Tamarack Junction Summer Solstice

Pi in his new fishy swimsuit made by Super Fly Suits

On Saturday, June 21st, we packed up all the dogs and headed out to Reno for the Tamarack Junction Splash Dogs event. We weren't sure how long we would be gone, so we decided to bring everyone, plus this event gave us a rare opportunity to do free practices in a smaller pool. I was hoping Patti might be interested in jumping once she saw her brother do it, but I didn't really get the response from her that I expected, lol. Oh well, we will keep on trying.

I had ordered Pi a brand new swimsuit made by Super Fly Suits, but had yet to try it on him since one of our own local jumps had been cancelled due to the drought. I was really looking forward to having him debut his new look.

I only entered Pi in two splashes, and while he didn't make any spectacular jumps he did have a good time (which is always the priority). In the first splash he placed 7th in the senior division with a jump of 15'5". Placing high in the junior division is pretty easy for him, but if he goes a few extra inches he lands at the bottom of the senior division.

Pi just about to launch off the dock before he hesitates

I have been trying continuously to get him to stop hesitating at the edge of the dock before jumping, because it seriously impacts his distance. In fact, it's not uncommon for him to slip and fall into the pool in the process of coming to a halt when he hesitates before jumping (which he did at this event).

You can see that Pi's feet are barely touching the edge of the dock. 

This was right before he fell into the pool after he hesitated on the jump

I'm not really sure what to do at this point other than practice, practice, practice. What I'm hoping is that Splash Dogs will revise their rules to allow for two handlers on the dock at one time, so one of us can hold Pi at the back end of the dock and one of us can throw the toy.

In the second splash, Pi jumped a little shorter (as usual) and placed 2nd in juniors. All in all it was a great day, and we're looking forward to more summer dock diving events as the weather begins to seriously heat up!

Pi doing his best fish-out-of-water impression

Gil's Birthday Race Party

Photo by Sam Scherf

On June 14th 2014, Gil turned 7 years old. It's kind of hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that he's 7 years old, but he's alive and well, and doesn't look a day over 4! 

I originally thought that I would take all the dogs to the beach as a way of celebrating Gil's big day, but I got recruited to help secretary a LGRA meet that day, so I figured Gil would be just as happy (if not more so) chasing the bunny for his birthday. The only thing that had me a little worried was his toe, which he had broken about a month prior to the meet. It had healed such that he was no longer lame, and he had regained some range of motion in the joint, but it was still never going to be the same as it was before. I figured I'd wrap the foot as well as I could and hope for the best, and as it turned out he managed just fine :)

Patti takes off

Photo by Sam Scherf

This was also Patti's first time back on the track since last year when she came up with two fat toes at our spring race meet. Her feet had healed quite well, the old injuries were barely noticeable, but I wrapped her feet good and tight too just to be safe.

Pi finished first in all three programs, followed by Gil and then Patti. Even at seven years old Gil still has quite a lot of speed on him. Pi never manages to be more than a half length ahead of his dad, even on a good day, and sometimes they finish almost in a deadheat. 

All in all, it was a fun day spent with friends and good competition, and I know Gil had a blast. Here's hoping to at least seven more years with him!

Photo by Sam Scherf