Full Weekend

So this past weekend was special and fun for me for several different reasons: I got to go camping with my family, attend an Agility trial and then meet up with Beth and her service dog, Cobra. Name sound familiar? Hmm, wonder why...........cause it is THE Cobra!!!

I got to Iowa on Friday afternoon and met up at the campground with my parents, my brother and his motor home, and my sister and her family and pull trailer (a 40 footer!)

Early the next morning, I had to be at the Agility site at 7:30, so I woke up at about 6 and got the dogs taken care of and loaded up. I didn't take Annie with me, but thought I would work with Sammy and JD on socializing and such, so she stayed back at the campground.

Tara ran her first run with some faults and during it, I noticed she was limping a bit. I thought nothing of it and she appeared fine afterward. As we start running our second course and she pounds into the ground from the first jump she starts whimpering and limping badly. I look at her foot and notice a big chunk missing! Not sure how she did it, but I scratched her from that run, gave her a rest, tried to soften up the pad before our third run. She didn't make it too far in that one, did the same thing. So i decided to just scratch all the other runs and head back to the campground. She is fine now and all and I didn't feel bad scratching because this weekend of Agility was free for me due to some tickets I won earlier. Things happen and it was okay in the end.

At the Agility trial. I usually have a tent, chairs, separate crates, but didn't really want to bring all of that with me and I'm now glad I didn't.

Later that night, Beth and Cobra and her Dad came to the campground for smore's. It was so good to see them again! Cobra was his usual silly self. To be honest, I really think he remembered all the camping trips he was on. He was always looking over at the ex-pen I had set up and when I would stand up to go and correct the dogs if they were whining or barking, Cobra would look at me as if to say "I remember when you did that!" Ha ha! Like I said, what a silly boy.

I believe they got there at 7:30 and stayed till almost 10:30! It felt so good to see them again. I'm glad that she allows me to stay in contact with her and she sends me all sorts of pics and letters! All I can say is, Beth! YOU ARE AWESOME!!!

Just look at those eyes! Who could resist!

Here he's looking at my dogs and trying to think if he remembers them or not :)

My hand giving him a good ol' scratch. Don't worry! I asked permission :)

Wasn't the best picture, I was trying to talk to my dad on how to run the camera as well as looking into the setting sun.

I usually have crates and tents and mats galore, but I decided to pack light and only brought one soft-sided crate for Sammy, and ex-pen with a mat, and one wire one. So it was a little cramped for them, but I think they lived. Bonding time!

Here's Sammy hanging out in the camper. Not a care in the world


Alright, so see that big hill? Well that little dark spot at the top is a truck! Yeah and see where there is a path leading up where my nieces wore it down walking on it? I walked that several times and let me tell you! No easy feat! On the other side is a reservoir with giant rocks covering the side of it. On Sunday, everyone climbed it and went down the other side to the edge of the water to try and find sea shells. We didn't, so we continued walking east until we hit some sandy areas (1/2 mile later!) and found all kinds. Annie came with me and walked in the water the whole way. She won't go too far in cause she is scared of tipping over. You should see her if I throw a stick just out of reach and she tries to get it, she like tips over into the water. Her water skills needs work ;)

It was a great weekend and all of us had alot of fun!