June 2018 Dogs of the Month – Talisker & Zola Neubauer

~by Ken Neubauer

 

Talisker

(aka The Rat Ass Bastard)

He is the son of Colter (my once in a lifetime dog). Talisker and I took a while to mesh as a team.  He had the misfortune of following Colter.  It took me a while to learn “Tali-speak” and he had to mature.  Once those two things happened, we turned into a great team.

Talisker has earned 33 titles over his career.  The most important titles, to me, are:

• His Championship
• His Master Agility Championship (MACH)
• Being inducted into the Flat Coated Retriever Hall of Fame

Talisker has also titled in:

• Conformation
• Obedience
• Rally
• Agility
• Field
• Dock Diving
• Canine Good Citizen
• Trick Dog

He won the 7 to 9 Veteran Dog Conformation class at the National Specialty 2 years ago in Sacramento. He has qualified twice for the versatility award at the specialty (he had to place or qualify in 3 of 5 events at the specialty (field, conformation, obedience, rally and agility). He just missed this year at age 10.

Now that he is retired, he has earned his 3 trick dog titles and is waiting to see if he has earned his performance trick dog title.  He has just started training to compete in Draft Dog competition.  And he came out of the veteran’s class to earn Select Dog in March.

You are probably asking how he got his nickname.  I was at an agility competition with Colter.  Tali was about 1 year old.  Mary (my wife) was on the couch reading when she sensed a presence in front of her. She looked up and Tali was sitting in front of the TV holding a 12-inch bread knife pirate style.  She told him to give her the knife.  He said no and jumped over her and the couch with the knife.  She finally got it back without him doing any damage to her, the furniture or himself.  He has been a wonderful dog possessing a wicked sense of humor for most of his life.  His favorite things are being in water, field work and McDoubles (his reward after competition). He taught himself to shake after watching Colter shaking hands with Mary’s mother and getting a treat.

Talisker is thoroughly enjoying his “retirement”!

Zola

Zola is my rescue Flat Coat. She was in a bad first home living with 15 Chihuahuas and was crated all the time.  She did not know how to get on the bed (fell off ours twice after we got her), ride in a car, go up and down stairs or swim.

Zola was just over 2 when we got her (that was a little over 3 years ago.)  But since then she has achieved 19 titles including her Grand Championship and is over half way to her bronze.

I know she came with some baggage and while I don’t always know what the baggage is, she is a fun girl to train.  Her favorite activity is dock diving where she is perfect at 42 splashes at the senior level.  She may not understand the game, she thinks it is “you run as fast as you can down the dock and throw yourself off,” but she is consistent at somewhere around 17 feet.

Zola has titled in:

• Conformation
• Obedience
• Rally
• Agility
• Dock Diving
• Canine Good Citizen
• Trick Dog

She is also learning field. Like Talisker, Zola is waiting to see if she has earned her performance trick dog title. And she is hoping to have puppies in August.

We are not sure who saved who.  She may not make Hall of Fame, but we are going to have fun trying.  She has a stubborn streak in her as anyone who has watched her broad jump can attest. Her favorite things are being in water, dock diving, field and McDoubles (of course!)

Every two weeks both Tali and Zola are in doggie heaven when the irrigation comes in!

~Ken Neubauer

AZ Dog Sports is very proud to have Talisker, Zola & Ken as part of our family!