for sure! Linnea has also been asked to cook at some of the events by some of her friends and team members.  It is going to be a fun summer for us all.

If Ralle can't be a judge at the very least he can be a mascot ^..^ or  V..V