Summer Fun

Last weekend I went to Syracuse and met up with my Mom and the two of us, and Hazel of course, participated in a wine tour event on Cayuga Lake!
It was geared towards dog lovers and the dogs were welcome to join in the fun!
Visit: Greyhound Wine Tour & Friends
We could only attend Thursday night and Friday, but had a great time and can't wait for next years event!

Our first stop on the trail!

This is my new friend, Miles.
She was serving the wine at Long Point winery.
And dog cookies too! I like her!

What a pretty day!

Another new friend!
Being greeted by the resident winery dog, Ruby.

I think Ruby's had enough wine!

Last stop of the day. We only got to visit four of the wineries, but still had a lot of fun! Looking forward to doing it again next year!

Sunday was spent having a cookout with my husbands family, including his five grandchildren, all girls,
ranging in ages from 1 1/2 - 5 years old!
What fun for a energetic pooch!

Cool sticks! Can I play?



Catch me if you can!

Ummm....excuse me, but I get yelled at
if I try to eat the frisbee!

Is it my turn yet?
Please, please, pretty please?

I LOVE pool time!

Who gave her the hose?

Yikes! Everyone outta the pool!

Dutch also enjoyed the family party.........

Stealing kisses from all the girls

Hope everyone is having a great summer!

New JH Title!

With such good news, you'd think I would have updated the blog site sooner, but alas, I've been slacking on my blog duties! Sorry!!!!
Anyways......on July 11, 2009 at the Finger Lakes Retriever Club hunt test in Baldwinsville, NY, Hazel qualified for the fourth and final time to earn her Junior Hunter title! She was entered on Sunday as well, and qualified that day also! What a good girl!

Mmmmmm......feather up the nose!

You can't fool me! I know those geese are fake!

Don't I look dreamy!

This pesky decoy keeps following me!

Splish, Splash!!

Blucollars Hocus Pocus CD, RN, JH

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing everyone a Safe and Happy
Independence Day!

Last weekend in June was busy!

The last weekend in June was a busy one.
On Thursday and Friday (the 25th and 26th), we were in Bainbridge, NY competing in a breed confirmation show. Hazel has been shedding out her coat, which does not help with the "beauty" contests, but she still managed to win her class on Thursday and also win BOS (best of opposite sex) earning another point towards her championship title!

She needs a total of 15 points with two "major" (3 or more points) wins, and she's halfway there with 8 points and one major win!

We spent Saturday at home, doing stuff around the house and trying to rub as much coat off of Hazel as possible (we're done with the beauty contests until August, so hopefully the faster I can get her old coat out, a new one will grow in!)

Sunday morning it was off to Simsbury, CT for a hunt test. The weather was perfect in the morning for the land series, overcast and just a wee bit cool. Hazel nailed her land marks, but I was a little dissappointed in her delivery back to me, as she wanted to parade her retrieved prize in front of the judge first!
By the afternoon water series, the sun had come out and it was quite warm. Hazel did a good job on her water marks. The first one landed in the reeds and she had to hunt a bit for it, but found it and the second mark was in the open water (yeah)! Both time's she would have "broke" on the line (good thing I was holding her) and her delivery again was sloppy (set the bird down to "shake off") so we do have some things to work on! But all in all it was good and she qualified!
She needs one more pass now to earn her Junior Hunter title. She will be competeing in Baldwinsville, NY on July 11 and 12, so hopefully that will be it!

Yipeeeeee!! Here I come duck!

But Mom.....I wanna go swimming again!

Fun in Salem, MA

No dog events scheduled for this weekend, instead we spent Friday and Saturday in one of our favorite places to visit, Salem, MA.
The rain held off and we enjoyed all of our usual "haunts" (O'Neill's Pub, Red's, Pickering Wharf and The Engine House Pizza), as well as walking about town enjoying the sights, sounds, shops and people. And although the Boston Red Sox lost against Atlanta on Friday night, they won the games on Saturday and Sunday! " Yeah" says Mom and Dad! "Woof Woof" says Hazel! Go Red Sox!

Our first stop on Friday night is always O'Neill's Pub
for great food and great live Irish music!

Hazel also enjoyed the live Irish music by
John Rockwell (guitar) and Larry Young (fiddle)
at O'Neill's Pub

Relaxing on Essex Street

Salem is filled with Witches
(Mom can't fool me, I know it's her!)

and Skeletons
(Mmmmm, bones - I'm getting hungry)

and Pirates! Oh my!
(Do you have any treats?)

Which one do you like best Dad?

Hazel and Dad checking out the boats at Pickering Wharf

Trying to get a closer look

What a fun weekend in Salem, MA
Can't wait to come back again!

Jr. Hunt test passes

Hello everyone!
A month has passed since our last entry and we apologize for that!
A quick update of what Hazel has been up to since earning her CD title in May...... The last weekend of May we attended our first hunt test in Newburgh, NY. Unfortunately it was not a successful venture, the test the first day was very difficult and we weren't alone in finding it difficult as 22 of the 47 dogs entered didn't pass either! The highlight of the day though was a visit from one of Hazel's siblings, her sister Briley! (See picture below) Briley is a very nice girl, who is spoiled rotten (as she should be) by her family and enjoys goose and pheasant hunting with her dad who raves about her trainability and retrieving skills.

Me and my sister "Briley".
We had fun visiting each other in Newburgh, NY
I'm glad I got to play with her again!

Sunday's test was a nice test and Hazel got her first land mark, but unfortunately looked back at the first set of gunners as the second mark was being thrown and missed the fall. She doesn't handle yet, so I wasn't going to even try. But the weather was beautiful, we met some new friends, and all in all it was a decent weekend!

On June 7th we were in Yorktown Heights, NY for a confirmation show. Hazel did get reserve winners, but alas, no points towards her CH title.

Last weekend, June 13th and 14th, we were in Baldwinsville, NY for another two hunt tests. This time we were successful! The tests both days were nice tests, the weather was great and the test grounds are only about 45 minutes away from where my Mom lives so we were also able to get free room and board! Can't beat that!! Hazel performed very well, but it is amazing how when walking to the holding blinds, obedience type heeling seems to be a forgotten skill! Definately something to work on!
Here are some pictures from the tests.

I see it!!
Let me at it!

It's all wet Mom....
are you sure you really want it?

Waiting in the holding blind for my turn at the fun!

I've got it Mom and here I come!

Waiting for your turn is the worst part!

Thank you judges!
That was fun!

This weekend we're headed to Salem, MA for some "relax" time, and then the following week (June 25th and 26th) is a breed show in Bainbridge, NY and on the 28th a hunt test in Simsbury, CT. We'll let you know how it all goes!

New CD Title!

Hello to everyone that visits this blog!
Thanks for stopping by and checking in with our updates and activities!
Hazel and I had a fun and successful weekend. We competed in an obedience trial at the Albany Obedience Club in upstate NY, hoping to qualify and earn the two passes we needed for the AKC Companion Dog (CD) title.
Saturday was a good day for Hazel. She performed well and surprised even me with a score of 193 out of 200 for a 3rd place finish placement! Whoo hoo!
Sunday was a bit more of what I expected, with some major ADD moments and yet she managed to hold it together enough to get a score of 183.5 earning the third leg for the title!
I'm quite proud of my girl earning her title in three consecutive shows!

Next weekend it's off to Gettysburg, PA for a mini vacation and then the following weekend to Newburgh, NY for a weekend of hunt tests where we'll be working on earning a junior hunter title.
Stay tuned for updates on our progress!

Blucollars Hocus Pocus RN, CD, CGC, TDI

New CGC and TDI

Last Saturday Hazel took her Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog tests at "All Dawgs Training" in Richmondville, NY. She passed both tests with flying colors and made some new friends along the way.
Once we get the paper work filled out and sent into TDI, we'll be a registered working team and will be able to begin visiting nursing homes, hospitals and other similar facilities with the hopes of brightening someone's day!

I'm ready to do some therapy dog work
and bring a smile to someone's face!

One must be very patient when hunting tennis balls!

W. Springfield, MA shows

April 18th and 19th we were in West Springfield, MA. to compete in two "breed confirmation" dog shows.
We had a successful weekend and won both days earning 3 more points towards our championship title! Woohoo!

This is nice Mom, but I want to go swimming!

After the drive back home, it was still early enough that we were able to go down to the river for some REAL fun!

I love the splash!

Yikes - water up my nose!

I just can't get there fast enough!

I got it Mom!
Can we do it again?

Rally Novice Title!

On Friday, March 27th we attended a show in Syracuse, NY at the NYS fairgrounds.
Hazel was entered in the "bred by exhibitor" confirmation class and although Dad wasn't there to take any pictures (he was in the obedience building making sure we wouldn't be missing our turn over there), she won her class and went on to win WB (winners bitch) and BOW (best of winners). Earning another point towards her championship title.

Then we high-tailed it over to the opposite side of the fairgrounds, to compete in the Rally Obedience Novice B class.
Hazel still needs to work on paying better attention to me (although she doesn't seem to think so) yet, even with her moments of distraction, she completed the course and scored a 92 out of 100. Earning her third (and final) "leg" for her RN (rally novice) title!

I see you taking my picture Dad!

Last sign on the course.... guess I'll pay attention now!

What a pretty "New Title" Ribbon
Now that I have a RN title, does that mean I can fix sick people?

After leaving the show on Friday, we went to spend the rest of the weekend at my Mom's home in Pulaski, NY.
It wasn't long after arriving that Hazel and I promptly got into a much more comfortable environment for both of us! We both love being outdoors getting dirty!

I love water and MUD!

WooooHoooooooooo - I'm flying!
My feet aren't touching the ground!

Found it!

Got bird, now back to Mom!

I'm coming Mom!
This is SO much more fun than a dog show!

Hazel will now have a couple of weekends of fun (outdoor training) and then it's back to another dog show in Springfield, MA on April 18th and 19th.