Riding the Roller Coaster: 9 Months in Remission; 5 Month Post-Chemo

Recap of Month 8 of Remission

Since her last monthly check-up, Margarita had another remarkable month. She visited my school again, and made some students extremely happy!

The weeks that followed this classroom visit, however, have been an emotional rollercoaster ride.

Monthly Check-Up with Oncologist

On December 6, 2019, Margarita saw her oncologist, Dr. Risbon, for her recheck for lymphoma. During her appointment, I noticed that Margarita was drooling slightly while she was with the doctor, but I didn’t think much of it at the time. Her physical exam was normal and there was no evidence to suggest recurrence of lymphoma. Doctor Risbon could not hear her heart murmur on this day, and Rita’s heart rhythm was reported as normal. Dr. Risbon evaluated Rita’s mammary mass and shared that the thickened tissue portion was similar, and the mass that she could feel seems to have had no change from previously. Dr. Risbon also confirmed that she felt the new small nodule noted by Dr. Campbell during her last visit. Dr. Risbon was pleased with Margarita’s progress and deemed her to be about 9 months in remission. I was very grateful for this good report, but sad and fearful at the same time. This was Margarita’s last appointment with this oncologist, as Dr. Risbon is going on maternity leave, and then transferring to a facility that is out of driving range to our home. Dr. Risbon assured me that the new oncologist will take great care of Margarita, and also told me I could reach out to her at any time with questions on any new findings. We are very thankful to Dr. Risbon for seeing Margarita through her chemotherapy, and wish her the best while adding to her family and continuing her practice at a new location.

Monthly Check-Up with Primary Veterinarian

On December 9, 2019 Margarita had a visit with our primary veterinarian, Dr. Campbell. This visit was her monthly check up, as well as her yearly therapy dog examination. In addition, this appointment was also for bloodwork that Rita’s cardiologist, Dr. Bossbaly, requested at Rita’s last visit to test her kidney function because of the heart medication she is currently taking. Dr. Campbell examined Rita’s mammary tumors and reported that they have not changed since last visit. When Dr. Campbell asked me how I thought Rita was doing, I shared that her appetite and energy were both great. I also explained that I noticed Rita drooling slightly at her oncology appointment, and that was something I had never observed before. I almost didn’t even bring it up – but so thankful now that I did. Dr. Campbell then looked at Rita’s gums and said that they didn’t look super pale, but she just wasn’t 100% happy with the color she saw. Dr. Campbell suggested we do some additional blood work beyond the tests Dr. Bossbaly requested for kidney function. I didn’t worry too much about Rita’s gum coloring, and honestly didn’t expect much to come of the bloodwork that Dr. Campbell sent off for testing.

On December 10, 2019 Dr. Campbell called us with the bloodwork results. Much to our dismay, Margarita’s liver values were through the roof. Dr. Campbell explained that the drooling could likely be caused from nausea if something was abnormal in her biliary tract. Rita’s liver values are below:

  • ALT Normal range: 18-121
    • Rita’s ALT value: 1,155
  • GGT Normal range: 0-13
    • Rita’s GGT value: 22
  • AST Normal range: 16-55
    • Rita’s AST value: 146
  • ALP Normal range: 5-160
    • Rita’s ALP value: 447

Dr. Campbell had us schedule the first appointment we could secure with Chief of Diagnostic imaging, Dr. Alexander “Sandy” MacLeod at VSEC. The first available we could schedule was December 19, 2019. Brian and I were nervous to wait that long, so Dr. Campbell had me bring Margarita to her office that evening to do a brief abdominal ultrasound. Dr. Campbell observed that Rita’s liver and gallbladder were somewhat enlarged. She shared that this may be cholestasis caused by the “backing up” of chemo drugs. She started Rita on a low dose (125mg once daily) of Ursodiol in hopes that we’d see a marked difference at the time of her abdominal ultrasound at VSEC.

Abdominal Ultrasound with Dr. MacLeod

If you have been following Rita’s Lymphoma Journey from the beginning, you may be thinking that “Dr. Macleod” sounds familiar. That’s because Dr. Alexander “Sandy” MacLeod’s wife, Dr. Jennifer MacLeod is the doctor who performed Rita’s splenectomy.

Dr. Sandy MacLeod performed an abdominal ultrasound on December 19, 2019. Despite the Ursodiol Margarita was taking, there had been no difference in Rita’s condition. His findings were as follows:

  • Liver: Hypoechoic, mildly enlarged. 1-2 cm hypoechoic nodule in ventral left medial lobe
  • Gallbladder and Biliary Tree: Gallbladder moderately dilated with anechoic bile, no wall thickening or duct dilation
  • Spleen: absent
  • Kidneys: no abnormalities identified
  • Arenal glands: no abnormalities identified
  • Uriniary bladder: no abnormalities identified
  • Stomach: Mild thickening of pyloric wall. Mild fluid dilation of pyloric antrum
  • Intestines: no abnormalities identified
  • Colon: no abnormalities identified
  • Pancreas: no abnormalities identified
  • Peritoneum: no abnormalities identified
  • Mesentery: no abnormalities identified
  • Lymph Nodes: no abnormalities identified

Diagnosis and Recommendations:

Although I was thrilled that her lymph nodes were normal, I was devastated to hear the word “nodule.” Dr. MacLeod explained that the liver findings could be due to hepatitis , toxic insult, infiltration (recurrence of lymphoma) or other hepatopathy. Dr. MacLeod was most concerned that the findings could be the Lymphoma reappearing with a new disguise, so he recommended a guided needle aspirate of the liver nodule and its surrounding tissue for cytologic analysis, which was done during that same appointment. Dr. MacLeod shared that the mild stomach thickening and dilation is most consistent with gastritis.

We received a call from Dr. MacLeod on December 21, 2019. The first thing Dr. MacLeod said was “It’s not Lymphoma.” To say we were relieved was an understatement – hearing this was THE best Christmas gift ever! BUT…what WAS causing the high liver values, enlarged liver , thickening of the stomach, and enlarged gal bladder? This remains unknown. Dr. MacLeod suggested that we do the same bloodwork again with Dr. Campbell to compare Margarita’s liver values in a few more days to see if they corrected themselves now that Rita has been on Ursodiol for a longer period of time. He added that if the liver values do not improve, it would be time to see an Internal Medicine Specialist.

On the morning of December 26, 2019 I took Rita to or primary veterinarian’s office. Dr. Campbell drew Margarita’s blood, and sent the sample out to the lab. Later that evening, Dr. Campbell called us with the results. Margarita’s liver values had increased yet again, despite the Ursodiol she had been taking. The results are below:

  • ALT Normal Range: 18-121
    • Rita’s ALT Values:
      1. 1,155 (12/9)
      2. 1,195 (12/26)
  • GGT Normal Range: 0-13
    • Rita’s GGT Values:
      1. 22 (12/9)
      2. 22 (12/26)
  • AST Normal Range: 16-55
    • Rita’s AST Values:
      1. 146 (12/9)
      2. 146 (12/26)
  • ALP Normal Range: 6-160
    • Rita’s ALP Values:
      1. 447 (12/9)
      2. 569 (12/26)

These were obviously not the results we were hoping for. Dr. Campbell directed us to stop the Ursodiol and suggested we make the first available appointment with Dr. Klag , the Chief of Internal Medicine at VSEC. Dr. Klag is the Doctor that first saw Margarita in January 2019. Margarita has an appointment set with Dr. Klag for January 16, 2020 (his first available). I also requested to be put on a cancelation list in hopes of getting a sooner appointment. However I was told they do not do a waiting/cancelation list for the Internal Medicine department. I explained that we have been put on a waiting/cancellation list at VSEC in the past for other doctors and departments – such as Dr. Bossbaly in the Cardiology department. I expressed my frustration and disappointment to the staff member making the appointment. The woman I was speaking to informed me that Dr. Klag would return to the office from his Holiday Break on January 2nd. Additionally, I sent an email directly to Dr. Klag to inform him of the events and multiple diagnoses that have taken place since he last saw Margarita in order to explain the urgency behind our request for a sooner appointment. Lastly, I will be calling VSEC 2-3 times a day leading up to the scheduled appointment in hopes of catching a cancellation that would otherwise go unannounced due to the department’s lack of waiting list.

Although these past few weeks have been an emotional roller coaster for us, I am grateful for every single day that Rita is still riding. Brian and I entered the front seat of this roller coaster prepared for the peaks of celebrations, the abrupt falls, and the mysterious turns Lymphoma would throw at us. Positivity and vigilance are key. Although it is a scary ride, I will be keeping my eyes wide open. Had I neglected to mention that little bit of drool to Dr. Campbell, Rita’s roller coaster could have spun out of our control before we knew what hit us. I am embracing the highs and lows of this scary ride. I celebrate and appreciate each peak – and I’m accepting the plummeting falls as more knowledge that I hope will not only help Rita continue to take a bite out of Lymphoma, but also assist other pups and PAWrents in the future.

Keep those prayers coming – and buckle up – we may be in for a rough ride ahead.

This Month’s Treat

Following her monthly appointments, Margarita enjoyed a small portion of a beef and cheese quesadilla from Wawa.

Delmarva Dockdogs Jumpin’ Into Jersey at the Ocean County Decoy Festival; Tuckerton, NJ

💛Limoncello

  • Big Air
    • 19’2″
    • 19’6″
  • Extreme Vertical
    • 5’0″
  • Speed Retrieve
    • 9.644 seconds
  • Iron Dog:
    • 2551.98 points / 3rd Place Warrior Division

💚Hooch

  • Big Air
    • 22’7″
    • 21’4″
    • Elite Division Finals: 23’0″ / 2nd Place
  • Extreme Vertical
    • 6’6″ / 2nd Place Top Gun Division
  • Speed Retrieve
    • 6.657 seconds / 2nd Place Nitro Division
  • Iron Dog
    • 2980.04 points / 1st Place Gladiator Division

❤️Lager

  • Big Air
    • 21’1″
    • 21’3″ / 3rd Place Master
    • Master Division Finals: 19’9″ / 6th Place
  • Extreme Vertical
    • 5’10”
  • Speed Retrieve
    • 8.209 seconds
  • Iron Dog
    • 2823.56 points / 3rd Place Titan Division

💖Margarita

Margarita enjoyed an ice cream treat!

💜Whiskey

  • Big Air
    • 4’4″ / 1st Place Novice Division

💙Porter

Porter enjoyed an ice cream treat!

Liver Killer Bling

Tom’s Cove Park: Chincoteague, VA

Tom’s Cove Park, located on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, overlooks Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island National Seashore Park.

This was our first time camping in Chincoteague. We enjoyed the views, and the dogs very much enjoyed bird-watching all weekend!

Margarita LOVED being on the pier and watching the boats and birds!

Margarita and her main-man, Mr. Spock, did some bird watching together on the pier!

Camping in Virginia also allowed Porter to add a state to his “States Visited Map!”

We stayed on site P65 with a great view of the water (light pink sites closest to the waterfront sites).

Sunrise views from our campsite:

Hooch at our campsite:

Limoncello enjoyed “hunting” golf carts down all weekend from our campsite!

We found out that Porter loves riding in a golf cart!

Whiskey enjoyed people-watching from the camper.

Whiskey:

Lager wanted SO badly to jump in the water:

What a fun, relaxing weekend we had!

K9 Fun Zone 3rd Annual Wild Card Double Header; Caledonia, Ontario, Canada

We’ve had a rough start to the season between Porter’s seizures and Margarita’s Lymphoma and complications that followed.  We weren’t even sure we were able to attend this event until the morning we were supposed to be leaving for our road trip.  In fact, it wasn’t until about noon on July 3rd that I finished up with Margarita’s last oncology appointment and got the “ok” from her oncologist, Dr. Risbon, to travel to Canada with her.  We didn’t preregister for the competition, knowing we may not even be able to attend.  A lot of the jumps were marked as “full” but we know that each venue usually holds about 5 slots for people to sign up on the spot.  With all of this in mind, we set still out on our way to Canada late in the afternoon of July 3rd.  Boy, are we glad we did!

 

Limoncello

Limoncello enjoyed being a part of The B.A.A.A.R.K Foundation charity ball drop and having a girls GLAMping weekend with Margarita lounging in the air-conditioned camper.

Hooch

Hooch had the second longest jump of the competition! This was also his first time competing in a national event as an Iron Dog. His performance should earn him an automatic World Championship invite in Elite Division Big Air, Nitro Division Speed Retrieve, and Gladiator Division Iron Dog!!

Big Air:

23’7″                      1st Place Elite Division

23’9″                      1st Place Elite Division

Big Air PRO Finals:                     

22’0″

Pic Credit: Nancy Miller

Extreme Vertical:

6’2″

Speed Retrieve:

6.564 seconds         1st Place Nitro Division

Iron Dog:

2973.62 points       1st Place Gladiator Division

Lager

Lager had an absolute blast this weekend getting to play his favorite game of Dueling Dogs, and participating in The B.A.A.A.R.K Foundation charity ball drop! His performance this weekend should land him an automatic World Championship invite in Turbo Division Speed Retrieve and Titan Division Iron Dog.

Big Air:

19’11”

20’5″                              3rd Place Masters Division

19’2″

20’4″                              1st Place Masters Division

Extreme Vertical:

5’10”

Speed Retrieve:

7.304 seconds                1st Place Turbo Division

Iron Dog:

2876.3 points                   3rd Place Titan Division

Dueling Dogs:

Lager made it to the first round of finals, but unfortunately was bumped out in the last round.  He LOVES this game!

Margarita

What a weekend this little Diva had…Margarita enjoyed Donuts, a banana split, a convertible ride, a Canada Goose stuffed toy, and other gifts from our Canadian DockDogs family!

Whiskey

Wish-The-Fish came out in FULL force and she increased her jumping distance with each leap into the pool, earning a 2nd or 3rd Place medal for every jump and a new PB of 8’3”! We are hopeful her average Big Air score will earn her a World Champion invitation in the Novice Division, but we will have to wait and see if the Invite Fairy pays her a visit!

Big Air:

3’5″           2nd Place Novice Division

7’5″           3rd Place Novice Division

8’3″           2nd Place Novice Division

7’0″           2nd Place Novice Division

Porter

Po-Po had a great time walking the facility grounds and also enjoyed an amazing massage from Marti at Pawz Therapy !

Liver Killer Bling:

5 Years Old

Hooch’s 5th Birthday

May 24, 2019

Birthday breakfast:

Spinach and goat cheese frittata , breakfast sausage, and cantaloupe

Birthday dinner:

Lamb slider with cucumber sauce, sweet potato fries (that I forgot to include in the pic!!), and apricot

Birthday dessert:

“Chocolate” chip peanut butter PUPcakes

Birthday fun:

Ice cream cone

Learning a new game for dock diving season (Speed Retrieve) with our new home made Speed Retrieve land training rig

Easter 2019

Happy Easter from the Lemons and the Livers!

The Lemons:

Lemon Pointers: Margarita, Porter (foster pup), and Whiskey

The Livers:

Liver GSPs: Lager, Limoncello, and Hooch

Our pups had a blast doing an Easter egg hunt on our camper during our Easter camping trip!

When We arrived home from our camping trip, the Easter Bunny had left a little something for Margarita and foster pup Porter!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Sunday!

 

Awareness is Power

3rd Treatment Recap and Oncology Visit # 4 

Week Three’s treatment went just as Rita’s oncologist, Dr. Risbon, said it might – rough.  Not at first though.  The first couple of days Margarita ate well and was in good spirits.

At our last visit (Wednesday, April 3), Dr. Risbon warned that Margarita may have the worst week ahead of her in regard to her treatments so far.  She noted that the side effects of nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and/or diarrhea could begin in about three to five days after her treatment.  Right on cue, three days later – on Friday, Margarita was visibly not feeling well, and not interested in food.  We tried all of our normal “tricks”… canned dog food, cream cheese, Spam, rotisserie chicken, cheese, eggs, bread, bacon, sausage… but she wasn’t interested.

By Saturday morning, Margarita was moving very slowly. She had some diarrhea and had mucus in her stool.  We called our veterinarian, Dr. Campbell, on Saturday morning to give her an update.  She let us know that she could call in an appetite stimulant if she continued not to eat.  She also told us to try parmesan cheese sprinkled on the food. Dr. Campbell’s concern was making sure Margarita got back on schedule with eating her prescription diet so that her little system could absorb proteins correctly and assist in the healing process.

Luckily, by Saturday night Rita began to eat a little bit of rotisserie chicken – but nothing else.  With a little coaxing (and some parmesan cheese), Rita did eat some of her prescription food.  Dr. Campbell called us on Sunday afternoon (I’m telling you – “they don’t make ’em” like her anymore!!) to check on Rita, who had been enjoying some Sunday Morning porch-sittin’, and some afternoon sunbathing.

Monday was a decent day where Margarita ate some food, but still appeared to not be feeling well.

 

Oncology Visit #4

This week’s visit consisted of meeting with the Oncology nurse, and getting blood work drawn.

Margarita’s CBC revealed a significant neutropenia (the presence of abnormally few white blood cells in the blood, leading to increased susceptibility to infection). In order to prevent infection, Rita was started on an antibiotic:

  • SMZ-TMP:  480mg tablets.
    • 1.5 tablets to be given once a day until finished

Another CBC will be repeated prior to any further chemotherapy treatments.  Margarita is scheduled for a CBC and Ultrasound next week, followed by an appointment with our Oncologist, Dr. Risbon, for continued chemotherapy as long as next week’s test results are acceptable.

This week’s yummy treat was a vanilla soft-serve ice cream cone!

After Margarita enjoyed a few licks, I removed the ice cream and let her enjoy the cone.

Awareness is Power

The greater your awareness, the greater your power.

Awareness is also the greatest agent for change.  One in every three dogs will get cancer… One… In…three!  Now THAT’s something that needs to change. The more PAWrents know about the facts and preventative measures,  the better we will be able to protect our fur-kids and decrease their odds of getting cancer.

Did you know that Lymphoma is the most common blood cancer seen in dogs?

Be your dog’s eyes: Do a cancer check on your dog at least once a month.  Lumps and bumps can often be easily seen.  But sometimes – like in Margarita’s case – being on the lookout for unusual behaviors and reporting them to your veterinarian is just as important for an early diagnosis and better outcome for your fur-child.

Below are some tips on how to do a canine cancer check on your dog.

 

 

Be your dog’s ears and voice:  Speak up and share anything you can about a cancer that has directly affected your fur-kid.  Get people talking – LISTEN AND LEARN! The more stories that are shared, the more educated we become about cancer.  This will result in more awareness raised, more research, and a greater opportunity for us all to take a bite out of canine cancer.

 

Thank you for joining Margarita in her journey to take a bite out Lymphoma.

 

Valentine’s Day 2019

Valentine’s Day 2019

Brian and I are always trying to think of more ways we can help dogs in need. This Valentine’s Day Brian bought me a portable photography lighting kit and backdrop set. Not only will this be fun to use with our own pack, but the overall thought is that we could mesh one of my favorite activities (taking dog photos) and our biggest mutual passion (helping dogs in need). We plan to offer to take free photos of needy pups that shelters/rescues can use on social media in hopes to help some homeless pups find their forever families. …Now to figure out how to use the lighting correctly, learn how to shoot good indoor photos, and reach out to local shelters/rescues to see if they’d be interested!

Thank you,  Brian!

Whiskey’s First Hike: Estell Manor Park; Mays Landing, NJ

For Whiskey’s first birthday, we kicked-off the weekend by taking her on a solo adventure. Whiskey is not able to do difficult hikes or long walks due to her shoulder issue, so we took her on a mini-hike at Estell Manor Park in South Jersey.

This area was owned by the Estell family and was the site of a glassworks company in the 1800’s.

This land then became the home of a munitions plant during World War I. Click HERE to read more.

Whiskey explored the ruins of Bethlehem Loading Company from 1918 – a WWl Munitions complex.

The park had a nice boardwalk throughout the forrest.

This park really had some beautiful pathways!

Whiskey inspected the river rocks in South River.

What a gorgeous park with wonderful views of South River!

Jumping into Jersey at the Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Show: Tuckerton, NJ

This annual competition will always hold a special place in our hearts. Back in 2013, this was Limoncello’s very first DockDogs event!

I packed some fun gear to wear while jumping Whiskey and Hooch!

Limoncello:  Team Captain

Every captain deserves their own chair, right?! Limoncello kept the crew in-line back at our Team Canopy.

Hooch

Big Air:

  • 22′ 5″
  • 22′ 2″
  • 22′ 6″
  • 22′ 9″
  • Big Air Finals:  22′ 0″  1st Place Elite Division Finals

Extreme Vertical (All-in-One Finals Format):

  • 6′ 2″

 

Lager

Big Air:

  • 19′ 9″  1st Place Senior Division
  • 19′ 0″  First Place Senior Division
  • 18′ 7″  First Place Senior Division
  • 18′ 7″  2nd Place Senior Division
  • Big Air Finals: 18′ 8″  2nd Place Senior Division

Extreme Vertical (All-in-One Finals Format):

  • 5’10” 1st Place Cadet Division 

Speed Retrieve (All-in-One Finals Format):

  • 7.310 seconds 3rd Place Turbo Division

Iron Dog (All-in-One Finals Format):

  • 2867.36 points 3rd Place Titan Division Iron Dog

 

Margarita:  Team Cheerleader

Margarita cheered her siblings on, but in-between competition waves, she posed for pictures around the Tuckerton Seaport!

Whiskey

Whiskey decided yet again, just like at the Hebron Harvest Fair, she was done with jumping! She was still a crowd favorite with her antics up on the dock!

 

We had a wonderful time, as usual, at this event!

 

Liver Killer Bling

Hopkinton State Fair: Contoocook, NH

We were thrilled that we were able to make it to one of our favorite annual events again this year – The Hopkinton State Fair !

The only bummer was that this year they had a target shooting show close to the competition pool, which freaked-out a lot of the dogs (one even broke out of his kennel – thank goodness he was safely caught).  Our dogs were NOT fans of this noise, and we had to scratch them from several of the competition jumps.

Limoncello:  Team Coach

Our team coach gave the competitors some good “Pointers” during our trip up to New Hampshire.

 

Hooch

Big Air

20’7″

22’0″

23’7″  2nd Place Elite Division

22’5″

Extreme Vertical All-in-One Finals Format

6’0″

Lager

 

Big Air

19’8″

18’9″

19’9″

Extreme Vertical All-in-One Finals Format

5’10”

Margarita:  Team Cheerleader

Margarita’s main-man, Mr. Spock the English Pointer, brought her roses!

Whiskey

Big Air

3’5″  1st Place Novice Division (Whiskey’s first 1st Place medal!)

4’6″  2nd Place Novice Division

This may be my most favorite video ever…even though I am the one being made out to be a fool! Haha!  Whiskey was a crowd favorite as she ran through my legs (in the opposite direction of the pool!) I chased her on the dock and the crowd was going wild!

So proud of this little girl!

A family we met two years ago at this event made a special trip back just to see us, and give us a special gift in celebration of our new family member…some Tennessee Whiskey to celebrate OUR Tennessee Whiskey!

We had a great time seeing old friends, meeting new ones, and hanging out with our pups…AND we accomplished what we came here for:  Whiskey had to jump at least once at another National level event in order to be able to accept the DockDogs World Championship invite she earned in Canada – mission accomplished…Whiskey’s going to Worlds!

Village Green Family Campground: Brimfield, MA

We camped for the first time at Village Green Family Campground when we competed at Klem’s DockDog Days.

This campground had been hit hard by a tornado in 2011.  They are still working to recover from the tragic losses that ensued from that disaster.  However, the owners could not have been nicer, and despite what the campground had been through, it looked great and was very enjoyable.

Our campsite was private and had a HUGE living space…perfect for letting the dogs out!

 

Klem’s DockDog Days; Spencer, MA

This was our first time competing at this event held at Klem’s .  We had heard how nice it was – and we sure were not disappointed!  The venue was easy to get in and out of, and the spectators and competitors were very friendly!

Limoncello: Team Coach

In between yelling at the boys, Limoncello enjoyed napping in the shade at our team canopy.

Hooch

Big Air 

23’9″  1st Place Elite Division

23’9″  3rd Place Elite Division

23’3″ 2nd Place Elite Division

Big Air Finals:  23’10”  2nd Place

Extreme Vertical All-in-One-Final Format:  6’2″

Lager

Big Air

18’3″

20’0″

20’1″

20’11”

Extreme Vertical All-in-One Final Format:  5’10”

Speed Retrieve

7.136 seconds   3rd Place Turbo Division

Iron Dog

2892.45 points  First Place Titan Division

Margarita

Margarita enjoyed walking the grounds, snacking on yummy treats, and napping along with Cello under our team canopy.

Whiskey

Whiskey was still our foster puppy, “Wish,” at the time.  She enjoyed the attention from all the spectators, and concentrated on doing her best with chewing her special Wish-bone.

 

Overall, this event was a success for our team, and most of all – FUN for all!  We hope to be able to attend this competition next year!

 

Liver Killer Bling:

 

PV Pet Pet Palooza: PV Pets, Pennsville, NJ

This was our second year back at this event.  Click HERE to see us at this event last year.

We like this event since it is very close to home!

Limoncello:  Team Coach

Limoncello enjoyed taking a dip in the competition pool in between the scheduled jumps.

Hooch

Big Air

22’9″

Big Air Finals:  22’9″ 2nd Place Pro Division

Lager

Big Air

17’9″

18’5″  3rd Place Senior Division

 

Speed Retrieve

7.605 seconds

 

Margarita:  Team Cheerleader

Rita was not impressed at this event, and enjoyed taking naps throughout the day.

Whiskey

Whiskey, still our foster pup, Wish, at the time, enjoyed getting all kinds of attention!

Natural Bridge / Lexington KOA: Natural Bridge, VA

On the way home from the DockDogs World Championship, we did an over night stay at Natural Bridge / Lexington KOA in Natural Bridge, VA.

Our Campsite:

Margarita taking a stroll around the campground – she was fascinated by the free-roaming chickens!

We had a very nice stay at this campground.  If you have never seen the Natural Bridge, this is definitely a trip to add to your travel wish list!

Wytheville KOA: Wytheville, Virginia

This may have been the most fun we’ve ever had at a campground!

On the way out to Knoxville, TN for the DockDogs World Championship, we stopped for an overnight stay at Wytheville KOA.

Not only was this campground super dog friendly, it had a snack bar, an arcade, batting cages, AND a bowling alley!

The Arcade:

The Batting Cages:

 

The Bowling Alley:

Margarita got excited to see a few other “doggies” she could play with!  HaHa!

                                                                                     Not much further to go!!

North Fork Resort: Front Royal, VA

On our road trip down to Knoxville, TN for the 2017 DockDog World Championship, we did an overnight stay at North Fork Resort in Front Royal, VA.

This was a great over-night spot right on the Shenandoah River!

This campground has lots to offer!

  • All sites come with a fire pit
  • RV 30-amp & RV 50-amp sites
  • Water and Electric sites
  • Water, Electric and Sewer sites
  • 2 Dump Stations
  • River front sites

The amenities here are endless!  I wish we had more time to enjoy some of the many options!

  • Bingo
  • Fishing
  • Horseshoes
  • Playground
  • Volleyball
  • Propane Refills
  • Dog Park
  • Minigolf
  • Basketball
  • Tennis
  • Ball field
  • Outdoor Stage
  • Game Room

 

Settling in for the night…

We were able to do a campfire before settling in!

Taking a walk around the campground before we headed back on the road to Tennessee:

Each time we stopped to spend the night on our way to Knoxville, we changed the “miles to go” sign on our camper!

Getting ready to get back on the road… but not before a selfie with HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCH!

 

 

2018 Bark in the Park: Cape Charles, VA

This had been one our favorite dock diving events in the past.  We loved attending this event in both 2015 and 2016 .  We camped at Sunset Beach Resort (another favorite!)

Although were extremely excited to be back a third year in a row in July 2017, the weather  this year was just unbearably hot.  We tried jumping the dogs, but by the time Limoncello’s came up, the temperatures were a real-feel of over 103 degrees… too hot and dangerous to compete in our opinion. 

Hooch

Big Air:

22’8″    23’5″     2nd Place Elite Division

Lager

Big Air:

16’2″     17’3″

 

Even though the one jump that Lager and Hooch executed put them into the Finals, we scratched our jumps for the rest of the weekend, and forfeited our spot in the Finals.  We chose to make the best of  the remainder of the weekend, and enjoy the campground with the dogs.

Back to the campground to enjoy some Chesapeake Bay fun!

It sure wasn’t the weekend we thought it would be, and people thought we were crazy to give our spot in Finals…but our dogs’ safety and health come first.  We made the best of the hot temps, and enjoyed cooling everyone off in the Chesapeake Bay.  A bad storm eventually rolled in, but the outcome was a beautiful double rainbow, and a gorgeous sunset!

Lums Pond State Park: Bear, DE

We camped at Lums Pond State Park when the pups competed at the Pets in the Park competition.

We stayed on site 8:

Site 8 was extremely roomy, and had a lot of area to walk the dogs!  Other sites we wrote down to consider if site 8 was take are:  9 or 11

Lums Pond State Park is built around the largest fresh water pond in Delaware.  They offer camping, fishing, hiking trails, and a tree-top adventure course.

 

Pets in the Park: Newark, DE

Pets in the Park was held on June 10th and 11th, 2017 in Newark, Delaware.

Limoncello

If you remember from our Steel Stacks event, Limoncello had been a bit “off.”  Her performance was still not her usual, so we scratched her from the rest of the event in case she wasn’t feeling well.

Big Air:

14’8″      19’3″

16’4″      16’2″

 

Hooch

Big Air:

21’3″     23’2″

Big Air Finals:     21’11”     21’3″     2nd Place Elite Division

 

Lager 

Big Air (with Brian):

19’4″     19’1″     2nd Place Senior Division

19’7″     18’3″     1st Place Senior Division 

 

Margarita

Margarita stayed cool in her crate behind the fan and cheered her teammates on from the shade!

Liver Killer Bling: