Sisu Catahoulas

08/17/2025

Today Drama and I finished the Tails and Trails 5k hosted by Oakland County Parks at Independence Oaks. We didn't get a personal best, but that wasn't unexpected after yesterday's (mis) adventure.

Drama made friends with a few people and generally had a good time. Of all the things, she sure does like racing.

I also picked out from my collection the BibBoards that summed up this weekend's races.

08/16/2025

I took Drama out for a 10K trail race.

I joke that I'm always racing for last place.

Today it wasn't a joke. The trail crew got a little excited and pulled trail markers during the race. I got off course and only realized when I looped back to the three mile marker when I should have been about done. A race official got me in the right direction and we were able to finish with only about 2 extra miles. So whatever my official time is it's not at all accurate.

But we did finish, so just one more 10K trail race and Drama will have her North American Canicross Bronze Champion. She'll be nine years old in ten days. Also she got an ice cream on the way home because she worked hard and deserved it.

08/09/2025

Top Ten updated through about the middle of the year, so there's still plenty of time for things to change. That said, I'm still happy with how my little menace has done so far this year.

So much for "I'm not going to show much this year. Just some performance stuff."

Fitting that's she's currently #2 because she is a little 💩.

08/07/2025

Jo at Minuteman asked if Michelle (Dawson Hollow), Mari (Stand Rock), and I had a pact to not share our wins from last month because we all took a minute to brag.

No, I'm just behind. Last one to get with the program.

We got together at the All-American Bulldog Club show in Shipshewana, IN. We each brought a couple of dogs and helped each other out over a fun, but busy, weekend. Each dog went home with a little piece of the pie and made progress on titles.

For my crew:

Trek and Drama both struggled a bit in weight pull, but both also got some placements and Qs. Trek came home with two Most Weight Pulled per Body Pound (Veteran) awards as well. I believe both ticked up a number in their Advanced Puller count.

Drama finished her Precision Coursing RUSH title (Dash format). She and Asta both earned their Steeplechase HOP titles. Drama had a mishap trying to follow the trash rabbit under the hurdle like she would go under a fence or the brush at home. Thankfully she only hurt her pride. Asta started working on her LEAP title before she decided jumping the barricade fence was more fun than chasing trash rabbits. For sanity we're probably done with the trash rabbit game for her.

In the show ring Drama got skunked in both Veteran and Altered. We'll get 'em next time.

Asta really shined, winning the Grand Champion Class and Best of Breed in five shows and Reserve Grand Champion in the other three. In one show Asta's uncle Trek won Res GRCH behind her. This got Asta a total of 2.5 legs of the 5 needed for her Emerald Grand Champion title as well as a good handful of Top Ten points.

Trek and Asta both qualified for the UKC Total Dog Invitational. This was Asta's 1st (and 2nd and 3rd) Total Dog Award and Trek's 11th.

I'm really pleased that my youngster is coming along well and my veterans are still holding their own.

There, all caught up before a few more events over the next few weeks and months.

MWPP MWPPV BIS RBIS RBIMBS ABIS ARBIS BVIS RBVIS HOP RUSH RACES UWPS AP6 VPE UWPCHX ASGCH RGCH Sisu’s Drama Queen, NCD, LAM50, SPOT-ON, 23x UKC Total Dog "Drama" (Ranger x Halo)

MWPP RBVIS RACEM UWPS AP8 VPE UGWPCH GRCH Sisu’s Trekker, SPOT-ON, 11x UKC Total Dog "Trek" (Ranger x Halo)

HOP RACEA GRCH Sisu's North Star, 3x UKC Total Dog "Asta" (Oslo x Drama)

08/07/2025

I'm WAY behind on posting any of our accomplishments of late.

Back in June I took Trek, Drama, Asta, and Strider to UKC Premier.

Trek and Drama competed in weight pull, with both earning points and class placements. Trek won his weight class a couple of times, too. Drama is inching toward her UGWPCH and retirement. Trek, having been out of commission due to a long series of injuries and illnesses, is finally getting back on the track and working toward his UWPCH and retirement.

Drama won Best in Show Veteran in the United LCLD breed specialty. Strider won the Champion class. Drama also placed second in the Hip Certified non-licensed exhibition class.

Sweet little Asta, the world's rottenist puppy, showed well. She showed in Top Ten, though she came away empty-pawed. It was really nice taking the third consecutive generation in the ring (Ranger and Halo, Drama, and now Asta). She then showed in the three regular shows and placed Reserve Grand Champion in a class of nine dogs. Not bad for only 13.5 months old. She also got qualifying runs in Precision Coursing and earned both her Novice (RACEN) and Advanced (RACEA) titles. RACEA GRCH Sisu's North Star.

RACEM UWPS AP7 VPE UGWPCH GRCH Sisu’s Trekker, SPOT-ON, 10x UKC Total Dog

HOP RUSH RACES UWPS AP5 VPE UWPCHX ASGCH RGCH Sisu’s Drama Queen, NCD, LAM50, SPOT-ON, 23x UKC Total Dog

RACEA GRCH Sisu's North Star

CH Sisu's Strider

08/01/2025

06/06/2025

We've been working on our leash manners and standing still.

GRCH Sisu's North Star
"Asta"

Bullhead's Oslo x Sisu's Drama Queen

05/06/2025

So, another member of the Sisu Crew hit a big milestone yesterday.

The Taco Truck rolled over 100k on the way home from the show, so I had to celebrate by taking it somewhere appropriate.

The North Country National Scenic Trail is part of how Asta got her name. It's the one trail all of my dogs from Beau to now have had their paws on at one point or another over the last twenty-five years.

In eight and a half years the Taco Truck has hauled three generations of the crew to or through twenty-one US states and two Canadian provinces and is just getting broken in.

05/04/2025

Asta upgraded some letters today at the Michigan American Pit Bull Terrier Club show. On Saturday she picked up two Grand legs under judges Diana Brumbaugh and Nikki Swap, with a Group 3 in Ms. Brumbaugh's ring. On Sunday she finished her Conformation Grand Champion under judge Beth Robinson and also placed 4th in the Herding Group. Not too bad considering she turned a year just one week ago.

As many of us have been trying to remember lately: take the picture. Even if your dog isn't standing perfectly, you're exhausted, your hair is a mess, and you end up with bloopers—ALWAYS take the picture.

And since it's me we got that covered, especially the Asta bloopers. Tossing a toy to get her to look forward was a mistake.

GRCH Sisu's North Star (Bullhead's Oslo x Sisu's Drama Queen)

04/18/2025

Catching up some more:

The Trails to Hope Turkey Trot back in November was Drama's and my fifth 5K trail race, which earned her her North American Canicross Novice Canicross Dog title (five 3.1-6 miles/5-9.6 km trail races in canicross gear). It also worked out to be her 50 Lifetime Achieved Miles (50 Miles in canicross gear since she was registered with NACC in July 2024).

The next goal is more 5K trail races, working toward the next mileage challenge coin, and training to do another obstacle course or two this year, and possibly even a few 10k trail races.

MWPP MWPPV BIS RBIS RBIMBS ABIS ARBIS BVIS RBVIS DASH RACES UWPS AP5 VPE UWPCHX ASGCH RGCH Sisu's Drama Queen, NCD, LAM50, SPOT-ON

04/17/2025

We finish middle of the pack on a good day, but usually we're racing for the red lantern. Drama doesn't know that.

04/17/2025

Getting caught up on stuff we've accomplished.

Back in November Drama and I completed the Trails to Hope Turkey Trot benefiting local food banks.

We're still not setting any records, but every race we get faster. And we're still faster than anyone sitting on the couch.