Monday, December 29, 2008

Seeking Attention


Corker has been determined to get my attention this Christmas.
First he went unexpectedly lame - not completely off his foot, but in obvious pain and reluctant to have it looked at. Couldn't see any cuts or thorns, so I decided just to rest him - which meant he didn't get to come for the morning frolic on the sports fields at Arrow Park, Redditch. Amazingly, ;)) his foot was better the next morning when I was getting the dogs ready for the walk, and has been fine since.....
But last night, 11.30pm on Sunday (!) he began behaving in a bizarre fashion, trying to eat the carpet and his bedding and obviously agitated. Been here before! Last time it was a blockage caused by eating duct tape - don't ask! So, out of my sick bed (I picked up a heavy cold this Christmas) and into the car to the emergency vets. Xrays showed a blockage, so he was kept in over night. Further Xrays and an endoscopy this morning showed green and white fibres but no real blockage. And I have since discovered that the green pan scrubber is missing - could there be a connection? (Oh yes!)
So, they are keeping him in a further 24 hours to see if he can pass food through his system, or if the blockage has just moved further down the system. They have also taken some biopsy samples, just in case there is a tumour or something nasty lurking there.
Appparently Corker is fine in himself and lapping up the attention of the nurses.........meanwhile, it seems very quiet here at home.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Pushing the Training

I'm really pleased with how the Boy Wonder (Bryn) is working in training. Both last night and tonight I pushed the boundaries with him - asked for increased speed, faster contacts, more difficult weave entries, greater distance from me when working away, trickier close work - all with great degrees of success. He really is a joy to work!
Took Amber to the physiotherapist before Bryn and I went training, and as I suspected, her hips/pelvis were causing problems for her, probably originating in a deterioration in the movement of her 'dodgy' left hock. The physio thinks this will recur from time to time, but that she will be okay for agility. She also thinks that Amber will exhibit lameness if it becomes a real problem for her - she doesn't show any signs of lameness at present. So, she's on gentle exercise for the next 3 days, then a return to normal exercise. All training is suspended over the Christmas/New year period, which will be to her advantage at present.
Corker continues to play 'Lord of the Manor', trying hard to be the boss of the house but failing hopelessly whenever someone tickles his ears! He takes his job of guardian of the house and car so very seriously - but doesn't really know quite what constitutes a threat. He's a big wuzz!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Wyre


6 December was Wyre Show also at Myerscough - but what a difference! Slightly smaller entries meant more room to park and move about, and less noise (marginally) Lots of smiling faces among the organisers who are always helpful and friendly. Jackie Kenny and I measured 13 dogs during the lunch time without it seeming a chore or rushed at all - nice relaxed show. Among those being measured was Bryn's litter sister Faith, and another couple of Nat's dogs - she had one measure into each category LOL! Faith, needless to say, was Large.

I had injured my leg the week before at NAWS (where Bryn came 2nd in the Agility) so I was hobbling around the courses in the morning, which didn't suit Amber at all, though she tried her best for me, bless her. Bryn did better - 17th in Grade 3 Agility, despite 5 faults for a rolled pole when he checked whether me hopping meant something or not. In the afternoon my leg was loads better and so was our result - Bryn came 8th in Combined 3 to 5 Agility - I was over the moon!

Training last night - Amber had scraped her stopper pad, so no training in a mucky riding school for her. Bryn was worked instead, and he made the Grade 5 course I designed (by accident!) look easy on the second run. He really is such a joy to work with.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Newton Heath November Show

Myerscough is always a noisy venue, but this show seemed to be even more noisy than usual. Amber only had one run - Combined 6&7 Agility (she should have had a Combined 6&7 Jumping as well, but when they moved the class to make it run over the just completed Grade 1 course (!!!) I pulled out and went home. It was just a circular course with no skills required so obviously the fastest handler and dog was going to win regardless of whether they could actually do agility or not. She worked well in the Agility but slid off the dog walk sideways just before the contact - so no place for her.
Bryn was in 'nice' mode - no real exertion just nice steady work. That was okay and got us 10th in the Grade 3 Agility, but just a little more speed and less niceness might have had him considerbly higher, on a course that apparently got a lot of eliminations.
Can't say I really enjoyed the show. There was a lot of hanging around, the tannoy system is poor resulting in some people missing their runs, and some bad advice was given by the show management to the judges eg don't let handlers walk the course between Parts 1&2, contrary to KC rules, and wrong advice about how many jumps a course had to have. Add to this that they only give Clear Round rosettes to Grade 1 & 2 Agility, not to other classes, and that Small & Medium dogs only have 2 classes while Large dogs have 3, and there was an undercurrent of displeasure about. Add to this, for me, the fiasco of the Grade 6&7 Jumping...... it has left me seriously considering whether to enter any more of their shows. I guess it will depend upon the classes being offered for my dogs.

Friday, September 05, 2008

The Boy and Girl Done Good!

We went to Chatsworth County Show last weekend. There was a KC Open Show there on Friday for Small, Medium (Grades 1 to 7) and Large (Grades 1 to 3) dogs, and on Saturday there was a Limited Show for Large dogs of all Grades.
Well, Amber worked her legs off in her classes on Friday, though the massively wide jump wings and 5 foot poles meant that some of her lines were compromised, hence a fouth in Helter Skelter, not her forte, was her only placed result. Bryn, also did some excellent work in all classes and achieved his first placed rosette at an Open KC show by coming 5th in the Jumping class on Friday. On Saturday he ran first in the Power and Speed and was leading the class for the first 60% of the class but eventually ran out at 11th, being beaten by Grade 6 and 7 dogs - not bad for a 22 month old baby in Grade 3!!
I'm so proud of both of my dogs - I'm still buzzing about the way they ran for me a week after the event. The nearby burger bar sent a huge bag of beef, bacon and burger across as a reward for the way they tackled the course - and in Amber's case, her entertainment value.

Monday, July 07, 2008

Another Breed First for Amber


Not content with being the first Australian Cattle Dog to reach the dizzy heights of Grade 6, Amber has now become the first ACD to get her Agility Warrant! What a star!!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Bryn at Lune Valley


Well the boy done good! Despite being held on the contacts for at least 4 seconds for each one, he managed 2 Clear Rounds in Grade 3 and Grade 1 to 3 Agility inside the time set. So, he now has his first rosettes from a KC show. What a good boy!

Ireland 2008


We had another wonderful visit to Ireland at the beginning of June. We started at the IKC show in Dublin, then competed for 2 days at Athy to the south of Dublin, then had a day's training near Carlow, before moving up to Northern Ireland for Lisburn and Castlereagh shows the next weekend. Bryn enjoyed himself (!) and learned how to leave the wait on the start line to go and visit the judge - doh!!
Amber came home with no less than 6 rosettes, and narrowly missed winning one of her classes in the North - if only! But she was tiring by then from all the travel and the immense heat.
Yet again my friends from the south made me feel like a member of the family, and I was so sad to leave them to come home. I can't wait to see them all again.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Bryn's Debut


I can't believe that Bryn is 19 months old already - and debuted at Dordale last weekend without any problems (despite a handler who spent so much time admiring him that she forgot to tell him where to go!)

He was running clear in the Grade 3 Agility when he uncharacteristically missed a (difficult) weave entry. The two jumping courses Grade 3 and Combined 1 to 5) were well run by him, the 1 to 5 suiting him really well, but I wasn't on top of the game.

Now looking forward to competing properly in the future!