PJ Meyer
08-30-2008, 05:53 AM
Well things are slowly getting better. I figured if John Grogan, author of Marley and Me can make a million bucks writing about an obnoxious lab then why can't I!? Anyways while starting my out line I remembered the Nevada State fair of 2005. It was a dock dogs event with 3HD helping. Well I showed up Saturday morning at the event and I forget who, but someone came up a said that according to the dock dogs rules I couldn't use a "sound device" on the dock. One dog one handler one toy that's it. Someone, who remains anonymous to this day, brought the fact that I use a duck call to the judges attention. They called back east for clarification and got it. No calls for me and Chief even though we had already used one in the competition. I was very angry to say the least. Ready to pack it in and head home. Rob Barnhill, Todd Bobula, and Greg Dwyer all agreed. It was going to be a boring final without some of the top dogs. Well we all calmed down and figured it wasn't fair to the dogs so I would swallow my pride, figure something out, and we would all compete the rest of the weekend.
Chief and I qualified for the finals and had a plan. I ran Chief up the dock and put him through his routine using only hand signals. I swear it was so quiet in the rodeo arena you could hear a horse fart! As the judges called out the time remaining, we just stood there. Chief was as usual, frozen, focused, solid as a rock. A minute and fortyfive seconds had gone by. It sure seemed like a long time. Probably longer for the audience, going who is this jerk and why is he just standing up there? Does his dog even Jump. I was making my point that a call only added entertainment value and showcased Chief's hunting heritage.
With a few seconds left on the clock I screamed as loud as I could "Get the Bird Chief!" He flew 21'8" a new personal best. We showed em'. Go ahead change the rules on us mid-competition. It doesn't bother us. 21'8" was enough to make the final four where Chief went even farther. He hit a 22' even.Good enough for third place. Barnhill and sisko won and Bart and Gunner came in fourth. We even won like fifty bucks from Tamarack Junction casino.
Eventually Dock Dogs changed the rule to allow sound devices on the dock. I think it should be called the Chief clause/exception/rule or whatever. Jumping is always fun but competiton is competition, especially when prize money is at stake. I probably was taking myself and jumping way to seriously back then, but we were winning events, traveling, having a blast, and trying to make the Great Outdoor games. If I knew then what I know now we might have made it. If anyone knows a publisher hook me up. We'll be at Squaw Valley and look forward to seeing everyone. Drinks on me at Sunnyside after.
Heck I might even bring Buford the black and tan hound and see if he will jump. Most likely he'll smell a bear and forget about swimming and the chase will make Mickey D's at Long Beach look mild in comparison.So in a year or two
buy my book!!! Pete
Chief and I qualified for the finals and had a plan. I ran Chief up the dock and put him through his routine using only hand signals. I swear it was so quiet in the rodeo arena you could hear a horse fart! As the judges called out the time remaining, we just stood there. Chief was as usual, frozen, focused, solid as a rock. A minute and fortyfive seconds had gone by. It sure seemed like a long time. Probably longer for the audience, going who is this jerk and why is he just standing up there? Does his dog even Jump. I was making my point that a call only added entertainment value and showcased Chief's hunting heritage.
With a few seconds left on the clock I screamed as loud as I could "Get the Bird Chief!" He flew 21'8" a new personal best. We showed em'. Go ahead change the rules on us mid-competition. It doesn't bother us. 21'8" was enough to make the final four where Chief went even farther. He hit a 22' even.Good enough for third place. Barnhill and sisko won and Bart and Gunner came in fourth. We even won like fifty bucks from Tamarack Junction casino.
Eventually Dock Dogs changed the rule to allow sound devices on the dock. I think it should be called the Chief clause/exception/rule or whatever. Jumping is always fun but competiton is competition, especially when prize money is at stake. I probably was taking myself and jumping way to seriously back then, but we were winning events, traveling, having a blast, and trying to make the Great Outdoor games. If I knew then what I know now we might have made it. If anyone knows a publisher hook me up. We'll be at Squaw Valley and look forward to seeing everyone. Drinks on me at Sunnyside after.
Heck I might even bring Buford the black and tan hound and see if he will jump. Most likely he'll smell a bear and forget about swimming and the chase will make Mickey D's at Long Beach look mild in comparison.So in a year or two
buy my book!!! Pete