On the hunt for new earthdog titles.....

[Greg P]

We took Master Earthdog Kona to Canada this weekend to pluck of a few easy titles. (So I thought!!!) The test was sponsored by the BC Sea to Sky ED Club.

During the week, we've been experiencing torrential rains. The road leading into the venue was 4-5 inch deep mud tracks. As I drove my motorhome to a pond off the side of the entrance road, the bank gave way and sunk the right hand tires into the bog. Two tow truck operators and 4 hours later, we got it out....but not without being scared the whole thing would topple on it's side. Motorhomes are not easy to pull when you're listing 30degrees.

Ok Saturday morning we awoke to a new day. The club had 2 tests each day, so I naturally thought...hmmmm. Piece of cake. Now a few grizzled ED veterans just chuckled, because it seems that NO US Master has done well in the junior tunnel there. I just knew we would be different!

Here we go.......first test.......Kona starts working a little lazily and leaves the quarry! Fail

Second test.....works better. Leaves the quarry 10 seconds short of success. WHAT IS HAPPENING??????

I decide the next day to enter him in Senior as the Canadian rules allow this. Sunday morning....he leaves the quarry AGAIN!

We have one test left on Sunday afternoon. This was our last chance or we were "0 for Canada".

This one turned out fine. Quarry in 12 seconds. Worked hard for his 90 seconds. Recalled in 5 seconds. Back on track!

So, We have an Canadian SE leg.

All in all we had a blast. Several notable masters from all the breeds were doing just as Kona was doing....leaving the quarry. It was weird. In Earthdog you "pays or money and takes your chances".

On leaving, the owner of the property had a 4 wheel drive one ton truck. He pulled us to safety. I'll be back. I loved the venue and the people. I won't be bringing the motorhome if we have a week of rain before the event!

I sure me, and my ditched motorhome will always be a part of their stories and lore.

[bradl]

Yow! I can just picture it Greg and a terrifying visual it is - GET BACK THERE AND FINISH WORKING!

Oh, and the motorhome thing too.

[Greg P]

Their den configurations are different for senior and masters. I actually like the changes and den designs. Not very many ME's currently in Canada. There are 2 Canadian Cairns with 2 Masters legs each.

There's a very talented NW Westie (who I've NEVER seen fail a leg) and a talented BC ME Border Terrier who left the quarry, as well! What was with those dogs????? They were all acting the same. I wonder if they met in the corner of the pasture to plot against us!

Hopefully one day we can sport AM/CAN ME behind Kona's name.

[mattoleriver]

Great story, Greg, I hope your tow coverage is good in Canada!

You gotta keep an eye on those Canadians they're much more civilized than we are... probably bathing the rats between contestants.

We'll be going to the GPDC tests this weekend to try to avenge a very poor showing at their last test. It was eerie, like what you described, lotsa good dogs just doin' nuthin'!!!

George

[Greg P]

Thought I would come clean with the embarrasing details:

In the foreground on this next photo, you'll see the next muddy obstacle!

I took a monster wrecker and 2 operators to get me out!

[dinoroxxx]

Interesting results. Sounds like uninteresting rats to me. Maybe experienced rats that just flipped the finger at the dogs knowing they were protected? Sounds like a fresh scent/fresh quarry issue to me.

Question? Have you ever let your dogs dispose of quarry fully?

[Greg P]

I think the vitality of the rats had a lot to do with the result. Many a fine earthdog left the quarry on this weekend. Interestingly enough, CKC rules allows farm mink to be used for quarry. I would love to see how the dogs would do with farm mink. (Wild mink not allowed)

I'll just say that the dogs have dispatched vermin.

[mattoleriver]

Interestingly, when we went back for the next tests Senior and Master dogs did well in a new set of tunnels at a new location. Junior dogs, who used tunnels located where the Seniors and Masters had had such a poor showing at the prior test, had a very dismal success ratio. Haunted ground?

George

[Chez]

We don't have earth dog trails in the UK that I know of but it does make you wonder if there was something seeping through the ground that confused the dogs. Especially with it having rained so heavily.