2012 Reveiw and 2013 plans

2012 was a little slow for me and Joey's title progress. I did not make as much progress as I would have liked to with Joey, yet we almost completed all the goals I set at the beginning of the year. We earned our Rally Advanced title and our Beginner Novice title, started competing in obedience and earned two CD legs, and were able to compete in the NJOC. So I guess it is not that bad. However, I want to be more diligent training with Joey and start earning more titles with Joey next year. Our goals for next year include earning our:

1. CD
2. CDX
3. RE
4. TR1 (maybe in the spring if Joey gets better at tracking throughout the winter.)
5.  NA (Novice agility)
6. and maybe, just maybe out UD. If we can get all the utility exercises down

It seems like a rather long list but I guess it doesn't hurt to dream. 

Merry Christmas to All From the Maltese Gang

 Patiently watching me open my presents

Joey the Reindeer

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Eve

 Today's countdown inspiration was Joey holding my stocking.

For some reason Joey didn't want to hang on to the stocking and it lead to pictures...

 ..like this.

Finally, I did get a picture, but Joey looks rather cross.

So much for Christmas cheer.

Tracking

Today I went tracking with Joey. I was curious to see how Joey would do since we haven't touched tracking for a few months. Joey actually did very well. He has forgotten about articles and was a little messy around the corners, but other than that I was pretty happy. He didn't give up when he got lost and he kept using his nose until he found the track again. I hope to start tracking more and try for that TR1 in the spring. Maybe it will elude us again, but it cannot hurt to practice tracking a little more.

I did take some pictures and between them all, I think I got a countdown picture.

 Tracking

Waiting for my Mom to finish tracking her GSD.

Playing with Reflections

Presenting Joey

Presenting Joey in our countdown picture of the day. 
The ribbon on Joey is pink for a number of reasons, the biggest reason being that my little brother gave me a pink one and I was too lazy to find a more boyish colored ribbon.

Sugar and Spice

Today's countdown picture was taken in "Gingerbread village". 

Joey was very good about not trying to taste anything, except for the one time he checked the candy tree out. 

Future pictures

Today's countdown picture is a picture of Joey in his green and red sweater retrieving a glove.

Our training is going well. Today we worked on the directed retrieve. Hence the retrieving glove picture. Right now I haven't bought the set of three white gloves. WE are just practicing with my black gloves and there is only two gloves. But I figure it's best to start small and once Joey gets the idea the color of the gloves will not matter much.