We left on Thursday morning, arriving in Kalamazoo in the early afternoon. I, The Fox, Cookie, Chip and Tucker, my fellow TFT and friend, along with our humans.

We visited a park and generally enjoyed ourselves all afternoon.

We were joined by Jack, our weim friend and silly Tuppence, the WFT, that evening.

We all got a good nights sleep, then left for the fair grounds and the show.

When we got there, we had to stay in our crates while things were set up and mom checked in.

Agility was first, so we went back to the agility place. The Fox and Chip suprised everyone in the place by completing the course! Chip did a down in stead of a sit on the table, and wouldn't correct himself!

But, mom was happy anyway. She said he behaved much better, though I think he was showing off!

Then, The Fox ran and almost qualified, but missed the last jump. Mom didn't correct it because he was so happy to be running, she didn't want to end things on a correction, but on a high note.

Then Stinky Cookie, the dog who thinks she's so pretty and so important she walks around on her tippy toes so she won't get her stinky feet dirty and makes me want to bite her, got to run.

Miss Prissy Puss only needed one AGII qualifier to earn her title and mom wanted her to run well, so I didn't growl at her.

Cookie went to the line and stood there, showing off, while mom said "Cookie, JUMP". Suddenly Cookie did.

She completed every obstacle and we all ran back to get her and The Fox groomed for the breed ring. I growled then!

Mom groomed them both and she and our friend Jackie, took them and went to wait for breed. Fine with me. I had dad and Chip with me and we could see everything. I hoped Cookie would trip and fall on her face! Vain dog! Thinks she's better than everyone else!

Well, Cookie took best of breed, over The Fox, so everyone else was happy. Then Jack's mom came and gave mom some ribbons! Cookie had finished her AGII title with a a score of 198 and a fourth place! You should have seen her strut around! But, I, Pepper, growled and told her she had dirt on her feet! (hee, hee!)

The next day went about the same. Chip and The Fox ran with mom, finishing the courses, but NQing due to time, and Cookie-Prissy-Puss earned 2 points toward her U_ACH agility title. She only needs 98 more, and she took breed again.

Then disaster struck! Mom got sick. She didn't feel well Saturday night, so Chip and The Fox laid on her all night, keeping her warm and protecting her from everyone, including the strange noises in the motel! If they had let me get to her face, I could have kissed her back to health, but those silly boys wouldn't let me get near her so I slept in my crate. But, at least, they wouldn't let Silly Cookie near her either.

On Sunday, Mom was worse. We went to the fair grounds and were placed in our crates. Then dad took mom away. Chip and The Fox began screaming and howling for her. I knew what was going on, but wouldn't tell. Mom was going to emergency to get better. I curled up in my crate and waited. Our friends Barb and Eleanor were with us and all would be well.

A long time later, mom came back and dad said she had an bacterial infection and the doctor had done cultures and gave her medicines. I also heard him say that she had told the doctor she wouldn't stay at the emergency long because she had to get back to her dogs. I knew mom would be back, but by then, The Fox and Chip were a mess. They wanted to go home.

They would not run in agility, but That Prissy Cookie did. While mom was gone, she stood in her crate watching the door, with her tail tucked. She would have done better to be like me and curl up and rest.

She still qualified in one of their runs, but didn't get any points.

Tuff Tutees, Cookie!

Then, right after lunch, everything stopped! It was announced that some special award was going to be given out to the dogs who were entered in breed and in either agility and/or obedience, and who had qualified in both, on Saturday.

This sounded interesting, because there was a big long list of dogs and I had heard that not many had earned this top award, called Total Dog.

It turned out that only 17 dogs out of all the entries had won.

The dogs ran into the ring with their handlers and were announced. There were goldens, shelties, a dobe, an irish setter and then, the last dog was called: "And, last, Smooth Fox Terrier, Marquest Elegant"!!!

It was Cookie! She had qualified and is now a Total Dog! She was awarded an huge red, black and white ribbon, at least two feet long, a barrel bag for her supplies and training stuff, and a packet of food coupons! Even I was proud of her! But, I laughed, because they said her name wrong! (Hee, Hee!)

When the man shook mom's hand and gave her Cookies ribbon, he leaned toward her and said, "For doing this with a smooth fox terrier, you should get extra points"!

Now Cookie prances around, calling herself "U-AGII Champion Marquest Elegante, CGC, CL2-R, CL1-H, CL1-S, CL1-F, Total Dog". GRRRRRR!

Later that afternoon, Tuppence gave me a good show when he got mad at the irish setter in the crate across from him. He was so mad he jumped up and down, moving his crate right over to get that setter! Some lady came and moved it back and covered him. It was quite funny because everyone in the obedience ring thought there was a real dog fight going on and it was just that silly WFT!

Time for me to go wake everyone up!

Your Friend,

Pepper, The TFT

(Photos will be posted as soon as they are avialable.)

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