Our new sister

Our new sister Selene

Sophie's diary: A year flew by, Sunny had been gone for a year. I miss Sunny since he was a good house watcher. Mom told us that our new sister will be here soon, and there she was, on July 8. She is a spunky little girl, she screams when she is hungry, and she pees all over. Mom warned me that if she sees me pee inside the house, I will not be getting any food. I really do not mean to pee inside, sometimes I am afraid of the thunder, and of course, the mosquito zapper outside. Oh well, she also warned me that I cannot be blocking the dog door, so Selene can go out. How do I watch the house if I do not sit by the door?

The first few meals we had, Selene tried to get our food, and Spencer growled at her, and she screamed and ran to mom. She is learning that we all eat the same food. She is a fast learner, mom said if we do not sit, she is not putting our food bowl down. I really want to growl at her when she goes after my food, but mom said no growling, so now Selene eats with a leash on her collar so mom does not have to keep running and picking her up. 

Spencer, Selene and me

Selene figures things around the house pretty quickly, she learned how to run inside the house through the dog door because she does not like the heat. She figured how to go up the stairs by the third day, she does not like to be carried upstairs when we are ready to go night night. It took her another 2 days to figure how to go downstairs. And of course she figured out Spencer's toy box. She takes everything out and scatter all over the kitchen. Also, all she does is chew. She chews Spencer's toys and mom's leg.

She is learning some basic obedience commands, but we both have to do it with her. Mom said I have to set a good example. She also bites our ankles a lot, and everytime she does that, I quickly run back into my room.

Mom is on half day vacations since she came, and we all have lunch when mom comes home. It reminded me of last summer when mom worked from home and we all had nice lunches. It is so

Selene the day she came, she is a happy pup 

hot outside, but since Selene is non stop action, it is hard for Spencer and I to take a nap. We have been so tired and we cannot wait to go to bed at night, Selene screams at 4 am since she has to pee, and we all will wake up. But Spencer and I are so tired we cannot even get up, mom has to drag us downstairs, telling us to hurry up if we want our breakfast and our walk.

When Spencer was little, mom would give him a cookie, and Sidney, Sunny and I would run with mom to the door, quickly go out before Spencer finish his cookie. Well, we are doing it all over again. Mom said go, go, go, and Spencer and I run to the door, and we all try to get out before Selene finish her cookie. Sometimes Spencer stayed there looking at mom since he wants the cookie too, and I told him,  let's go go go. We did that to you when you were
little. Hahaha.

Selene is getting bigger, and she wants to play with us all the time. Mom keep yelling don't trample her. Sometimes she runs under my belly I do not even see her. Well, I cannot wait for her to grow up and play with us. Spencer thinks she is great,  because he is getting another leftover dinner bowl. All Spencer thinks about is food. I think she is great because now I am riding in the back row of the car where I used to be. Sharing a row with Spencer in the car means he can take up a lot of room when he is tired. So it is nice to have my little spot.

Selene at 7 weeks old

The VCD2 and TDX titles: My journey

My agility ribbons including the Open standard title to fulfill VCD2

Spencer's diary: The teeter has always been my problem, mom said. Last year, when I fell off the table when the table tilted, I never made it back on the table, the dog walk, the A-frame, and of course the teeter. That was a year ago in February. Mom always reminded me because my birthday is in February.

I got my open level title in obedience last summer and mom kept saying that I need my open level title in standard agility in order to get my VCD2 title. Sidney and Sophie both got VCD1 and mom was hoping that I would get to level 2. Dad bought me a competition teeter last summer and mom and  I spent countless hours training on the teeter, sometimes I do not get dinner unless I do the teeter. 

I was feeling more confident in the winter, but sometimes I was not sure and mom said I have to do it right the first time. She said at the open level, I can only pause one time on one obstacle, if not I

Me coming down the A-frame

would not qualify. I really try very hard. Mom also reminded me that if I try my best, we would go to McDonald's after the show. Since Sophie is retired, all the burden is on me to get the ribbons, if not, Sophie would be disappointed too.

My birthday came and gone, and mom reminded me that I am now 4 years old. Time to get my act together, so on February 25, I got my last Q in open standard agility and got my title, and fulfilled the requirements of Versatile Companion Dog title 2 (VCD2). Mom was really happy.

The day after my agility success, I was in for a tracking test. Of course I did not know it at the time. Sophie and I went with mom and I thought it was just a regular training session. I have not tracked in a month because of all the agility trials and I could not wait to get out, it was a cold and windy Sunday, and my second attempt at the TDX test. It was an interesting track since I have to go into all the bushes and trees. Mom and I have been practicing that since I was 6 months old. I really did not like it because the branches get into my eyes, but mom told me to close

My TDX glove and ribbon

my eyes since all I need is my nose. Well, it worked great. It really was an uneventful event except I could not find my 3rd article, it turned
out it was blown away 100 feet away, mom said the judges gave me credit, but it sure took me back and forth sniffing for it.

I knew it was a test when the judges came up and congratulated us. Also, I got a McDonald's sausage mcmufin and later got another hamburger at lunch. I normally only get one food item. Since Sophie was there with me, she got to eat all that with me too. She was very happy. Mom said there are so many things that I now need to work on. But for now, I need a break and a good nap!

My TDX picture 

I am retired

Me doing the weaves

Sophie's diary: I am officially retired from competition in January. I ring into the new year with 2 spanking new titles and 2 double Qs in the same weekend. My last official competition was on January 22, 2017 and I finished my Masters standard agility and my Masters jumpers. Mom said I will still be going to the shows with Spencer, and eat all the McDonald's I can eat plus stay in a hotel. Mom is really proud of me. She also said that I had fulfilled all the requirements of the Performance Award Merit (PAM) required by the German Shepherd Club of America. She said we will be taking a week of vacation in October and we will be going to Missouri to get the award.

Me going over a triple jump

Mom said I will still be going to agility class with Spencer since I need to exercise my body and my mind. I am very glad because we usually get to go get ice cream after agility class and I really do not want to miss out on that. 

Mom also started teaching me new obedience stuff, she said I need to think sometimes and not run wild barking outside, I thought I am just guarding the house. 

I am still going to obedience class with Spencer because mom does not want me at home alone, and since it is difficult to guard both the outside of the house and the inside, a lot of times when I am outside barking, my feline siblings would go outside and mom has to go look for them outside when she comes home. I told her that I cannot be watching all that. I miss Sunny since he usually guards the inside. I cannot believe Sunny had gone to heaven for more than 6 months, mom said I will get to be a big sister again this year, I wonder what this year will bring. 

My ribbons along with Spencer's from my retirement weekend