Raising the Bar of Badness

Luna is 7 months old now. I can hardly believe it! What is almost as amazing as her age milestone is the unparalleled path of destruction she has managed to leave in her wake. Just when I think she is about to even keel on the havoc she kicks the devastation up a notch. Take her stunt this Saturday when she yet again raised the bar.

Allow me to set the stage. It was a beautiful, quintessential fall morning. A tad bit crisp but lovely nonetheless. I had been sitting outside barefoot, drinking hot tea on the deck, listening to my favorite Simon and Garfunkel Pandora channel watching the pointer sisters roll each other through bushes and hunt moles. Minus the tag team dog wrestling it was a pretty relaxing start to the day. The phone rang so I stepped inside for 5 minutes. FIVE FRIGGIN MINUTES people and returned to find the following, which isn't all that bad considering and its a rather typical offense for Ms. Luna Lu.

This was the replacement mat to the last one she destroyed and ran away with. I'm about to power drill the next one to the deck. I'm not loosing this battle. Ohhhh no.

The day I came out and the old mat was finally no more.

As an aside it would have been bitchin if I said MARCO and the mat said POLO.

Things are always so much cooler in my head. 

I'd also like to point out she pooped on the front welcome mat one time in a rainstorm. Cause I guess she thought crapping on the front porch was a suitable alternative to fertilizing the lawn. I have no idea what her issue is other than she must be spawned from Satan. But I digress. Anyway, after gathering up my mat remnants and disposing of them in the trash I gave her the stink eye and went inside to use the bathroom and wash my hands. FIVE FRIGGIN MINUTES later I come back and can't find her. Meanwhile Cleo is sound asleep in a sunbeam.

So I start to call her. No response. I run around the house and don't see her. I call her again and nothing. I go out to the wood pile and then I hear it. High pitched dog squealing which if your anything like me it strikes fear into my heart. I ran back to the house in a panic. I run up on the deck just to hear it again. It's coming from below my feet. Oh yea....imagine that. Some jerk puppy has managed to climb 20 feet under the deck to the farthest spot from the opening and is now stuck. And I don't mean like she'll come out when she's ready....like she's stuck stuck. Like she needs assistance.

Bet I'd be a kick ass spelunker....just sayin

Forty minutes and two panicked phone calls later I'm flash light in hand crawling under the deck to retrieve Luna(tic). Luckily for me and you for picture sake, my sister in-law Rebecca just happened to be driving by the exit for my town and came over for what I thought was support in case I got stuck during the rescue. But in reality it turned into well deserved heckling and picturing taking. Thankfully I find the humor in and actually respect being kicked while down. I would have done the same for her. It took three tries but on the final entry I managed to ignore the thoughts of all the snakes that I've seen retreat under the deck, all the cobwebs that were in my face and hair and the fact that it was such a tight squeeze at times I had no idea if I could get back out. Good thing I'm not overly claustrophobic. But I eventually reached her, unhooked her, slid her on her side and slowly shimmied out while dragging her 50 pound frame out by her front legs.

The best way to achieve an authentic 80's hair style?? Crawl under a deck.

I'd like to point out that halfway back she could have easily army crawled with me but actually preferred being drug. Why? Cause she's a jerk. Upon exiting the deck she dove onto and knocked my sister in-law down and the proceeded to zoom around the yard in victory laps. Thirty seconds after being freed it was like nothing ever happened to her and I stumbled into the house to find some advil (that's a lie...it was totally wine). Moral of the story?? Buy a house cat, or a guinea pig or get a gold fish named Sally Swims Alot since these creatures don't care a friggin thing about killing moles under the deck.

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NAVHDA Natural Ability and Utility Test Results

The big day finally arrived and yesterday we drove down to our home chapter (Del Val) and tested 6 month old Luna in her NAVHDA Natural Ability test as well as running Cleo in her Utility Test. We had a pretty darn good day. Luna received a prize one and Cleo earned a pretty respectable prize two.  Jim did a great job handling the girls and I thought he showed a tremendous amount of poise for being not only a first time UT handler but running both girls in the same day.

Cleo on point with Jim in the middle and Jake Bean and Robert G gunning

I once caught a fish this big!

Cleo did a great job in the field. She ran big and it took over 2 minutes for Jim, the gunners and the judges to reach her on her first point. I was so nervous I had to turn and look the other way. It was the longest 30 minutes of the day for me but she stayed nice and steady and had a great run. Luna kept the sentiment going and also did a great job making us super proud of our puppy.

Luna on point

The two things everyone worries about on test day are the track for the NA test and the duck search for the UT test. Those always seem to be where dogs get themselves into trouble. Luckily Luna had no issues with the track. Cleo had a super interesting duck search but in the end it all worked out. Our biggest fear was that she wouldn't immediately go out and search that she would mill around the shore for a few minutes before expanding. Much to our relief after 35 seconds she headed out to the furthest part of the pond. After 9 minutes the judges instructed Jim to call her back and he did. Not 20 seconds later she found a wild duck and it took off across the pond with Ms. Sassyspots in hot pursuit. To make a long story short she eventually got her duck and delivered it to hand and we breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Luna Lu AKA Shark Girl

Geneva convention of dogs

This was my favorite picture from the entire day. I wonder if he saw any remnants of my flip flops or jade plants in there. I mean there had to be residual cat poop or SOMETHING...... 

The wheels kind of came off the cart for Cleo when we got to steady at the blind. For some bizarre reason when Jim walked away she stood up and barked at him four times. She has NEVER done anything like that and I couldn't even begin to fathom why. But just to keep the self destruction going (I mean why stop there) she went and retrieved the duck and then dropped it twice before handing it over to Jim. Our hearts pretty much sank and we knew she blew it. She also dropped the duck during the drag which was always one of her most solid parts of the test. It was frustrating to know she had done so well earlier and then stumble somewhat at the end. But regardless we really were happy with the prize 2.

So here is your official WARNING.....I'm about to have a bleeding heart moment. In fact it's incredibly rare. Five bucks says hell is freezing over at this exact moment at the melting of my black little heart. So either run to your TV to watch the news reports of icebergs in hades or sack up and get some kleenex cause were about to get real people.

I'm thankful. Like really flippin thankful. Jim and I were blessed to get hooked in with such a great NAVHDA chapter who's members really rallied around us to help us achieve the goals we set. We have been nothing short of fortunate to have spent the spring and summer training with this group of people.

Flash back moment to Luna working with Bob G when she was only 13 weeks old.

Thank you so much to the folks who came out and gunned, organized, supported, and cooked an amazing lunch for everyone. What a great group of people they are. The judges also deserve a big shout out as they lost a day they could have spent with their families or working their own dogs. Without them we wouldn't get to do what we love. Thank you Larry Lawton from NY, Glenn Basko from NJ and Chip Holcher from MD. You were good judges and we appreciated your insight and thoughts at the end. Also thank you to all you readers. You guys and gals ride the highs and lows of this fun sport with us and for that I'm thankful as well.

As for us and the pointer sisters were going to enjoy hunting this fall. Most likely we will go for a couple of Cleo's master hunter braces and then go for that UT prize 1 in the spring or fall.  I wish part of earning a prize 1 in NA means you have to behave but Lu's already dashed those prayers by trying to eat a frog tonight and then foaming at the mouth profusely. What a jerk. Anyhow like us and follow us on facebook at Adventures of a German Shorthaired Pointer and I'm gonna stop being all sappy. Back to my hardened facade. I got a fight to train for. :)

Say Good Bye to Summer Recap

Even hell puppy needs her beauty sleep

I've been a real bum the last few weeks with my blogging. This is the biggest layoff I've had since I started it more than a year and half ago. My work recently moved and Jim's father passed away making keeping up with this nearly impossible. So I thought I'd bring everyone up to speed with a recap of the last couple of weeks.

We  ended the summer like we always do at my parents shore house in Cape May, NJ. Click here to read about past shore shenanigans. We ate too much, drank too much, partied too much with the rowdy neighbors and slept too much. It was a phenomenal time. We also celebrated as Cleo turned 3 on September 1st. She spent the day running the beach, napping and chewing on fresh marrow bones with her pesky little sister in tow. What a life they have. When I die I want to come back as one of my GSP's.

Nothing like a 50 pound lap puppy to make chilling at the shore a little better.

Cleo and Luna partied like rock stars all night for Cleo's 3rd.  She originally demanded flasher beads but we think she's a little young for that so she settled for Hawaiian lei's. She drives a hard bargain that dog. She waved her paw at me and barked something about what happens in Cape May stays in Cape May!? I tried to no avail to explain to her that was Vegas. Sheesh...kids these days. Anyway below are some post party early morning hangover pics. Luna showed her youth by drinking the hangover off. Cleo not so much.

Someone check that puppy's I.D. Don't believe her if she says its in the car and she'll get it later.

**Disclaimer: The dogs didn't have any booze. Those are our and the rowdy neighbors empties. Don't get riled people. I'm not a jerk.**

But of course no hangover could stop hell puppy from working her magic. She was so well behaved all weekend until I returned early from the neighbors house to find that she had infiltrated the cat litter box and feasted on three days worth of kitty turds. I'm pretty sure her farts smelled like litter for two days. Jim says that only happened in my head. Glad were not voting on it Jim cause they did.

Luna's face full of litter. I wouldn't let her kiss me for a week. Barf.

To top things off we had a 5 1/2 hour ride home in shore traffic which was just enough to stir Luna(tic) into a tornado of destruction. And upon arrival home she managed to eat my favorite hat and destroy her dog bed in about 5 minutes. During the destruction Jim sat about 5 feet away immersed into fantasy football (which he is totally going to loose at by the way because I have the best team in our league, just saying).

Bye bye cute Mossy Oak hat. We had a great two years together. I will lament your loss. Rest in Peace.

Ugh!! WTF Luna!!! Really?

Even with all that has been going on we've been managing to squeeze time in working with the girls getting them ready for their upcoming NAVHDA Utility (UT) and Natural Ability (NA) tests. Cleo is looking great in the field and her duck searches have really come around. She's come a long way since we started training in the spring. Fingers crossed we do well with the UT otherwise I have a feeling it will be a long and quiet ride home with Jimbo. Luna on the other hand were not really worried about. She's 6 months old and impresses us every time we take her out. And she is so young we will be happy with whatever she does. 

Cleo returning from a duck drag

Luna's first track on a live pheasant. 

Brought it right back to Daddy!

So summer is officially over. For most people that probably bums them out. Not me. Aside from not having daily tomato sandwiches from the garden I can't wait for chilly weather, hunting, photographing dogs at field trials and hunt tests, drunken pumpkin carving, venison chili and copious amounts of fantasy football trash talk. This is my favorite time of the year. I'm looking forward to taking Luna hunting for her first time and watching as the leaves change and fall.  Hope you stick around for the ride and find us and like us on facebook. Adventures of a German Shorthaired Pointer.