Step One -- Done!

I figure the first step in committing to playing in a different organization is to actually get my dogs registered in said organization!

So.... This morning I signed up Kaiser & Secret for their very own USDAA numbers. Luke actually was registered back in 2009 when Family Dog Center was trying to get USDAA started in La Crosse. They were hosting a sanctioned match as part of the approval process and any dog participating in the match had to be registered with the organization. I was still pretty new to agility at the time (two years) but figured I'd give it a try. I think USDAA was a little beyond my skill set at the time and the jump heights concerned me with Luke, especially on the super craptastic mats that FDC had at the time. As a result, we never ventured out further than that fun match, so poor Luke has a record that has sat empty for all of these years!

Having now invested a grand total of $60 into USDAA for registration numbers, I hope that increases my motivation to actually enter a trial.

Although -- teeter or no teeter, I've been thinking about it and figure I could always plan to enter a trial and only enter Jumpers, Steeplechase, Gamblers & Snooker (of course, hoping that the latter two courses don't contain a teeter). I don't recall if I posted about this earlier, but I'm looking at a trial in Ham Lake, MN at the end of April or one over in New Berlin, WI at the end of May as my choices. The facility at New Berlin has turf, which would be a familiar surface for my dogs. On the Run in Ham Lake has the SUPER NICE Comfort King matting and I've heard wonderful things about it, but it would be new for my crew.

We'll see. I have time to decide, as the premiums aren't even published for these events yet.

Meanwhile, I'm crossing my fingers for lots of Q's this weekend at our NADAC trial. The sooner Secret & Kaiser can finish their NATCHes, the sooner that monkey is off my back and I can move on with a clear conscience. ;o) Everyone use your mental power to send, "Don't bring Chances courses with dog walks" vibes to our judge. lol

Lexie is staying with us this week while my parents are off cruising the Caribbean. How do I always pull the short straw in these situations? Ha! At any rate, my goal is to teach the little black terrier to weave while she's with us, but she arrived Friday evening and I have yet to actually bring my weave poles down into the basement. Hmm. Maybe I should get on that.

I'm not sure how Lexie would handle USDAA. The little cherub would have to jump a minimum of 8" and I have never actually gotten her to jump that high to date. lol Another thing to start working on, I suppose. No excuse anymore, considering she turned a year old back in September. She is a wee thing and only measures about 10" high, I think, with short stocky legs. I always figured I'd just let her run at 4" in NADAC and didn't worry much about jump skills, but that wouldn't be an option in USDAA. Honestly, I think a dog like her would be best suited to AKC (with which she is already registered, so no worries there) -- but it would be kind of hard to just run her in that organization if none of my dogs are playing... Eh, we'll see. Not worth worrying about it just yet!