Today I’m sniffing out my sporty sixth year. Sports are my love and I have been competing since I turned six months old. While some dogs tire of it, I have gotten more and more wild about it. Now that I am at the highest levels there are not as many titles but there are lots of trials with points and placements working up to those titles. Scent sports are my love and I can’t seem to sniff enough.
My first new title at six years old came in Michigan in June, ELT-P, Elite-Premier. This is a title given when I dog earns a minimum of 400 points, with each trial being 100 points. There are some bonus points but I won’t go into all that stuff. I earned my title and at that trial I placed second overall, and second in one of my four searches.
My second new title came in August at the National Trolley Museum in Maryland. I earned my Elite-S Title, Elite-Select. Mom and I had so much fun searching old trolleys and trolley workshops. I was the only dog that day to find all the hides and I earned my title. Each Elite-S trial has a maximum 100 points and a title is 350. A dog needs at least four trials for a title and that was exactly what I needed.
In September, on a whim, Mom entered me and Nelson in Farm Dog. Both of us earned our titles that day. It was fun doing something different and another group of letters after my name is nice too.
October was the first AKC Master Scent Work National. A dog needs to have a Masters Title to enter. Of course, we went as we love new things. It was amazing. Dogs from almost every state attended and we didn’t know what it would be like or how we might do. Day two of the preliminary sniffing I earned second place in one of my searches out of 188 dogs! It took a while for that number to sink in. Mom and I are so proud of that search! We were in 6th place overall when they selected the top 100 for the final day, the other 88 dogs were done. In the end we placed 15th out of the 100 finalists which is truly something to be proud of. Of course, I was the only GBGV so I also earned the best of breed medallion.
My last big success came on March 1st in a fun competition, no titles or anything, just for fun. It was our dream 100 container search. To the surprise of my mom, we placed first out of 43 dogs! It was the most fun search we have ever had. Mom simply gave me the freedom to do the search as I wanted to and I was a winner!
As you see, titles are few but fun was abundant for my sixth year and I even got some swag in place of a title/ribbon. I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do at seven. Mom says she thinks I’m in my prime years now, so we shall see! Mom and I just adore sniffing together and look forward to more challenges ahead!
My GBGV Life is happy, so we’re joining Comedy Plus for Happy Tuesday!