Flash NAP

A couple weeks ago Tia, Flash and I went to the Syracuse Obedience Training Club's agility trials. Tia had a great weekend, qualifying in Exc Jumpers the first day and with a nice run in Standard, and then on Sunday getting her first double Q towards her PAX (Preferred Agility Excellent - basically the agility championship for dogs running at the preferred jump height)! However, although Tia was outstanding, my most exciting brag comes from Flash.

Flash is over 12 years old, and a maniac when it comes to agility. She runs fast enough to beat big dog times, and will do anything to go faster - including knocking bars and leaping over contacts, both of which are mistakes that cause you to NQ. Flash moved down to preferred 7 years ago. The lower jump height helped a lot with her bar problem, so she is now in Exc Jumpers (and got her first leg on Saturday!). Contacts on the other hand were still a major problem, particularly on the dogwalk. We managed to pull off two qualifying runs, and then have been hunting that last leg for almost two years.

Sunday before her Novice Standard run, I told Flash that if she qualified she would get a double cheeseburger on the way home and another one when I got home from college later in the week. Into the ring we went, I took off her leash, and she zipped right up and over the dogwalk and hit the contact! All the bars stayed up and she hit all the contacts, and at long last Flash finished her NAP with a first place!

Flash is now officially retired from the Standard class, as I don't like her doing the a-frame at her age any more, especially since she runs so fast and crazy. She will still be blasting through Jumpers and FAST as long as she is happy and sound. Gotta love my crazy old dog!