𝑻𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒚 𝑫’𝒔 𝑳𝒊𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐 “𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰”; March 14, 2011 – November 2, 2023

Tommy D’s Limoncello “Cello”

March 14, 2011 – November 2, 2023


“𝘐𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺, 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭.

𝘐𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭.”


Dear Cello,

You blessed us with 12.5 wonderful years of having the privilege to call you family. How we got so lucky to be the ones you picked as your people, I’ll never know – – but I will forever be thankful…the memories you created, the gifts you bestowed upon us, and the lessons that you taught us are things we will hold dear for eternity.

Little did we know the grand escapades you had planned for us when you joined our family! Camping…hiking…dock diving…rescue…social media…all things we knew NOTHING about until you came along. The interests and activities you introduced us to paved the way to countless memorable experiences, enabled us to help many humans & pups, and connected us to the most wonderful, supportive, kind-hearted people anyone could ever hope for in their lives. Our proudest moments were brought about by you. You ushered friendship, love, and adventure into our lives. You made us better as individuals – and as a couple – and guided us to find our purpose. We are forever grateful for your direction and enlightenment.

We are beyond fortunate to have an enormous network of extended family members -both near and far- all because of YOU. Our involvement in dock diving, Cello’s Corner social media and rescue has enabled us to be members of communities filled with support that is truly inconceivable to others. At times the wonderment of it all is even unbelievable to us. Thank you for renewing our faith in humanity and surrounding us with such an immense and astounding group of people.

Every pastime, hobby and passion we have began because of YOU. You have taught us so much about the remarkably strong bond between humans and dogs and showed us how it goes above and beyond what we ever imagined. It’s going to be excruciating to continue these ventures without you. We thank you for continuously introducing us to new activities and promise to proceed to 𝙎𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙯𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙮 in your honor.

Over the course of your lifetime, you benevolently accepted 8 new dogs into your pack. You took leadership with each one and showed them the way (aka YOUR way)! I loved watching the admiration in the other pack members as they followed your every move. They adored you. You heightened our pack expectations as you managed proper pack order and behavior with confidence and grace. The transition will be a difficult one for your pack, but we know in our hearts you will still be watching over us all, and guiding us.

You eagerly did 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 we asked of you with trust and love in your eyes. You let us 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 WE were teaching you – but the reality was: It was YOU who was schooling 𝒖𝒔. Thank you for tolerating our faults and humbly making us look like we knew what we were doing.

You are THE definition of 𝙎𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙯𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙮. You let nothing obstruct your path. A miraculous full recovery from Dilated Cardiomyopathy was just one of the many examples of your strong will, strength and determination. You loved to surprise your medical team! Intent on ending your journey YOUR way, you shocked everyone, and competed in the DockDogs World Championships for the 9th year in a row…letting cancer know full well that “𝑖𝑡” did 𝒏𝒐𝒕 have you … 𝐘𝐎𝐔 had “𝑖𝑡.” YOU called the shots. We will forever admire your fortitude, willpower and tenacity and pray that we have even a fraction of your strength as we try our best to continue to carry out the purpose you paved for us despite any roadblocks we encounter.

Your medical team was taken aback with the dramatic results of your CAT scan – yet you stood before them asymptomatic and unfazed. For two full months after your diagnosis you continued to silently fight a battle most humans could not endure- saving us the heartache of displaying how you may have truly felt. For those 9 weeks after your diagnosis you pressed on – hiding any signs of discomfort from us- and ambitiously continuing to do things that most healthy dogs don’t ever get the chance to do. You are a true inspiration and the mightiest of warriors.

On November 2, 2023 you let us know that you could no longer quietly fight. We had been nervous wondering 𝘩𝘰𝘸 we would know when “the time” had arrived. Thank you for clearly alerting us that you were ready to cross the rainbow bridge. It was one of the most difficult days of our lives but our grief is just a small price to pay for the abundance of joy, love, and companionship you unconditionally gave to us. It is worth all the tears and pain in the world to make sure you are not in agony. We are heartbroken and devastated that you are not here with us, but we are comforted knowing you are no longer suffering.

You hold a place in our hearts that no other being could ever fill. We are grateful beyond measure that you chose us to be your family. Thank you for for loving us and for completely changing our lives for the better. We will miss you each and every day – every single second – for the rest of our lives. As God embraces you in His arms, we will hold you closely in our hearts and pray that you continue to guide us until we can meet again.

We love you, Limoncello.

Fly high, Limoncello. Your time on Earth may have ended but the impact you had will live on forever in the countless hearts you touched.

2 Months Post-Diagnosis: Taking It One Day At A Time

When you know a loved one is living on borrowed time, the clock seems to tick much faster…Although I am doing my best to incorporate the advice of “take one day at a time,” lately it seems that several days gang up and attack me at once. Some days I find myself caught in between having hope… and knowing there isn’t any….between trying to stop myself from grieving as if Cello is no longer here…while trying to be grateful that she still is. Daily laughter provided by the antics of our pack, support for each other between Brian and I as a couple, as well as the continued encouragement and love from family and friends both near and far keeps me sane and reminds me each and every day to reset and refocus on faith, gratitude, and positivity. Limoncello has taught me many things, but one of the most important lessons of all is to live in the moment and 𝙎𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙯𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙮…and as difficult as it may be, I intend to do just that for her.

Update

Nine weeks go, on Wednesday, August 30th 2023, Limoncello was given a terminal diagnosis. Her estimated prognosis was 3 weeks to 3 months…with the realistic approximation weighing heavily at the three-week end. For the last two months, Limoncello has certainly 𝙎𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 heck out of each and every 𝘿𝙖𝙮. Aside from the initial observation of what we first thought was an irritated right eye which led to her diagnosis, in the last 9 weeks, not only she has she shown zero additional symptoms, but her right eye also seemed to miraculously transform back to its normal state.

Cello’s right eye this week (left) in comparison to 9 weeks ago after her diagnosis (right)

She traveled out to Iowa, and enthusiastically competed in the DockDogs World Championships.

Cello enthusiastically waiting in line for her turn to jump at the World Championships
Limoncello’s competition jump at the World Championships (vid cred: Kevin Johnson)

We are extremely grateful for these last 9 weeks!

A couple of days after our return from Iowa, Limoncello developed a dry cough. It did not sound like kennel cough and none of our other pack members were displaying any symptoms. When the cough persisted, we took Cello to her primary veterinarian. Although Cello was not exhibiting the typical kennel cough symptoms, Dr. Campbell put Limoncello on an antibiotic to be sure any type of infection would be avoided. Cello’s overall exam was unremarkable. Her heart sounded to be at its “normal” function with her murmur sounding no worse. Her lungs sounded clear. However, over the the course of her antibiotic, our other pack members still remained asymptomatic, while Limoncello’s cough did not diminish.

October 29, 2023: First observation of nasal discharge. Limoncello’s right nostril had a discharge of mucus that also contained some blood. Although alarming, we were prepared that this was one of the symptoms we would see. We contacted Dr. Campbell right away to update her.

Discharge from Cello’s right nostril

October 26, 2023: Cello has never been a picky eater… In fact, she is the type of dog that will eat an”unhidden” pill right out of your hand and not question it. She eats every meal and licks the bowl clean. On October 26th, Limoncello hesitated to eat her breakfast. She eventually did eat the meal, but began to grow increasingly hesitant to eat. After several experiments of food consistency toleration, and height elevations of her bowl, I began to notice that it appeared to be the bowl she was hesitant of (meanwhile her food bowl has not changed). I began to offer her the meals from my hand, and she began to eat her meals in their entirety again.

October 31, 2023: I touched base with Dr. Campbell again to inform her of the change in eating habit, as well as to let her know that Cello’s cough has not resolved. Dr. Campbell said the cough may mean that Cello either has mucus or blood dripping into her throat or that the cancer has spread to her lungs. It is uncertain why all of the sudden Limoncello will not eat from her bowl, but Dr. Campbell speculated that the height and/or angle of eating from the bowl may create a pressure or discomfort of some sort which is deterring Cello. The important detail is that she still is eager to eat – and if that means I need to hand-feed her for the rest of the time we have with her, so be it. Later that evening, evening we once again noticed a minimal amount of discharge from Cello’s right nostril that contained a small amount of blood.

Until now, I have been shocked that Hooch has not been acting any different. In the past, ANY time there has been something wrong with Cello (including her DCM), Hooch knew it before we did and would display odd behaviors that led us to take Cello to the vet. This time however, “Dr. Hooch” has been unfazed…unti… Limoncello was laying next to me on the couch. Hooch walked up and began to sniff her right nostril and her right eye. This was an additional confirmation to me that there are obvious changes and/or developments occurring with Cello’s cancer. Hooch then “stood guard” of Cello the rest of the night.

November 1, 2023: The good news is, as of today, Cello has not had any additional discharge from her nostril and is eating as long as her meals are delivered from my hands and not her bowl. Close observation, documentation, and communication with Dr. Campbell are all extremely important at this point. Continued prayers for Limoncello are very much appreciated as she continues to 𝑺𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒛𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒚 and live her life to the fullest despite her cancer diagnosis.

Anticipatory Grief

As Limoncello begins to show signs decline, we are remaining vigilant in observing when more bad days than good are apparent. We are beyond grateful that we have Dr. Campbell to be Cello’s advocate and to help us determine when Cello becomes too tired. We still are remaining positive and grateful for every day we have with Cello, focussing on the “little” moments that are creating memories, and letting Cello call the shots. I’m not going to lie – the anticipation is not easy. In fact, some days it feels like I am sitting on train tracks waiting for the locomotive to hit. Preparing for the blow that I know is coming is both sad and terrifying. Brian and I are doing our absolute best to follow Cello’s lead to 𝙎𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙯𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙮 every day and not let our feelings of grief take over before the loss even happens. Above all, we are trying to take things one day at a time. We understand that at this point, Limoncello will have good days and bad days and that as her caretakers and family, we will have good days and bad days also. 

The Struggle Is Real, But So Are The Blessings

Some days are truly a struggle. However, we truly have so many blessings in our lives … Here are just some from the past few weeks:


Support at the 2023 DockDogs World Championships

“Thank you” doesn’t even come close to expressing the gratitude we have. There is nothing – and I mean NOTHING like the DockDogs community….

Our trip was filled with support, love, friendship and reunions within our dockdogs family. I’m not sure where to even begin, as it is impossible to find the proper words to convey all that I feel. I don’t think that I am even capable of being a good enough person to figure out a way to thank everyone involved in helping our special girl 𝑺𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒛𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒚 and make the most of the present 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡. To everyone who took the time to come up to us to tell us how happy you were that Cello was there … you ALL turned an already-very-special-week into one-big-spectacular-𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 that will forever be cherished and 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 be forgotten.

We had less than 24 hours from the time we had Limoncello’s exam to the time we had to leave for Iowa, not knowing if we’d be able to make the trip or not. Understanding there was a good possibility we we’d have to cancel the trip, I chose to only purchase the necessities- food for ourselves and the dogs – skipping the usual team shirts, banners, and trading cards…But our DockDogs family would not have that … As a surprise, a friend had shirts made not only for us – but for anyone else who wanted to support Cello. It was so heartwarming to see all the Cello-yellow both at the competition and in posts from afar!!!

… but that wasn’t all…

…We arrived to the competition to find a sign and banner, and trading cards were made …

…Yellow bracelets were purchased, and lemon string-lights decorated our crate area…

…Yellow Super Fly suits were made for our team as well as others who chose to wear one in support of Cello…

…We were also gifted a custom handmade metal team sign…

…a friend and fellow Pointer Rescue, Org volunteer traveled many hours to come visit with Cello…

The kind and generous gestures overwhelmed our hearts and made this trip filled with moments that we will remember forever.


Grand Marshall of the 2023 DockDogs World Championships


Leader of the 2023 DockDogs World Championships Hero Parade


Visits from Family and Friends


Watching MLB Championship Series


Snuggles on the Couch


Halloween


Lemons and Yellow in My Social Media Feed Or sent to me from a Friend


I will continue to do periodic updates on Limoncello and appreciate all of the love and support you all continue to send for our special girl!

NEVER GIVE UP: 3 Weeks Post-Diagnosis

A part of never giving up means making the most of every single moment – – and in typical Limoncello fashion, she is schooling us on how to do exactly that….

Weekly PUPdate

We as humans have so much to learn from dogs…Dogs live each and every day with a sense of excitement…with a 🍋 zest for life. They are resilient and move forward despite the challenges they face. Today marks three weeks-post diagnosis (8/30/23), and yet Limoncello continues to show pretty much zero symptoms outside of her right eye looking slightly larger than the left. Although that makes me happy, if I’m going to be honest… I need to share that the past three weeks have been stressful to say the least. Upon diagnosis, Limoncello was given only a-few-weeks to a-few-months to live. I feel like this cancer has left us feeling much like we did when Porter and Jägermeister’s seizures were not under control – it’s like living with a ticking time bomb … never knowing when it’s going to “explode” … never knowing when that seizure or nosebleed is going to dreadfully emerge…Waking up each morning wondering if that day will be her last. Despite efforts to remain positive and have faith, the worries still find a way to slither their way into my mind, especially leading up to her 3-week check-up. However, I am (cautiously) relieved to share this week’s report!

September 19, 2023: Three Week Check Up With Primary Veterinarian

Limoncello saw our primary veterinarian, Dr. Campbell, on September 19th.

Observations I Shared:

  • Cello’s activity level, eating/drinking habits and behavior have not changed at all
    • Dr. Campbell was happy to hear this.
  • Cello has begun to sneeze periodically, which is new for her – but we were told to expect this, and luckily there has been no bleeding that has accompanied the sneezing
  • I thought I was crazy to think her right eye looked better than it did three weeks ago…
    • Dr. Campbell agreed that she thought Cello’s eye looked better as well!

Evaluations During Exam:

The following have had no decline/changes:

  • signs of discomfort
  • left nostril airflow (right nostril is blocked by tumor)
  • heart murmur
  • facial bones and skull
  • mouth, throat, and swallowing
  • right eye

My Questions:

  • When should see Cello be seen next?
    • suggested time frame was 2-3 weeks
  • Can we review what we are we watching out for?
    • seizures
    • discharge from nostrils
    • nosebleeds
    • swallowing with effort
    • snuffling
    • squinting
    • teeth chattering
  • Can we get a letter to submit to DockDogs so that we could request a reimbursement for Cello’s World Championship entry fees due to her medical condition?
    • When I heard the words come out of Dr. Campbell’s mouth, it took my breath away and immediately the tears began to flow: “I think you should go. She deserves one last jump.” (Insert ugly crying here)! Dr. Cambell said that because Cello surprisingly did not show the decline that was expected in the last 3 weeks, it is highly likely there will not be a drastic decline in the upcoming next few weeks – although we have to understand that anything is possible of course. BUT, if she’s doing well and feeling good, why not let her do what she loves … revel in what she created for our family… and jump at the World Championship one more time?! Since Cello has had no decline and her exam went well, her previous restriction of not jumping off the dock has been lifted at the moment and for as long as it is deemed safe for her to do so.

If we go to the World Championships in Iowa, we take the chance of an emergency happening on the road, and although because of past experience, it has become one of our biggest fears, that emergency could (or could NOT!) happen anytime, anywhere. The last thing we want to do is just “sit around and wait” when we could be making the most of Limoncello’s enjoyable moments.

I will have to plan and pack as if we are going to the World Championship with the mindset of knowing we could have to cancel at any given moment – including less than 24 hours before we’d have to leave. Limoncello will have to remain asymptomatic and she will also have an exam again with Dr. Campbell on October 6th. If all goes well again at that exam, we will leave early on the morning of October 7th to what very well may be the most memorable and meaningful trip our team as a whole has taken.

I have done zero planning for the World Championships, considering we had already resigned to the fact that we couldn’t go…So we won’t have new fancy team shirts, or cool trading cards for our pack, but what we will have is 2 of the greatest gifts of all: Limoncello making most likely her last jump while battling cancer, and Lager competing as a survivor. We have had some pretty amazing moments, awards, and accomplishments at the World Championships over the years, but THIS, my friends, will truly rival them all. No award…no nomination…no victory can or will ever fill our hearts with a greater sense of pride and gratitude than seeing Cello flipping cancer the paw and doing what she loves most…rockin’ the dock one last time! Fingers and paws crossed that we are able to make the trip.


The Best Thing About Memories is Making Them

A devastating diagnosis is a jolting wake-up call that reminds us that time is precious and not meant to be wasted. Live every day making every moment count. Even though cancer can eventually take loved ones away from us, the one thing it can never steal from us is our memories…so make LOTS of them. Here are some I made with Limoncello this week:

Bike Ride Around Town

Betty White’s First Off Road Adventure

Chillin’ on the Couch with Brother Hooch

National Cheeseburger Day

Visiting with Friends and Family

PUPpuccino

National String Cheese Day


With Gratitude

I am a true believer in the power of positivity – and it is extremely apparent that Limoncello is feeling the prayers and good vibes you all have been sending. Brian and I appreciate each and every one of you.

Here are a few gifts from this week:

Box of Sunshine

Care Box for the Whole Pack

Cello-Yellow Flowers and Cookies


No News is Good News

If Limoncello continues to do well, my plan is to post an update after her October 6th exam instead of a weekly update next week. Until then, please continue to send those positive thoughts Cello’s way, and don’t forget to keep making those memories with your loved ones!

Jägermeister: 3 Years Seizure-Free

Dear Epilepsy,

You may be a part of our boy, but you surely don’t define him. This boy kicked you to the curb, earning titles and excelling in obedience, trick training and dock diving.

Jäger is proving to the world that dogs with Epilepsy not only can can have a good quality life, but can also beat you at your game and 𝔽𝕃𝕆𝕌ℝ𝕀𝕊ℍ. You are 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 for our boy’s resilience.

Our efforts: Relentless.

Our faith and hope: Endless.

We won’t give up. We won’t give in…𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑹.

We are beyond grateful to be able to celebrate this important day with our boy, and fully understand that there are dogs and families who are less fortunate. We will continue to fight each and every day for the warriors of the past and present in hopes that one day all dogs can live seizure-free.

Rocky; GSP Rescue of NJ

Windy Spot Cabin had a temporary guest from September 15 to September 17, 2022… Rocky, an owner surrender. Rocky was given up by his family because they could not provide him with the proper amount of exercise to keep him happy. He is also a very large boy and was too strong for the owner.

Rocky is a small pony… lol… very tall and almost 70 lbs at just 10 months old!

Traditional foster weigh-in:

During his stay with us he enjoyed swimming in the lake and jumping off the dock!

Best of luck to you in your new life Rocky!

Jägermeister: 2 Years Seizure-Free



Jägermeister is TWO years seizure-free as of 8/25/2022! August 25, 2020 was the last grand Mal seizure Jägermeister endured. After a small tweak in his meds, the seizures have not returned! We are so very lucky to have such a wonderful medical team to guide our epilepsy warrior through his journey!

Dog Days of Summer Wild Card Double Header: North Ridgeville, Ohio

Such an emotional weekend with so SO much to be thankful for. Although many tears were shed as we spent the weekend at the same facility that we competed at when we lost our Sweet Reet, we shared just as many if not more laughs and celebrations with our dock dogs family. This community is truly amazing. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with everyone. Congratulations and great job to all competitors who participated throughout this weekend… and a HUGE thank you to Christine at Canine Superheroes as well as dockdogs staff Linda, Sean, and Joe for a safe, fun, and well-run event …we very much appreciate all of your hard work!

Limoncello

Cello looked pretty as usual as she paddled through the air and jumped exceptionally well despite limited dock time (doctor’s orders due to her decline in heart health and some arthritis).

  • Big Air:
    • 14’7″
    • 15’4″

Hooch

Hooch has steadily been jumping in the 21-22 feet range for quite some time now, but busted out a 23’8” jump this weekend, and earned several 1st place medals for his Big Air jumps.

  • Big Air:
    • 23’8″ 2nd Place Master Division
    • 22’11” 1st Place Master Division
    • 22’3″ 1st Place Master Division
    • 22’2″ 2nd Place Master Division
    • 22’7″ 1st Place Master Division
  • Speet Retrieve:
    • 7.795 seconds
    • 6.997 seconds

Lager

Lager did well in Big Air and took first place in Speed Retrieve Round 1 (Turbo Division). He also thoroughly enjoyed competing in Dueling Dogs.

  • Big Air:
    • 18’1″
    • 18’10”
    • 18’5″
  • Speed Retrieve:
    • 7.054 seconds 1st Place Turbo Division
Lager competing in Dueling Dogs (Lager is on the right)

Whiskey

Wish the Fish took 59.999 seconds out of the allotted 60 seconds…but jumped 4 out of the 6 times she was on the dock, and of course entertained the crowd with her dock antics (multiple times she decided zoomies on the dock was much more fun than jumping in the pool)!

  • Big Air:
    • 7’6″
    • 6’7″ 1st Place Novice Division
    • 6’9″ 2nd Place Novice Division
    • 7’5″ 1st Place Novice Division

Porter

PoPo was thrilled to play with a puppy and 2 adorable children two days in a row and did a great job of glomming attention and pets from everyone he could. He even took a nap with Justin from team Malinois Mania DockDiving! As a token of his gratitude, he left each visitor with enough Po hair on clothing to make their own take-home mini Porter souvenir.

Jägermeister

Jäger did well in competition, and took first place in Speed Retrieve Round 2 (Turbo Division). He quickly made himself well-known with the crowd as he decided that he enjoyed staying IN the pool was way more fun than getting out.

  • Big Air:
    • 18’9″ 3rd Place Senior Division
    • 20’7″
    • 19’5″ 2nd Place Senior Division
  • Speed Retrieve:
    • 7.823 seconds
    • 7.002 1st Place Turbo Division
  • Extreme Vertical:
    • 4’6″
  • Iron Dog:
    • 2739.21 points 5th Place Warrior Division

Martini

Tini did WONDERFULLY- she was confident in her crate under our team canopy, welcomed visitors sitting outside of her crate, and also accepted treats from new people. Special thanks to the kind, amazing (and very patient) people who sat on the ground next to her crate and helped our Tini Beanie tremendously.

Liver Killer Bling

Remembering Reet

The number of people Margarita touched in her short time with us continues to amaze us. Rita’s passing was a devastating loss and the tributes to her as well as the support we continue to receive is beyond appreciated and will never be forgotten. Thank you to all of you at Canine Superheroes this weekend.

Team Malinois Mania had a special collar made for their pup, Scout to wear in honor of Sweet Reet!

All competitors at the event tossed a lei in the competition pool in honor of Margarita as the song “Candle in the Wind” by Elton John played over the event speakers.

Jäger: GSP Rescue of NJ

We had taken ourselves “off the market” for fostering, but this guy found himself in a bit of a predicament and needed a spur-of-the-moment place to go, so……🤎Meet Jäger!

(He came to us with this name, I swear!) This handsome root beer head is a 3 year old German Shorthaired Pointer. He is an owner-surrender because his family could no longer take care of him with his special needs. Unfortunately Jäger suffers from seizures due to Epilepsy. Jäger has a dominant personality and from what we know at this point will most likely need to be adopted into an only-dog household. He is be available through GSP Rescue of New Jersey to approved adopters in NJ and NY. Further medical and behavioral details about Jäger will be shared privately with approved potential adopters.

Jack’s Firehouse, Philadelphia, PA

Located in the Fairmount Neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA, and set in a 19th century firehouse, Jack’s Firehouse is definitely worth a visit!  Jack’s Firehouse is located directly across from Eastern State Penitentiary on Fairmount Avenue.

DSC00856
Margarita

Even though we sat at the dog-friendly outdoor seating area, Brian and I each took a moment to explore the inside of this unique establishment. Most of the original mahogany interior, wooden plank flooring, and yes, even the brass fire pole are still intact!  There is also a racing shell suspended over top the bar.

DSC00854

What great history this place has! The fire company that originally occupied Jack’s was Truck A, now referred to as Ladder Company 1 and located on Parish Street in Philadelphia. Truck A was the first paid Philadelphia Fire Department in 1871.

We enjoyed a glass of wine and ordered the Calamari with Hot Pepper Chips, Carrots, and Hot Lava – and it was absolutely amazing! We enjoyed being able to take in the historic, yet sometimes eerie views of Eastern State Penitentiary.

Cello visited here on April 27, 2014.

Margarita visited here on August 19, 2019.

Urban Saloon, Philadelphia, PA

Located in the Fairmount Neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA on Fairmount Avenue, Urban Saloon has outdoor seating, is dog-friendly (they even bring our a bowl of water for your pup!) and is situated directly across from Eastern State Penitentiary.

Margarita visited here in 2019

Margarita

Cello was here on April 27, 2014!

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Limoncello
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Limoncello

“Not a worry in the world, a PBR on the way – Life is good today. Life is good today.” ~ Zac Brown Band

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It was exciting, yet eerie to enjoy a glass of wine at their outdoor seating area while gazing at the historic Eastern State Penitentiary.

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Seacoast DockDogs Hosts “Hops and Hounds” at Raitt Homestead Farm Museum; Eliot, Maine

This was our first time competing at this event.  We were super-excited since we were able to camp on the Raitt Homestead Farm Museum for the entire weekend!

Limoncello:  Team Coach

In between yelling at the boys and after the competition, Cello had a chance to jump off the dock and swim in the pool. In our eyes, she won 1st Place for prettiest girl on the dock this weekend.

Hooch

Hooooooooooooch had a great weekend! He is brand new to competing in Speed Retrieve and Iron Dog AND to learning the Chase Method during Big Air … and he rocked the dock in all 3 areas, despite the mistakes his Mama made, and with him being a beginner in all three “new” games! We have a lot to work on as a team, but I am so proud of this little guy!!

Big Air:

20’3″

22’0″

Finals:

21’2″    🥉3rd Place Elite Division Big Air Finals

Extreme Vertical:

6’0″     🥉3rd Place Top Gun Division

Speed Retrieve:

6.690 seconds 🏅New Personal Best score!

Iron Dog:

2939.05 points    🥈2nd Place Gladiator Division 
🥉Out of all the competitors this weekend, Hooch won 3 Place Overall in the Iron Dog competition!

Lager

Lager started off the weekend in a little bit of a slump, and was hesitating a bit on the dock. He pulled it together by the end of the competition though!

Big Air:

17’6″

17’8″      2nd Place Senior Division

19’10”    1st Place Senior Division

Finals:

20’1″     🥇1st Place Senior Division Big Air Finals

Speed Retrieve:

7.310 seconds    🥉3rd Place Turbo Division Speed Retrieve

The announcer at this event was a Massachusettes Law Enforcement Officer, and he “coined” Lager! The history of “coining” began in the ancient Roman army, where coins were presented as rewards.  The U.S. tradition goes back to the 1960’s.  A member of hte 11th SFG over-stamped old coins with a new emblem.  The 10th SFG was the fist to mint a custom coin and remained the only Army unit with its own coin until the 1980’s.  Originally the coins were given to recognized outstanding achievements. They are now used to build unit morale and cohesion. During the Vietnam Era, the “challenge-response” was added to the tradition. A soldier can be “challenged” to show his or her unit coin. Those that cannot have to “buy a round.”

 

Margarita:  Team Cheerleader

Sweet Reet took a break from cheering on the team and caught up on some beauty rest this weekend in preparation to kick some Lymphoma butt this week!!! 💪🏼.

Whiskey

Despite the brand new toys Mom bought for this competition, Wish the Fish decided she would rather be a Land Shark this weekend, and timed-out in her jumps.

 

Porter:  Team Manager

Porter had a great day of napping and taking walks around the farm on Saturday.

However, even though his meds have just been increased, the second night on the farm around 10pm he had another series of seizures. Luckily, his emergency injection of Midazolam brought him out of the seizures and he did not have to go to the ER. It had been 20 days since his last episode.

Overall, we had a great trip to Maine and enjoyed this competition!

Maxeen: GSP Rescue of NJ Foster

On Friday night, October 26, 2018, Brian and I were on our way out the door to go to dinner when we got a call about someone in our area who wanted to surrender their German Shorthaired Pointer, and wanted the dog out of the home as soon as possible.  GSP Rescue of NJ had a foster family who quickly stepped up to foster, so all we needed to do was pick up the dog and have her as our guest for the weekend until the foster family could pick her up.

We contacted the owner, and postponed our dinner plans.

We met Maxeen in the owners home.  Her owner told us that Maxeen is 15 months old, and was purchased as a hunting dog.  Maxeen did not have any interest in hunting, and spent a lot of time in her crate.  Since her owner was avid hunter, and knew he could not give Maxeen the time she needed, he thought it was best to re-home her.  After proper paperwork was filled out, we brought Maxeen back home with us.

 We weighed her in on the antique scale, as we do with all of our fosters…

Maxeen was amazing.  Super affectionate, crate trained, house trained, and very eager to please!

Maxeen went with her foster family on Sunday.  In a few days, that family decided they were interested in adopting her.  Before the adoption was official, however, Maxeen and the foster family’s resident dog had a few issues with getting along.  It was determined that Maxeen was not a good fit for the foster family to adopt – and in everyone’s best interest, it was determined that the ideal situation was to find Maxeen another foster. Rather than have Maxeen go through another adjustment getting used to another family, we decided to take Maxeen back to our house until she found a forever home.

On November 27th, we picked Maxeen up again to take her in as our longer-term foster.

Maxeen is smart, full of energy, and willing to please!

GSP Rescue of NJ had many approved applicants waiting to add a fur-kid to their family.  However, that list was greatly narrowed down knowing that Maxeen was best fit to be an only-dog.

When we spoke to the family we thought was the best match for Maxeen, we knew immediately that they’d love her like we would!  They drove 3 hours to come meet her on December 8, 2018 , and as soon as they came through the door, Maxeen greeted them both with lots of kisses.

We all knew immediately that Maxeen’s forever family had been found, and Maxeen’s Christmas wish had come true!  Her family took her home with them that day.

Merry Christmas, Maxeen and family!

 

Agatha: GSP Rescue of NJ Foster

Agatha is a three year-old German Shorthaired Pointer who was found as a stray in Northern New Jersey.  GSP Rescue of NJ stepped in to help this sweet girl.  Agatha was on stray-hold for a week, and then was spayed by the rescue’s vet in North Jersey.

 

On November 16th, we drove north about an hour to a turnpike rest-stop to meet a fellow rescue volunteer who offered to transport Agatha so we didn’t have to drive as far to pick her up.

Agatha had a stuffed monkey to help her heal from her surgery.

Once we met her in person, we quickly agreed that Agatha looked more like an English Pointer than a German Shorthaired Pointer.

 

Another fellow GSP Rescue volunteer who had seen our pictures of Agatha on our Facebook, fell in love, and decided to adopt her!

One of my students fell in love with Agatha and drew her picture as a gift to her forever family.

Just a few days later, on the night before Thanksgiving, the rescue volunteer and her husband came to meet Agatha, and took her home!

Happy Thanksgiving, Agatha and Family!

 

 

Hooch’s Subaru Gig!

Hooch was chosen to do a photo shoot for the 2019 Subaru Forester seat cover!

He is currently featured online in the accessory options when building your own Subaru Forester online, as well as in the accessories brochure within the dealerships.  Some dealerships also have a window cling that Hooch is featured on!

Did you know that Subaru works with the Southeastern Guide Dogs,  a non-profit organization dedicated solely to the task of helping blind men and women achieve independence through the means of a guide dog.  Subaru sponsors a number of events that fund the training and development of guide dogs, who will ultimately be paired with people who need them.

During the month of October, through the “Subaru Loves Pets initiative,” Subaru retailers also collect new pet supplies to donate to local animal organizations in the dealership’s communities, and provide shelter supply kits for fur-kids awaiting adoption. They also donate starter kits for new pet-adopting families.

 

K9 Central Wild Card Double Header: Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada

This venue by far is our favorite!  The event at K9 Central has camping on site, awesome pool set-up, and some of THE nicest people you will ever meet!

Not only is the venue our favorite, the easy drive, and the beautiful scenery add to the enjoyment of our road trip.

One of the most exciting parts of this journey is the Thousand Islands Bridge.

I am not a fan of bridges – especially narrow ones (yikes!).

However, I do my best to put my fear aside so that I don’t miss out on the beautiful scenery of the Thousand Islands area on either side of the bridge.  The view is gorgeous, and you get to see many of the privately owned islands while crossing the bridge.

 

The past few years we had taken a few extra days off for this trip, so we are usually the first ones there!  We love how close our camper is to the pool!

This was also the first trip in our new camper!

We upgraded to a bigger camper with double slides so we could have more room !


Limoncello:  Team Coach

Limoncello enjoyed lounging in the camper with Margarita.   Coaching Hooch and Lager is a “ruff” job – so Cello relieved some stress by getting a massage from our friend, Marti, at Pawz Therapy.

Hooch

Big Air

  • 22’6″
  • 23’3″  1st Place Elite Division
  • 22’9″
  • 24’1″  1st Place Elite Division
  • 23’3″  1st Place Elite Division
  • 22’9″
  • Big Air Pro Division Finals:  22’6

Extreme Vertical All-in-One Final Format

This probably was the most exciting Extreme Vertical for Hooch and Jenny as a team!  Hooch matched his personal best, grabbed the bumper at 6’6″  and in the end earned 3rd Place Top Gun Division  – but not before Hooch had to go into a “jump-off” with 2 other dogs who were in a 3-way tie with him!

Lager

Big Air 

  • 17’7″
  • 19’1″
  • 20’9″  2nd Place Master Division
  • 18’6″  2nd Place Senior Division
  • 19’2″  1st Place Senior Division
  • 19’8″ 1st Place Senior Division

Extreme Vertical All-in-One Final Format

  • 6’2″

Speed Retrieve All-in-One Final Format

  • 7.037seconds  1st Place Turbo Division

Iron Dog All-in-One Final Format

  • 2920.34  3rd Place Gladiator Division

Margarita:  Team Cheerleader

Margarita made sure to get her beauty rest in the camper with Limoncello in between cheering-on her siblings during the competition.  She also enjoyed a massage with Marti!

Whiskey (Wish): First Ever DockDogs Competition AND Adoption Day!

Whiskey was still our foster dog, Wish at the time of this trip.  However, she had begun jumping into the lake at home, so I figured, why not try her up on the dock?!?!

We had been calling her “Wish the Fish,” so I bought Whiskey very own “fish wubba” for the dock.

I registered her under the name “WISHkey,” as a guest Liver Killer team member, and hoped for the best! Whiskey not only jumped into the pool, but earned herself a DockDogs World Championship invitation!

Big Air

5’10”

4’3″

7’0″  Second Place Novice Division

6’3″  Second Place Novice Division

We had fallen in love with Whiskey long before this trip, but had been fighting the urge to adopt her.  We decided while on this trip we would no longer fight that fight, and called Pointer Rescue, Organization to let them know we would like to adopt her.  Welcome home, Tennessee Whiskey!

Liver Killer Bling

We had been known for our American Flag team canopy for quite some time now.  Unfortunately, at this event, a huge wind gust came along and mangled it! We have been searching for another one ever since.

This was also not a very good “maiden voyage” in our new camper.   It had rained very hard the last day of this competition, and the ground became extremely muddy. We sank – A LOT – and had to get towed out.

 

Luckily there was no damage done to the camper and we made it safely home!

We can’t wait to come back to Canada next year!

 

 

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!

If Life Gives You Lemons, Make Limoncello: Cello’s Early Retirement

If life gives you lemons, make Limoncello!

As the start of our 2018 Dock Diving season quickly approaches, we wanted to share the following with our family, friends and followers:

After some recent testing, Limoncello was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy (a heart disease that causes dilation and poor contractility of the heart muscle). It was also discovered that Cello also has two leaky heart valves. After a long and difficult discussion with our veterinarian, it was determined that the best choice for Cello at this time is to retire her from dock diving.

Although we are disappointed that Cello’s dock diving career has come to an end, we are focusing our energy on celebrating her dock diving journey and how it has positively impacted our lives: her many notable accomplishments, the abundance of joy it has brought us, the amazing people we have met, the incredible dogs we have seen, the spectacular places we have visited, and the unforgettable memories we will continue to cherish. …We have SO MUCH to be grateful for because of Cello!

Without Cello on the dock this year, it will be an emotional dock diving season for sure. However, we are so thankful that because of the knowledge, expertise, and advice of Cello’s veterinarian and cardiologist, we were made aware of her condition before the season began. We are also looking at this unfortunate news as a positive opportunity to explore less intense bonding activities with Cello such as Barn Hunt, Nose Work, and Rally. We fondly anticipate learning new things, setting new goals, overcoming new challenges, traveling to new places, meeting more wonderful people, and building additional priceless memories. But above of all – we look forward to the many years of love and companionship we will treasure with Cello.

Even if we don’t understand why at this point, we are firm believers in “change is good” and “all things happen for a reason.” We are hopeful and eager to discover what new adventures will be had as Cello once again broadens our path. However, if Cello decides that in her early retirement she’d rather just relax, we welcome that change-of-pace as well.

Hooch and Lager will still be on the dock this year. We look forward to seeing our dock diving family this season.

 

The Dock Diving Diva’s Personal Bests:

•Big Air (on camera): 25’0”
•Extreme Vertical: 5’6”
•Speed Retrieve: 7.371 seconds
•Iron Dog: 2869.62 points
     *2016 DockDogs #1 Warrior Iron Dog in the World

Photo credit: Precise Video Productions

 

 

2017 Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Show: Tuckerton, NJ

This venue is always one of our favorites, as this event in 2013 was Limoncello’s first ever DockDogs competition!

Limoncello

Big Air:

21’0″

21’6″

19’6″

19’9″

18’4″

Extreme Vertical: 5’6 ”  Third Place Cadet Division

Speed Retrieve: 8.035 seconds

Iron Dog: 2808.24 points

Hooch

Big Air:

22’1′”

Finals:  21’9″ 1st Place Elite

Extreme Vertical: 6’6″  1st Place Top Gun Division

Lager

Big Air:

18’6″

17’2″

18’10”

17’7″

Extreme Vertical: 6’4″  Second Place Top Gun Division

Margarita

Margarita had a fun time keeping cool in the shade and greeting spectators who walked by our team canopy.

 

Liver Killer Bling and Goody Bags:

 

 

Four Paws, One Cause: Elkton, MD

The Fairhill International Fairgrounds hosted Four Paws, One Cause – an event where where multiple dog rescues came together and brought their adoptable dogs in order to find them loving FURever families.  The purpose of this event was to bring together all kinds of different people with one similar passion: a love for dogs!

This event not only hosted the DockDogs competition, it also featured the world champion frisbee dogs featured on America’s Got Talent as well. There was live music, face painting, bounce houses, over one hundred vendors, great food, craft beer tastings, and wine tastings throughout each day!

 

Limoncello

Big Air:

19′ 9″

19’5″

Extreme Vertical:  5’0″

Speed Retrieve:  9.583 seconds

Iron Dog Score:  2563.55     2nd Place Warrior Division

 

Hooch

Big Air:

23’11”

Big Air Pro Division Finals:  24′ 0″      1st Place Pro Division

 

Lager

Big Air with Brian:

18′ 2″

19’2″     2nd Place Senior Division

20’5″     3rd Place Master Division

 

Extreme Vertical with Jenny:

5’10”    1st Place Cadet Division

Margarita

Our Team Cheerleader enjoyed snoozing under the canopy in the rain, and snacking on goodies throughout the day!

 

Liver Killer Bling:

Best of all, through our winnings, we were able to raise $100 for the GSP Rescue of NJ!

Keystone DockDogs at SteelStacks: Bethlehem, PA

SteelStacks is one of our favorite venues for dock diving – and Keystone DockDogs is one of the best hosts!

We were able to camp right in the parking lot at SteelStacks too!

Limoncello:

This was a very “off” event for Cello.  She was definitely not herself, and it showed through in her performance.  We wound up scratching her from some of her jumps until we could get her seen by a vet to be sure she was OK.

Picture Credit: Pics By Kim

Big Air:

20’9″

19’7″

19’1″

 

Extreme Vertical:

4’10”

Speed Retrieve:

9.208 seconds

 

Hooch:

Photo Credit: Becca Conner

Big Air:

23’3″            1st Place Elite

23’6″            1st Place Elite

23’2″            2nd Place Elite

Photo Credit: Pics By Kim

Lager:

Big Air (with Jenny)

19’2″

18’0″

Photo credit: Pics By Kim

Big Air (with Brian)

18’0″           3rd Place Senior

20’0″

Photo credit: Pics By Kim

Extreme Vertical (with Jenny)

5’8″            1st Place Cadet

Pic Credit: Becca Conner

 

Margarita:

Margarita enjoyed her time chewing on treats, playing with toys, getting attention from fellow competitors, and hanging out with an adorable Bernese Mountain Dog puppy!

Liver Killer Bling: Gift bag full of goodies, medals, and ribbons!

If you are in the area and can stop at SteelStacks, it’s worth the trip – the stacks are amazing to see in person, and they host some pretty cool events and great concerts!

National Limerick Day

National Limerick Day is celebrated annually on May 12, and celebrates the birthday of English artist, illustrator, author and poet Edward Lear, known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and limericks.

National Limerick Day also celebrates the limerick poem.  Limerick poems were popularized by Edward Lear’s book “Book of Nonsense.”

A limerick is a very short, humorous, nonsense poem. A limerick has five lines.  The first two lines rhyme with the fifth line and the third and fourth line rhyme together.

Here is an example:

THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY
By Edward Lear

There was a Young Lady whose chin
Resembled the point of a pin;
So she had it made sharp, and purchased a harp,
And played several tunes with her chin.

Here at Cello’s Corner we thought it would be fun to try and create a Limerick about Limoncello. So on May 12, I did my best on writing my first Limerick:

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Delmarva DockDogs Unleashed at Pooch Palooza; Berlin, MD

During the weekend of April 22-23, The Liver Killers attended one of our favorite competitions held annually at Frontier Town Campground.

We absolutely love this campground – and the dogs LOVE the waterfront campsite !

Here are the dock diving results from this event:

Limoncello

Big Air:  

19’6″

19’9″

19’9″

Extreme Vertical:    4’10”

Speed Retrieve:    8.418 seconds

Iron Dog:     2678.44 points (3rd Place Warrior Division)

Hooch

Big Air:

24’4″

Finals:   23’2″ (First Place)

 

Extreme Vertical:   6’0″

Lager

Big Air:

19’0″

19’4″

 

Extreme Vertical:    5’8″  (2nd Place)

Margarita:

Margarita enjoyed competing in a Pie Eating Contest, where she earned herself a 6th Place ribbon!

Rita also enjoyed Lure Coursing… but perhaps enjoyed the horses around the Lure Coursing field more so than the Lure Coursing itself, as she ignored the lure, and bolted off to the fence-line to see the horses!  🙁

 

Barn Hunt at Tail Wagging Events

Rita and Limoncello have both earned their Rat I title (Instinct level), and both have one qualifying run for their Rat N title (Novice level).

We attended a barn hunt at Tail Wagging Events to see if we could both secure at least another qualifying run in the Novice level.

Unfortunately, neither team was able to do so, but we once again had a great time with our pups!

Hooch Has His Own Greeting Card!

You may remember that when Hooch was a puppy, he won a contest to have his own greeting card.  Well, the greeting card is in print, and it will be ready for purchase after December 26, 2016!

Here is the original photo I took of Hooch in September of 2014.  Hooch was 4 months old in this photo, and was still afraid to go in the lake.  This sad little puppy face was laying on the dock at our house watching his big sis, Limoncello have fun diving and swimming!

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Front of greeting card:

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Wagging Tail Portraits has their Wet Nose Greetings in over 90 stores so far, including 10 Whole Foods Markets in the Mid-Atlantic area!

Each year, Wagging Tail Portraits donates a portion of their proceeds to animal rescue groups!

Check out their website for many unique gift ideas featuring YOUR pup!

Lager Honored on The Calais School’s Wall of Stars

The students at The Calais School have created a “Wall of Stars,” honoring Veterans and current Military members. One of the students made a star very special to our hearts… Lager (War Zone name, Nayt).

A fellow GSP Rescue of NJ volunteer and friend, and GSP Rescue of NJ alumni, Sage the GSP, told one of the school’s students about Lager. Thank you to this student who chose to honor Lager, and created this star so perfectly!

We are grateful to have Lager be a part of the Wall of Stars at The Calais School, and we will forever cherish this!

Halloween 2016

Happy HOWL-oween 2016 from The Liver Killers Team!

The Referee:

The Referee

The Cheerleader:

The Cheerleader

…and the “Playa’s”:

 

Margarita and Mr. Spock Get Engaged at the Old Oar House, Millville, NJ

Each Thursday during June through October, The Old Oar House Irish Pub hosts a “Doggie Date Night, ” where dogs are welcomed to join you as you dine in their outdoor seating area.  A portion of the proceeds from your food bill goes to the Cumberland County SPCA. This particular Doggie Date Night was a very special (and rainy!) one… Margarita and her heart-throb and fellow English Pointer, Mr. Spock, helped out the Cumberland County SPCA, and got engaged!

Margarita got Mr. Spock some special engagement gifts!

 

And Mr. Spock had a good friend make Margarita the most perfect and beautiful engagement necklace!

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There were lots of party decorations and favors!

 All our 4-legged friends go dressed up for the PAWty!

file-jan-02-1-47-23-pmAnd lots of people and pups came to the PAWty even though it was raining – I bet you they came for this yummy homemade cake!

 

We’re Engaged!

Margarita showing off her new necklace:

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The happy couple enjoying some of their engagement cake together:

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What a fun night with good food, friends and pups! Best of all, we were able to help out the Cumberland County SPCA!

 

Barn Hunt Trial: Pawsable K-9 Events, Millstone Township, NJ

Our second Barn Hunt Association trial was held at Pawsable K-9 Events.

Both Limoncello and Margarita did very well this weekend!  Both gals ran 2 Novice runs, and both secured one qualifying Novice score toward their Novice title. The Novice level requires the dogs to find the tube containing the rat, complete a tunnel, and have all-fours up on a hay bale (in no particular order) within two minutes.  Cello and Rita will need two more qualifying scores to earn their Novice title.

Margarita

Instinct Run: Qualified! 13.53 seconds (new Personal Best!)

*For those of you wondering why we participated at the Instinct level when Rita is already titled at this level, you are allowed to still do an Instinct run to get your pup warmed up as long as the dog has not titled in Novice.

Novice Run 1: Qualified!  1:44.71 seconds

Novice Run 2:  Rita completed the tunnel, and before she could attempt the hay bale climb, Jenny jumped-the-gun and called the wrong

                               location of the rat.

Rita’s First Qualifying Novice Score Ribbon!

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Limoncello

Instinct Run: Brian called the wrong location of the rat.

*For those of you wondering why we participated at the Instinct level when Cello is already titled at this level, you are allowed to still do an Instinct run to get your pup warmed up as long as the dog has not titled in Novice.

Novice Run 1: Qualified!  1:50.82 seconds 

Novice Run 2:  Cello executed the tunnel and the hay bale climb, but Brian called the wrong location of the rat.

Brian and Cello in Novice Run 2:

Cello’s First Qualifying Novice Score Ribbon!

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Overall, we had a fun day, and enjoyed Barn Hunt with our two little gals!

 

Barn Hunt Trial: Tail Waggin’ Events, Robbinsville, NJ

We attended our first official Barn Hunt trial at Tail Waggin’ Events !  If you are unsure of what Barn Hunt is, click HERE to read all about it!

Saturday:

Margarita had shown great interest in this sport up until the extreme heat wave set in.  She does not do well in the heat, and we are unsure if the extreme temperature is the cause, but she seems to have lost interest in Barn Hunt.  We had been practicing for a couple of weeks – both at barn facilities, and at home. Rita had been actively finding the rat and enthusiastically signaling the location, and had learned “up!” as the command to jump up on to a hay bale, and “tunnel!” as the command to go through the hay bale tunnel.  She was executing all those elements over the past couple of weeks, but appeared uninterested at the trial. We will continue to bring her to practices, as well as sign her up for trials through the Fall and next Spring to see if the cooler weather helps spark her interest again.  Despite her nonchalant attitude, and her Mama’s lack of skills in reading when Rita picked up the rat scent, Rita did pretty well, earning her Instinct Title!

Instinct Test: PASS! Time: 49 seconds

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Rita’s Instinct qualifying ribbon

Novice Class: Timed out

Rita pretty much shut down in the heat of the day, and wasn’t very cooperative in the barn ring.  She did give indication that she found the rat (which I missed completely…something I definitely have to improve upon if we continue to participate in this sport!)  and would not complete the hay bale climb or tunnel.

Rita is now Instinct titled in Barn Hunt!

title

Sunday:

We decided to make Sunday a “Girls’ Day,” and bring Limoncello along to participate in Barn Hunt!

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Margarita

Margarita showed NO interest again today!

Novice Class: Disqualified!

Margarita again would not execute the hay bale climb or the tunnel in her Sunday Novice run.  She did find the rat (and Jenny was able to identify Rita’s barely-there-signal!), however, Rita then immediately peed in the barn (oops!), which according to Barn Hunt rules is a disqualification.

Limoncello

Cello had never even practiced before today, yet passed her Instinct test in just a few seconds, and did really well in her Novice run!

Instinct Test: PASS! Time: 17 seconds

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Limoncello’s Instinct qualifying ribbon

Novice Class: Fail: Brian called incorrect location of rat

Limoncello completing the hay bale climb and tunnel requirements:

Limoncello hunting for the rat:

Overall, it was a very fun day learning more about Barn Hunt, and how to read Rita and Cello’s instinctive hunting behaviors!

2nd Annual Bark in the Park at Bay Creek, Cape Charles, VA

This is our 2nd year attending this event, (Click HERE to see last year’s event!) and we plan to be back again next year.

What an awesome event in a beautiful setting!

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LIMONCELLO

BIG AIR:    

21’3″     2nd Place Master Division

21’6″     1st Place Master Division

Big AIR SEMI PRO FINALS:      20’10”     2nd Place Semi Pro Division

EXTREME VERTICAL:     5’6″     2nd Place Cadet Division

SPEED RETRIEVE:     8.903 seconds

IRON DOG:     2727.38 points     1st Place Warrior Division

HOOCH

BIG AIR:

22’9″

23’0″     1st Place Elite Division

21’4″

BIG AIR PRO DIVISION FINALS:     23’7″     2nd Place Pro Division

EXTREME VERTICAL:     6’0″

LAGER

After competing for the weekend, Lager took his first walk on the beach,  and swam in salt water for the first time in the Chesapeake Bay!

BIG AIR:

18’0″

18’11”     3rd Place Senior Division

17’11”     3rd Place Senior Division

16’9″     2nd Place Senior Division

File Jul 25, 9 16 20 AM

EXTREME VERTICAL:     6’0″

MARGARITA

In between cheering for her brothers and sister, Rita enjoyed her first walk on the beach, and her first swim in salt water (The Chesapeake Bay).  She also enjoyed a doggie ice cream treat to help beat the extreme heat!

 Liver Killer Bling from Bay Creek:

File Jul 25, 9 18 27 AM

PV Pet Palooza, Pennsville, NJ

PV Pets hosted Pet Palooza this year. For this event we did not have to camp, as it was only about an hour away from our home!

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Limoncello:

Big Air:      20’10”     2nd Place Master Division

Big Air Semi-Pro Division Finals:  20’9″     1st Place

Extreme Vertical:     5’0″     2nd Place Cadet

File Jul 21, 3 37 26 PM

Photo Credit: Becca Connor

Speed Retrieve:     7.788 seconds

Iron Dog:       2764.16 points     1st Place Iron Dog Warrior

Hooch:

Big Air:

21’9″

22’5″

Big Air Pro Division Finals:     23’2″     1st Place

File Jun 27, 7 39 45 AM

Photo Credit: Becca Connor

Lager:

Big Air:

18’6″

17’4″

18’1″     2nd Place Senior Division

17’10”     1st Place Senior Division

File Jul 21, 3 39 45 PM

Photo Credit: KJ Photography

Margarita:

Margarita helped us sell these Patriotic bandanas made by our fellow rescue friends, Jen and Grace.  All proceeds go to the United States War Dogs Association!

File Jul 21, 3 36 21 PM

Celebrate Fairfax Festival, Fairfax, VA

When we could only make the last day (Saturday) of the Pets in the Park event in Delaware, we decided at the event to make a spontaneous trip to Fairfax, VA, where we could catch the last day of the event (Sunday Spoilers – haha!) …And Sunday Spoilers we were … Cello, Hooch, and Lager ALL made finals!  It was a fun  last-minute thing to do, and Margarita got to stay in a hotel (Comfort Inn, University Center) for the very first time, and did wonderfully!

File Jul 19, 4 51 01 PM

Limoncello:

Big Air:

21’9″      1st Place Masters Division

Speed Retrieve:      7.771 seconds

Big Air Semi-Pro Division Finals:  21’11”     1st Place

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Photo credit: KJ Photography

Hooch:

Big Air:

21’7″

22’8″

Big Air Pro Division Finals:     22’4″     4th Place

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Photo credit: KJ Photography

Lager:

Big Air:

17’7″

17’5″     3rd Place Senior Division

Big Air Contender Division Finals:     17’4″     3rd Place

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Photo credit: KJ Photography

 

Margarita:

Rita stayed cool with her new crate fan:

File Jul 19, 4 53 25 PM

Margarita met a long-haired version of herself! Check out these two pretty ladies!

Pets in the Park at Glasgow Park, Glasgow, DE

This event was full of great vendors, and held in beautiful Glasgow Park.

This event was a Friday/Saturday event, so we only were able to compete on Saturday.

File Jul 19, 4 48 04 PM

Limoncello:

50_KPT0310-Edit_©Ken Tidy 2016

Speed Retrieve:     7.371 seconds

Hooch:

Big Air:

22’10”

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Big Air Pro Division Finals:      22’0″     2nd Place

 

Lager:

Big Air:

16’1″

15’9″

Big Air Contender Division Finals:     16’7″     4th Place

50_KPT9598-Edit_©Ken Tidy 2016

Margarita:

Margarita’s English Pointer boyfriend, Mr. Spock came to visit and spend the day with her!  Rita was super excited – she loves Spock!

Rita also helped collect (TONS) of donations for the Voorhees Animal Orphanage and the United States War Dogs Association.

File Jul 19, 4 48 58 PM

SteelStacks, Bethlehem, PA: Hosted by Keystone DockDogs

One word for this event ~ WOW!

This event on the first weekend of June was one of the coolest settings and backdrops we have had for a competition!  We even got to camp right at the event!

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Click HERE to read about SteelStacks !

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Limoncello:

Big Air:

22’2″

21’5″

Big Air Elite Division Finals:          22’10”   3rd Place

Extreme Vertical:         5’6″  1st Place Cadet Division

File Jul 19, 3 46 33 PM

Speed Retrieve:  8.920 seconds

File Jul 19, 3 47 13 PM

Hooch:

Hooch had fractured his paw a few weeks back, and he had JUST been cleared to try one jump per day at this event.  Apparently we need to restrict his activity before all events, as he earned himself a new personal best Big Air score this weekend!

Big Air:

24’11”       First Place Elite Division and **New Personal Best!

Video of Hooch jumping 24’11’:

Big Air Elite Division Finals:      24’8″     First Place

File Jul 19, 3 46 13 PM

Lager:

Big Air:

19’6″     1st Place Senior Division

18’6″     3rd Place Senior Division

16’5″

Big Air Senior Division Finals:  19’2″     3rd Place

File Jul 19, 3 45 01 PM

File Jul 19, 3 44 33 PM

Extreme Vertical:  6’2″

Margarita:

Rita enjoyed the crowd and as always, received lots of attention and love from everyone!

File Jul 19, 3 46 58 PM

Liver Killer bling:

File Jun 05, 7 06 48 PM

K-9 Magazine Features the Liver Killers!

See the online feature by clicking HERE!

Meet Three Dogs Sitting on the Dock of a Lake (& They Want You to Join Them!)

By  on May 13, 2016

‘Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.’ This quote by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. most accurately describes how our pack, bred to carry out specific tasks, found a path to a quite different kind of ‘job’, says dog owner Jenny Beadling, as she explains how alongside her husband Brian, their new home led them to find an unexpected path to follow into the dog world.

I wish I could say that Brian and I are credited with finding such a rewarding, bond-building sport, for our dock diving dogs, but all the acknowledgement belongs to Cello.

Let me start at the beginning.

When my husband, Brian, and I bought our dream home in Medford Lakes, New Jersey, we had no idea how much it would change our lives. Our dream home is a log cabin on a lake…only it didn’t quite ‘look’ like a log cabin – and, it wasn’t quite in ‘dream-home’ state when we bought it.

Our goal was to restore this historic log cabin to its original state and to fill it with decorations and mementos of the great town we live in, as well as items that would be relevant to the cabin and its history. Brian works in the mortgage industry, and was able to research back to the original deed of our home. He found out that the log home was built in 1927, and also discovered the name of the original owner. Out of curiosity, Brian Google-searched the man’s name. Low and behold, he came up in the search!

The search result that came up was linked to the English Setters Club, a local and nationally known club that conducts field trials that are open to all pointing breeds.  The original owner of our home owned a German Shorthaired Pointer, named ‘Windy Spot’, who won many awards at the club for field trials. I called the club to see if I could get more information on this dog and his owner, or a picture of them that we could hang in our cabin.

When the man from the club called me back, and I explained my story, the other end of the phone fell silent. When I asked if he was ‘still there,’ he asked me to repeat where I lived – what street, house, and so on. It turned out that the man I was speaking to was a direct family member of the man who built our log cabin back in 1927, needless to say, it was quite an interesting conversation!

Brian and I knew immediately that we needed to research German Shorthaired Pointers and we fell in love with the breed and all of their characteristics. We knew a GSP would be the perfect addition to our lifestyle, our family, and our lake home and we named our log cabin ‘Windy Spot,’ after the first dog that ever lived in our home.

In 2011 on Memorial Day, we met Limoncello, our now 5 year old GSP. Why ‘Cello’? Cello’s full name is ‘Tommy D’s Limoncello.’

Tommy D was my Italian grandfather, who was quite the character, to say the least and was famous among his family and friends for his homemade Limoncello, with his secret recipe. Before he passed, ‘Pop Pop Tommy,’ revealed his secret recipe to the family and Brian, as well as other family members, have been carried on the tradition of making homemade Limoncello ever since. When we saw Cello had yellow ‘bird dog’ eyes, we couldn’t think of a better name.

We found out rather quickly that Cello was gun-shy, not a usual characteristic of the breed. We knew GSPs need a ‘job’ to be content, but we were at a loss as to what job that would be since we knew that GSPs were bred to hunt birds. Brian found that Cello had a very strong toy drive, and began to incorporate games of fetch by throwing a tennis ball into our lake. Before we knew it, without any ball being launched, Cello began ‘flying’ off our dock over and over again, on her own. Neighbours began to notice and comment on how far she was jumping.

We happened to see an ad for a local dog festival that included dock diving. Knowing nothing about this sport, we were hesitant but decided to sign up anyway. We entered Cello in the contest, and she came in 2nd Place! Brian was hooked, and Cello found her ‘job’!

As we signed Cello up for more contests, she quickly became a crowd favourite, and continued to soar her way into Finals, placing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in every event. Cello was the number one ranked GSP in Warrior Iron Dog table in the world, and earned herself an invitation to the World Championship in each of the 5 possible disciplines!

I very much enjoyed traveling to events, taking pictures and video of Brian and Cello, and cheering them on.

However, I wanted to get more involved, which led us to add a second GSP, ‘Hooch,’ to our family in July of 2014. We came to find out that like his big sister, Hooch, too, was gun shy and at first, water-shy!

Hooch participated in his first official DockDogs competition in January 2015. Despite the fact that our goal was to get Hooch to run and jump his longest into the pool, he won the crowd over with his hesitation on the dock. He quickly became a crowd favourite as he hung over the edge of the dock ‘teetering’ back and forth, deciding if he should jump… or not! The crowd loved the anticipation!

 

Hooch began to decide to jump more times than not, but would come to the edge of the dock, look around at the crowd cheering ‘HOOOOOOOOOOOOOCH!’ and at the last minute, pop into the pool, as if he had springs attached to his back paws. The crowds went wild, as his ‘pop’ had amazing height! Even though this pop only got him to about 6-8 feet into the pool, he quickly became well-known for his ‘Hoochie Hop.’

With each competition, Hooch increased his distance, earning a spot in finals, and placing in the top 3 of his division, all while keeping the crowd entertained. In just a short 6 months, he stopped his hesitation on the dock, and soared to an amazing 24’2′ in Big Air, stunning the spectators who once knew him as the dog who branded the ‘Hoochie Hop.’

Hooch now holds a prestigious National Elite Big Air title and has begun participating in Extreme Vertical competition, and has a personal best grab of 6’2.’ Hooch remains a fan-favourite, and receives some of the biggest cheers from the crowd with his signature springboard ‘pop,’ and his ability to ‘fly’ through the air.

Hooch earned himself an invitation to the World Championships in both Extreme Vertical and Big Air. He made finals in both and placed within the top 6 dogs in the world in his division. Hooch and I even won the 2015 DockDogs ‘Most Improved Team’ award! Hooch also was ranked the number one GSP in the United States for Big Air.

Hooch has become the talk of ‘Dog Town,’ as spectators and fellow competitors alike have said he is the dog to watch in 2016.

With Cello and Hooch in tow, we were not planning on having more than two dogs, however, in late August of 2015, we received a call about a retired Explosives Detection Canine who needed a home.

The reason we were sought out as a possible candidate for Lager (known then by his war zone name, Nayt) was because Lager decided that after serving his country for 18 months in Iraq, that he would much rather jump in the water. Upon his arrival back in the United States, Lager began to show distraction during training and would often dive into water, refusing to come out.

A search began to find a home that would have access to water, have knowledge of the GSP breed, and get Lager involved in dock diving…and we were the perfect match!

Lager began his dock diving career in August, just a week after joining our family, and was immediately a crowd favourite, receiving a standing ovation while he is on the dock, due to his service for our country.

Lager has also been involved in leading the spectators through the National Anthem at events. Within two months and just 2 National events, Lager soared to 20’3′ in Big Air, and a grabbed the bumper at a whopping 6’4′ in Extreme Vertical earning his invitation to the World Championship for Big Air, and placing within the top 6 dogs of the world within his division! We cannot wait to see what 2016 brings for him.

We enjoyed this sport and the joy it has brought our dogs so much, that we wanted to find a way to make dock diving a part of helping other less fortunate dogs and so to give something back, we donate all cash prizes won at their competitions to the German Shorthair Rescue of New Jersey, and all food, treats and toy prizes are donated to a local no-kill shelter.

We are fortunate to live on a lake, where all three pups swim daily and practice for competitions where our lakeside yard has officially ‘gone to the dogs’.

We have installed a 40-foot turf runway and an Extreme Vertical rig so that all of our dogs can practice their Big Air jumps, and Extreme Vertical grabs. Our trio’s exercise regimen also includes strength and stability training, cardio, agility, hiking, swimming, treadmill, and running hills.

We never imagined being involved in a sport with our dogs but now we can’t imagine life without dock diving and its rewards.
Dock diving has brought much joy to all members of our pack.

This sport not only became the ‘job’ our dogs needed, it has also helped make a strong bond between two and four-legged family members even stronger. It has prompted us to increase our dogs’ exercise and training even outside the sport.

We have travelled to and competed in over 10 states, and have encountered some of the coolest dogs, and nicest people we ever met.

Through our travels, and the dogs social media accounts, they have been recognised and approached in public by their followers up and down the East Coast. Their social media accounts have also promoted enquiries about the sport of dock diving and have motivated over 30 people and their dogs last year to join in on this fun activity.

Dock Diving may not be what our German Shorthaired Pointers were ‘meant’ to do, but they didn’t let that stop them from following their hearts, and beating the odds…all while helping less fortunate dogs, and inspiring others to try this amazing sport.

About the Author

Thinking about trying Dock Diving with your pup, but have more questions and want more information?

Visit our website at celloscorner.com where you will find more details and information on the sport.

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact us through our social media accounts on Facebook @CellosCorner – Twitter @CellosCorner – Instagram@celloscorner or Flicker.com.

Hope to see you on the dock!