Two little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
So Momma called the doctor and the doctor said
No more monkeys jumping on the bed!


Mr Mav has been getting more and more freedom in the house.  He's growing up quickly and he's earned it.

Yesterday was the first time I let Mav out while I was in the shower.  I could hear Cinder and Mav have a great time impersonating professional wrestlers.  Sounded like quite the smack down in the living room.  Or at least I thought it they were in the living room.  When I got out of the shower, this is what I saw.

What really cracked me up was that it was like they knew to stop wrestling and look innocent just as I came out of the shower.  Two little monkeys jumping on the bed....

Oh - and no - Mav is not supposed to be on the bed.

Now don't get excited - Maverick didn't earn these his big bro Cinder did.  After far too long, Cinder and I competed in an agility trial and some great runs.  Very proud of my big Spot.  In between running Cinder, Mr Mav got some training time with some really big distractions.  And a very important part of training is learning how to pose for photos with many, many ribbons :)

Mav and me at the competition.

For the first time today, Mav hoped on the couch and just started to relax and cuddle.  I couldn't say no.  Can you say no to that face?

My pooped puppy.

Little sleeping angel.

Next thing I knew, I was surrounded my sleeping dally angles.  There were no more monkeys jumping on the bed...for now :)

Don't let their cute faces fool you

At first glance they look like sweet little angles.  We go for a walk and all I hear is "oooooo - look at the cute spotted doggies"

Well let me tell you - they both have little devil horns that come out!

We went for a lovely walk today.  Or at least the plan was to go for a lovely walk.  The Spotties had another idea.

The walk started as usual with Mr Mav resisting his snoot loop and Cinder pulling to get out the door.  But they calmed down and we started to enjoy our walk - one dog on either side of me.  They were behaving so well I decided we should try some recalls and running around the field.

BIG MISTAKE!

They were great holding their sit until I gave the command for Mav to chase Cinder - they went racing away having a great time. Then I gave the command "Cinder!"  "Maverick!"  For some unknown reason I expected my trained dogs to do when they have done every other time and run to me.  I had the cookies ready in my hand for when they came to me.  After all - they are sweet little angles, right?  That's when I saw the little horns come out of their heads and I am sure I saw Mr Mav flip me off!  I tried calling them one more time and nope - no doggies came in my direction.

I thought I would assume innocence and I thought maybe my dogs had lost their hearing because why else wouldn't they come when called.  But then I remembered how they can be in the dead of sleep and will bolt up when they hear me open the freezer where I keep their bones.  So I think it's safe to say their hearing is just fine.  I also thought that maybe they went blind and they couldn't see me standing there.  Why else wouldn't they come to their mamma?  Then I remembered how all I have to do is walk anywhere near the fridge at meal time and they run to get fed.  So I think it's safe to say that everything is fine with their sight.

Then it went from worse to worse because another dog came along and Mav went running to visit.  I put Cinder in a sit and went to get Mav who decided it was a great time to play keep away from da mamma.

That's when I started to design (in my head) the "Naughty Dallies for Sale" poster.  I knew what font I was going to use - had the colour paper picked out - they were going to look sharp!

After getting both dogs back on lead we walked for quite a while in silence - while I was busy designing the poster and banging my head against the wall for my crap dog training.

Just as I was deciding where to post my "Naughty Dallies for Sale" poster - I looked down and both Cinder and Mav were walking beautifully side my side in tandem.  No more horns sticking out of their heads.  I one again I heard a passer-by saying "oooooooo - what cute spotted dogies"

And they were very cute!  So I have decided to keep them for a little longer :)  My little devil monkeys!

Don't let his cuteness fool you!

If you look closely, you can see his little horns growing

My big angel... when he's sleeping :)

The boys being very good!  I hate nothing more than having the Spotties in my kitchen when I am trying to cook.  So I trained them to stay outside the kitchen every time I start cooking.  They even stay on their side of the room.  Good doggies!

Chilling with my bro

It wasn't too long ago that CInder packed Mr Mav's bags and put then at the door letting me know that it was time for the puppy to go.

They are inseparable now - and I love it!

The New Canadian Celebrates His First Canada Day

Although born American, Mr Mav quickly became Canadian at 9 weeks (and I have the receipt from the tax man to prove it...lol)  And if that wasn't Canadian enough, he is also CKC registered.

So Mr Mav had no problem celebrating with the rest of the Canadians on Canada Day last Friday.

Sir Humps A Lot - as he is currently known - enjoyed the day playing and eating doggy cake with all of his friends.  And any questions I had about his jumping ability were put to rest - he easily jumped a 4 foot wall.  I was standing on the wall taking photos of the dogs below and next thing I knew, Mr Mav was right next to me.

Hey - since Mav has duel citizenship, does that mean I get both Canada Day (July 1) and the 4th of July off from work?

Naughty Spotty

Mav on the wall next to me

The wall he jumped 

The bro's hanging on the porch

All the doggies feeling Cinder's birthday hat pain

Mav and Cinder play very well.  At this point, Cinder was dragging Mav around the back yard.

Uncle Gerhard is a very bad influence!

CAKE?  Just for us?  WOW - Canada is definitely the land of great opportunity!

Really mom?  At least I am taking my friends down with me

Happy Canada Day - and to my sibs back home, have a great 4th of July!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CINDER

Really?  Do you really have to humilate me EVERY year?

This game SUCKS!  Just give me the bone mamma!

So - when are you updating your blog?

If I had a dollar for everyone time someone has email me that question, I would be a very rich woman right now :)

You may have noticed that I have been a little lacking in the blog updating department.  I tired using the excuse that I have been busy updating Team Canada's blog but one of my "friends" already crushed that excuse down (I won't tell you her response...lol)

You are going to have to wait for a Mr Mav update just a little bit longer because today is going to be all about Mav's big brother Cinder (aka Spotty)

Spotty dog turns 7 tomorrow!  Wow - that's so hard to believe.  Seems like just yesterday I was bringing home the little guy - and look how far he has come.

He has had quite the agility career - only the 7th Dal to ever earn an ATChC, the 5th Dal to ever earn an Bronze, the 3rd Dal to ever earn a Silver and he is close to being only the second Dal to ever earn a Gold (the highest achievement for a Dal).  He has placed twice at the BC/Yukon Regionals and has made the podium at Nationals.  He has been in 2 movies (Cats & Dogs 2 and Marmaduke) and he opened the door which got me on on 4 World Teams (even managing 2 of those teams)

Most importantly, he has been my best friend through a heck of a lot and for that I will be forever grateful.

He loves his job as big brother to Mr Mav - I could watch the two of them playing for hours!

I now have another one to add to Spotty's impressive resume!

A couple of months ago, Cinder was used in the filming of a new Disney pilot for ABC.  Being a Disney fan - that was pretty cool for me.

Well - I recently found out that the show has been picked up for the fall season and they are continuing the film the program in Vancouver.  In this show, one of the characters owns a Dalmatian - and that Dal is going to be played by Cinder!

It is called "Once Upon a Time" and will be seen on ABC Sunday nights at 8pm.
You can learn more about the show and check out the preview at
http://abc.go.com/shows/once-upon-a-time

So - Happy Birthday my Spotty boy!

Cinder's first firetruck photo. I love his buda belly :)

Cinder after his first podium win.  I had a perma-grin for weeks!

And not to worry - I promise there will be more Mav updates with photos to come :)

What's happening to me?

For those who wanted to see the official Best of Breed photo, here you go -
A big thank you to Photos by Tedy for the wonderful photo.

We have a week until our next show and there is a lot to do.  I need to get a pair of my own black sparkle shoes, we work on Mav's stack everyday (I even bought area rugs for the house so he isn't slipping on the hardwood when we practice) and I must figure out this outfit thing.  I'm just hoping that the shopping is better at this show :)   Ohhhhh - the pressure!

My friend said conformation is fun when you win

SHE WAS RIGHT!

Before I start this post, I have to say a HUGE thank you to Auntie Linda for coaching us through the weekend, Auntie Lisa for coming out to support us (and for all the the treats she kept loading into my pockets), Tony for all of his great photos and to our amazing instructor Patty!  We couldn't have done it without all of you!

This past weekend, Mr Mav and I entered our first conformation show.  As you might have noticed from my other posts, I know NOTHING about conformation.  I enrolled in a conformation class with an amazing instructor, I borrowed a pair of sparkle shoes from a good friend and we were off for competition.

The first show was pretty much a gong show.  I had no idea what to expect and Mr Mav's poor puppy brain could not handle all of the excitement.  He wiggled and wiggled the entire time and was so wiggly that the judge couldn't even check it him.  Needless to day it wasn't the result I was hoping for.

So that night we went to an agility class at a horse barn to figure out how we were going to get through the next 3 shows!

The next show was a totally different story - Mr Mav was awesome!  He was so well behaved and it went so well that he won the class and we earned out first point.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, for our third show he not only took class, he also took best of breed and best puppy in breed.  I was on cloud nine as we went to our first group class.  Wow - that was an eye opener and needless to say that we're going to be working on our stack.

By today, we were both pooped.  We were the only dal so we automatically went to group - good for some more experience.

After it was all done, I took Mav for the best reward I could think of (see photo below)

I couldn't be prouder of my boy!  Such a good little man.

There is nothing better than the gift of conformation pee before going into the ring!

Thumbs up - we're ready to go!

Yes - we know we have to work on our stack - but he does look pretty cute :)

Our first best in breed photo - yes, that is the judge telling me that I have to fix his stack for the photo

Mr Best in Breed pooped in his condo on the ride home

His stash from the day

Once we the competition was over for us, I took Mav to the muddiest dog park.  He had the BEST time running around.

After this, I was very tempted to walk him through the conformation building again...lol!

And here is the movie preview for our weekend.  I smell Oscar :)

You want me to trim where?!?!?!?

Mr Mav has his first pretty boy show this weekend and we plan to prance like no Dal has pranced before!  LOL!

Last week in class the instructor told me that I needed to trim the tip of his tail so I was all set to grab a pair of scissors and snip straight across.  Well - when my two agility friends (that also do conformation and are better known as Mr Mav's official groomer and his fondling coach) found out they freaked.  How could I even think of getting regular scissors and cut it off?  Shows what I know.

So - one of my friends graciously offered to properly trim the tip of Mr Mav's tail - I have to say she did a really nice job.  But that's when I found out that there are other things on a Dalmatian that also need trimming but for some reason no one wanted to do the deed - so I had to do it.
Tanna - you know I love you when I am willing to trim my boy's willie just so it looks all pretty while I let a stranger fondle him in public!  :)

Tomorrow we dremel the toe nails and select my outfit.

Don't worry - we got photos -

Linda has been whacked by Cinder's tail one to many times (and she has Aussie's) so I think she got confused when I asked her to trim Mav's tail.

Wrong end of the tail, Auntie Linda!

Trim, trim, trim.  

For some reason, no wanted to trim the other parts (or take photos during the trim job) - go figure!

So da mamma had to do it!

This photo cracks me up!

Not to worry - no willies or tails were harmed in the making of these photos!

I even got a manicure so my hands were all pretty when I showed him.

BTW - this is AFTER agility class!  I found the best new nail product called gel polish (comes in a bunch of different brands)  It does not chip!  Outstanding stuff!