Let's Hear It for Veteran Dogs and Mixed Breeds

SUMMARY: I forgot to mention the AKC National Championships.

As you all undoubtedly know, they took place last weekend in Reno.

Because it was so close, tons and tons of people I know made sure that they qualified and then went ahead and entered. Fun seeing so many Bay Teamers do well in the early rounds and a whole 13 Bay Team dogs made it to the finals. You can see the list here on our Bay Team site.

I just wanted to mention some things, now that Tika is officially old (due to her hardness of hearing) at 11 years old and I'm thinking about stuff like this):

• Apollo, who competes against Tika in USDAA Performance 22" whenever they do USDAA--and who is a year and a half younger--and sometimes beats us and sometimes vice versa--took 2nd in the finals in the tallest Preferred class. That's pretty cool. (And  other coolness, his handler did this while taking two other dogs to the finals as well, placing 2nd in regular 26" and then, with a dog who isn't even hers (although they've been competing together for a few months while his mom heals from an injury), made it to the finals there, too.)
• Former classmates Ash and Luka, who have so many national (and international) championships racked up together that one starts to think, they can't possibly do it again, can they? and, how old is Luka anyway? And one looks it up and finds that she's nine and a half, and, yes, they won the 16" National title once again. So, in a world where a 7-year-old dog is considered a veteran, she beat dogs half her age. What a team.
• Current classmates Stacey and Roo, the completely good-looking tall mixed breed, also made it to the finals. How very cool that finally non-AKC breeds and mixes are allowed to compete.