I have come a long way!! ...in the last two years

Hi! It's Cinnamon.

Today I will show you video clips of our dance performances at NDOA 2011 Paws N Music, as I promised.

Here is a glimpse of the performances.

But, before showing the video clips, I want to look back the long way I have come in the last two years.

Perhaps the story began when my Mum found an online news article about a Great Dane becoming a national dog dancing champion. When she saw a photo in the article, she thought she recognised the handler as well as the dog. She remembered that she had met them several times in the neighbourhood and also in a big park called Waiatarua Reserve.

In fact it was a very strange situation when Mum talked to the Dane's owner for the first time. In one morning Mum was walking with my older bother Cookie, but Cookie stopped suddenly and didn't want to walk any further ahead, because a large fawn dog was wandering around without any human. Because Mum couldn't get closer to the dog because of Cookie, she didn't know what breed it was. But, later on the same day they met a Great Dane in a similar colour in Waiatarua Reserve. So, Mum asked the Dane's owner if her dog had escaped from their house that day. But the owner just looked puzzled, and it turned out to be a different dog. After that, they met several times on their walks, but they didn't get to become close friends because Cookie was frightened of the giant dog and also the Great Dane and her humans moved out of the neighbourhood soon.

Anyway, after seeing them in the news article, Mum visited the dog's blog and left a comment. That's how Honey the Great Dane's human and my Mum got known each other properly. A few weeks later we went to see Honey's dance demonstration at Devenport Dog Parade.

(See Mum's post about it here)

Then, a couple of months later we met up in a park called Shore Road Reserve. This time Cookie didn't get scared of Honey much and we had a pleasant walk together.

(See Mum's post about it here. Image by Honey's human)

Another couple of months later Honey and her human invited us to a One-Minute Busking competition. It was my very first attempt at dancing!! Look at this! I was so bad!!

My first attempt at dancing (August 2009)

Looking at this video clip, I am reminded how far I have come.

Finally, here is my performance at my second dancing competition, NDOA 2011 Paw N Music!!

My 'California Gurls' routine at NDOA (October 2011)

Comparing to my long, hard road, Mint's road was paved and easy. When he entered a One-Minute Busking at seven months old, he won it!!

Mint's one-minute busking (August 2010)

And, here is Mint's performance at NDOA 2011 Paws N Music, a year later.

Mint's 'All Star' routine at NDOA (October 2011)

I hope you enjoyed watching our dance!