So Far So Good

Well week one with little Rupert has been a joy, yes we have had a few nightime issues!! but I think we have now got that sorted, his playpen seems to be secure for now, or at least until his little mind works out how to escape! I have already introduced the clicker to him and for a greedy boy like Rupert I can see this method working very well, he already understands that the noise means a sweetie and has mastered a quick sit and a down, and have just started a follow to my hand, I have also started giving him cuddles in the heelwork position just to get him used to the close proximity of the position. but the funniest thing so far is that when he is out in the garden even when the other dogs come in he is quite happy sniffing around on his own, now I only have to take the lid of the sweetie tin for his little head to pop up and he scoots back inside and takes his place with the pack in a sit in anticipation of his piece of gravy bone. Yesterday he had his first vaccine, he was given a the thumbs up on his health check, and I was told he was a sturdy boy!! I think the vet meant FAT!!!! he has already stopped having his rice pudding for supper, but I guess he will soon lose it, the total opposite to Summer who with only 2 weeks to crufts looks like she has never been fed!! she choses now to to starve herself!!

Maisy & Summer are off to the Midlands Border Collie Club on Saturday as examples of the breed for their judging assesment day so we have lots of cleaning and grooming to do tonight as currently they look quite frankly a bit shoddy! It's a good job Rupert isn't required judging by the photo Claire has just text to me! no he will be spending the day with his Uncle Smartie and I don't expect him to be spoilt one little bit (NOT)

Brilliant few days

Well Obviously Rupert has now well and truely taken over our lives! and after a couple of sleepless nights his routine is starting to develop very nicely, I have played around with the clicker and he now has a lovely sit and down, but to be honest with such a greedy puppy the clicker could only be a successful training method! he has had quite a few visitors and is totally unfased by all the attention, even Maisy has now fallen under his spell.

Yesterday Amy and I took Maisy & Summer to Prestpury Park agility show, as this was not an open competition we had both decided to make good use of it and Train through our demons, Mine where those dreaded waits on the line and contacts, something we have been really working hard on at home and then totally messing up at a competition. I have been giving it some hard thought and found that at home I walk to the line off lead and give Maisy one firm command and walk away but in competition I was tending to get to the line, take her lead off, hold her collar and give her several commande facing her as I leave all the time inside panicking that she was going to break, and of course thats what she did, so yesterday I did it like I do at home and had 3 out of 4 perfect starts, the only time she broke was in the Tunnel Maze!! but I just put her back on the line and the second time she stayed. we also managed some great fast contacts so the training is really starting to pay off and I can't wait to get back into the season. Amy and Summer had a really good day, Amy put some of her new techniques into practice which seem to be working well, she only needs to commit to the last few obstacles as they both tail off towards the finish resulting in a refusal, however they had a really fast flowing clear in the jumping and those weaves are looking fabby!

We did have a little Drama, Amy had left her jacket on the fence while she ran Summer and unfortunately someone mistook it for theirs and left the venue with it! we now had the dilema of Maisy being locked in the car but luckily the lady in question realised her mistake and brought them back fairly quickly, but it was quite a shock and a huge lesson to be learnt. But a big THANK YOU to everyone at Prestpury Park who helped us look for it and kept Amy calm, you're efforts where really appreciated.

Rupert is in the building!!

The countdown came to an end yesterday morning, Claire & I where at Sheila's bright and early and after the paperwork was completed we made our way home. He settled right in without a backwards glance, Summer was over the moon with her new puppy, gently playing with him and showing him around the garden, Ben & Dylan just took it in their stride and Maisy as predicted is not a happy bunny, although this morning she is showing a bit more interest in him and is having a sneaky sniff when he isn't looking. Rupert hasn't been phased by a thing, the dogs barking madley at the postie, the hoover or the washing machine, but isn't very happy at being put away to sleep, in fact last night at 3am I ended up sleeping on the sofa with him in his crate by my side when he finally stopped screaming and went to sleep!!! here are a few pics of him, many more to follow.

Today Maisy and I had a shared lesson with Jo and Ronny at Yvonne's, I was really pleased with Maisy as her contacts and waits are really comming on, and I have started to feel more confident with my handling skills, I have to trust Maisy a bit more and stop running backwards! towards the end of the 2 hour lesson Maisy showed visible signs of fatigue so I ended it there, she has come home and seems to be really stiff on one of her back legs, hopefully it will only be a strain and she'll wake up tomorrow full of bounce but for now she is lying by the fire resting. I love to watch Jo run her dogs, they are really fast but Jo still somehow manages to spend that extra second facing in the right direction to shape her dogs while I always seem to be racing to the next obstacle ahead of Maisy although today I feel I turned a corner, I love days like that. Claire, Amy and I went to see Rupert for the last time before I collect him on Wednesday, he has grown so much in a week he's already much bigger than Summer was when we collected her so it looks like he's going to be a big chunky boy and he is so gorgeous I still can't quite believe he's going to be mine. Next weekend Amy and I are taking the girls to Prestpury park for an agility show, it seems ages since we have been to a show and as the training seems to be going well I'm really looking forward to seeing how we are in competition mode. Lots more updates from Wednesday on when little Rupes arrives....

Rupert at 6 weeks

Rupert has been very busy this week, not only has he grown loads, he has been microchipped and also had his eye test yesterday which he passed with flying colours so he's already a winner... as you can see from the pictures he's not getting any less cute as he gets older his little face looks full of mischeif! - tomorrow will be my final visit to Darian HQ before I bring Rupert home on Wednesday 17th, so this weekend I'll be busy getting everything ready, making sure his playpen and crate are thoroughly clean, Ben has already made sure his toys are safe!! and Maisy has been testing his bed to make sure it's comfy - she says it is very comfy thank you and wouldn't mind one just like it for herself...

Rupert

We had a lovely time cuddling Rupert last night, he is enormous!! almost as wide as he is long with a really thick lovely coat and the darkest eyes, I think you'll agree he is a keeper?

New Beginnings

Summer's sister Folly gave birth to 7 gorgeous puppies on New years eve, most of whom were spoken for which is normally the case when Sheila has a litter, we were sent many pictures and one of the dog puppies stood out, now if I was to get another dog I have always said I would go for a different breed as I have felt I would find it difficult not to compare another Border Collie to Maisy, I thought I would probably have one from the next litter Ronny produced, but this was just not to be! Darian Snow Bear (Rupert) stole my heart from day one and with a LOT of persuasion Steve has agreed for him to come to live with us. So on Wednesday 17th February I will start my new beginning. Rupert is an unusual colour which is know as ee Red, or Lemon!! (which I don't like) there were 2 in this litter with the remaining 5 being either black & White or Tri's. Amy, Claire & I are going for a cuddle this evening so watch this space for updates and many more pictures.

BBBbbbbbbrrrrrrrr

It is Freezing!!! I spent 4 hours in the paddock yesterday afternoon training various classes and it took me at least as long to get fully warm again! having said that Maisy's first training sessions have been going really well, her start lines have been solid and her contacts have really improved, I can even trhow her toy as she is approaching the stop position with out her failing so I am really pleased. I have been practicing waits on my morning walk, so each day as I walk accross the Field without slowing my pace or making eye contact I just give her either a sit or a down command and continue walking for about 20 paces or so, then as I turn sideways and raise my arm I repeat the command and parise her from the distance before releasing her to her toy, there just isn't any pressure or worry that she might break so I repeated this process on the start line at Saturdays session racing back to have a game with her so that she started to become confident, so far the rewards have been great, a good test will be when I'm at Yvonnes with Jo in a couple of weeks, if she can still do it in front of a Mali then I should be able to do it in competition. Amy spent the weekend in London, she went to see Chicago which she said was brilliant and also had a trip on the Duck tour, She text me during the tour to say she had just past the Kennel Club building in Clarges street!! She really must get out more!

Finally our fabulous Ben was 8 yesterday, there have been times we didn't think he would make it but he does seem to have found a new lease of life recently and we can't wait to get him out to the shows as a spectator, he loves to drag us around the rings you wouldn't think he used to be an obedience dog!!