Happy Birthday

Health check your dogs!!!

Warning - Rant Alert!!!

What is it with people who breed from their PET dogs without any thought to taking the very least precautions against passing on potential health problems to not only the poor dogs themselves but the cost involved to the new owners not only financially but emotionally too!

When we get a rescue or a "farm Collie" we take a risk, just because the parents seem healthy doesn't mean they are not carriers of dreadful conditions, Our old dog Ben is 9 years old, he can hardly stand and is almost completely blind because of hereditary conditions we could never have known about, when this was diagnosed Amy was heartbroken. I'm not saying all pedigree dogs who's parents have been health tested will be complaint free, but you rule out many of the breed specific conditions, giving them every chance for a long, healthy and active life.

In our chosen sport of agility your dog does not have to be a pedigree but this should not stop you from having the same health checks - you should be responsible for all puppies you bring into this world, if you can't afford to do this then simply you shouldn't do it!

Well Chuffed

I wasn't too hopeful for Leamington show, and when we arrived and walked the courses my mood didn't improve! the grade 1-3 jumping was more like a trappy Helta Skelta, not at all encouraging for any new handlers or dogs that might have been there, and the ground in the rings was appaling, Still Matin's 1-3 agility looked nice, set with a couple of tricky bits to test us which is just how I like it, and the 1-6 jumping was interesting, but the ground was really bad in that ring, but to be honest, my dogs are more than capeable of running on uneven ground, at the end of the day they have been bred to work all day on all sorts of ground so it was me I was more worried about.
Amy and Summer had an elimination in both jumping rounds, but worked a lovely clear in the Agility finishing 4th, Amy was really pleased with her weaves which are getting faster and faster every competition, and her contacts were spot on. Maisy and I had an expected E in the first jumping class, there was no way I would be anywhere close enough to her to call her off the first trappy tunnel and I was right. Then in the Agility she ran a lovely round, getting 1 pole and an expected 5 on the A frame, but she got a lovely controlled dog walk and see saw and ran it very smoothly appart from when I got in her way in front of the dog walk, but she would have still managed a win if she had been clear so I was thrilled. In the 1-6 jumping after a very sticky moment getting her into the first tunnel she ran brilliantly getting her first clear of the season, not good enough to be placed but I was very happy indeed. Well donr to Ellen and Hamish for their 2nd in Agility, His run was lovely.

This weeks training

Well as I said before I really needed to spend more time with Maisy which is what I'm now working on - It's really difficult to give two competition dogs enough time each, especially when you enjoy training one much more than the other! that sounds awful, but I have such a different training style now that really suits Rupert so the progression is much more obvious, with Maisy she has started to be a real little star at home, she just loves her one to one time with me but in the competition environment she just doesn't have the ability to recognise it's the same thing at all, we get moments of brilliance but mostly either I let her down or she hoons off doing her own thing which is becomming very frustrating, I suppose once Rupert comes out in July the pressure will be off her and who knows what could happen. But for now at home she has been awesome.

Rupert was good again at Deena's on Tuesday night, I've had to now put a wait command on the seesaw which has slowed it down, but I'm hoping to go back to the running once he has a better understanding of waiting for the noise before running forward. I have also been working on his long jump, even though I have one at home we haven't done too much over it so he sometimes runs past it not giving it any respect as an obstacle at all. on the posotive, he is really showing respect for the weaves, and has learn't to give himself a steady just before entering them, this is because we are no longer using the swivel bases which he was able to push his way through, he still isn't up to his full speed through them but with a bit more confidence that will come.

I've also decided that I'm going back into the obedience ring! not really in a competetive mode, just as a bit of something different from time to time, I have entered a couple so watch this space for updates!

Wet Weekend

I know we needed some Rain but at Ruperts first show we got totally drenched! Still Rupert didn't seem to mind too much. as we arrived it was Raining heavily and the judge had decided to take out the dog walk in favour of a 2nd tunnel! I didn't think it was windy at all and all I'll say is that the judge has obviously never been to Scunthorpe! so what started out as a lovely agility round turned into a very fast helta Skelta with an A frame thrown in (which I actually thought was more dangerous considering the speed your dog was likely to hit it) I set Rupert up on the start line which was very close to the Scrimer so I thought he might be a little spooked and break, but as I turned to check he was rock solid waiting to be released (PHEW) so off we went, so worried about the A frame was I that even though I saw him steady himself I still managed to put a Steady command in which threw him and he came back down it towards me, after that he went brilliantly, he had a great sendaway into a tunnel and finished with a fabby go on to the end, so i was very pleased indeed. then to my suprise I heard we had been awarded a clear round, I expect it was because in Nursery they only mark poles and contacts as everything else is using up your own time, so we came away with a lovely clear round rosette. Maisy on the other hand had a really mad head on her so I ended up taking her out of the ring! I know it's because I haven't really given her as much time and attention as I should have and this is just her way of reminding me she needs so extra care and consideration, which she will obviously be getting from now on.Yesterday it was the 3rd Darian day, I was a little worried about how Rupert would react with all those dogs around, but I needn't have bothered, because from the minute he came out of the van he was extremely well behaved, playing with his brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles etc etc etc. we had a great afternoon and the sun even came out for us, it was lovely to see everyone having so much fun.

On a lighter note

Rupert was a star last night at training - short video of his last run of the night!

Dordale

Not really a good show for us, we were supposed to be camping but didn't end up going at all on Saturday and only managed half a day on Sunday, maybe neither of us were really in the mood and that affected our dogs performances. Maisy has no respect for contacts nor me it seems on that part of the course, even when I put her back she still hooned off so its back to the drawing board AGAIN!! Summer was either having a slow clear or being nosey and taking poles or coming out of the weaves because she was too busy looking around her to se who was watching! so fingers crossed for a better show next time.
Rupert had an obedience training day yesterday which we both enjoyed, it was something different which made a lovely change. he has his first little UKA show on Saturday, he's first in the ring so we should be home early ready for Darian Day on Sunday.

Happy 18th birthday to Ellen, we hope you had a fabby time and we love the picture of Hamish XX And HUGE congrats to Jo with both Ronny and Zippy for qualifying for the ABC Semi's what litte Mali stars XX