well, i've been thinking - since i enjoy luc and teagan so much (even when teagan is being teaganish ), i'd love to get another dog i could do more advanced work with, like bitework, and i want to get a high-energy dog, so i've been doing lots of research about mals. i know i can meet the physical needs, and i'm working to improve my handling skills and to learn more about dogs so i could meet the mental needs of a mal. i love their energy and how intense they are. (i'm going to start tracking w/the dogs when the snow is gone, and do luc's CGN, and maybe some other things, we'll see....the CGN and tracking is what i'm going to start with)

geoff was very helpful when i was doing research on breeders, and i've been talking to his breeder since january. they've been great, even though i'm not planning to get the dog for a year and a half or so - so i can learn more in the process and get luc and teagan really settled in.

last week, through another board, i got to go watch 2 of the breeder's dogs work french ring. they're both just puppies, but lovely dogs, really focused - i was impressed. AND i found out there is somewhere near toronto that does french ring - it's just an hour or so away. it was really good to see the dogs working, and to get more of a feel for FR as well.

then this weekend i went to visit the breeders, so geoff invited me up to montreal to watch him and sasha work!

it was great to meet them and sasha is a gorgeous dog....i'm a little bit in love with her. geoff is very lucky

it was also good, b/c sasha is older than the other dogs i saw, so i got to see a different stage as well as a different level of FR. the guy geoff trains w/also had his 2 mals there - wow! they are amazing dogs. i'm jealous geoff gets to train with him, the whole session was so interesting, and i learned a lot.

sasha is so nice and calm. luc and teagan were crated in the room, and teagan - this is a first - stayed totally calm when sasha came up to me and was near the crate. i was thrilled!!!!!!!!!!!

teagan did really well with all the mals (3 of them) - which i like to think bodes well, i would get a male dog as well to hopefully minimize any conflict. as geoff said, being around calm, stable dogs makes a big difference. teagan did lunge at capo, a male mal who is FR III and i think came 4th in the worlds last year - i was like 'heh, teagan, bad idea'. he ignored her though. teagan did not like the doberman puppies that were there - she got annoyed when they entered the room, and when they were working. but still, she behaved herself well, and i was really proud!

but the whole thing showed the dogs personalities well. teagan watched all the exercises with fascination - luc....fell asleep. during bitework. he snored. LOL.

we stayed at a hotel before going to the breeder's saturday, and teagan did the cutest thing saturday morning. one of the exercises the dogs had been working on was retrieval of a pair of socks the handler dropped. teagan has never shown the slightest interest in socks - that's luc's domain - but saturday morning i sat my clothes outside the shower, including a rolled-up pair of socks, and then went to get something out of my bag. i turned around, and teagan was behind me, my socks in her mouth. she gave them to me and looked SO proud!

the visit to the breeder's saturday was great. and it was great to meet geoff and sasha, thanks so much for inviting me!

oh: and this was also the trip teagan learned to undo the seatbelt. EVERY SINGLE TIME we were in the car. so then her restraint thingy that the seatbelt goes through and attaches to her harness would just slide off and she'd be free. she even let luc loose once! sheesh. i don't know if i can fit GSD-sized crates in the back of a civic, so i'm going to have to experiment a bit, i don't want her loose.

Nice meeting you as well Jennifer. You can always recognize a Leerburg board member by the dogs in the back seat! I was out making Sasha go potty and I saw a Honda with who I recognized as Teagan and Luke in the back seat "well that has to be Jenn" LOL.

That's funny about Teagan and the socks. Both of your dogs seemed really sweet and well behaved it is great to get them both out in situations like that. The way I've read you describe Teagan I expected a rude girl but she was sweet. Well when the other dogs approached the crate she and Luke were in they got a little backoffish vocal but I'd say that is pretty normal given the circumstances.

To bad Yako was not there. Then you could've seen another higher level dog work. Robert as well is a very green decoy so you didn't get to see the higher level decoying. We had the senior club decoy there on Saturday as well as fantastic Shutzhund decoy who doesn't have a lot of experience in the suit, so we got a lot of even higher level training done than on Friday. Rio hit the Shutzhund decoy, who then had this look of 'OMG' on his face once Rio bit him, one of those Mastercard moments!! Ha-ha! Rio is one of those dogs that push into the bite genetically, plus the fact he is 70lbs or so of muscle adds to the hurt factor behind those 9mm teeth.

I wish Sasha and I could've done at least the defense of handler for you on Friday. But I just have to go with the training director as he knows best on how to proceed with Sasha on a certain day. Pretty amazing that she is so friendly with people at the same time. It's like a switch when it comes to work for her. Social and yet over the top to work. I love it!!

It was really nice meeting yourself, Teagan and Luke, look forward to hearing about more of your adventures on the road to new puppyhood!

How fun Jennifer! It's great to be with a bunch of dog people and even more great to meet someone like Geoff from the forum.

Oh, and I can totally see you with 3 dogs! You'll do great!

geoff, i've been working really hard with teagan....i wasn't sure which would pop up - rude teagan or well-behaved teagan - i was thrilled it was well-behaved teagan!

i don't think i'd want to be bitten by rio, suit or no!

it was still great to watch you and sasha, even if not in defense of handler.

sandy, thanks! it was a fun trip, for sure. i've never bought an animal before, so i want to make sure i do this right

Glad to be a help! You know me now preaching from the pulpit of the church of Malinois! Both you and the dogs got lots of seat time this weekend you girls and guy were probably on the road a good 16 hours eh?

I don't know if the TD or I mentioned we will be hosting a French Ring Seminar Competition June 4-8th on our training field in Brossard Quebec, http://www.canadianringsport.ca/trial_announce.html
If you have the time you should come down for that. We will have 2 of the most experienced and talented decoys in the sport today working the dogs. There is dog/handler teams from all over Canada and the States coming over for it. It should be a riot.

16 hours sounds about right

rob was mentioning that weekend, actually. i'm supposed to be canoeing but will see if i can switch that around, i'd like to go.