# Meet Duster



## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Here's our new pup: Duster (Tanbark's Leave 'Em in the Dust). He came home last week and is settling in nicely. He's going to be my new agility partner, and I can't wait to start training!


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## Gee123 (Dec 20, 2015)

Inspiring sig pic.
Lovely duster!!


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## Daisy123 (Jan 26, 2009)

He's adorable love the pics!


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## macdougallph1 (Oct 13, 2013)

Duster is so cute he looks fake!!! Congrats! He is beautiful! Can't wait to hear about all the fun you guys are going to have!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

macdougallph1 said:


> Duster is so cute he looks fake!!! Congrats! He is beautiful! Can't wait to hear about all the fun you guys are going to have!


He may look cute, but he's like a whirling dervish on steroids! Our cat finds him anything but cute: he insists on treating her like a toy, but she doesn't perceive herself as a toy. She's been patient so far and we've been teaching him to leave her alone. Hopefully he calms down a bit before her patience runs out. 

For such an active and curious pup, he settles nicely in my office during working hours, and has also been calm in the evenings if he gets enough exercise during the day. There's a lot of freezing rain today, however, so no walk or outdoor playtime. We'll see how things go down this evening ...!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Gee123 said:


> Inspiring sig pic.


Thank you. It was taken as Ruby completed the last obstacle to win her division of the national steeplechase (speedstakes) championship in New Brunswick in 2014, six months before her death.

I miss her every single day.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

He is beautiful! Active is good, curious is good LOL 

Enjoy


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## Just Ernie (Feb 2, 2016)

Wow beautiful puppy! Looks like he will be a big boy!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Sunrise said:


> He is beautiful! Active is good, curious is good LOL
> 
> Enjoy


Thank you! Yes, he's exactly what I hoped for. Bold, food-driven and wants to please his human. I'm thrilled with him. He won't be an easy teenager, but he'll be a fun companion and working partner.

I initially thought I wanted another female, but after talking to the breeder of my last dog, and to a couple of other friends who know me well, I came around to the idea of a male instead. Their advice has proved to be spot on: it has, I think, been easier to "move on" with a boy dog instead of another girl. Fewer points of comparison, fewer unrealistic expectations, more room to develop another outstanding bond without feeling guilty for replacing my "best girl".

Our poodle is not a happy camper right now, but I'm confident he'll come around. He loves other dogs generally, and will learn to enjoy having another canine companion once he's got over the fact of no longer being an "only dog"!


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## tessmk (Aug 30, 2015)

What a cutie. Can't wait to see more pictures. Congrats!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Just Ernie said:


> Wow beautiful puppy! Looks like he will be a big boy!


He looks huge on the pics, but he only weighs 9 lbs at 8 weeks. His parents aren't big dogs and his breeder thought he'd be on the smaller end of the normal range.


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## Susan: w/ Summit we climb (Jun 12, 2014)

He's adorable. He does look huge!


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## SunnynSey (Jan 17, 2015)

What a cutie!


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## rabernet (Feb 24, 2015)

I don't know how I missed this when you first posted, but I have been waiting for this post ever since I knew you were ready to look for a new pup! Duster has some really big paws to fill! I can't wait to watch him grow with you!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Duster is soooooo adorable. 
Saw the pic of him in another thread before you had decided on his name.


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

OMG I'm obsessed with this dog! That face, those eyes, that nose, fur, color and those paws! Gorgeous


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

rabernet said:


> I don't know how I missed this when you first posted, but I have been waiting for this post ever since I knew you were ready to look for a new pup! Duster has some really big paws to fill! I can't wait to watch him grow with you!


Thank you. Getting here has been a long, tough road. But it's nice to have my own dog again. As for filling the big paws ... I don't think any dog ever could. But Duster will make his own set of pawprints in my life, alongside Ruby's. 

She would have liked him.


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

So happy to see Duster. I was just wondering the other day if you had settled on a pup. Wishing you many good times together.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Here's Duster, aged 9 weeks and 5 days, playing with his favourite toys!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

... And here he is, playing with his brother (at last). It may be minus 15 C outside, but there has been a considerable thaw in brotherly relations today!


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## LynnC (Nov 14, 2015)

LOVE the meanie faces  . Beautiful dogs!


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## macdougallph1 (Oct 13, 2013)

Duster is too cute! I want to cuddle his face lol!! That's great that he's getting along with his brother! He couldn't resist his cuteness for too long!


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## wdadswell (Dec 17, 2015)

Great pics! Love your boys! My Nala took a few days to warm up to Bodie as well


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## Panama Rob (Nov 26, 2015)

OMG!!!! What an awesome looking pup!!!


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## Elsa Cholla's Mom (Feb 8, 2016)

He is adorable. I hope he is as huggable as he looks! Lol.


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

Congrats!!! Duster is adorable!! Love the pics of him and his brother playing.


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## Harleysmum (Aug 19, 2014)

He is a beautiful pup. Love the name!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

HOW did I miss this?? I am so happy to see you have your new boy! He will not replace Ruby in your heart. Your heart will just make some extra room for him. 

PS Where do you take your pics? Are they in a studio?


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## Heiser73 (Feb 10, 2016)

Congratulations!! What a cute puppy!! Enjoy!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Congratulations!!*

Congratulations! Your Duster is so precious!


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

Congrats! He is adorable!!


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## Tiny R Astar (Dec 26, 2015)

Duster is gorgeous, congratulations I'm sure you will have lots of fun together. 
I was wondering at what age you start on the jumps and agility training. I am not looking at competition but there are a few places near us who hire fields with agility equipment and I thought it would be fun for our dog. Albie is very high energy and proving to be a very quick learner, at 17 weeks old he already, whistle recalls, most times, heels on and off lead pretty well, sits and stays for short periods. He is an absolute dream, we are so lucky. Our day care / dog walker trains as well and taught him the recall, she tells us he is a very intelligent dog and one of the quickest learners she has encountered, so we want to make sure that we provide him with all the physical and mental stimulation he needs and deserves.
Thanks 
Anne.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Sweet Girl said:


> HOW did I miss this?? I am so happy to see you have your new boy! He will not replace Ruby in your heart. Your heart will just make some extra room for him.
> 
> PS Where do you take your pics? Are they in a studio?


Thank you!

Yes, I have a small home studio set up in our living room, and that's where I take the photos. I have the white background up for now, but will change it soon!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

CarnelleyLamb said:


> Duster is gorgeous, congratulations I'm sure you will have lots of fun together.
> I was wondering at what age you start on the jumps and agility training. I am not looking at competition but there are a few places near us who hire fields with agility equipment and I thought it would be fun for our dog. Albie is very high energy and proving to be a very quick learner, at 17 weeks old he already, whistle recalls, most times, heels on and off lead pretty well, sits and stays for short periods. He is an absolute dream, we are so lucky. Our day care / dog walker trains as well and taught him the recall, she tells us he is a very intelligent dog and one of the quickest learners she has encountered, so we want to make sure that we provide him with all the physical and mental stimulation he needs and deserves.
> Thanks
> Anne.


I'll be introducing bars on the ground when he's about 6 months old, and will raise them to 10" when he's about 9 months old. By 12 months he'll be jumping elbow height. He won't jump his competition height until he's about 18 months old.

He'll also be starting on low contact equipment when he's about 6 months old, but again, he won't be doing the frame at full height for several months after that.

Goldens are bigger and heavier than many of the other dogs that do agility, and I tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to their joints. But there's lots of stuff you can teach with low jumps.

Dogs generally love agility - yours will have a blast!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster is 12 weeks old this weekend!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

We're still iced in at home. It's too slippery to do much outside, so we're back in the studio for our photos. Duster was 14 weeks old on Saturday. Here he is, doing his puppy class homework: sit-stays and down-stays in real-life situations. We took these pictures with no outside help! I set him up, walked away, sat down on the floor, picked up the camera, took the shot, got up, went back to him and rewarded him - and he stayed put! Well done, Duster! This has been a hard exercise for us to master.


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## Amystelter (Jul 31, 2013)

He's a keeper! Love the play pic, mine look vicious when the play tomorrow


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Duster*

Duster is just adorable!


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## Roxys Mom (Nov 30, 2015)

Beautiful puppy...and amazing photography.


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## Elsa Cholla's Mom (Feb 8, 2016)

Very nice pictures. Elsa will not stay yet, so good for you. We have the same green snake, best made ones I have ever seen.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Elsa Cholla's Mom said:


> Very nice pictures. Elsa will not stay yet, so good for you. We have the same green snake, best made ones I have ever seen.


He only likes his snake if we use it as a tug toy! But it looks nice in the photos, so I'm glad I have it!!

The "stay" was hard for us. At first I was rewarding 1-second stays - I thought we'd never get it. He still won't do a "stand-stay" - still a work in progress. We're up to five seconds now.


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

Such a beautiful boy you have there!


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

He is so gorgeous! Love watching him grow.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Duster is handsome and seems to be growing like a weed.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

He saw the vet today for his last round of shots: at 15 weeks of age, he weighs 21 lbs, so he's not a huge puppy. He's growing legs now! I'll try and post more photos this week.


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## Tiny R Astar (Dec 26, 2015)

Duster is so lovely. These photos are brilliant. He is very good doing sit or lay stay so young.


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## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

Duster is sooo handsome...Congrats, love all the pics....esp. the last set!!! Cant wait to watch him grow!!!:wavey:


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## KKaren (Oct 29, 2014)

ceegee said:


> We're still iced in at home. It's too slippery to do much outside, so we're back in the studio for our photos. Duster was 14 weeks old on Saturday. Here he is, doing his puppy class homework: sit-stays and down-stays in real-life situations. We took these pictures with no outside help! I set him up, walked away, sat down on the floor, picked up the camera, took the shot, got up, went back to him and rewarded him - and he stayed put! Well done, Duster! This has been a hard exercise for us to master.


Love the pictures and good job Duster on your stays.... Glimmer always wants to know what I'm doing with my phone when I'm snapping pictures, before I know it there is a big nose in my face. Hope it warms up there soon.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

It has snowed ... again ... I am fed up of the snow, but the dogs enjoy it. Here's Duster, 15 weeks of age, playing in the snow with his brother Ziggy! He's wearing his puppy class graduation scarf, which we got yesterday. Basic obedience, here we come ...!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster is 17 weeks old now, and weighs in at 25 lbs. This weekend he came with my daughter and I to photograph an obedience trial. He was our "setup dog" to test the lighting on our new studio background. The lighting on this one isn't perfect, but it shows how handsome he's becoming!


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## craigtoo (Jan 6, 2016)

How have I missed this thread?? What great pics. He has great coloring..!


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## TiffanyGolden (Dec 6, 2015)

Duster is only a few days older than Nala. 

What a handsome boy he is! I love watching him grow and love how lovely your photography skills are--envious!


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Beautiful pictures of your boy. I love the one of him and the little poodle.


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## JMME (Jun 18, 2012)

Beautiful picture!


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## aesthetic (Apr 23, 2015)

You're a very talented photographer! I love Duster's coloring and his name, he's so handsome


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Here's Duster, helping to clean up the ice storm damage in our garden! 19 weeks old, 29 lbs.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster, 5 months old this week.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Gorgeous pictures.Duster has the sweetest eyes.


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## TiffanyGolden (Dec 6, 2015)

Christine, I always enjoy viewing Duster's thread. He is such a handsome pup, I'm jealous of his short coat. Nala and Duster are around the same age. She turns 5 months old this Wednesday! I enjoy the updates and photos you post of him, wow! How much does he weigh now? He looks so lanky and tall. Is he taller than the average Golden?


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## Krissi2197 (Apr 23, 2016)

What a handsome boy! I love your photos.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Where did your little pup go to?
He's becoming such a handsome boy.


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## Sydney's Mom (May 1, 2012)

Oh gosh he is so big now Christine! 

OK so I was at the World Team tryouts two weeks ago and I'm watching this golden run and I'm in AWE. Like, I want to hunt this person down and ask her where she got her dog.

Annnnd it was a Tanbark dog... Annnnnnnnd they made the team. 

Pedigree: Tanbark's Defying Gravity 

Relation?


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Sydney's Mom said:


> Oh gosh he is so big now Christine!
> 
> OK so I was at the World Team tryouts two weeks ago and I'm watching this golden run and I'm in AWE. Like, I want to hunt this person down and ask her where she got her dog.
> 
> ...


Yes, through Wicked's dad Wyatt, who is Duster's great-grandad! Here's Duster's pedigree:

http://www.k9data.com/pedigree.asp?ID=711853


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

He's reached one of my favourite stages: gangly!! :grin2: I love seeing your updates about what you're doing with him.


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## AngelCoopersMom (Oct 15, 2015)

Duster is so handsome! Love the pictures. I can't seem to get Tanner in focus in an action shot. Any tips?


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

AngelCoopersMom said:


> Duster is so handsome! Love the pictures. I can't seem to get Tanner in focus in an action shot. Any tips?


I use a DSLR - there's no lag so it's easier. Servo mode, fast shutter speed, single focus point. It's harder with a pocket camera or phone camera. If a pocket camera: use sports mode. If a phone camera, see if it has a manual mode: lots of them do, these days. If so, you can choose your settings to get a faster speed. To freeze motion, above 1/800 is best, or above 1/1000 if the dog is running towards you. If you can't get a fast shutter speed, try panning (following the subject with the camera). You'll get some blur, but your actual subject should be in focus.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

TiffanyGolden said:


> Christine, I always enjoy viewing Duster's thread. He is such a handsome pup, I'm jealous of his short coat. Nala and Duster are around the same age. She turns 5 months old this Wednesday! I enjoy the updates and photos you post of him, wow! How much does he weigh now? He looks so lanky and tall. Is he taller than the average Golden?


Thank you! He's actually quite small for a Golden. The poodle in the photo weighs 10 lbs. I haven't weighed Duster for a couple of weeks, but he's probably around 32 lbs. now, which is on the small side for a 5-month-old male. He's not a tall dog, and his build is fairly slight. I'll weigh him next time we go to our training facility, and post an update!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Duster is very good looking  they grow so fast


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## Kim1607 (Aug 6, 2015)

So cute! I love to see the two of them together.


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## Pilgrim123 (Jul 26, 2014)

Duster has grown up so quickly! He's a very good-looking pup with just enough devil in his eyes to make life with him very interesting.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster is 6 months old! He's started his "Canine Good Citizen" class and agility foundation. This week, I removed the crate from my office and he now has a bed under the desk. I may have to rethink this: he keeps stealing and chewing paper from the recycling bin. Last week, he ran through a closed screen door to chase a squirrel in the garden. He enjoys riding in the car and hanging out with his humans. He and his brother Ziggy (the toy poodle in the photo) have resolved their differences and become good friends.

He weighs 36 lbs. and measures 17.5 inches. He's a good dog, very biddable, learns quickly and well.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

You just take the best photos!! He is looking great! (as is your poodle!)


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

Wow! Those pics are awesome. What a happy pup.


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## Kalhayd (May 4, 2016)

He is amazing! Love those photos!


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## Krissi2197 (Apr 23, 2016)

Your photos are the best.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Thanks, everyone! He's going to be a really good dog. I'm very pleased with him.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster is now 8.5 months old - 43 lbs., 21.5" tall.


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## tikiandme (May 16, 2010)

Great pictures! He's growing up fast!


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## Kalhayd (May 4, 2016)

He is so beautiful! And I feel like I am raising a moose as Dory is 5-months in a week and she was 43 pounds, too! (and not fat!)


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## aesthetic (Apr 23, 2015)

I love these pictures! Puppy joy at it's finest  He's beautiful.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Hard to believe he's already so grown up! Great pics!


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## TiffanyGolden (Dec 6, 2015)

Wonderful pictures of Duster! 

As I've said before, I adore looking at him grow as him and Nala are close in age. Nala is now 60lbs at 8.5 months old and 22inches from the shoulder.

How is Duster's training going? I know you talked about the CGC? How are Agility classes going as well?


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

TiffanyGolden said:


> Wonderful pictures of Duster!
> 
> How is Duster's training going? I know you talked about the CGC? How are Agility classes going as well?


Thank you!

His training is going well. We took a break from obedience for the summer; I was on the organizing committee for the Canadian national agility championships here in Montreal, and there are only so many hours in a day ... We'll be starting up again in September. Agility training is going well. I'm working one-on-one with a trainer and we're taking things slowly. Duster is comfortable with all the equipment now, except the teeter, which we're working on, and the weave poles, which we won't start until he's over 12 months old. He's been a bit afraid of the teeter, but has recently realized that he controls the tipping motion himself, so we're progressing fairly quickly now. Of course, we're keeping the contact obstacles low for a few more months, to protect his shoulders, but he's mastered them well and has a decent two-on, two-off contact on both the frame and dogwalk. 

I'm mobility challenged (severe arthritis) and can't run fast, so he's also having to learn to execute all the equipment at a distance. I can now send him 20' to tunnels and jumps. We're working on verbal directional commands too - that's going to take longer, but I'm confident he'll be good at it. It's an interesting process. With my last dog, I lost my mobility after I'd trained her for agility, so it was a fairly easy task to achieve distance handling with her. It's a very different challenge to teach a young dog from scratch. 

Duster is a very stable dog, athletic and energetic but not "crazy". I'm hopeful that he's going to be a good agility partner.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster, nearly 9 months old.


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## Our3dogs (Apr 3, 2008)

Oh what a pretty boy! I love his soft curls of his coat.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Here he is, 9 months old last week.


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## JMME (Jun 18, 2012)

Happy 9 months! He is so handsome


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## julianne85 (Sep 1, 2016)

ceegee said:


> Here he is, 9 months old last week.


Such a beautiful coat on him.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Happy 9 months to Duster, what a handsome boy he's become.

Look at that face........


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster, practising agility with my daughter!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Fall portrait.


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

So handsome, and so grown up!!


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Gloriously beautiful red head


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

What a handsome boy!!!!:grin2:


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster - Tanbark's Leave 'Em In The Dust - is 1 year old! His birthday was on Monday (December 5). He had chicken for breakfast and the weather gods sent him a snowstorm as a gift.

He continues to do well. He's a star in our competition obedience class, and his agility training is progressing. He's learning weave poles, flips and verbal left-right commands, and he's gaining confidence and speed when working at a distance.

Here he is: his official 1-year portrait, plus a few pics of him enjoying the snow in our back yard. The video shows him at an agility training session last week, with my daughter.


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## julianne85 (Sep 1, 2016)

My word he is a handsome devil :dog2::dog2:happy b-day sweety


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## aesthetic (Apr 23, 2015)

Happy birthday Duster!! He's a beautiful boy. I love the pictures of him in the snow


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## tikiandme (May 16, 2010)

Happy Birthday, Duster!


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## Amystelter (Jul 31, 2013)

Oh what fun! He is gorgeous-


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster's first fun match, last Sunday! I have been on crutches with a badly injured knee for several weeks, and am still supposed to be staying home and resting it. Hence the hobbling.

This was Duster's first week jumping 15". He still trains at 12", but tends to be careless with the bars. He's better with the slightly higher jumps. He hasn't yet started weaving - we'll be training this during the Christmas vacation.

I was thrilled with his performance on Sunday - he was outstanding for such a young dog. While I've been on crutches, we've been working lines and distance handling. It has paid off.

I'll be getting a new bionic knee in 2017. It will be fun to be able to run again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgJVFsVJilc&feature=em-upload_owner#action=share


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster, one year and three weeks, enjoying the snow on the last day of 2016.


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## KiwiD (Jan 14, 2008)

Looks like he is having a ball in the snow! What a handsome boy he is. Our girl can only play in the snow blown paths otherwise she'd be lost in the snow we have so much of it. Happy New Year to you and Duster.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Great pics, as always!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

My daughter and 14-month-old Duster went to their first-ever rally-obedience class last night. Here's their first exercise. There's lots to work on, but he was such a good dog for her!


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## rooroch (Nov 7, 2012)

That looked very good. I know nothing about rally obedience but it looked as though Duster was concentrating on her all the time.


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## smp (Apr 27, 2016)

Wow! Way to go Duster. He's a good looking boy too. I wonder if you might offer a tip. I'm just starting to do more obedience with our 8 month old, Sadie, and she's starting to get pretty good at a heel position looking up at me - however, twice now, when I've been distracted by something on a walk, I've stepped on her front right paw. Have you ever experienced this? Duster looks like he's really locked on close. I thought that was part of the problem with Sadie and was wondering if I should do something different. Thanks!


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## Anne Y. (Jan 6, 2017)

Duster is beautiful, and your photos are amazing!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

smp said:


> Wow! Way to go Duster. He's a good looking boy too. I wonder if you might offer a tip. I'm just starting to do more obedience with our 8 month old, Sadie, and she's starting to get pretty good at a heel position looking up at me - however, twice now, when I've been distracted by something on a walk, I've stepped on her front right paw. Have you ever experienced this? Duster looks like he's really locked on close. I thought that was part of the problem with Sadie and was wondering if I should do something different. Thanks!


I'm a real novice at obedience (agility is my "thing"). Duster seems to self-adjust; I haven't stepped on him yet and don't do anything in particular to avoid doing so. Maybe I've just been lucky! We have another class tonight and I'll pay more attention to see what he does.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Here's a sequence from our last agility training session: distance work. Duster is particularly good at this because of my mobility issues: almost every exercise is a "distance" exercise for us! He's gaining confidence and is driving harder to his obstacles. I'm very pleased with him. This was a hard exercise for a young dog (he's 14 months old), and although he's the youngest dog in our training group, he was the only one to do this successfully.


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## tikiandme (May 16, 2010)

Looks like he's a natural, he doing really great!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Snow at last, after being iced in following several episodes of freezing rain!

Duster, 15 months old, 50 lbs.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

You guys got hammered, eh? The storm very kindly scooted around Toronto once again. We got the bitter cold and that crazy wind, but not the snow. Shala would be very jealous looking at Duster running through it.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

We did. Estimates are about 40 cm for our area, much more for areas south of Montreal. We were actually pleased to see it: all we've had so far this winter is freezing rain. I haven't been able to walk on the forest trails since early January - too icy and dangerous. So a foot and a half of nice, soft snow is a big improvement!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

I took Duster to an agility fun match last week. At 16 months old, he's still too young to compete in official trials (18 months is the cut-off age) and in any case he's not yet jumping his competition height of 22".

He was a rock star, very focused on his job. He's less tentative now: gaining confidence and learning to drive forward more. I was very pleased with him. He's not super fast yet, but the speed will come when he's more confident.

Here's his "gamble" (distance) run. Under AAC rules, we have 40 seconds to accumulate as many points as possible, and when the 40-second buzzer sounds, we have to attempt the final distance sequence. Successful completion of the final sequence doubles the points score. I was particularly proud of his weave entry during the opening: it's hard to see in the video, but he got a difficult entry at a distance of about 18' from where I was standing. He missed the first time because I tried to micro-manage him, but the second time I just gave the command and he got it right away. And he completed a difficult final sequence as well! Good boy, Duster.


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## myluckypenny (Nov 29, 2016)

I am so impressed, seriously my jaw dropped! I just got started with agility this winter with my 18 month old girl and we started off great but are having some major focus issues now. I'm brand-new to dog sports so I'm sure that its mostly my fault. She's so smart and fun to train just need to work on making sure she is paying attention to me and ignoring the people.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

So Duster has just turned 18 months old and is now able to compete in official Agility Association of Canada trials. Last weekend, I entered him in his first starter trial. Here's a video of his first competitive run, a Jumper:


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## pepperthepup (May 12, 2017)

Mazel Tov to Duster! I hope both you and he have an excellent time with competition! He's a super gorgeous dog!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Here's a photo of Duster in action, in his first agility trial!


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

OMG you guys look great! Such focus... You have done an awesome job.


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## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

Just an awesome video...great job Duster....:smile2::smile2::nerd:


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

That's awesome, thanks for sharing!


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## pepperthepup (May 12, 2017)

It's so awesome that you're able to do this with him and you both love it so much. He looks so beautiful flying through that jump!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Thank you, everyone. I'm very proud of him_. _He has such a strong need to please and is a joy to train.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Here's a recent photograph of Duster, doing agility. He's coming along nicely. He now has all his Starter and Advanced level qualifications, and is competing at Expert level in all events.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster has had a wonderful first season of agility, and last week he got the final leg for his Agility Association of Canada ATChC award! He did it in fine style, at the Montreal Pet Fair - in a noisy, echoing concrete convention centre with cheering crowds. For a noise-sensitive dog, it was a huge achievement. I'm very proud of him. Here he is with his big ribbon!


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## Olympia (Jan 11, 2010)

Aww, what a little cutie!!


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## KiwiD (Jan 14, 2008)

Congrats to you and Duster!


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## Eclipse (Apr 21, 2014)

Congrats, that's awesome!


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

OH gosh, Congratulations!!!! Nice accomplishment! And in that kind of environment too, the more experience I get, the more I'm appreciating how hard it is to replicate environment in training situations and how much it matters. Good for you to have him set for success 

Such a beautiful expression he has, I swear he looks smarter than plenty of people I know, what an eye. Thanks for sharing the photo


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

nolefan said:


> OH gosh, Congratulations!!!! Nice accomplishment! And in that kind of environment too, the more experience I get, the more I'm appreciating how hard it is to replicate environment in training situations and how much it matters. Good for you to have him set for success
> 
> Such a beautiful expression he has, I swear he looks smarter than plenty of people I know, what an eye. Thanks for sharing the photo


Thank you! It has been quite a ride. Last year, at the same event, he was too young to compete and was in the throes of a severe fear period that lasted several months. We did obedience in the exhibition rows, visited the bouncy castle, and did lots of "meet and greet" sessions with the audience (he loves people). This year, he waltzed into the place as though he owned it, danced and jumped his way down the rows as we visited the kiosks, and ran in the ring like a pro, despite the cheering and commentary. There have been times in the last 18 months when I second-guessed myself a lot, and it was wonderful to see all the confidence-building pay off. 

And you're right, he's scarily smart. A thinker, not a bulldozer - he has to understand what he needs to do before he feels comfortable doing it. But once it's in there, he's programmed for life. It took a while for me to find the "key" to his intelligence, but once we got it, he's been amazing to train, unlike any other dog I've ever owned. And a fantastic temperament. I really got lucky with him.


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## fourlakes (Feb 16, 2013)

Congratulations! And such a nice photo of Duster with his ribbon


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

ceegee said:


> ....It took a while for me to find the "key" to his intelligence, but once we got it, he's been amazing to train, unlike any other dog I've ever owned. And a fantastic temperament. I really got lucky with him.


That's wonderful. Do you mind sharing exactly how you approached working through his fear period? Was it pretty much take it slow, keep it positive and just keep on getting him out and about? Do you remember what clued you in that he needs a different approach?

I'm so happy for both of you that you had such a 180 with this year's experience vs. last year. I hope you'll keep updating his adventures, it's nice hearing that no one can take Ruby's place but that Duster is making his own special spot in your heart.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Congratulations!! That is a great accomplishment. And an amazing photo. He's beautiful.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

nolefan said:


> That's wonderful. Do you mind sharing exactly how you approached working through his fear period? Was it pretty much take it slow, keep it positive and just keep on getting him out and about? Do you remember what clued you in that he needs a different approach?
> 
> I'm so happy for both of you that you had such a 180 with this year's experience vs. last year. I hope you'll keep updating his adventures, it's nice hearing that no one can take Ruby's place but that Duster is making his own special spot in your heart.


Thank you!

For the fear period, the main thing was not to introduce anything new. If we found ourselves in new situations, we did familiar activities. For example, at last year's Pet Fair, the general environment was new (noise and crowds), but I took him there on setup day, when there were no crowds, so the event itself wouldn't be such a shock. During the two days of the event, there was lots of familiar stuff among the chaos: people, cats, an agility ring, etc. We practised basic obedience exercises (sit-stand-stay-heel) near those things, and did "meet and greet" sessions in between. We also did obedience exercises alongside the agility ring. I didn't try to introduce him to anything he hadn't already encountered - for example, we kept away from the dock diving section, and from the ponies and snakes. We also got through an obscene amount of treats!! In agility, I didn't introduce new equipment or new handling moves while he was freaky. We just proofed what we'd already done. So we did go out and about as usual, but I really tried to keep him in familiar situations.

As for the "key", I'm sorry to say it took me quite a long time to catch on. I have severe mobility issues - arthritis - so I worked one-on-one with a trainer for agility, because I can't move around quickly and my dog needs to work at a distance from me, independently. Our training needs were very specific. Duster is a "drivey" dog, but his drive didn't really emerge in agility at first. When he learned an obstacle, we would then work on building his speed. But he never really "got it" and much preferred obedience to agility. I was a large part of the problem, because I expected him to be like Ruby, and got a bit frustrated when he clearly wasn't. Eventually the trainer sat me down and told me, basically, to get over it and work with the dog I had, not the dog I used to have. It was a wake-up call. So I had my daughter handle Duster for a couple of lessons, so I could watch him. I realized that what we were dealing with was lack of confidence, not lack of speed. So I stopped working on building speed and started working on building confidence instead. I did this through drills - the same thing over and over, so he knew exactly what to do in that given situation. I did this with individual handling moves, with specific sequences, with specific commands. And as his confidence grew, so did his speed. When we eventually started competing, he slowed down again because the context was a new one, but now, six months later, he's much more confident and his speed in the ring is increasing. I have no doubt that, in a year's time, he'll live up to his registered name (Tanbark's Leave 'em in the Dust). We're still working through a few kinks, but he trusts me now and knows I won't put him in situations he can't cope with. And these days, he loves agility as much as he loves obedience!

His path to where we are now has been a joy to share, and a lesson in humility for me. He's an incredible partner.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

How smart to have your daughter run him through lessons so that you could observe. 
I really admire you working through arthritis pain. (I'm closing in on 50 and have had enough issues in the past couple of years that I truly admire the people who live with chronic pain. There should be a medal.) Anyway, great details here, thank you for walking through it. I'll be bookmarking it for future re-reading


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

We woke up to snow yesterday. At least one of us was pleased ...

Duster, 23.5 months, 52 lbs., enjoying the first day of winter in our back yard!


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Duster looks beautiful in the snow. That second picture could be on a calendar.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Great pictures, Duster is such a handsome boy. 
Congratulations on his achievements and awards, I know you're very proud.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster is 2 years old today! It doesn't seem all that long since I carried a tiny, 9 lb. bundle of fur onto the plane in Milwaukee and brought him home. He's grown into a very handsome chap, kind, gently and funny, a wonderful companion and agility partner.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Happy birthday Duster! You are a gorgeous boy.


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## Helo's Mom (Oct 16, 2011)

Happy birthday beautiful red boy!


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## joannabelle54 (Nov 25, 2017)

Wow! What a handsome lad he is!


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## joannabelle54 (Nov 25, 2017)

Happy birthday big guy... you are so handsome!


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Happy Birthday Duster! You are a handsome devil for sure  What a joy to live with a dog who can be described as kind and funny, looking forward to many years of great Duster birthday photos


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

We went to our first agility trial of the year this weekend. It was a weekend of "ups and downs". The first day was a difficult one: for some reason, Duster took a dislike to the weave poles and wouldn't do more than 10 of them (there are 12). So we only Qd the events with no weaves! The second day was much better. The judge didn't have a set of 12 weaves - she used two sets of 6 instead, so this resolved our problem for the day and we were able to get the Qs we needed to complete Duster's Bronze Award of Merit (10 Standard Qs, 25 Game Qs at Master level)! I was very proud of him. He also completed his Bronze Gamble (distance work) award (10 Master Gamble Qs) in fine style, with three Qs and three first places in his class, and obtained his Master Team Relay title (4 Qs) with his brother, my daughter's dog Ziggy.

This week he's resting for a couple of days, then it's back to the drawing board with the weave poles! I think the problem may be my fault. In training, I've been working on his weave entries using a set of 6 poles, and he might have forgotten that they usually come in sets of 12! He has such a soft personality that I never correct mistakes in the ring because he shuts down completely no matter how upbeat I am (he hates to make mistakes). So we'll invent some training games this week and we'll see what happens.

Sadly, this is likely to be our last trial for a while, because I'm awaiting confirmation of the date for my total knee replacement, which should happen in late January or early February. It will put me on the sidelines for at least three months. 

Here's Duster with his Bronze Award ribbon!


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Congratulations to you and Duster!


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## rooroch (Nov 7, 2012)

Great photo and results. They are funny, he is used to 6 poles so why do 12!!
Good luck with your knee. I hope all goes well.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

A very belated Happy Birthday to Duster, no idea how I missed it. 

I'm sorry to hear about your upcoming surgery, sending good thoughts and prayers it goes well, wishing you a speedy recovery.


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## aesthetic (Apr 23, 2015)

Happy belated birthday Duster and congrats on the ribbon!! I just noticed that Duster is nearly 6 months to the day younger than Kaizer. Kaizer was born June 4, 2015.


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## Eclipse (Apr 21, 2014)

Congrats on the award! =)


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## tikiandme (May 16, 2010)

Congratulations and a belated Happy Birthday to Duster. He's a handsome boy. Best of luck to you with your knee replacement. I hope the operation goes smoothly and you heal very quickly.


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## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

Congrats to you and handsome Duster....and, happy birthday Duster... good luck with your knee surgery!!!


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Congratulations on all the great agility work to you and Duster.
Keep us informed re: the knee surgery. Wishing you a successful surgery and a speedy recovery.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster, enjoying the new snow!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster playing in the snow yesterday, with one of his many "best friends". This is one of his agility training partners.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Great photos.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Looking like Duster is a happy boy  Glad he's having fun, those are great photos. Any word on your new knee? You must be alternately dreading and praying for the work to be scheduled and done so you can move on.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

nolefan said:


> Looking like Duster is a happy boy  Glad he's having fun, those are great photos. Any word on your new knee? You must be alternately dreading and praying for the work to be scheduled and done so you can move on.


Yes, he's super happy! He loves it when we're able to walk with other dogs (I'm very picky about who we walk with). We're taking all the walks we can right now, because my knee replacement operation is scheduled for February 20. It will be a relief to get it done - I'm barely able to make it through my agility class these days because the pain is too much - but I'm not looking forward to the convalescence. I loathe hospitals and so am having the operation done on an outpatient basis with no overnight stay. My recovery goal is to be able to run Duster in this year's Canadian national agility championships in mid-August (I'm on the organizing committee and they're being held close to my home). The doctor doesn't think that will be possible, but in my world, comments like that constitute motivation ...!


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

ceegee said:


> Yes, he's super happy! He loves it when we're able to walk with other dogs (I'm very picky about who we walk with). We're taking all the walks we can right now, because my knee replacement operation is scheduled for February 20. It will be a relief to get it done - I'm barely able to make it through my agility class these days because the pain is too much - but I'm not looking forward to the convalescence. I loathe hospitals and so am having the operation done on an outpatient basis with no overnight stay. My recovery goal is to be able to run Duster in this year's Canadian national agility championships in mid-August (I'm on the organizing committee and they're being held close to my home). The doctor doesn't think that will be possible, but in my world, comments like that constitute motivation ...!


I will keep my fingers crossed for you that you will be able to compete! Happy that you will be pain free and running wild soon!


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

My Money's on you  Keep us posted


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

nolefan said:


> My Money's on you  Keep us posted


 Thank you!


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Good luck with the knee replacement. It's always good to have a goal.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

So here we are, three months later, and my new knee is settling in.


It has been a _very _tough process: certainly not something to be undertaken lightly. I'm glad I was at the end of my rope before the operation; knowing I didn't have a choice has helped me through the brutal first month and the long, difficult recovery. If anyone is interested, I've kept a weekly log of my progress and can post it here. Basically, I went back to work after three weeks, was able to start training Duster on a very limited basis (I was still using a walking stick outside the house) after four weeks, handled him for all the exercises in our agility class during week nine, and competed in our first trial after the operation in week 12 - but only in the "distance" (gamble) classes, where it wasn't necessary to run (jog) more than a few steps. I'll be attempting our first standard event (which will require more sustained running) next week, and depending on how it goes, will decide whether or not to compete in the Quebec provincial championship at the end of June.


Recovery continues: I still have some residual pain, especially at night, but nothing like the pain I had before the operation. I'm still in physiotherapy twice a week, with daily exercises to try and improve extension and flexion. For the first couple of months I did wonder if it was going to work out, but things have improved since then. Walking, even several miles, is now pain-free for the first time in ten years.


Here's the video of Duster and I competing in the Ruby Memorial Gamble at our club's trial last Sunday. We were one of only ten teams (out of 60) to complete it successfully, and while we didn't win the trophy (too slow, not enough points), it was nevertheless a significant personal victory.


The second video shows Duster in action in the ring with my daughter, who has been responsible for his training while I have been off the road. They're a great team!


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

Looks like a lot of fun for everyone!!!! I'm glad you had a good time! Coming back from a knee replacement takes SUCH a long time and a lot of work. My dad had one a couple years ago and for the first few months regretted even having it! But he's now very happy with the result.


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## StephanieRN (May 25, 2018)

OMG that was amazing!! He did such a good job with both of you. I am thoroughly impressed. You look to be recovering quite well. Be patient and kind to yourself. You will get there!


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## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

I'm probably getting ready to have a knee replacement..I've been hearing horror stories..I've got arthritis, they say it will never get better..my main answers I haven't figured out are when, and where?? I know it has to be done...I've had 3 cortisone shots, the last one actually working..my brother in law just had his done, it took him a yr to get back to what he was.. another neighbor had a new knee, got an infection, had to have the knee cap taken out, left him without a knee cap for months..he wouldn't leave his bedroom, became very depressed..and when I Google the top knee surgeon in the Philadelphia area, I see 2 woman are complain ing when the new knee was put in, they are actually a 1/4 inch taller on one side now, which is ruining their hip now..it's all very scary..glad you're doing better..


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Neeko13 said:


> I'm probably getting ready to have a knee replacement..I've been hearing horror stories..I've got arthritis, they say it will never get better..my main answers I haven't figured out are when, and where?? I know it has to be done...I've had 3 cortisone shots, the last one actually working..my brother in law just had his done, it took him a yr to get back to what he was.. another neighbor had a new knee, got an infection, had to have the knee cap taken out, left him without a knee cap for months..he wouldn't leave his bedroom, became very depressed..and when I Google the top knee surgeon in the Philadelphia area, I see 2 woman are complain ing when the new knee was put in, they are actually a 1/4 inch taller on one side now, which is ruining their hip now..it's all very scary..glad you're doing better..



The Internet is full of horror stories. Bottom line, people only usually write about it when it goes wrong, and they're a small minority. The vast majority of replacements are successful and people go on to live normal lives afterwards, although recovery time may vary. I know several people who have had knees and hips replaced, and all of them are satisfied and more active now than they were for years before the operation.



Having said that, and while replacements have become routine operations, they are major surgeries nevertheless. The first month was truly brutal, all the more so in my case because I hated the side effects of the opiate pain medication and opted not to take it, leaving me with ice and Tylenol ... And I would also say that recovery isn't automatic: you have to work at it. I've been attending physiotherapy twice a week since the operation, and have been rigorous with my exercises at home. I've installed an exercise bike and a stepper/elliptical in front of the TV in (what used to be) our living room, and I use them every day (and will continue to do so). From week three onwards, I've been going for walks, and am now walking many miles per week. I started learning to jog gently at week 11. Physiotherapy is also important because most of us, when we get the replacement, have been limping and dealing with bent joints for some years, so the whole system is out of kilter. You have to re-learn how to walk properly, so that the weight is distributed evenly. Otherwise you actually feel taller on one side than on the other, even if you aren't. My physiotherapist has been a life-saver for me.



You have to be determined to get through the pain and get a good result. The surgeon told me that actually having the operation is only half the equation; the other half is putting in the effort to make it work. One of the reasons I stopped taking the pain medication is that it killed my will to live: I felt depressed, weepy, helpless ... the polar opposite of what I am in normal life. Without the medication, the knee hurt more but I felt better able and more motivated to cope with it.


If you'd asked me in that first month to say whether or not it was worth it, I would (and did) say that you'd have to chloroform me, tie me up and put me in a bag to make me go through it again. I still sort of think that, but in my case the result has been worth the process. After many years of excruciating pain and gradually being able to do less and less, I'm now almost pain-free in most of my activities and am slowly starting to do things I haven't been able to do for nearly a decade. We're even planning a hiking weekend in the Adirondaks for the fall. And that is something I couldn't have contemplated this time last year.


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

I'm impressed that you're back doing agility so quickly. You and Duster looked great.


I had my knee replaced about a year and a half ago after putting it off for maybe twelve years and trying a knee brace, cortisone shots etc. I had heard horror stories like the ones above and people complaining about the terrible pain. General advice is find a doctor and hospital that does a high volume of knee replacements. I went to Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC, supposedly the best place in the US and maybe the world to get a knee replacement. They were terrific, everything went very smoothly and I was out of there and back home in 2 1/2 days. The biggest pain was getting in and out of Manhattan and inability to drive a car for a few weeeks. I tried to follow all directions for physical therapy etc. and found that it just wasn't anywhere near as bad as I expected. It made a tremendous difference for me and I'd recommend it to others who need it.


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## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

Thank you CeeGee, and the Z's.....I feel better already..I just bought a bike, and plan on using it..I also should plan to lose like 30 lbs., If I can manage that feat....:surprise::surprise:


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

I'm now 4.5 months post-surgery (knee replacement) and am back doing agility more or less normally, although more slowly as I haven't yet learned to run properly. At the end of June, Duster and I competed in the Québec Provincial Championships and finished third in our class, with five perfect runs out of six, which was a good result in the circumstances. We were just too slow to be fully competitive, but will be speeding up as my leg gains strength.


Here's a photo of Duster, enjoying an agility trial last week!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Way to go! Glad you're doing better - the people I know who've had knee replacement have said it changed their lives! Definitely worth it all if you can still run agility with Duster!


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

That is great. Such good results especially considering the knee. Rukie and I are doing a Fundamentals of Agility class which is just learning to work as partners, me directing and him following, not really any obstacles. I can already tell I'm going to be the weaker side of the partnership. He's so smart and doing really well, in my novice opinion, and it's been a lot of fun for both of us. I would highly recommend any class like it, he's gotten so good at his recalls, watching me for directions, and not pulling (as much) on leash walks. I look forward to hearing about your future competitions and I admire your determination to get back so quickly.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Here's a photo of Duster at last month's Canadian national agility championships. When I had my knee replaced in February of this year, the prospect of being able to compete there was my main motivation for recovery. It was "mission accomplished" in that respect. We didn't do particularly well in terms of results - a series of small mistakes - but it was a significant personal victory simply to be there! My new knee mostly behaved itself (with a bit of help from some painkillers). Also, Duster is still only 2 years old and my main goal for him was to have a fun and positive experience without pressure. I hope we achieved this


As an aside, my daughter and her toy poodle won both the national junior championship (for the third consecutive year) and the senior championship in her class (for the first time).


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster has just celebrated his third birthday! Our agility training continues and he's gaining confidence and speed. Despite a five-month absence from competition due to my total knee replacement, and my ongoing convalescence, he has finished in the top 30 agility dogs in Canada this year.


Here's a video taken at one of our recent trials. Our team is still a work in progress, although I'm a lot more mobile now, which helps, and Duster is learning to drive forward a bit more.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Happy 3rd Birthday to Duster, Congratulations to you both. 

Hope you're recovering well from your knee replacement.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

That's a great accomplishment. I really enjoyed watching his run.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

That's really great! Congratulations - and glad you're back on your feet! Watching your video reminded me of watching my sister doing her equestrian jumping. I don't know how you guys memorize the order of those courses! Is agility like equestrian in that you only get the course a short time before the competition? That alone would raise my nervous level!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Sweet Girl said:


> That's really great! Congratulations - and glad you're back on your feet! Watching your video reminded me of watching my sister doing her equestrian jumping. I don't know how you guys memorize the order of those courses! Is agility like equestrian in that you only get the course a short time before the competition? That alone would raise my nervous level!



Thank you! At most trials the course maps are available at the beginning of the day, so you have paper or electronic versions of all your runs. However, once the course has been built, you only get 7 minutes to walk, it, memorize it and decide how to handle it. The maps are useful, but not helpful at all for remembering the actual course.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

ceegee said:


> Thank you! At most trials the course maps are available at the beginning of the day, so you have paper or electronic versions of all your runs. However, once the course has been built, you only get 7 minutes to walk, it, memorize it and decide how to handle it. The maps are useful, but not helpful at all for remembering the actual course.



Wow. I don't think I'd do well at agility! What happens if you mess up the order? Do you just lose points or is it an automatic fail?


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Sweet Girl said:


> Wow. I don't think I'd do well at agility! What happens if you mess up the order? Do you just lose points or is it an automatic fail?



If you mess up the order, you're eliminated. Remembering the course becomes harder with age!!! My kid, who is 17, only has to walk a course a couple of times to remember it, but I take every second of my 7 minutes, and even then, I have to concentrate hard in the ring.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

ceegee said:


> If you mess up the order, you're eliminated. Remembering the course becomes harder with age!!! My kid, who is 17, only has to walk a course a couple of times to remember it, but I take every second of my 7 minutes, and even then, I have to concentrate hard in the ring.



I would, too! My memory is okay, but not under pressure like that! I know I was really impressed at how nonchalant my sister was about having to memorize her jumping courses. But she has a REALLY good memory!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Here's Duster, now three years old, starting out 2019 at an agility trial with my daughter. This was a speed event where the aim was to amass as many points as possible in 50 seconds, following certain rules. Duster finished with 46 points, which netted him 3rd place in a group of about 25 dogs. There was a tie for first place between two border collies with 52 points.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

That was fun to watch. Both Duster and your daughter did a great job.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Here's Duster, rocking the weave poles at last week's agility trial!


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

Looks great! I'm wondering how and at what age you introduced weave poles and at what age he was able to do the standard 6 poles? (Sorry if this duplicates info further back in this thread.)


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

TheZ's said:


> Looks great! I'm wondering how and at what age you introduced weave poles and at what age he was able to do the standard 6 poles? (Sorry if this duplicates info further back in this thread.)



He was just over 12 months old when we introduced weave poles. We used the 2x2 method and took things slowly. He was doing sets of 6 poles by about 15 months of age. He would have done them sooner - he understood the principle right away - but I was following the Avidog puppy exercise guidelines and didn't want him to actually weave until then (closure of growth plates). So we just did entries and angled gates for a while.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Our club held its spring competition last weekend, and one of the events on Sunday was a tribute event for my last dog, Ruby. It was a distance handling event: the dog has to accumulate as many points as possible during a 40 second period by working at a distance from the handler (see the orange lines on the ground in the video below), and can double the points score by completing a final timed distance sequence at the end of the 40 seconds. Ruby excelled at this type of event, which is why it was chosen for her memorial. I gave a trophy and certificate for the winner. It was hotly contested. Of the 40 competing dogs, only five were able to get all four distance sequences and the final sequence - they included Duster and my daughter's poodle. Neither of us won - we were beaten by two excellent border collies, but we had a lot of fun trying! Below is the video of Duster's run. He finished in fourth place with 132 points, two points behind our poodle and 10 points behind the winner. I was very proud of him!


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## Brandysmom (Mar 3, 2019)

*Brandysmom*

Congratulations!! He is absolutely beautiful. Best of luck with him.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

I don't know much about agility but I know that looked impressive! I don't know how you remember what he's supposed to do when!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

So Duster and I went off to Barrie (north of Toronto) last week for the Canadian National Agility Championships. We had no real expectations - Duster is a sensitive soul and doesn't respond well to pressure - but I hoped to give him a good, positive experience. Well - we ended up winning our division! He was such a good dog. It was a close-run race - the championship is a aggregate of six events, and the result in our division was decided in the last of the six events. No stress!! Here he is, in the ring and with his trophy!


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Congratulations. He is such a gorgeous and talented boy. How gratifying to have all the hard work be rewarded. I love the look on his face with his trophy--humble, yet knowing he's the champion.


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## aesthetic (Apr 23, 2015)

Congratulations!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Congratulations - to you both! I know agility is a big team sport. You must be so proud of him!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Congratulations!
I just love Duster, he's such a beautiful boy.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

ceegee said:


> Here's a photo of Duster at last month's Canadian national agility championships. When I had my knee replaced in February of this year, the prospect of being able to compete there was my main motivation for recovery. It was "mission accomplished" in that respect. We didn't do particularly well in terms of results - a series of small mistakes - but it was a significant personal victory simply to be there! My new knee mostly behaved itself (with a bit of help from some painkillers). Also, Duster is still only 2 years old and my main goal for him was to have a fun and positive experience without pressure. I hope we achieved this
> 
> 
> As an aside, my daughter and her toy poodle won both the national junior championship (for the third consecutive year) and the senior championship in her class (for the first time).


That's a great picture! He looks like he really enjoys agility.


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## Neals26 (Aug 22, 2019)

Wow, my kids and I had fun watching your videos. Duster is impressive!


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## mzilke (May 4, 2019)

I agree he is vary adorable


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Thanks, guys! He's a great dog, very gentle, fun to live with, and enjoys his job! Here he is at our club's trial last week.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster just turned four years old last week. He's had a great year in agility, and is gaining confidence and speed. Here he is with some of the year's winnings!


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

That is so awesome!! You guys did great and he's so beautiful. Congratulations on a really good year.


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Big congratulations to you both! That represents a lot of hard work.


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## Deborus12 (Nov 5, 2017)

ceegee said:


> Duster just turned four years old last week. He's had a great year in agility, and is gaining confidence and speed. Here he is with some of the year's winnings!
> View attachment 868440


Congratulations! I'm always inspired by you. Dudley and I are in the beginning classes for agility and he is loving it. We are having such fun and I feel a partnership growing that is new to me as a dog owner. ?


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

Wow, fantastic! Those rosettes are almost as big as him! Congrats to both of you.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Congratulations to you and Duster for an outstanding year.


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## Joanne & Asia (Jul 23, 2007)

Congratulations! So cute


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

It's been a while since I updated this thread. Dog sports have been on "pause" in our part of the world for the last year and a half, because of COVID. There was a brief reopening last fall, when these photographs were taken. 

This coming weekend will be our first agility trial in quite a while. I'm looking forward to it. It will be a little weird because of the mask and distancing requirements, but at least we'll be out there, doing something.

Here's Duster, doing his thing.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Good luck! Have fun


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

GORGEOUS shots! Good luck at your trial!!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I love Duster...... he's such a beautiful boy. 

Great pictures, good luck this weekend!


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Great pictures. I feel like you can see the determination on his face.


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## Deborus12 (Nov 5, 2017)

Beautiful photos.. handsome boy! Best of luck!


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## whemtp (Oct 18, 2009)

Great photos. Best of luck!


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## rosegold (Nov 9, 2016)

He is gorgeous. Good luck this weekend!


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

Good luck and have fun! Duster is so handsome, great pics.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Great photos! So glad you're able to start up again where you are. We only just re-started hunt training and tracking here in June/July. There have been some tests in both in the past month, all distanced, limited entry and no galleries. But with Shala's cancer diagnosis, we've just been doing raining when we can and just for fun - no tests this year. I've heard they've been doing a good job in terms of health guidelines and stuff. Hope your events are good, too - and that you guys are successful and have fun!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster is six today! He's an amazing dog, such a joy to live with, such an amazing agility partner. It's a privilege to be his human.


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## aesthetic (Apr 23, 2015)

Happy birthday Duster! I love that picture of him


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## tikiandme (May 16, 2010)

Happy Birthday, Duster! You are a very handsome fella! You also lucked out in the owner department. You two were meant for each other.....


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## Deborus12 (Nov 5, 2017)

Beautiful picture! I understand the joy of an agility partner who can't wait to jump in the car and go! So happy for you and hope you have many many more years of love and fun with Duster!


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

So Gorgeous!! Happy Birthday!!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Happy Birthday Duster, he's a gorgeous boy!


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Happy birthday handsome boy. Keep flying through your agility courses!


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

Happy birthday to Duster! I’m glad y’all have such a good bond and enjoy agility!


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

Time flies, I remember when he was so tiny! He's handsome.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Okay, is it just me, or does he actually look slightly human in that photo?? He's got a very human expression to his face. 

Can't believe he is already six! I have always been so happy that he has been such a perfect dog for you.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Sweet Girl said:


> Okay, is it just me, or does he actually look slightly human in that photo?? He's got a very human expression to his face.
> 
> Can't believe he is already six! I have always been so happy that he has been such a perfect dog for you.


He's a very thoughtful and intuitive dog. This is his "what do you mean?" expression. I sat him on the table in my photo studio and chatted to him so that he would tilt his head. He was trying to figure out what I wanted!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Duster and I have been exploring rally obedience. It's never been my "thing" in the past, but he loves it so much that I've been taking classes - not so much for him, but to improve my handling skills! This is our "graduation" exercise from this session. He did a great job!


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Very nicely done! I love how he focuses on you.


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

That's great!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Wow! He never takes his eyes off you! That is awesome!


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## Deborus12 (Nov 5, 2017)

OMG.. what focus! I'd like to keep watching this video and it will set the bar for our training..


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

It has been a difficult few months for Duster and me. I ruptured my Achilles tendon at a trial in mid-May, and my leg has been immobilized in a therapeutic boot ever since. I was on crutches for the first four weeks, but after that was allowed to bear weight and become active. Our provincial agility championship was held at the end of June. Duster was the defending champion in his class and I really wanted to go. I was able to move around fairly well with the boot by then, and after a bit of dithering, I decided to just do it. Life is too short to sit on the sidelines. Anyway, the championship is an aggregate of scores from six events over two days, and to cut a long story short, we were able to compete in all six events and we won our class with the highest aggregate! I was very proud of us. Duster was an amazing partner. It was as if he understood that he needed to be especially attentive because his human wasn't quite up to par. Although our aggregate score was somewhat below our personal best, it wasn't our worst-ever either.

I will be very glad to get rid of the boot. Another month to go ...

This is a video of one of our runs. It was a lot slower than we would normally have run, but it was also the only clean run in our class on that particular course.


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## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

ceegee said:


> It has been a difficult few months for Duster and me. I ruptured my Achilles tendon at a trial in mid-May, and my leg has been immobilized in a therapeutic boot ever since. I was on crutches for the first four weeks, but after that was allowed to bear weight and become active. Our provincial agility championship was held at the end of June. Duster was the defending champion in his class and I really wanted to go. I was able to move around fairly well with the boot by then, and after a bit of dithering, I decided to just do it. Life is too short to sit on the sidelines. Anyway, the championship is an aggregate of scores from six events over two days, and to cut a long story short, we were able to compete in all six events and we won our class with the highest aggregate! I was very proud of us. Duster was an amazing partner. It was as if he understood that he needed to be especially attentive because his human wasn't quite up to par. Although our aggregate score was somewhat below our personal best, it wasn't our worst-ever either.
> 
> I will be very glad to get rid of the boot. Another month to go ...
> 
> This is a video of one of our runs. It was a lot slower than we would normally have run, but it was also the only clean run in our class on that particular course.


Great job!


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

Wow! Very impressive, congratulations.


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

That's awesome! You both did great.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Wow - way to go! I've been in one of those boots with a broken foot. So I am doubly impressed that you moved around so well. Great team!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

We're getting a few fall colours in our back yard. Duster and I went out with the camera this afternoon. These are probably some of the last photos I'll take with this particular camera system (Canon 7D + EF24-105L). I'll be putting it up for sale this week and replacing it with a smaller, lighter mirrorless system.


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## Macca (Aug 11, 2011)

ceegee said:


> We're getting a few fall colours in our back yard. Duster and I went out with the camera this afternoon. These are probably some of the last photos I'll take with this particular camera system (Canon 7D + EF24-105L). I'll be putting it up for sale this week and replacing it with a smaller, lighter mirrorless system.
> 
> View attachment 897002
> View attachment 897003


Simply magnificent!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Happy birthday Duster! Seven years old today. We had a rally practice this morning and then spent half an hour in the back yard with my new camera. He's sleeping under my desk right now, getting his strength up for our agility coaching session this evening ... Busy day for him - just how he likes them!


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## swishywagga (Nov 13, 2012)

Happy Birthday Duster, I hope your day has lots of treats in it!.


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## aesthetic (Apr 23, 2015)

Happy birthday Duster!! 7 years is crazy, I swear it feels like you just got him (which I especially don’t understand why I feel this way since Kaizer was only 6 months older)


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## tikiandme (May 16, 2010)

Happy Belated Birthday, Duster! You are a handsome boy!


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Happy Birthday to Duster! I agree, it's crazy that he is already seven! You two have done amazing things together. Here's to many more!


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

I can't believe it's been 7yrs already! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Beautiful run at the provincial championships! I hope you're doing better now!


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Rundlemtn said:


> I can't believe it's been 7yrs already! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Beautiful run at the provincial championships! I hope you're doing better now!


Thank you. The tendon saga is ongoing, sadly. Life lesson: if you're going to damage a body part, make sure it's not your Achilles tendon. It's a beast of an injury to rehab - and this, from someone who successfully rehabbed a total knee replacement ...


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## Rundlemtn (Jan 16, 2015)

ceegee said:


> Thank you. The tendon saga is ongoing, sadly. Life lesson: if you're going to damage a body part, make sure it's not your Achilles tendon. It's a beast of an injury to rehab - and this, from someone who successfully rehabbed a total knee replacement ...


Ugh, I'm sorry to hear it! Well at least you make it "look" like nothing at all!


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