AGI Winthrop Don't Blink OA NAJ NAC TN-N "Blink"

                    Preparing for her agility career at 3 weeks!

4/19/09--Blink and Teresa earned the Novice Agility Certificate in NADAC!

4/26/09--Earned UKC Agility AGI title!

10/21/2007--The White Girl continues to have a high energy level, be very bold and have good focus with good eye contact.   She is very coordinated, even though going through a very "leggy" stage of growth right now.  I had thought she was a brindle pointed tricolor, but found out at the Specialty from those who are experts in coat color that she is really a sable, as her undercoat is coming in brown!  That is a very unusual color in BC's, but is listed as an acceptable color for the breed.  She is really very stunning!   The White Girl at 4 mos. at a herding clinic:

At 4 months, she finished her "final exam" from her puppy obedience class with a score of 99 out of 100 points, then we did a puppy Rally course (weave through cones, sit, down, spin, over a low jump and through a straight 15' tunnel) in 37 seconds!

December 2007 I can't believe it's been 6 months since the pups were born!  The first puppy, the White Girl, has been at Teresa's for the last month or so training.   Now Teresa has decided to keep her and name her Winthrop Don't Blink.  I asked her if she will now have a "Do-it" and a "Don't."  She replied, "Hehehe, yeah that was a thought, but I have decided I like the name Blink.  Very unique, and fitting.  I used to tell folks that wanted to know when Pete (Myrrh's brother, who was awesome in agility!) was going in the ring, "Don't Blink, or you'll miss it."  Also from a favorite song about how time passes by faster than you could imagine. Right now, I guess I am operating as if she will stay here.  She is beyond difficult to train in comparison to Do-it.  I wonder if any of the other pups in that litter ended up not very operant, or if it is an individual quirk?  She does not offer new behaviors & completely freaks out if I try to guide her with a leash or my hands.  Must be completely 'hands free' training.  Probably better that way, less likelihood that I choke her when she ticks me off! <gg>."  She is training very well in agility, has lots of drive and the conformation to be very fast!  At 6 months, she weighs 27 pounds and is about 19.5" tall.

                         And Christmas 1 year later, 2008

Blink continues to do things on her own terms - but every day her terms get closer to mine.  She does not like prolonged (more than a tap from her) contact, but has learned to tolerate my holding her collar or harness briefly.  If I have to restrain her long, she explodes out of the position in a frenzied race around the field.  We have spent many lessons working on just walking into the field, sitting, taking off the lead & her still being there for a treat!   It is working.  She is WAY more vocal than I expected - or like.  The better I get at communicating with her, the quieter she is willing to work around me.  She still screams non-stop if she can see me outside and she is not near me.  Or if she sees other dogs running & playing.  Or if a leaf flutters across the yard...

Blink and Do-it at 19 months, January 2009:

May 2009 At our AKC trial, my new philosophy of RUN!!! really seemed to work. Blink was a super star.  She LOVES me running.  I have not been running full out because I was afraid I would lose control of her.  Just the opposite has happened.  She is tuning in and turning tighter with me running.  She dropped a bar in jww both days, but her turns are fantastic!  In standard yesterday, she was a bit wild, but missed Qing by dropping the jump before the teeter.  Today, it was a perfect course for her.  She had 1 refusal on the weaves (not counted in novice of course), but was otherwise PERFECT!  She ran the 65 sct course in 32.35.  I really got a chance to run with her today!

                                                              Since we don't have any trials until the 4th of July, and she was due to come in heat any time (if she is at all "regular"), I decided to have Blink spayed.  She's back home & has to be restricted for another 9 days, but is doing great.  I also had her hips x-rayed while she was sedated, and they looked fine.  Of course, we still can't send those into OFA since she is too young (by a few weeks), but I wanted to see what we were dealing with. Her weight is 32# and her first AKC measurement was 19.5".

November 2009 Blink finished out the year with 2 agility titles and several other agility legs in 3 different venues: AKC, NADAC and UKC! Teresa, Do-It and Blink went to an Ann Braue seminar in late November.

May 2010 Teresa and Blink continue to do well in agility. Teresa says, "Blink is the only dog I know who thinks getting carried off the field is a reward, not a punishment, as you can see by the big smile on her face!"