Gotcha Earns Her AKC UD

                 HUGE congratulations to Susan Gore and "Gotcha",  
    A-CH Ebbtide Gonna Getcha UD RE GSN JSN RSN 
 for completing their AKC Utility Dog (UD) title! AND doing it in style with THREE FIRST PLACES! 
   Unless you've trained to a UD degree, it's hard to fully appreciate what it takes to get there...especially if this is your first dog you've trained for obedience competition.  Way to go, owner/trainer/handler Susan and Trish Maddan,  co-owner and #1 Team Gotcha Fan and Supporter! Team Gotcha resides in Concord, California.
  Susan plans to continue showing Gotcha in Open B and Utility towards her OTCH and UDX degrees.  I'm guessing she will reach THAT goal, too!
  Gotcha is the over-achiever from the "G" Litter, out of our very special "Maddie" Ebbtide Madam President CD and by "Baron"  GCH Rainedance Written In Stone CD AX AXJ.  Thanks for making us look good, Gotcha, Susan & Trish!

  The moment she is awarded her First Place ribbon and medal for completing her AKC UD!  
   Love how Gotcha is watching Susan - GOOD girl!  Stay tuned for the official win photo...

GO BIG OR GO HOME

Who else? A-CH EBBTIDE GONNA GETCHA CDX RA GSN JSN RSN "Gotcha"!
shown at the NorCal ASC/TRACS AKC Agility trial: 2nd PLACE NOVICE JUMPERS and 2nd PLACE OPEN B OBEDIENCE. Gotcha earned her first legs in each of these classes! Congrats to Owner/trainer/handler Susan Gore and co-owner Trish Maddan (and me!).
Love, love, love this photo!

It's April 15...this must be the blog post for...JANUARY 31st, 2010

Raise your hand if you think I do all this dog stuff for the thrill of the big prizes, fame, glory, professional photographs and nice suits with pockets (stuffed with liver treats)?

Judge Klaus Anselm, and "Cali" Ebbtide As You Wish with me handling. Miss Cali won BEST OF BREED BRED BY EXHIBITOR, AND FIRST PLACE IN THE HERDING GROUP BRED BY EXHIBITOR COMPETITION at Golden Gate KC 2010 show.

Ooops - she also won WINNERS BITCH and 2 points toward her AKC championship that day! Cali is owned by Judi Scherrer and yours truly. We are a great team!

Back to my question: The answer - Hell NO!

I do it for FUN! And this was, quite possibly, the most fun I'd had EVER! You see, I never went to a summer camp as a kid...sniff...but I camped, alrighty! YOU bet - with my parents and 4 sisters and our little trailer all over the USA. It was great! But never a CAMP CAMP...you know: two weeks away from your parents, matching t shirts, and other stuff I'm not quite sure of...But I realized the people who've recently (past 5 years, I'd say) bought some Ebbtide dogs and go to dog shows with me, and all our shenanigans, could qualify as an All Year Long Summer Camp. So that was part of my inspiration. Then I saw THIS:

Michael Miller is an exciting fabric manufacturer - you can check them out here: http://www.michaelmillerfabrics.com/MMF/Swatch.cfm?&Kwds=flowers

They designed this display for a fabric show (FABRIC show?! who knew?). Of course, the teardrop trailer caught my eye, but it was the sign that set things in motion.

After about 10 hours working on my own Camp Ebbtide handmade sign (you think I'm kidding?!) , purchasing 6 Coleman doggie sleeping bags, bribing family members to take the kayaks to the lake (during one of the rainiest months on record),

sing around a campfire (between rain storms)

and make s'mores (during a clearing),

we were able to create our own CAMP EBBTIDE (in the dry indoors):

Yes, those ARE doggy-sized pillows and pillowcases with the doggy-sized sleeping bags! omg.

We need to add the stars of the show - on the right side:

Cali, Spencer, Beau and JJ (left to right, above)

Add 5 Aussies and one "honorary Aussie" and you get the totally completed Ebbtide bench:

Jack the Sheltie, Gotcha, Cali, Spencer and Beau (JJ didn't fit in this shot)

Yes, that IS log cabin wallpaper behind the dogs. No, smarty pants, I did NOT have to Overnight Shipping to get it here. Or anything else I ordered this year - THAT is a BIG WIN!

What did we win? Who cares! We looked AWESOME and we had a BLAST!! Isn't that what matters???

More results next post! But a clue: Gotcha and Fennel win in Obedience, Beau is undefeated, JJ learns humility and Spencer and Jack have fun, no matter what!

A Great Way to Start 2010!

OR..WHERE GOTCHA EARNS HER CDX!

Happy 2010! We are happy to report that
A-CH Ebbtide Gonna Getcha CDX RA GSN JSN RSN "Gotcha"
has earned her AKC Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) obedience title!

But, not so fast: Not just EARNED... she and her super-focused owner/handler, Susan Gore, blew the competition away with TWO FIRST PLACES and a Highest Scoring Herding Group award. The score? The scores for the first places were a 197 and a 198!! She finished with a 195+ (NICE! Won part of a run-off!) and a 4th place!

Which is okay: Ebbtide is all about not being greedy ;-). That 195+/ 4th place? That was in the same day she earned a 198! OH. And did I mention there were 26 dogs in her class! What's that sizzling sound I hear? Oh yeah: Smokin' Gotcha ;-)

Thanks also go to Gotcha's other co-owner, Trish Maddan, who always is there to help and support Team Gotcha. And videotape. You'll notice I don't have it here...yet. Stay tuned: Trish says she has a DVD of the winning performance for me. I'll add it here later.

Doggy mom, Maddie, is proud of her Obedience Star!


Since I don't have a new Obedience photo of Gotcha - how about an old one of her as a baby puppy trying to steal the ball from big sister Fern?

I didn't think you'd mind ...

2009 ASCA NATIONALS - Part 3 Obedience at Nationals

The ASCA National Finals Obedience Competition led off with A-CH EBBTIDE GONNA GETCHA CD "Gotcha" qualifying in the Novice Division. In the finals, dogs have two complete works under two diferent judges. Scores are added together for the final placements. GOTCHA scored a 197 and a 199 to earna 396 and THIRD PLACE in the Novice Finals!! First & second place were 397+ and 397. No pressure there, folks. Yikes. Two outstanding performances by owner/trainer/handler Susan Gore and Gotcha!! Gotcha came into the finals in 9th place. We are proud of this team!
In the Open Finals Division, EBBTIDE FENNEL HILL CDX "Fennel", won 6th PLACE after finding out the morning of the competition, as alternate, he would be able to compete. Congratulations to owner/trainer/handler Laurie Rubin and Fennel!
The next day, CH EBBTIDE FINE FELLOW (AKC CD) "Spencer" was handled by owner/trainer/handler Judi Scherrer to FIRST PLACE NOVICE B with a 197!! Out of 70 entries! Let it be known that his heeling brought tears to the eyes of a certain highly critical breeder. I'm not going to elaborate on the minus 2 points for the sagging Long Sit...I'm just happy I missed that.
OH! SPENCER also won HIGH SCORING CHAMPION OF RECORD !! How sweet is that?! Answer: Very sweet!
Thanks to Susan, Trish, Laurie & Judi for representing Ebbtide dogs in such a fantastic showing. All three were happy, attentive workers and a joy to watch. Carry on...

Congratulations to Altered Champion Gotcha!

This just in: GOTCHA completed her Altered Champion title today at the NorCal ASC show in Dixon, CA. Thanks to Senior Breeder Judge Dorothy Montano for the Winners nod and 3 point major to make her A-CH EBBTIDE GONNA GETCHA CD RA GSN JSN RSN!!!!
Thanks to owners Susan Gore & Trish Maddan for their efforts. And thanks to Raine Lutz for handling. Gotcha is from the infamous G Litter, out of "Maddie", Ebbtide Madam President CD and by "Baron", CH Rainedance Written In Stone OA AXJ.

Congratulations! What next from the biggest Ebbtide overachiever?!?! I love this dog and her owners!

The un-official win photo

Gotcha Wins Three (Yes, 3 !!) Altered BEST OF BREEDS

This Fourth of July was celebrated with our very own firecracker, "GOTCHA", EBBTIDE GONNA GETCHA CD RA GSN JSN RSN, along with owners Susan Gore and Trish Maddan, attending the ASCA show in hot, hot Gridley, CA on the 4th of July weekend. They were saddened when I informed them I "don't do" dog shows in weather over 100 degrees. Hey, I'm old and have been doing this for 40 years: I can be choosy. Anyways, they certainly don't need me around anyway: Gotcha competed in ALTERED CONFORMATION and came home with THREE WINNERS BITCH, THREE BEST OF WINNERS AND THREE BEST OF BREEDS and one RESERVE WINNERS BITCH (it's good not to be too greedy...). WOW!
Congrats and thanks to Gotcha's handler, Trish Maddan who did a fine job out there. Also thanks to Raine Lutz for showing Gotcha on Saturday morning, for one of the Alt WB, BOW, BOB. And don't forget Susan the groomer, photographer and assistant - Well Done, Team!

Gotcha now only needs a major win to earn her Altered CHAMPION title! Rumor has it Team Gotcha will wait until October for the ASCA Nationals in Greeley, Colorado, to find that major. I like that kind of thinking...

So, it appears Miss Gotcha is our newest over-achiever (since Spencer is "on vacation", Judi??). We found out earlier this week Gotcha also qualified for the ASCA Nationals Obedience Finals in Novice! And you knew that she does a nice job out there in Agility, too, right??!!
Team Gotcha: Just awesome.

Memorial Day Weekend - 2009

As I was dodging lightning (no - really - four people hospitalized just 20 miles away) and getting a bit wet during an ASCA judging assignment in Lafayette, New Jersey, two Ebbtide dogs were busy garnering titles, points, and wins at the NorCal ASC show in Dixon, CA.

That perennial over-achiever, "Gotcha" (Ebbtide Gonna Getcha CD RA GSN JSN RSN) apparently saved her best performance EVER in Novice B Obedience when I wasn't there: a smokin' 198 for FIRST PLACE under judge Stephanie Gomez. All reports say she was right on the money...and very cute, too. Owner/trainer/handler Susan Gore reports that was her last chance to qualify for ASCA Obedience Invitational...we're hoping that did it! Don't they all look happy? Nice photo.


Oh. Wait. She also then trotted on over to the Altered Conformation competition where she was also quite cute enough for WINNERS BITCH and 2 more points! Thanks, Raine, for stepping in to handle Gotcha. Sunday brought an ALTERED RESERVE WINNERS BITCH for Miss G. So close...! Note to Trish (her newly-trained and very competent conformation handler): You wimp. That's right: No breaks here... ;-)



Another amazing Ebbtide Brains + Beauty winner! Thanks, Susan & Trish, for working so hard to let everyone see what Gotcha can do!

Not to be outdone, Gotcha's half-brother, "Fennel", Ebbtide Fennel Hill CD, and owner/trainer/handler Laurie Rubin were also working hard in Open B Obedience, where Fennel finished his CDX and won SECOND PLACE IN OPEN B, with a very respectable 195.5 score! Laurie reports Fennel has qualified in 18 performances in a row...but as soon as she said that, he then NQ'd. Don't you just love those incredibly smart Ebbtide dogs!?!? ;-) I'm not worried - stay tuned for many more wonderful things from this talented dog! Sadly, since Fennel's conformation handler (me) was out of state, he didn't get a chance to strut his stuff in the conformation ring...Laurie says ASCA Nationals will be his next conformation stop?! hmmmm...

2008 Year End USASA RANKINGS - We've got plenty!

Upper left: Gotcha. Upper right: Spencer.
Lower left: Naya. Lower right: Tonic

Four incredibly talented Ebbtide dogs and their equally talented and dedicated owners/trainers/handlers have made it into the top end of the United States Australian Shepherd Association 2008 Year End Standings in Obedience and Rally! Besides all of them having Ebbtide for a first name, they all share the same dam, Ebbtide Madam President CD "Maddie"! Maddie had three litters in her breeding lifetime (she's now 10.5 yrs old and spayed): One offspring from her first litter (the "E" litter) & second litter (the "F" litter) qualified and two from the last litter (the "G" litter). Maddie, you rock! Here they are:

Ebbtide Effervescent Elixir UDX "Tonic"
Judie Howard, Moraga, CA

3rd Open B Obedience

6th Utility B Obedience

3rd Blue & Gold Award (High Combined Open B & Utility B)

CH. Ebbtide Fine Fellow CD "Spencer" Judie Scherrer & Ann Atkinson, Sebastopol, CA

4th Novice B Obedience

Ebbtide Glamour Girl CD RA "Naya" Ariela Karasov & Ann Atkinson, Madison, WI

Currently in 3rd Place Rally Advanced A Results for Rally are to 10/31/08

Ebbtide Gonna Getcha CD RA "Gotcha" Susan Gore, Trish Maddan & Ann Atkinson, Concord, CA

1st Novice A Obedience

I am so proud of these four dogs and their handlers! Congratulations to Susan, Trish & Gotcha; Judie & Tonic; Ariela & Naya; and Judi & Spencer! I'd also like to thank 3 wonderful men who rightfully deserve a share of the spotlight with their spouses: Gary Howard, Fred Scherrer and Daniel Torres-Rangel.

Happy 3rd Birthday, G Litter!

Wow. There is so much to report... I'm behind!

But I HAVE to send Blogging Wishes to that amazing group of dog owners and their dogs...(alphabetically) Athena, Bear, Gotcha, Howdy, Naya, Seele & Zayvee. Proud parents: Mom - Maddie (Ebbtide Madam President CD) and Dad - Baron (CH RaineDance Written In Stone OA AXJ).

Many thanks to Raine Lutz (Baron's owner) for her outstanding photos http://www.raineimages.com/index.html. She has a whole page dedicated to all their achievements http://www.raineimages.com/rainedance/06maddie.html check it out!

This is the most bonded, socializing, fun group of puppy owners EVER....as well as the pups themselves!

And what a bunch of OVER-ACHIEVERS, too. You guys make me look really good. Thanks to all their hard word, this litter probably gets Maddie a ROM...maybe 2.....perhaps I should check that out...

"Gotcha" Ebbtide Gonna Getcha CD RA JSN GSN RSN

I just read in the newest Australian Shepherd JOURNAL, that 2 of the G Litter kids are in the Year End 2008 standings! Gotcha - Ebbtide Gonna Getcha CD RA + all those agility titles - is #1 in their standings for NOVICE A OBEDIENCE!! Lovely blue merle sister Naya - Ebbtide Glamour Girl CD RA JSN is #3 RALLY ADVANCED A !!

"Naya" Ebbtide Glamour Girl CD RA JSN

I can barely keep up with all of Gotcha's titles! That's a little sad - my apologies to uber-owners Susan Gore and Trish Maddan.

Gotcha celebrated her birthday early this weekend by winning Altered Winners Bitch for a 3 point major, finishing her ASCA CD, winning Altered RWB and a 2nd place in Agility! It DID take a village to do all that: Susan handling in obedience and agility, Trish handling her in conformation (Wow!) and me, as ever, giving detailed instructions, grooming and technical support ;-)

But it's not all about dog shows, pretty dogs, national rankings and big awards here (whaatt?)...we are REAL DOGS with REAL DESIRES and WE HAVE FUN: Here is an amazing photo from owners Ken & Linda Brown of thier always-engaging and ultimate party animal, Ebbtide Goodness Gracious ("Seele" aka Zayla..not to confused with Zayvee..)

"Seele" - Ebbtide Goodness Gracious

Ken & Linda - you HAVE to send a pretty picture, in all fairness! But Seele is here to remind you TO HAVE FUN ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday, G Litter! Send me your photos to add to this post!