SAR Dog Demo in Slidell, LA

My constant readers know that I have a soft spot in my heart for the kids in Slidell, LA. After arriving home from our Ireland trip, MJ and I packed up Ruby and hit the road for an epic push on Friday to talk to the kids at Our Lady of Lourdes School about K9 Search Austin, Staying Found and SAR Dogs.

The kids were wonderful and Ruby did a great job for having spent 7.5 hours in the car and then being thrown up on stage. We left the house at 5am and MJ drove most of the way in order to get to Slidell in time for me to change into my uniform and start the presentation at 2:00.

I had just asked the kids to “Do the Impossible” and hold their voices down for Ruby. Usually she’s amazing in front of an audience. Today she was a little skittish on a new stage. I said “…this will be hard to do, but wait until she does her search to ‘Ohh and Ahhh’” That is where the video picks up. Here is a short clip of the fun.

Ruby and Matt present at Lourdes School

Best of our Trip to Ireland

Favorite Dogs

All of the dogs were our favorites. There we’re many more we could not catch for a picture. Ireland has a huge number of stray dogs, we saw them everywhere. The most frightening was seeing them cross the streets (though most of the time they did a better job than we did.) They moved through the towns like they were on a mission. We never saw one that was underfed or injured, so it may also be the case that they were “town dogs”, owned by no one but cared for by many.

Here are the shots of the ones who hung around long enough for me to photograph. (Though Coco never sat still long enough to get a “still photo”.)

Clockwise from top left: Orange dog and Black dog, Dingle Peninsula; Coco, Galway; Orange dog bringing us her bone; Music Lady and Lakeland Terriers, Cliffs of Moher

Region We’d Visit Again

Connemara, the area is huge and studded with lakes and rivers, fishing lodges and quiet getaways. We took the main road through for time, but there are hundreds of back roads that need further exploration.

Most Helpful Person

Our first night in Dublin we set out for a pub known for traditional Irish music and Guinness. It was a brisk evening and about 100 paces from the hotel it began to rain.  Not to worry though, MJ had an umbrella. What we were not prepared for was the 40 mile/hr winds that crashed down the narrow streets. We reached a bank ATM shelter where I stopped to cover my camera bag. Just then a man came by with an umbrella 3 times bigger than ours which is clearly designed to not only keep him and the surrounding half acre dry, but also baffles the wind without leaking. We got to talking (only understanding half of what he said) but he knew the Cobblestone Pub and went out of his way to be sure we made it there safe and dry. We call him “Umbrella Guy”.

Favorite Pub

Which leads us to our favorite pub. We met a lot of great bartenders and had great beers and food, but our favorite spot included a group of musicians right at the front door that made the whole experience complete. Cobblestone Pub in Dublin is a great location for music and beer. It doesn’t have the formal feel of the other “Live Music Here Tonight” locations. The music is casual, informal, more improvisation and jam session than “set list”. (I was about to take a photo of the fiddle player and she caught my eye, I mouthed the works “OK?” and she winked approval while crushing a fast paced solo). It’s not so small that you can’t get away from the band and not so big that you can’t hear the music over the conversation (which is happening in about 3 different languages).

Best Meals

We had some great meals, to have to choose one would be hard. Here's the most memorable.

• Seafood: O’Grady’s on the Pier, Barna, Galway, Locally sourced prawns, crab and smoked salmon on a bed of field greens and a light vinaigrette.
• Pub Food: Murphy’s Pub in Killarney, Guinness Braised Beef with vegetables and “Loin of Bacon” with cabbage, we’d call it Ham, but not like US ham, the meat in both dishes was silky and tender, the vegetables, perfect.
• Indian Food: Mother India, Roscommon, amazing spice, perfectly hot. The Balti and vegetable pakoras were perfect. 

Best Part of Driving

Our car, the Citroen C5. I have never rented a car that I ever considered buying until I drove this car. It was a dream to drive. Absolutely the most fuel efficient car I have ever driven, we covered over 800 miles on a single tank. It would not idle, it shut itself off. Tap the accelerator and it’s going again. The controls, the handling, the layout, the seats, everything was perfect (it even stows the side view mirrors when you lock it.)

Second runner up for our favorite part of driving was the roundabouts. I really wish the US would stop putting up traffic lights and start using traffic circles, they are so much more efficient and allow the busy traffic to FLOW.

Worst Part of Driving

Everything else. While, technically, driving on the other side of the road is not hard, it does present spatial perception challenges. After a day we stopped using Left and Right and resorted to “My Side” and “Your Side”. We worked as a team when things got tight, I would deal with the immediate threat (oncoming car, bus, sheep, or tractor) and MJ would look ahead for the next turn, pedestrian, sheep, bus or tractor.

The roads here are lined with tall hedgerows that appear to reach out to trash the side of your car, when the road is wide you will rarely see another vehicle, the more narrow the road gets, the bigger the oncoming vehicle will be, sort of an Irish rule of inverse proportion.

Reading some road signs was fun too…

Worst Timing

Arriving in Westport on a Monday. All the music happens at night, this is a place to arrive on Friday and stay ‘till Sunday. One of the Pubs is owned by the flutist for the Chieftains. This would also be a good place to sleep off the 5 hour round trip hike to the top of Croagh Patrick.

Favorite Battle Story (even though it was a loss)

Apparently, in 1798, faced with an impending battle with Irish Rebels at the Hill of Tara, a cunning British Commander sent three cartloads of Whiskey along a path controlled by the Rebels knowing they would intercept it. The next day, the well organized, and sober, British troops prevailed over the Rebels.

What We Missed

Rock of Cashel, the Waterford/Wexford area, and Distillery Tours, so much more to do and see…we always have next time.

Favorite Photo

Finally, our favorite photo. I took a bunch with my Canon, but I captured this one with my Lumia 920 phone. It became a tearful reminder of my dad and we looked at it often, toasting fond memories.

Thanks for following our adventure. Mary Jane says “Best birthday ever!”

Sláinte! (Cheers!),

Mary Jane and Matthew

950 Miles of Ireland, 10 to go

After nearly 950 miles driven in seven days, our trip is nearing it’s end. We have seen so much and met so many that this has been an amazing trip.

Today we left Roscommon and drove to the Hill of Tara. This was the “chief pagan sanctuary of early Ireland” a place of worship and ritual for thousands of years. This is also the place where Saint Patrick explained the Holy Trinity to the Irish King using the shamrock as a metaphor. Creating an everlasting symbol for the country.

Speaking of things symbolic in Ireland. There are stone monoliths all over the countryside. Many buried as deep underground as they stand above ground. Symbols of strength and fertility, these monuments are present at the top of Tara, for this is where kings were crowned and held massive gatherings.

We moved on to the town of Trim, site of the largest Norman Castle in Ireland. It takes up the center of town and, from what we saw, is now the coolest dog park we’ve ever seen!

Last stop of the day, and the trip, was Bru na Boinne (the Bend in the Boinne) the site of the largest Passage Graves known. Passage graves are all over Europe, usually 10-12 feet high and about 20-30 feet in diameter. Here, on this site, they are huge, 40 feet high and 250 feet in diameter. These mounds predate Stonehenge by 500 years and the Pyramids of Giza by 1000 years.

We’re spending the night at a lodge near the airport, but quietly nestled in next to a golf course.

We can’t wait to see Ruby again!

Mary Jane and Matthew

Galway to Connemara to Roscommon

We took a couple photos last night after posting our update from Galway. This is our favorite.

We left Galway (and Coco) in a light rain and had rainbows leading us onto the Connemara Peninsula. This is a beautiful fisherman's paradise studded with lakes and streams. They still raise sheep and the occasional castle pops up into view. This was our favorite (though one of the smaller ones).

We made our way to Westport, County Mayo. This was billed as a hopping little village, bustling on the weekends, though apparently hungover on the Monday that we arrived. After lunch we made our way to Croagh Patrick and the Famine Memorial. This is the site where legend says St. Patrick fasted for 40 days before driving the snakes out of Ireland. Today it also hosts the “Coffin Ship” memorializing the victims of the Irish Potato Famine.

We left Westport and headed for Boyle, County Roscommon, home to Lough Key and the Castle McDermott. Also host to zip lines, ski boats, boat rides and all manner of outdoor adventures. We ducked in long enough for a photo and a cup of coffee, then hit the road for Roscommon. Here’s the Castle sans-ziplines.

Last full day tomorrow, heading back toward Dublin by way of New Grange.

Mary Jane and Matthew

Cliffs of Moher to Galway

This morning’s trip took us under the Shannon River and into County Clare. The Cliffs of Moher are on the western edge of the county. They are an amazing site, think Cliffs of Insanity and you would be close. The tower at the top is about 30-40 feet high.

Just North of the cliffs is the tiny town of Doolin. Home to McDermott’s Pub. It was so close to the cliffs it made a perfect stop for lunch, half-pint for the driver and a full pint for the passenger/birthday girl/co-pilot/navigator.

We have learned something interesting about traveling for so long on the “other” side of the road. We are beginning to confuse Left and Right. It’s not affecting our driving, but we look for sights on the wrong side of the car. We have begun to use “My Side” and “Your Side”. (We have also discovered that “Eeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyy” is not very helpful to the driver, while “Buuuuuussssssss” causes me to take corrective action.)

On the way out of Doolin we took a side trip to see “The Burren”. This is a huge expanse of exposed rock from the tree cutting exploits of early inhabitants of this area. Somehow, back 6000 years ago these guys had enough time on their hands to clear cut the region, change the ecosystem and make it a poor location for new trees.

On the way out to Galway we passed this amazing Monastic Site. The Kilmacdaugh Monastic site was started in the 7th century! It’s beautiful and still standing (well, leaning.) The tower was where the monks hid from the Vikings! It’s got a bit of a list, but it is beautiful.

Dinner in Galway and bed.

Mary Jane and Matthew

Dingle Peninsula

This morning we were up early and back on the road. Before leaving Kinsale we stopped in at Charles Fort. Built in the 1600’s, it is a star shaped stone fort that once guarded the entrance to Kinsale Harbor. At one point the Spanish sent troops to help the Irish against the English.

Next, we set out for the Dingle Peninsula. A rocky, windy, desolate sort of place that the hearty folks around here have inhabited for more that 5000 years! It is seriously windy, the only building material is ROCKS. Rock walls, rock fences, rock houses, rock churches. I have a feeling that ancient parents told their kids “Go outside and play with the rocks, you’re driving your mother and me crazy!” or “Your punishment is to go outside and build 5 more feet of stone fence!”

There are a lot of sheep out here too, so there is a rich woolen goods industry. The only bad thing we saw was all the graffiti, though it was isolated to the sheep.

After viewing a particularly fine ancient (1,300 year old) stone church, we wandered down the lane to the castle. On the way MJ was accosted by a couple of scoundrels who were adorable. They came after me and she shouted “They’re friendly!” good thing to, they jumped, played and mouthed our hands!

We landed in Killarney for the evening. We’re tucked into a tiny B&B just off the Town Centre. A very short walk into town for dinner and a pint and then off to bed. Long day tomorrow as we’re off to Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher. Here is one last shot of the Dingle Peninsula.

Dublin to Killkenny (you bastards!) to Kinsale

Started out the day with a run in Dublin. On my way I saw signs for the Old Jamison's Distillery, I tried and tried to find it, to no avail, but it was 7:20 in the morning, so it’s not like I was going to get a tour, or a taste.

MJ and I ate breakfast and hit the road for Glendalough, Wicklow. Driving down the Wicklow mountains,past streams and snow, that we both know will, some day, become Guinness, was amazing!

We stopped in Killkenny to eat lunch and swung by Killkenny Castle. This town has the NARROWEST streets I have ever driven down. We crawled through town (both in and out) but it was worth the risk for the views.

The rest of the trip involved staying in the middle of the road and avoiding the hedgerows that were hell bent on snatching MJ out of the passenger seat (and avoiding the rocks that wanted to scratch our beautiful Citroen).

We finally arrived in Kinsale and chose to walk to town. Ireland, after a beautiful day, decided to start raining. We walked in the rain to town down a near vertical road. Downhill, not bad, note to self, find a cab for the ride home. We found the Tap Tavern for our first pint of the night. The rain stuck around and as it cleared, the most amazing (and cliché thing ever) happened, a rainbow. The thing is, it began and ended in Kinsale. Here’s the beginning.

After dinner at Fishy Fishy, of chowder, oysters and mmmm…mussels and wine. Then off to another pub for a pint, find a cab (I am not walking back up that hill!) and back to the B&B.

OH, here are both ends of that rainbow…

MJ and Matt

Happy Birthday Mary Jane!

This month we’re celebrating Mary Jane’s birthday in several special ways. We kicked it off by attending the Waco Agility Group Trail in McGregor, TX. Mary Jane was happy to make her birthday a “family day” with Ruby and Me. It was a great day. We got 4 runs in, saw my niece Rene (which caused Ruby to completely LOSE HER MIND!), we finished just after noon, and Ruby gave MJ two first place ribbons for the wall (and two purple Q ribbons too).

Ruby and I have been working extra hard on our agility skills and it really showed in this trial. In the past I have had a hard time with Ruby on the first run, she may run off or fly off a contact. Our training with Becky and the Megan Foster seminar has been particularly helpful with Ruby’s attention (and my ability to maintain it). I have also been running more so that I can keep up with Ruby when she runs. I prefer to run with her rather than handler her from a distance. For me, it’s more fun.

I try to never blame Ruby for my mistakes. My trainer Becky says that the handler is always at fault (though in most trails you will here handlers berating their dogs for “doing the wrong thing”). The video always shows the truth, there is always something you did to indicate to the dog the wrong action. She says, fundamentally, there are two major mistakes that handlers make, errors in handling and errors in training. You will see both in the following videos.

Novice Tunnelers

We should have CRUSHED this course. It was a fun course with several visual challenges. I got complacent in my handling and after the second tunnel I stopped giving Ruby good information about where to go next. As she exits the third tunnel I call her off the fourth. She did exactly what I asked, she came to me, breaking her direction of travel, handling failure. NQ

Novice Tunnelers

Open Regular

This was another course that we have trained for. If you saw Ruby’s run from the last time, you know we have had attention issues. This is a failure in training. I looked at the course and flashed back to the previous event. I decided to handle the start without a lead-out so she would start with me and then move away to the weaves (which we have been working on for the past two weeks). After that, the challenge is the obstacle discrimination at the dog walk, Ruby has to do the dog walk and not the tunnel. Watch Ruby kick up dirt when she rounds the corner after the tunnel and hoop, I call this level of effort from her “Dog on Fire”! When she’s in the zone, watch the dirt fly.

Perro de Fuego!

Novice Chances

Totally my fault, after Ruby clears the first two jumps on the Send I give her a tunnel command, and she does it. The problem is I should have done a better job and indicated which tunnel. Handling Failure, NQ.

Not that tunnel! THAT tunnel!

Open Jumpers

Last run of the day. We needed one more Open Jumpers Q to advance to Elite. I was REALLY nervous when I stepped up to the line. Ruby had been scratching at every start (training failure) and I did not want her to break her stay. The course flowed with two tricky spots. Ruby crushed it, hanging with me the whole time, even when I threw in an awkward blind cross between 11 and 12. First Place, Q10 and Open Jumpers Title!

Hustle and flow

Good Girl!

Ruby had a great day. I am so pleased that the training is really paying off. I am also looking forward to working the little kinks out of my handling and moving Ruby up in these events. I love spending the time with MJ and Ruby, I like the ribbons and Ruby likes the toys and we’re all having too much fun to stop.