It is with a broken heart that I tell you Leapin' Lenny went to the Rainbow Bridge on Dec 7, 2012 after a short battle with bone cancer of the jaw.
I cannot thank Lenny enough for the amazing journey we shared over 6 1/2 very short years ~ we truly had a blast! Thanks to this big black dog, I met & made some of my best friends and went places, in Canada & the U.S., that I would have otherwise never visited.
Lenny always, always gave 150% in whatever he did - dock diving, agility, chasing squirrels in the woods, or chilling on the couch watching tv with me.
There isn't a day goes by I don't think of him and miss him.
Jump big and run free buddy ~ you have lots of good company at the Bridge.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Update - Lenny's other activities
Well, Lenny has been a very busy boy since the last post . . . . . so busy that his Mom hasn't had time to update his blog!
When Lenny is not participating in DockDogs, he is playing agility! Lenny & his Mom love agility. We began training, once/week, about a year and half ago, with a very knowledgeable and fun trainer, Cindy Boht. Lenny loves his Auntie Cindy and he loves to train.
We started trialing just about a year ago, and we have both improved nicely in that time. We have earned our Agility Dog of Canada title - Sep 10/11 at a K9 Klubhouse trial in Pickering - very exciting!
The aim of agility is to get a qualifying run, or Q, which means the dog & handler ran the course with no faults and within the time limit. A team needs to achieve 3 Q's in Starter Standard in order to earn their Agility Dog of Canada title. Here is Lenny's 3rd Q at the K9 Klubhouse trial in Sept which earned us our ADC:
I'm very, very proud of my boy!! He tries 150% every time!
When Lenny is not participating in DockDogs, he is playing agility! Lenny & his Mom love agility. We began training, once/week, about a year and half ago, with a very knowledgeable and fun trainer, Cindy Boht. Lenny loves his Auntie Cindy and he loves to train.
We started trialing just about a year ago, and we have both improved nicely in that time. We have earned our Agility Dog of Canada title - Sep 10/11 at a K9 Klubhouse trial in Pickering - very exciting!
The aim of agility is to get a qualifying run, or Q, which means the dog & handler ran the course with no faults and within the time limit. A team needs to achieve 3 Q's in Starter Standard in order to earn their Agility Dog of Canada title. Here is Lenny's 3rd Q at the K9 Klubhouse trial in Sept which earned us our ADC:
I'm very, very proud of my boy!! He tries 150% every time!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
DockDogs on the RMR-Feb 12/11
The Rick Mercer Report came to a World Qualifier DockDogs event in Toronto at Downsview Park on Sat Feb 12/11. He was there all day between the DockDogs area and the rest of Pet Funfest. What a crazy Canuck - he actually jumped in the pool!! Freezing water, dirty dog-hair infested water!! It was a hoot!!! Here is a clip of the show:
Lenny & I are just after the 6:25 min mark! (right after the German Shepherd) We didn't know we would be on till I watched the tv show when it aired!! How exciting is that??!!!
Lenny & I are just after the 6:25 min mark! (right after the German Shepherd) We didn't know we would be on till I watched the tv show when it aired!! How exciting is that??!!!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
1000 Islands DockDogs at the Kingston Sheepdog Trials Aug 7-9/09
photo by muddypawz1000 Islands DockDogs 2nd event of the season was held at beautiful Grass Creek Park on the St Lawrence River as part of the 21st annual Kingston Sheepdog Trials. We had another successful event with large crowds on all three days, and, only about 1 1/2 hours of rain the entire weekend!!! That is newsworthy!!! The sun actually shone for 2 days in a row!!!! It was hot, sunny, and there were lots & lots of spectators. This event had lots to see & do - from lumberjacks to a raptor show:
We had lots & lots of jumping dogs and high flying action!
Ken & Luther
Our farthest travelled visitor - Cheryl Newman of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia,
with her two flat-coated retrievers - a first time DockDogger!
with her two flat-coated retrievers - a first time DockDogger!
Bond taking a leap!
Miss Roo revving up . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . taking off . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . got it!!
Our command post for the weekend
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Dog Days of Scugog, Port Perry - Jul 17-19, 2009
Dog Days of Scugog is one of my favourite DD events of the season - it is close to home and is part of an "everything dogs" weekend. This was our 5th event of this season and oh, what an event!!
Lenny placed 1st in Semi-Pro Finals with a new personal best jump (and longest jump of the weekend) of 23'4"!!!
Lenny placed 1st in Semi-Pro Finals with a new personal best jump (and longest jump of the weekend) of 23'4"!!!
Here is a clip of Lenny's winning jump, courtesy of Kathrene Peterson - thank you Kathrene!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBtVakOQHMI Please click on this link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBtVakOQHMI Please click on this link
Lenny's jumps for the weekend were:
Semi-Pro Finals: 21'6", 23'4"
Waves: 19'11", 20'10", 19'5", 18', 19'1", 20', 20'7", 20'8", 20'2", 20'3", 20'3", 21'3"
Speed Retrieve - 7.375secs, 7.610secs - didn't make it into SR Finals
EV - caught 5'6" placing 1st in Cadet
Lenny reaching for the bumper
One of Melissa Vig's dogs getting Big Air!
The Wildman, Cosmos, flying high - beautiful form
Hard working DD staff
Setting up the EV rig for practice
Bracebridge Summerfest - Jul 11-12, 2009
Our third event of the DD season, Bracebridge Summerfest was an exciting event and a Worlds Qualifier set in the heart of the Muskokas. This was a small event which made it very relaxed and alot of fun. There were mostly Ontario teams there, but there were also 3 teams from the U.S. competing for a chance to go to the World Championships in Stillwater, MN Jul 23-26/09.
Me & my kid having fun!
Major Tom's got his eye on that duck in the Speed Retrieve competition!
Lenny did very well at this event, placing 2nd in the Semi-Pro Finals. It was a very exciting competition as Lenny's first jump in the Finals was just 1 inch shorter, at 21' 1", than the leading team of Tom Dropik & Rocky at 21' 2". On our second jump, Lenny came back with a very respectable 21' 5", but Tom & Rocky won it with a 22' 5" jump. They sure gave us a run for the money!! We had a great time!! The weather was actually pretty decent as well - we had sunny skies on Sat & Sun while there were wicked storms, including hail, at home. We picked a good weekend to leave town!
Lenny's distances for the weekend were:
Semi-Pro Finals 21' 1" and 21' 5"
Waves 21' 8", 21' 8", 21' 1", 19' 11", 20' 11", 21' 3", 21' 9", 21' 9"
Speed Retrieve qualifying round 9.28 secs, 8.138 secs. Finals 8.005 secs, 7.621 secs placed 6th in Finals
EV grabbed 5' 8" . . . . . woohooooo!!!
Last 4 images courtesy of Jim Zelasko
Saturday, July 25, 2009
1000 Islands DockDogs FIRST Event - Riverfest in beautiful Brockville, ON - Jul 1-5, 2009
Welcome to Ontario's 2nd DockDogs Affilliate Club - 1000 Islands DockDogs - covering Eastern Ontario, and . . . . . . our very first event . . . . . Riverfest, Brockville, ON !!!!
Huge thanks have to go out to Karen Larocque who made the dream to have a 2nd DD club in Eastern ON a reality. Huge thanks also to her husband, Mark, who has been involved every step of the way and been a very, very big support to Karen. All of the board members have worked very, very hard to make 1000 Islands DD a thriving new club and our first event a resounding success!!! Woohooooooooooo!!! Brockville, Kingston, and Ottawa loved us!!!! And, they want us back next year . . . .so mark you calendars . . . . . Riverfest 2010 . . . Jul 1-4 !!
Board Members - BR: Heather, Kelly, Karen, Judy; FR: Cathie, Chic, Stephanie
I'm sure I speak for the other board members when I say that we were fairly nervous about our first event being 5 days, but it went better than expected and we all had sooooo much fun!!! From the huge crowds on Wed, Canada Day, and Sun, the Finals, to the rain in the days in between and even a micro-burst, which was as close to a tornado as we would want to be, everything ran very smoothly. Participants had lots of practice time; they were able to have one-on-one instruction with Heather McLeod, our DD certified Sportmutt trainer, and there were lots & lots of personal bests achieved over the course of the event.
Roo went off the dock for the fist time on the first day of our event. We tried to coax her off after her toy, but then decided she might better jump off after Lenny. So, we brought Lenny up on the dock, threw the toy for him, then for Roo, and on the third try . . . .off she leapt!! She was positively hooked after that - you couldn't keep her away from the dock - she LOVES dock diving!! She achieved a personal best jump of 9' 4" and placed 2nd in the Novice Finals as well as earning her Novice Title.
Roo leaping off the dock in her first-ever competition
Chic achieved a new personal best jump of 13' 10" and placed 6th in the Junior Finals.
Air - borne Chic!!
This was our third event of the season and Lenny had a very good week. He placed first in Masters Finals with a 22' jump. His BA jumps for the week were:
18' 7", 22' 6", 20' 6", 19' 3", 20' 8", 20' 4", 19' 9", 22' 10", 21' 1", 21' 8", 20' 8", 22' 1", 21' 4", 22'1"
Maiah flying after her toy
Paul & Rudder
Stephanie & Phoebe, the flying beagle
This shot is during tear down - with a beautiful full moon reflecting off the St. Lawrence River
Huge thanks have to go out to Karen Larocque who made the dream to have a 2nd DD club in Eastern ON a reality. Huge thanks also to her husband, Mark, who has been involved every step of the way and been a very, very big support to Karen. All of the board members have worked very, very hard to make 1000 Islands DD a thriving new club and our first event a resounding success!!! Woohooooooooooo!!! Brockville, Kingston, and Ottawa loved us!!!! And, they want us back next year . . . .so mark you calendars . . . . . Riverfest 2010 . . . Jul 1-4 !!
Board Members - BR: Heather, Kelly, Karen, Judy; FR: Cathie, Chic, StephanieAlso pictured: Larry (DD Nat'l Rep), Rachel (Stephanie's Mom), Riley (Kelly's son)
You can see the St. Lawrence River in the background
We had a huge crowd on Canada Day - the first day of our event! The clear water in the pool came right out of the St. Lawrence!
Huge freighter going by on the St. Lawrence River
I'm sure I speak for the other board members when I say that we were fairly nervous about our first event being 5 days, but it went better than expected and we all had sooooo much fun!!! From the huge crowds on Wed, Canada Day, and Sun, the Finals, to the rain in the days in between and even a micro-burst, which was as close to a tornado as we would want to be, everything ran very smoothly. Participants had lots of practice time; they were able to have one-on-one instruction with Heather McLeod, our DD certified Sportmutt trainer, and there were lots & lots of personal bests achieved over the course of the event.
Roo went off the dock for the fist time on the first day of our event. We tried to coax her off after her toy, but then decided she might better jump off after Lenny. So, we brought Lenny up on the dock, threw the toy for him, then for Roo, and on the third try . . . .off she leapt!! She was positively hooked after that - you couldn't keep her away from the dock - she LOVES dock diving!! She achieved a personal best jump of 9' 4" and placed 2nd in the Novice Finals as well as earning her Novice Title.
Roo leaping off the dock in her first-ever competitionChic achieved a new personal best jump of 13' 10" and placed 6th in the Junior Finals.
Air - borne Chic!!This was our third event of the season and Lenny had a very good week. He placed first in Masters Finals with a 22' jump. His BA jumps for the week were:
18' 7", 22' 6", 20' 6", 19' 3", 20' 8", 20' 4", 19' 9", 22' 10", 21' 1", 21' 8", 20' 8", 22' 1", 21' 4", 22'1"
Speed Retrieve: 7.75 secs & 7.14 secs in Heat #2; Finals - 6.89 secs & 7.62 secs for a second place finish
In Extreme Vertical: Lenny grabbed 5'2" for a 3rd place finish
Here are some pics from the week:
Blockhouse Island, Brockville, ON
Set-up day - the day before the event begins
Registration, Information, Raffle tent - courtesy of Riverfest management
Our Ribbons
Of course, we had to have cake to celebrate our 1st event!!
Riley & Garrett squeeging the dock in the pouring rain - this was shortly before the micro-burst
After the micro-burst . . . . . that was our announcer/judging tent
Some of the banners from the dock nearly landed in the St. Lawrence River!
Some of the competitors:
Mark & Bond . . . . . yea, Bond jumped!!!
Karen Sandford's little dog, Rigby . . . . Rigby played it safe and always wore his life jacket
One of Melissa Vig's dogs flying high
Gary Goyette's dog, Maiah, looks like she can walk on water
Maiah flying after her toy 
Paul & Rudder
Stephanie & Phoebe, the flying beagle
This shot is during tear down - with a beautiful full moon reflecting off the St. Lawrence RiverFollowing is a music video put together for 1000 Islands DockDogs by Dale C. Elliott of Brock News set to an original song written & performed especially for 1000 Islands DockDogs by the local group Trance Pose - Dan Schaafsma & Mike Willie. We cannot thank these people enough for all they have done for us - thank you guys!!! This video shows all 3 disciplines of DockDogs - Big Air, Extreme Vertical, and Speed Retrieve.
Note: Lenny can be seen at these time intervals in the video: 35 seconds, 1min 35 secs, and 1 min 57 secs; Chic can be seen at 1 min 12 secs
Please click on the link below . . . . . . enjoy!!
Riverfest was a blast . . . . we can't wait for 2010!!!
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