Happy Christmas!!

Have a lovely Happy Christmas everyone!!!
(Click above)

The Melody Plays On

Bryn goes to HTM once a week for a bit of clicker fun. He loves it and works so hard! Last night we opted to try for our first level test - Melody. (All the tests are named after some aspect of music) And he passed!!!! He had to perform - twice each - 2 positions (sit and down for us) and 10 moves. He was a little star, not helped by me getting the giggles as he kept trying to offer more/different ineligible moves.
(Just so that the other two don't feel left out, I have to remind everyone that Corker has his Herding Certificate, and Amber, as well as being the first ACD to get to Grade 6 agility, also passed her KCGC Bronze twice....they lost the paperwork first time!!!)

The First Snow of Winter

7.30am and Bryn and I set off, lit up like Christmas Trees in the dark, to go for a walk - AND IT WAS SNOWING big, beautiful flakes. It was only settling in the colder hollows on the hillside, so the rest of the walk was the wet, muddy affair that we have come to know and...hate.

By 8.30am when I set off with Amber and Corker, it had turned to rain again.....when will it ever stop?? So we trudged around the hillside, slipping and sliding as usual, and bringing home enough mud to plant flowers in.

But for at least 40 minutes we had proper snow - the first time this winter!! (And no cold icy wind either - hooray!)

(PS I have cheated with the picture - this was from the early months of this year - last winter)

What did I do...?

What did I do to deserve, not only a really fabulous family, but such great dogs for companions too?

Bryn did well yesterday in an intensive 121 agility coaching session, working so hard for me, and then his HTM class later where he picked things up sooo quickly; Amber has become a real little cuddle bag now that she is semi-retired from agility, though she isn't going to give up her place next to me on the sofa to anyone else; and Corkscrew is being sooo attentive, wanting cuddles - very unlike him - and games and just general closeness. Makes me realise how very blessed I am.

Wilmslow

Myerscough is generally a noisy, busy venue - but Wilmslow DTS always manage to make it seem relaxed and happy, so it is enjoyable going to their shows there. Like yesterday.
Classes only for Large and Small dogs, so neither Amber nor Corker got to play, so it was odd to be hanging around waiting for Bryn's 3 classes. We didn't get going until 10.45am, having walked Sue Morley's Large Combined 3 to 5 Agility course at 8.00am, so not surprisingly I ended up on the wrong side of the dog walk and wasted valuable time trying to get back on track! Bless him, Bryn took it all in his stride - clear round and 17th place! Would have been about 7th if he'd had a better handler!!
Nothing after that until lunchtime when both Large Graded 4/5 Agility and Large Combined 4/5 Jumping went up for walking at the same time. Bryn and I ran first in the Agility - some great technical sections (thanks Nic Jones!) - and did a clear in a fast enough time to finish up as 8th! I was still on a high as I went straight across to the Jumping, and miscued Bryn for the 3rd jump (Said 'Back' instead of the 'Back in' needed) and he did exactly what I told him to do, picking up a jump some way off, as per the training we have been doing about spotting the fence ahead and ignoring the side obstacles. Good boy!! Don't think the judge, Alan Sherwin, could quite understand why I was so pleased to get eliminated - especially as Bryn then returned to the original, highly technical, course, and did a perfectly executed round after that.
So, two rosettes with numbers on them (!) in our first real Grade 4 competition - I drove home through the dark and rain and greasy road spray smiling all the way!!

It's the little things....

For a few weeks now Bryn and I have been doing some HTM classes - very basic moves still, but coming along nicely, and very enjoyable for both of us. Bryn prefers to do touches with his nose, hardly ever using his paws by choice, so tonight was really special when he thought very hard about what he had to do.......and touched my hand firmly with his paw only! It sounds like a little thing, but if you could have seen the concentration on his face, working out exactly what was going to earn him that click and treat. I do love the lad!!

Carpe.....

I have decided to use my Performance Psychology diplomas on myself and the dogs (!), and have chosen Carpe Diem as my motto. Amber and Bryn have chosen Carpe Ossium - unfortunately usually the same ossium....; Corker has chosen Carpe Pinnatum, but only while we are out for a walk and he has flushed the local wild pheasant and grouse a few times.......

Take a Break

I've been promising myself a break away in a proper hotel (!) and also some 121 training with Bryn to try to sort out a few handling issues I have with him.
So off Bryn and I went to The Long Mynd Hotel at Church Stetton (http://www.eurobookings.com/church-stretton-hotels-gb/longmynd-hotel.html?label=gg_en_bh_33990-united-kingdom-church-stretton-longmynd-hotel&gclid=CPLf6d7Hv50CFVVu4wody2Dgrg) for a couple of nights, and a couple of hours training in wonderful scenery with Lee Gibson (http://www.leegibsontraining.co.uk/)
Just don't ask about the journey - either way - or driving over the Burway from Church Stetton to Lee's place the other side of the Long Mynd.....
The hotel was set in the most marvellous location - high on a promontory over-looking the town, with views across to Wenlock Edge, and surrounded by its own woodlands with wonderful walks. Bryn thought the grounds were paradise - though he wasn't so sure about the elavator in the hotel... The hotel had commissioned Dave Bytheway, chainsaw sculptor, to carve animals and birds on fallen logs, tree stumps, tree branches as well as a standing circle of 5 foot high beavers (?) in a glade near the hotel, so taking a walk was fascinating for me too as I tried to spot all the carvings - and failed! Have to go again!!
Lee lives and trains in a beautiful tranquil valley of the Long Mynd, with a stream flowing through the bottom of the vale, and only the sounds of birds, sheep, the wind to be heard. It's idyllic - but I'd hate to try to get there in winter. Bryn and I had two single hours of training, and I proved how unco-ordinated I could be while trying really hard to get mouth, hands and feet in perfect sync. Lee was sooo patient with me! Between sessions I had far too large a lunch at a real olde-world traditional pub, but I did manage to work out what I was supposed to have been doing in the morning. I think I got it slightly better in the afternoon session, but it might have been wishful thinking on my part.
We were both shattered when we got back to the hotel, so had a really relaxing evening. I think we were both ready for bed. However, Bryn took exception to the owls hooting outside, so we spent most of the night in a whispered tussel to stop him barking and waking up the whole hotel. Light on...light off...light on...light off...... neither of us felt much like a long walk the next morning.
Which was just as well as the journey home, which should have taken 3 hours, took 6....Don't ask about the journey!!!!

Signing off in style!

Lune Valley today was Amber's last proper competition. Although not quite 10 years old, and therefore relatively young to be retiring from proper competition in agility, she has had her share of health problems in the past and I want her to continue to enjoy a good quality of life. As spinning between obstacles exacerbates her back problems, I have decided to curtail her agility - effectively to retire her from competition.

How delighted was I to discover that her last 6/7 Jumping course was our idea of jumping heaven! Lots of changes of direction and pull throughs and pass-by's and such like - hardly a straight line in sight. We ran first as no-one else wanted to go - it seems I was in a very small minority in actually liking the course. It was the same course as the Large 6/7 dogs had run, and there were only a handful of clear rounds. That seemed to have put off the Medium handlers a fair bit.

Well, I can't say that it all flowed smoothly but we managed a clear round much to my surprise and delight.......and I was even more surprised and delighted to receive a 4th place rosette!!

Our Winter Season begins....

.....with Ribble's indoor show at Accrington, a new venue to me as they used to be at Osbaldeston. Amber's courses didn't really suit her, so we did our TYOL versions (with judges' prior permission) and she thought she'd just won the Champ class! Well, she did have the fastest course time of the day - 6.02 seconds - just not the right course. Lol!
Bryn was not at all settled in the venue, though I can't work out why as he is usually fine indoors. He was a bit anxious, not working on but watching me carefully (instead of looking where he was going) so getting 5F on the first 2 courses. He managed a Clear and 9th place with a 'nice' round in Comb 1 to 3 Helter Skelter, then got his act together suddenly for the last class of the day, blasting off from the start. As a result I was playing 'catch up', tried to turn a corner too tight - and forced him into having a pole down! Such a shame, as he had a very competitive time, too.
That was Bryn's last Grade 3 show - he goes up to play with the 'big boys and Girls' in Grade 4 at his next show, Lune Valley. I hope he's got over his spookiness at indoor venues by then!

Chatsworth - or retail therapy

I had entered 4 classes each for Amber and Bryn: Medium 1 to 7 agility, jumping and combined small and medium helter skelter, with 'on the day' pairs for Amber; and Large 1 to 3 agility, jumping, helter skelter and pairs for Bryn. In the meantime I had decided only to run Amber in jumping classes, so that would mean 7 classes in total. I ran 3 in total - so what went wrong?
Bryn ran his agility but rolled a pole (huge wooden ones) so I put him back on his contact when it wasn't as perfect as usual, and got him eliminated. Then the helter-skelter class (same for all sizes) was set up, and in my opinion, it was dangerous to run. What you have to know is that the ring at Chatsworth has some plastic boards in the middle of it marking the helipad....novel I know. Anyway, in the rain, they had become very slippery. Most Chatsworth judges avoid this area, or stick something over the top of it like a water jump, but this course would have required me to run across the boards twice, once on a tightish turn, so I opted not to run it. As far as I know, only one handler skidded and fell, but I wasn't risking yet another injury - so I went shopping instead with Corker for company. Try eating a mediterranean chicken wrap with a shopping bag in one hand and a cattle dog in the other!! But sampling the cider/beer/sloe gin was fun.......
After lunch I ran Amber and Bryn in their respective jumping classes. Amber was on a flier, so I decided to layer a section in a way that I can usually only do with Bryn - it didn't work sadly, so another big E. Then Bryn got on the start line - first fence, second fence, sharp left to the tunnel - except Bryn did a right out to the boundary, then a beautiful outrun all the way around the edge of the ring, taking several jumps en route, and back to me. (I suspect he had heard the stunt planes arriving over the hill as Corker has taught him to chase planes....) The judge said I could start again - so he did one of the most impressively clear rounds he has ever done - of course!!
Couldn't be bothered with the pairs, so went for some more retail therapy (bakewell tarts, latte coffee, chocolate sampling...) and watched the terrier racing and log sawing (can anything be less interesting?!?) and birds of prey in the main arena.
The agility may have been crap, but I had a lovely day out!!

Best Laid Plans...

The plan was:
Enter Chatsworth on Friday, and High Peak at nearby Bakewell Showground on Saturday and Sunday. After negotiations, arranged to stay overnight Thursday night at Bakewell so that I could get up at a civilised time on Friday, and tootle the 10 miles or so to Chatsworth. Simples!!
Best laid plans, and all that!!!
The remnants of Hurricane David (or some such) hit the British Isles on Wednesday, bringing torrential rain and gales to the north of the country. Rang High Peak on Thursday morning - was there any danger of the show being cancelled? Told that I could park on the hard standing next to the clubs' caravans to ensure I could get away Friday morning - sorted! So even if the showgorund was waterlogged, I'd be all right jack!
Packed the camper and set off for a blustery drive to Bakewell. Got to the showground and.....no road - just a river where the approach road should be. I could see the caravans on the far side, but there was no way I could drive the camper through the water to get there.... and would I ever get off again in the morning? Rang the show organisers who confirmed the inevitable - Show cancelled.
So, multi-point turn on the road and set off back the way I'd come. Wait a sec! I'd have to go past Chatsworth, so worth calling in to see what the state of play was there.....via the great Chatsworth Farm Shop Restaurant of course. Well, I needed a consolation meal for having driven all that way for nothing!
At Chatsworth the car park was closed - already impassable - but I knew how to get to our usual show spot inside the Country Fair grounds. No sign of the organisers, but the ring looked pretty wet, with the agility equipment standing forlornly in the middle. There was a huge pool of water alongside the ring, and it was evident that the usual car parking places for us were not going to be available this time.
The SatNav took me home via the scenic route, which would have been wonderful except that I was driving a high sided camper in gale force gusts of wind. Got home to the news that, so far as anyone knew, Chatsworth was still scheduled to go ahead.
So, unpacked the camper; packed the car; fuelled the car; and now I'm watching anxiously for confirmation/cancellation to be announced before I start the whole journey again - at some silly hour of the morning! It had better be worth-while....Bryn!!!

Wet Lakeland......

In amongst the sunshine, hail, showers and strong winds I discovered that I need to feed Bryn more.....
He was driving over the dog walk into his down contact - about 6 inches from the contact - when a huge gust of wind picked him up, floated out his coat, and deposited him gently on his feet, in his perfect 2o2o position, about a foot to the far side of the contact. I don't know who was the most surprised: the judge, who froze and exclaimed 'The wind just picked him up!'; me, who froze and exclaimed 'He's just been blown off!'; or Bryn who held his postion perfectly but kept looking at the end of the contact as if not quite sure how it had got over there to the side instead of under his feet!!
No damage done (except to our fairly good chances in the class) as I ran him over that section of the course again, with the judge's permission, and he still powered it - little star!!

Going Up.....
Bryn and I have always done better at the Grade 3 to 5 type courses rather than the Grade 1 to 3 type courses, and a quick check through his Record Book confirmed this for me.
So, although a lot of people scorn dogs being promoted on points, as if it's somehow second rate, after this weekend at WBSDS at Oswestry Bryn will be going up to Grade 4, having got a Clear Round in Jumping, and a 10th and a 6th in two Agility classes, to boost his points score and giving him more than enough points for promotion. So, High Peak will be the first time he runs as a Grade 4 dog, and I have spent some time writing to and phoning Show Secretaries to ask them to change my entries....
Why do people scorn dogs that are promoted on points? How is being consistently well placed worse than having, perhaps, one fluky agility win?

Random Acts of Kindness

I was on my way to Lincoln (JDA Agility Show) on Friday when I passed a car with a bumper sticker that read 'Commit Random Acts of Kindness' and this got me to thinking.
Recently I have received several unexpected RAoKs - not major things, just unexpected, like the lady who paid half my carparking fee at the hospital when she saw I hadn't got enough change. As a beneficiary it changed my outlook on the day, making me so much more good-humoured and 'one with the world'. RAoKs also have a feel-good factor for the benefactor, who knows that they have done something appreciated by others.
So, I got to thinking more: what if we all decided to do at least one Random Act of Kindness a day? It would have to be spontaneous, not pre-planned, and need not be anything major. What happens is that you become far more aware of the needs of others, and are actively seeking opportunities to commit the RAoK. Recipients benefit, and so do we. The world would gradually become a better place to live as we all looked for opportunities to help others in some way - just once a day, and still with a choice of whether to act or not.
What about it? I'd love to hear comments about whether you thought it was worth a shot.
Edited to add: always check first that the RAoK will be acceptable - not all blind/elderly people want to cross the road.........

The Best News

Anyone reading this Blog will probably be aware that my Dad fell and broke his leg on his 90th birthday back in March, and has been in hospital ever since with a variety of ailments acquired there. Four weeks ago he was well enough to move from the Acute Hospital where he was to a Community Hospital about 10 minutes from his home. Altogether, that's four months in hospital!
Well, last Monday he finally came home!!! It was so great to see him back in familiar surroundings even if he does still look a bit frail (he's not usually your frail type!) This week has been quite hard for my mother, trying to establish a new routine at home - no more hospital visiting, but a husband at home who still needs considerable help and support - and as she is 89 years old herself, this is no sinecure. Which is why I have spent this past week living at their house, trying to be of some use, and the dogs have 'enjoyed' being in day-care at the local kennels. How they are going to manage remains to be seen........

Wirral

Wirral has always been a highlight of the year for me, and was just as good this year as ever BUT I was so tired and bad tempered (for no reason) that I couldn't really enjoy it as much as usual. Amber was a little star and managed just 5F (dogwalk as ever) in Agility and a Clear Round in Jumping. Bryn worked with enthusiasm and drive - which took me be surprise after recent rather slow rounds, so we didn't manage any results, but he was mint! I do love that little boy! Corker made sure that the planes didn't land in our garden... some of them seemed low enough to almost do so!
The weather was lovely again - we have been so fortunate this year - and there was a real feeling of camaraderie among club members, like the old days.
Back home, still tired the next day, then BAM!! Norovirus hit with a vengeance!! Maybe that was what had made me feel so 'off' all weekend? 48 hours of living in the bathroom when you have dogs to see to is no joke......Bless them! They were real angels.
Bryn went to his disobedience class last night and worked well - but in between was trying to get the other dogs to join in a bit of fun. Now that's my boy!!

Lakeland Fun

Three days at home from Ireland and off to the Lakes for another 10 day agility break. The roller coaster I seem to be on continued its way:
Great weekend at Lune with our best result being Bryn's 7th in Grade 3 Agility. But when I arrived none of the electrics on the camper worked! After checking everything we decided it was an in-line fuse somewhere - but where? Luckily there was a caravan supplies shop on site, and they promised to look at it as soon as possible in the week, which turned out to be Tuesday.
And it was HOT!!!! Bryn decided that the canal was the only place to be and refused to come out (extended lead for him then!) Amber taught herself to swim properly, even diving under water for toys, but Corker wasn't going near the wet stuff - until I 'accidentally' pushed him in. Unfortunately he already had a slightly split nail on a front paw, and by the time he had scrambled out the nail was split from top to bottom. So, Wednesday was spent going to and from the vet in Kendal where he had the nail removed. Many thanks to Wendy Luty for acting as chauffeur and again on Saturday morning when he had to go back to have the bandage removed. But apologies to those who had planned to have their dogs measured at a session at Hest Bank as I couldn't get there because I was Corker-watching - he was very groggy after the op.
Thursday I helped to run the charity fund-raiser practice ring in the morning, and took the opportunity to try Bryn over the wishing-well, wall, brush fence - no problems. Over the weekend he met some of these again and sailed over them with confidence - good boy!
He had a few clears at the Barrow show (second weekend) but slow - 14th, 16th and two Clear Rounds. Some of his best - even astounding - work came on the courses where he was faulted - beautiful independent contacts and amazing weave entries. What a wonderful dog to own - his band of fans and admirers seems to grow at every show we go to; he's such a lovely lad.
Piles and piles of washing to do at home, and weeds that are huge to try to get rid of - then it will be Wirral!!

Ireland - Part 1

I love Newborough Beach on Anglesey!! Miles and miles of soft sand, all available to dog walkers, as well as thousands of acres of woodland. So, the perfect start for my trip to Ireland was to spend a few hours there, then overnight at Peter Robert's place, doing a bit of agility measuring with him, before catching the ferry the next day. The camper was a bit reluctant to start, like it was cold, although actually the weather was very warm. No worries, sort that out later if need be.
The camper started second time in the morning - in fact, that seemed to be the pattern for starting it. It is 9 years old, so a few idiosyncrasies are to be expected. The ferry trip over was smooth, and the journey from Dun Laoghaire to Portmarnock took scarcely half an hour when in the past it has taken ages to get round the M50. I arrived at the IASDA Show Venue to find Liam, and Frank already there and just about to set up. A lovely venue - a huge rugby club set in a community park that stretches for miles. It overlooks the sea so has wonderful views too. We basked in sunshine as we built the rings and my course for the next day, Saturday. Sarah arrived with her caravan and dogs, and the evening ended with chips from the local chippy, and a good natter about everything that has been happening in Irish agility.
Saturday dawned bright and fair, and I really enjoyed the judging as ever. I did something I don't usually do - I ran Bryn over the 1 to 3 Agility course after the class ended as a lot of people had problems I wasn't expecting. Now Bryn is still only a baby, and he had been left at the camper all day while I judged, so not the best preparation, but he didn't have the problems that I had seen, so I had to decide that it was not the course giving the problems, but perhaps some of the dogs?? The Champ class was fun to judge, but pitched too hard for many of those eligible, especially in the Medium dogs. I had agonised over to set a 'proper' Champ course (UK7) or make it easier, and opted for the former, but now think that was a mistake. Anyway, the Champ Final was more UK6, but still caused some problems for those who got through the qualifying rounds. A bit disappointing for us all - I blame myself for not providing a more exciting end to the show.
We stopped over on Saturday night - barbecuing away -and then Frank allowed Bryn and me to join his training class on Sunday, which was great. It is so nice to have someone else to watch and offer advice - and Frank's advice is always sound. He set quite a demanding course for us to run, with a wicked ending, and I loved working it out as many ways as possible! Great fun!!
Then off to Forest Farm Caravan Site at Athy for the next few days. I've been here a couple of times before, but have to say that it is starting to look its age now - some of the electric hookups don't work, and the showers trickle rather than shower - but it is still a pleasant, tree lined site to stay on. And so to bed......

Ireland - Part 2

Monday - my day of rest! One of the nicest things about Forest Farm Caravan Site at Athy is that it has a huge field to walk the dogs in. Okay, so Corker and Bryn had to stay on the lead to stop them chasing rabbits and cars (the main road is alongside the field) but it is still a nice walk. Just before lunchtime I set off for the Irish National Stud at Kildare - the camper was a bit reluctant to start, but second go it was fine. The National Stud not only houses some fabulous horses, but also some lovely gardens to walk in on a hot day, and a great cafe with home-made food. Lunch was lasagne and salad - probably the best lasagne I have eaten anywhere. Then Corker and I went for a walk round the gardens and stables, finishing with a coffee outside the cafe in the garden. It was good to get some alone-time with my boy!!
Tuesday - after lunch Liam arrived to lead me to his training venue for the afternoon/evening training session. I've been before but can never remember how to get there! There were just 7 of us, so I set some exercises based on what I had seen as problems at the IASDA show, and we worked on handling skills for those. I also worked Bryn, and just about everyone had a go at working Corker - bless him, he hasn't forgotten anything even after nearly 4 years!!
Wednesday - the close, hot weather broke during the night with a tremendous downpour all night, so little sleep for any of us. The morning was still the same, so after a short walk, we retired to the camper where I read books all day, and slept. The was no prospect of doing any outside work in that weather. After lunch I went to the local garage (the camper still reluctant to start) for some fuel and some bits and pieces from the shop, but that was all for the whole day. It felt a bit wasted.
I woke up on Thursday to find I had been invaded! Three tents had pitched on what I assumed was my pitch! One car was so close to the back door that I had to ask for it to be moved. I had considered staying at Athy until Friday, but this invasion decided me and I set off for Rush, North Dublin, just after lunch.

Ireland - Part 3

Thursday afternoon and evening, and Friday, at North Beach, Rush was wonderful for me and the dogs. The tide was out when we arrived, and the camp site fairly empty, so we walked the beach from end to end, playing in the rock pools and chasing the waves. The camper ended up with most of the beach sand inside! A lovely relaxing couple of days. The new IKC Working Party monthly meeting was held Thursday evening - it's going to be interesting watching how things progress on the agility front at the IKC now that there is a formal channel for communication with the ever increasing number of competitors.....
Friday lunchtime I moved to the National Show Centre at Cloghran, ready for Swords Championship show the next day. I really don't think that breed shows can continue to host agility as the sport has outgrown them, and they really have no idea/understanding of agility's needs. A big arena was marked out - right in front of the main steps into the building, in the middle of what would become the carpark, and with a ditch running diagonally through the middle of it! The equipment - still dirty from its last use - was dumped in the ring and that was it. When the judge arrived to set her course for the next day there was absolutely no-one to help her - but dozens of people to set up and ornament the Best in Show ring 50 yards away! It's just not the way to treat judges.
The next day - still no-one to help. It was left to agility people to set up and run the ring. There was no-one to direct carparking either, and this became a health and safety problem for the ring later, with cars parked no more than 6 feet from the ring entrance and exit, and an ad hoc roadway so close to one side of the ring that one car actually touched the ring rope going past. I complained officially to the Show Manager/Club Chairman, who was dismissive and rude in his attitude, and to the Club President, who was far more concerned and authorized us to block off the roadway before anyone or any dog got injured or killed. A letter will be going this week to back my verbal complaint. One handler also fell in the ditch and sprained his wrist, so another letter might be going their way as well.
Thanks to Jessica and Judith, both my dogs were measured before they were needed for their runs!
The courses were very flowing (steeplechase was the word used by most competitors to describe them). Amber ran all her classes just as a test of her fitness, and was okay - all right, she was Crazy Frog in top flight!! Bryn really started to power, which was lovely! No clear rounds, but not his fault - I tripped in the ditch in one run; pulled him out of the weaves in his best run; turned him too tight on his third run so pulled off a pole. The weather was hot and sunny - a lovely day among good friends!
Working Trials Club of Ireland Agility Show the next day at Tymon Park. I stopped overnight at Camac Valley Caravan Park just off the N7, nearer to the show for the next day. (Lovely, lovely shower after a hot day of agility!) Now this club know how to run a show. The nature of the showground, their training ground, is such that it can't be set up the night before but everything has to be done in the morning. Club members were there in force to rally round - build a ring and the first course, put up a marquee, get all the tickets and catalogues issued, get the show on the road. Again, very flowing courses, but with the addition of quite a few pullthroughs. I really must teach Bryn to do pullthroughs some time...... Amber was a little stiff after Saturday, so I decided not to run her in the morning agility classes, and see how she was for the jumping class in the afternoon. Well, she managed all the sendaway parts surprisingly, but argued furiously about the rest. She ended up with a very slow clear round, and her first point in her new Record Book!!
Bryn was lovely. First class, he wasn't powering at all, and seemed a bit diffident, not understanding the pullthrough at all, so I nursed him round with a couple of poles down. Then he went up a couple of gears and went clear in his next agility and jumping rounds - 2nd in the agility!! So more points for his new Record Book too!!
The camper was still being a bit reluctant to start, but we got back to the Caravan Site safely, and settled down for our last night in Ireland. Very sad.
So, the final day. A long walk in the park next door for the dogs, then breakfast for us all and a shower for me, before packing up to leave for the 1.30pm ferry at 11.00am. Except that the camper wouldn't start at all.....PANIC!!!!....ring the recovery people....they can't get anyone to me before 12 which would mean missing the ferry....and they were only prepared to take the camper to the nearest garage and me (with 3 dogs??!!) to a hotel if necessary. I went into the site office to find the number for the ferry port so as to change my booking. Which is when my knight in shining armour - the Manager - came to the rescue. He got the camper started, and with strict instructions not to switch off the engine until we were on the ferry, he sent me on my way. It was an extremely hot day and the engine nearly overheated waiting to board the ferry because I couldn't switch it off - nor could I take the dogs far for a walk as I need to keep an eye on the camper with the engine still running and the keys inside.....
The time came to disembark.....would the camper start?? Reluctantly, but it did! Poor dogs - instead of stopping to give them a run at a country park as usual, I kept my foot down and drove directly home, arriving at 7.30pm. Stress levels were so high!
My wonderful local garage came up trumps and fitted me in the next morning - by the afternoon the camper had a new starter motor and was ready for its travels again. What an end to a lovely week away!!

What a contrast!!

Last weekend when I judged at Wigton it was so hot it was cracking the flags and I got a touch of heatstroke. Yesterday I judged at the new ABC show at Winterton and, well, the venue name says it all! There was a fierce icy wind, all the way from the arctic. Thank goodness I hadn't emptied out the thermals and fleeces from earlier in the year or I wouldn't have survived.
It was another great show - all about ABCs (Anything But Collies) though there were some runs for the collies as well. Lovely to see so many 'other breeds' especially Weimaraners, as it was run in the name of the Weimaraner Association of Great Britain. Six runs each day for each ABC dog, and one for the BC/WSDs. Amber was exhausted!
About 8 of us went from White Rose, so had a very sociable time camping and eating together. I really hope they run the show again next year, and expand a bit on what they have managed this year. A KC/Pedigree Foods ABC Qualifier would be nice.........

Why does it happen?

So, by Monday I was feeling so much better - still hadn't eaten, but certainly more with it than the day before!
I was booked in for a 121 session of training with Di Talbot in the afternoon. Off I went, feeling supremely confident that Bryn and I were invincible. Well Bryn was - but I was rubbish!! I couldn't manage the simplest runs or turns! Eventually, time was up - and on the last attempt I got it right, but as Di said 'Well, that was the best of a bad job really, wasn't it?'
Why does it happen? It's always when someone is watching me critically (and I mean that in the best sense of the word - and having been invited to do so) Well, I'll just have to book another session with her and show her what Bryn and I can do when we are not both hot, tired and hungry....

Wigton

It's quite a while since I entered Wigton Show (near Carlisle in the lovely Lake District) and I was invited to judge, so off we went. A lovely drive up despite the heatwave, and a beautiful, huge, ringside camping space reserved for me - in the best part of the field where there was a cooling breeze. Bliss!
Chris Drinkhall and I measured a dozen dogs on Friday evening, after I had set up my courses for the next day. Setting the courses was hard work - not only because of the heat but because my back went into spasm. Luckily I had lots of help from the show organisers - they even arranged for Steven Richardson to fetch my aquaroll of water! Wasn't that kind?
Saturday was a long, hot, hot day - but great fun because my courses seemed to be running exactly as planned and were extremely well received by competitors. In fact, I don't think I have ever had so many complimentary comments about courses before (despite these being recycled from 1999 lol!) I had an excellent ring party, made up of such experienced handlers that any one of us could have taken over the judging - my thanks to them all, especially Jackie Richardson who scribed all day for me.
Had a real headache from the sun so went to bed early on Saturday - then spent a lot of the night in the bathroom......urgh! By the morning I felt completely washed out and totally unable to walk, let alone run a dog. Kirsty kindly took my dogs for a walk - not only did they not even look back for me, but they behaved impeccably on slack leads the whole way - traitors!! Mike tried to run Amber, and seemed to be bonding well until the lead came off - 1 jump and home!! Now that's more like loyalty!
By the afternoon I managed to run Bryn and got a clear in 1-3 jumping, but an even better run in the 3-7 jumping.......except that I accidentally hit him on the head as he was taking off for a jump so he knocked the pole down. What a numpty I can be sometimes. Tried to run Amber on a 'made-to-measure' agility course, but she was in Crazy-Frog mode after doing nothing all weekend, so I gave up and went back to the camper and some shade.
I was so grateful to Mike, Alex and Paula for helping me pack up the camper at the end of the day. I can honestly say that I don't know how I would have managed without them.
The journey home was made all the better by a message when I got home to say that the hospital are starting to organise my dad's discharge, ie getting occupational therapy and social services involved, as he is making good progress. Let's hope it continues!

Bank Holiday weekend

A scorcher! Hospital rooms are definitely not designed to cope with heat waves - yes, my dad is still in hospital with kidney problems - the same single room for 9 weeks!! However, we heard today that he is to be moved to the Urology Ward, so at least he will have a change of scene.....
Yesterday, Bank Holiday Monday, I accompanied some of the Beginners' Group from the Tuesday night class to their first foray into competition at Delinquent Dogz. Great courses from Doc Docherty and Jules Vickerman - straightforward enough for the beginners to cope with (3 rosettes can't be bad for their first show!) yet enough to challenge the more experienced dogs.
Bryn behaved beautifully. Amber took a chunk out of his face on Sunday morning (who knows why?!?) so he was a bit subdued which certainly helped with his 'no meet/greet' training. (Don't worry - a vet looked him over and passed him fit for purpose before he competed) He and I made silly mistakes in each course - a quick turn, a pole down, an unintentional pull past etc etc, so no rosettes, but some lovely, focused, fast work.
Amber was entered in just the jumping classes - and managed a clear round! She might have done better had I not thought she had been faulted and stopped working her properly! Numpty!! She even managed to keep going all the way in the Helter Skelter without arguing with me, but got something wrong (forget what!) so no rosette there. She was a good girl.
And Corker got to play as well - Delinquent Dogz is the only show that Corker enters - despite not having trained at all for 3 years, or is it 4 years...? Thanks Michelle for giving me the chance to play agility with my boy! No rosettes for him either this time - but Michelle told me that he had managed to qualify for the DD Finals in July on his previous performances! What a hoot! The only one of my 3 that doesn't compete or train, is the only one of my 3 to qualify. LOL!!
It was lovely to see so many people relaxing in the sunshine, and applauding each others' performances - what agility should be all about.

Waldridge Fell

I love this venue - almost on the beach at Redcar, sandy soil so it doesn't bog down even when it's wet (which it wasn't) - but there is always a chill North Sea wind!!
Although I had booked camping I chose to drive each day, parking on the camping plot saved for me by Kirsty and Helen (nice to be with friends).
On Saturday Bryn was over the moon with excitement - all these people to say hello to! And he did - out of the ring to work the crowds walking the next door course - 3 times!!!! I was absolutely despondent. I managed to complete 2 rounds (yes, a show with 5 runs for the dogs) but they were slow as he was looking elsewhere all the time, totally unfocused. Still he managed two clear rounds - 29th (ha! ha!) in the KC Novice Stakes (3-5 combined agility) and out of the places in the Large 3 to 5 Jumping. These 'harder' courses definitely suit him better than the 1 to 3 courses.
Amber was also off her head - in Amber it takes the form of being snappy around other dogs, and getting dangerously under my feet. We completed a couple of courses but pulled out of the others. If it hadn't been for seeing loads of people I haven't seen for a while, and enjoying the sunshine, I would probably have come home early. Not my best day.....
I nearly didn't go on Sunday. But Jules persuaded me to give it another try, and I'm glad I did. I decided to concentrate on Bryn, which meant Amber got pulled from her classes as soon as anything went wrong. Actually this worked better for her than fighting her the whole way round the rest of the course. But no places.....even at a show that was generous with rosettes.
I had worked out my strategy with Bryn - a mixture of aversion therapy and high rewards, so with the help of lots of people, some of whom I didn't know at all, I 'prepared' Bryn to go into the ring. Just one person refused to help when asked, and unfortunately this was the one person Bryn wanted to get to more than anyone - and was standing alongside the ring when I took him into his first class. As I took off his lead he shot off to try to find this person, couldn't in the crowds ringside, but stayed inside the ring and came back to me pretty quickly - the aversion therapy and rewards for playing with me had already begun to work. So, not a complete disaster. We set off together, were doing quite well when I took the wrong course (I'd just been in with Amber on the 6/7 course just before, and worked the combination of jumps from that course instead - doh!)
Each ring we went into got better and better - lots of rewarded tricks in the queue, lots of focus onto me. He went clear in Jen Lewis' Large 1 to 3 Jumping, but was just out of the rosettes because he was still a little distracted in the ring. His best round was Helen Taylor's 3 to 5 Agility where he really worked the course - except that I was slack on the weave entry and pulled him to the second gap instead of the first. So 5 faults, but a very nice run. In fact, I was complimented on his 'excellent running contacts' by a very well known handler (I do 2o2o.....but with an instant release)
By the end of the day I was a lot happier. I know that there is a lot more work to do still to break the 'meet and greet' habit and get him obsessed with the agility and me instead, but he responded so well. Many thanks to Kathryn Tasker and Niki Keeler for their advice with this, and to my friends for their practical help and support.

It's been a while

It's been a while since I posted as I've been in the Midlands with my family, visiting my dad in hospital (yes, he's still there - week 6) and staying with my mum. It was a roller coaster of a week, with my dad being fine at the weekend then critically ill with renal failure on Monday, then slowly making some progress back towards health again. The hospital he's in is great - all the staff have worked their socks off to improve his condition.... and the food is great!! (very important to my dad!!)
The dogs went into daycare down there at a kennels just 5 minutes from the house. It was galling to see how happy they were to leave me to go to their playschool for the day!! By day 3 they were waiting at the door to get into the car in the morning before I even called them. But, to be honest, they were just as happy to come home again at the end of the day.
I finally found Arrow Vale Country Park and lake, and took the dogs there each morning for a walk. It was a beautiful place and lovely to watch the herons fishing, and the swans, geese and ducks swimming the lake with little ones in tow. The dogs liked 'watching' the rabbits......and the cyclists.....so mostly had to stay on lead.
Then back home here, and last night we had Katherine Palin, the McTimoney chiropractor, come to the club to assess some of the dogs. I took Amber and Bryn, and was pleased with her assessment of both - very reassuring at the start of the busy part of the summer agility season. I think the other handlers were also pleased to have her professional opinion, and I'll look into asking her to come again later in the season. As Amber and Bryn are to have a 'quiet day' today (tell that to them!) Corker benefited by having an extended walk and ball throwing session all to himself. He was a really happy laddy!!

Shivers down your spine....Update!

I heard today that a dog trainer in Bradford had her van and dogs stolen last night while she was locking the gates at Bierley Communtiy Centre Bradford BD4 after a training session. As you might imagine, she is beside herself with worry for her dogs, one of which is quite elderly.

So, if you see a white Vauxhall Vivaro van with paw prints on the doors and reg letters T14PAW, call the police!!

The dogs are pictured above - both had collars on and they are both microchipped.

Please keep your eyes open when you are out and about - the van could be anywhere by now, so they dogs could also be anywhere. Call 07866212047 if you see the dogs or know where they are.

News flash!! Both dogs have been found - minus their collars and tags - not far from where they were stolen. They are now back home with their delighted owner!!!!

Harrogate Agility Training Society Show

This is just a nice little unaffiliated show run at the NAWS venue by HATS to raise some funds for their club. There were about 110 dogs in all, with classes in agility and jumping for all grades and pre-competition too.

My day started on a dodgy note - straight in the ring with Bryn for Grade 3 large Jumping - now you can't go straight into the ring with him; you have to potter about the rings for about half an hour to get him over his excitement of being at a show with all these potential friends to play with.... So, after he had lapped the ring four times (yes, really!) he was ready to focus on some work. Unfortunately, I had stepped into a shaft of sunlight, blinded myself, and triggered the migraine I had been controlling all week. So we set off on the mostly left handed course, with me unable to see anything on my left side! Not surprisingly he knocked down a pole. Second run at jumping - same thing again, just I could see even less, and it was a different pole. And he was trying to work well on a very nice course.

Next up was Amber in Grade 6/7 small/medium jumping. Luckily I could see by now! A good Grade 6 type course, with some handling early and middling, but a huge run on a straight line down the centre to finish, and Amber doesn't usually like straight lines, so my hopes were not too high. First run - a pole down early, so we went into training mode, with lots of sits and restarts, breaking the course down into sections - then the cloth tunnel came unpegged as she went through it, so we got a re-run! This time she rolled a pole later in the course, so more training from there on, but we were both a lot better. Then for our second (well, by now, third) run - and it was almost perfection - no poles down, better handling, good lines - I was well chuffed!! AND she did the run for home every time without a look backwards! WE WON THE CLASS!!!!

Didn't run Amber in the agility as she had already done 3 long runs, so it was back to Bryn again for Grade 3 large Agility. First run, I pushed him quite hard but still made sure he nailed his contacts and saw the weave entry, and he got a reasonable clear round, and was lying second at the end of run 1. The second run, I pushed him still harder, instant release contacts, beautiful independent weaves, and he was definitely going faster and shaping better into his tuns, until he took out a pole on a curve, after which I began holding his contacts etc. I think he spotted his lead which the lead-person had dropped at the side of the course rather than put on the table like before, because as we came back round the same bit for the finish, he shot off to grab it. Never mind - he still came THIRD!!

I always feel guilty about Corker at shows, but once I had done my stint scribing I took him out for some walks and ball throwing in the sunshine. It was a really warm, sunny Spring day with most of us in tee shirts, and we both enjoyed wandering around the fields looking at the horses. Let's hope the rest of the summer lives up to this early promise.

What an Easter Weekend!

Eventful, to say the least! Before going I'd had to borrow a battery charger as the engine on the camper was dead - despite all my efforts over the winter to keep it topped up.
Arriving at Winterton for the Dog Vegas Easter Show I discovered that the gas regulator was also dead - so no hot water, fridge, heating, cooking......... luckily brilliant friends looked after me and when Bob Scott heard on Sunday he leant me his spare regulator straight away. That hot shower was wonderful!!!
Then on the way home, just as I was cruising at 70mph on the M62 and musing about what a fabulous show it had been, the camper suddenly became possessed and careered all over the 3 lanes and the hard shoulder - several times. It took me about 2 seconds - or a lifetime as it felt - to realise that a rear tyre had blown, and I was really lucky that there was no-one beside or behind me at the time as the road was quite busy. I managed to remember not to try to brake, and to steer lightly because of the power steering, but I daren't take a hand off the wheel to use the gears to slow it further. Anyway, we finally came to a straight and calm halt on the hard shoulder, and about 40 minutes later a breakdown van arrived to change the tyre for me (I was still shaking too much to do it myself) and 10 minutes later all was over. No-one, no dogs and not even the camper was harmed or hurt - but I never want to go through that again!
Yet, despite all these things, and the drizzly weather and chilly wind, my remaining impression of the show is that it was wonderful. So many of my friends, and people who I have trained, got superb results (see the White Rose Blog http://whiteroseagility.blogspot.com/) and almost everyone seemed in such a good mood - first camping show of the new season. Bryn and Amber only managed a clear round each - not fast enough sadly, but with places only to First in Amber's classes, there wasn't going to be much hope of points for a nine year old dog. Bryn bogged off twice, but I think I know the reasons for that and can, I hope, avoid it happening in future. He dropped a few poles when I turned too sharply (Amber-turns) so I must stop doing that! But so many people including judges commented positively on his contacts and weaves - good stuff little man! And we managed to measure 35 dogs over the weekend, mostly first-timers, so it looks like there will be quite a few new human and canine faces around this season.
So, today I'm replacing tyres and regulators...... :((
PS Dad update - he's feeling fine but movement to a Community Hospital for the next stage has been delayed as he now has MRSA and cellulitis. He didn't have either when he entered hospital.....

Sunny Scunny

Sunny Scunny lived up to its nick-name - only a few minutes of drizzle early in the morning, then the sun shone - chilly wind to be sure, but it's near the Humber, isn't it?
I always enjoy judging, though I wasn't 100% sure about the courses for this show. They were ones I used about 10 years ago - at the same show! - though tweaked a bit to try to take account of the changes in handling styles.
The Pedigree Trek Pairs qualifier started with a long fast outrun round two sides of the ring, then through the weaves into a technical box-ish bit, where the handler's spatial awareness was important, then a spread and a hurdle to finish/changeover. The three top pairs were phenomenal - driving the dogs but never letting up on the control. It was great to watch.
The Graded 6 & 7 Jumping took the opposite route - first a technical section, then the weaves, then a fast run around the outside to the finish, so, hopefully, there was something for all dogs somewhere on the course. Again, the winners were amazing to watch. My heart was in my mouth, willing the dogs to drive on to the finish after completing all the rest. Quite a few handlers got a bit too focused on the early pull past, and took their eyes off their dogs for a split second - which you can't afford to do at this level of competiton.
It was nice to hear so many positive comments about the courses, both before and after the classes. I always worry about my courses, there's always something I might change with hindsight, and these kind words are so reassuring. I was especially pleased with the number of people who said it was so good to have some courses that you had to think about and work on, that were not just running courses for fast dogs and handlers - like me, they said that they hadn't worked and trained to get their dogs to Grades 6 & 7 just to run straight courses, but to show off their agility skills.
One of the relaxing features of the day for me was knowing that my dogs were being well looked after by some friends while I was judging. In fact, the dogs were so well exercised, that they fell asleep as soon as they got home, and didn't wake up until this morning! Many thanks!!!
Back to Winterton again next weekend for the Dog Vegas Easter Show. This time I'll have to get my skates on and run Amber and Bryn, and it will be me that's exhausted, I think!
PS To everyone who has asked about my Dad, thank you for your interest and concern. He is making steady progress now, and has begun physio and occupational therapy to get him walking again. It's going to be some time yet before he's back home and fending for himself, but there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel.

Update on this week.

What a roller coaster this week has been!

My Dad's broken hip has been scheduled for surgery every day - but there have been constant complications. Finally, on Saturday afternoon we were told that the complications meant that the surgery was potentially life threatening, but that it needed to be done straight away if it was going to be done at all. Family conference - my Dad decided to take the risk and go ahead.

He has a knack of making good decisions, my Dad, and all went well. I'm glad to say that he is now in recovery, and hopefully he will continue to make good progress.

It's the second time in 30 years that I have done the dash down the motorway to be at his side in a hospital, hoping to get there in time, and it's not at all nice!!!

The highs and lows....

After Ireland, I just had time at home to pick up the dogs from kennels and change suitcases before heading south for my Dad's 90th birthday - yes, 90! He and my Mum (88) are very active people, so we had a great family birthday party on Friday, followed by another celebration on Saturday at my sister's house, followed by going out for a very posh meal on Sunday (Mothers Day too!)

Except that my Dad slipped on loose gravel as he was getting out of the car - and broke his hip (the other one). So all the highs of the week ended on rather a low note at the local hospital where he is now enjoying the hospital food rather than the slap-up meal he was looking forward to.

Beannachtai Na Féile Pádraig

It always rains on St Patrick's Day....but not this year!! This year the Irish Kennel Club's Celtic Winners St Patrick's Day Championship Show was held in bright sunshine, and the crowds poured in!

Flew out to Dublin on Monday 16 March to warm sunshine. After booking in to the hotel, Sarah came to pick me up and whisk me off to lunch at a pub, followed by a trip up to the National Centre showground where she and Cheryl, Pat, Liam and Frank were going to be doing some agility training. It was so good to see everyone again! And fascinating to be a specatator while Cheryl worked with Sarah on gettin Fionn to get his up contacts. At the end of the afternoon they all helped me to set up my Premier course for the next day - but without numbers! I left them with a puzzle - try to work out what the course would be when the numbers went on - none of them got it right!

Sarah dropped me back at the hotel in time for me to have a shower and change, and go down to a meeting with the other judges and the IKC officials. Except that this was Ireland, so the meeting turned out to be free drinks at the bar followed by a fabulous dinner in the hotel. And what excellent company too! Some amazing stories were being told, with much laughter and hilarity. The party broke up at about 11.00pm as we all had to be fresh for judging the next day.

St Patrick's Day dawned bright and sunny, which apparently is completely out of character, and we were taxied to the show ground to begin judging. Bob Beesley and Steve Rutter went off to set up the obedience, and I went to the agility ring - the rest were indoors so didn't get the benefit of sunshine (or the sneaky chill wind!).

It was lovely to see so many familiar faces - and quite a few new ones too! I was fortunate to have Mary (Bailey) and Mark O'Brien as my scribe and time keeper all day, and they were so efficient! People willingly helped to alter jump heights and courses as needed - that sort of support makes judging a real joy!

The courses I set were well received, though apparently a bit more difficult than they were used to.....got that wrong then!! However, the competitors all seemed to enjoy trying something that was a bit different to what they were used to. The only potentially down point was when a spectator's boxer dog came into the ring and repeatedly tried to attack the dog that was running - not a good idea when that dog is an entire male kelpie....luckily no damage was done to either dog, but obviously the incident had to be reported to the Irish Kennel Club just for their records. When the boxer was evetually caught and reunited with its owner, the kelpie completed its round as if nothing had happened - good lad!! He was so well behaved and restrained throughout the incident.

After the agility finished and all the presentations were done, I had to say farewell to all my lovely friends (Nuala, Liam, Sarah, Olive, Frank, Mark, Mary, Heather, Orma and many others) as I was going to do some measuring training with the new IKC measurers. BUT I will be seeing everyone again in a few months when hopefully I will have a bit of time to just chat with them.

The training went well too - lots of pertinent questions, and lots of inside information about the new regulations that come into effect in May. Again, it seemed to go well.

Luckily, we finished just as Best in Show was being judged - and the amazing Border Collie Sh Ch Tonkory Move Over to Huntly won again!! He is a truly fabulous looking dog, and was a popular winner.

Back to the hotel for another shower and change, more drinks and another fine meal, regaled with stories from Geoffrey Davies who is a wonderfully funny raconteur, and a very sweet man.

Late to bed, and early to rise for breakfast and departure to the airport at 7.00am - and the long morning's journey home.

It was very sad, again, to be leaving Dublin - but it was so lovely to see my own dogs again. I had really missed them!

(Photos of the Show can be found at Blackblur Photography at

http:// wwwblackblurphotography.com/portfolio52244.html)

Pleased!

Oh, I was pleased with both Amber's and Bryn's agility training this week! Amber, on Wednesday, was working almost as well as she has ever done despite having turned 9 earlier this week! (Whoops! Missed another birthday!) She was fast, accurate, turning on a sixpence, happy to pick up FXs, RXs or BXs without a hesitation - none of this steadying into a turn for her! Just swing on your hocks and go! She did an amazing dogwalk - s**t off a shovel as they say. What a pity we weren't timing her!
And Bryn, last night, was really up for it. At last I managed to get back into a competition mindset, rather than a training one - I think I have found the cue word I need to change in competion mode now. We were, apparently, the only partnership that got the staggered pull/push through right, ie tight and straight, not loopy, and he was happy to be sent out or to work in close to me. He was a bit fazed by someone walking their dog next to the weaves while he was doing them - and I mean about a foot away!! And he began to offer me some proper waits on the start line again - all the training is starting to pay off!
So, a glorious sunny Spring day today, and a real lift to my spirits.
PS Corker is wonderful too.....just shedding great lumps of moulting hair everywhere he goes.... you wouldn't think a smooth coated dog could lose so much without going bald.

Sunday

Sunday afternoon Bryn and I went training with Janet Nero. It wasn't bad, but didn't exactly go as planned....
I went early so I could do some start line training outdoors on my own before the indoor session began. So it hailed and rained and I went to have a coffee instead.....
I had gone with the intention of trying to get back into a competition frame of mind, and out of the puppy-training mind-set. Janet had similar ideas for us, as she began by applying some pressure - a £10 refund for the person with the fastest clear round on the mini-course! I don't respond well to pressure - I already provide enough internal pressure of my own, and obvious attempts to pressure me lead to me opting out. So, instead of being competitive, I very deliberately put in a training round - doh!!! And once in that mind-set, I couldn't get out of it - damn!
BUT the boy did some good stuff - kept his start lines (yay!!!); nailed his contacts, easy-peasy weaves each time; layered - all good stuff - took the 'out' command a little too literally (oops!); the 'steady' work led to a complete stop - maybe need to lighten up on that command a touch LOL!; and he didn't eat too much of the wooden chipping that makes up the floor surface.... I got a chance to refresh some handling, not recently having a dog that would work away from me so well as Bryn, particularly some shaping through spaces.
Came home pleased with the boy, less pleased with my mental attitude though.
See Rob's account of the same session at http://robandmaggie.blogspot.com/

Two Down, One to Go...

Just heard the good news that Rupert is safely back home (via the police station....)

So, Corker's home; Rupert's home;.....just leaves Freddie to prove that the superstition about things going in threes is correct......please!!!!

Missing!

These last couple of days have been filled with missing dogs.

First I had a call to say that Freddie, a missing Border Collie belonging to a friend of mine, might have been sighted about 7 miles from where I live. So I drove over to the area, spoke to the person who saw the dog, and it sounds very hopeful. I left some food down where she had been seen, and it had gone when I went back this morning. BUT of course, it might have been eaten by a fox or cat or another dog or...well, any animal. So, we can't raise our hopes too high yet, but this dog has been lost for nearly a year now, so it would be marvellous if it turned out to be Freddie.

Then I heard that another friend's working Cocker Spaniel Rupert had run off from home, and hadn't been back for two days. He is very friendly, and hopefully is being looked after somewhere and will be home soon, but so far there have been no sightings (not even by highways at the side of a road, which is good news)

Then, to make sure I really understood these friends' anxiety and stress, Corker disappeared while we were out for a walk this morning - just vanished in a twinkling of an eye. Luckily for me I found him half an hour later scavenging around some tents that had been set up across a footpath in the Nature Reserve (I ask you!!) about half a mile from where he went missing. He was unimpressed by my anxiety....We have had 'yoofs' tenting before and these seemed set to continue the practice of leaving their litter, empty beer cans and cider bottles around for the rest of us to clear up, judging from the mess around their pitch (not all due to Corker's efforts!) I hope he peed on their tents!

So, not a good few days at the moment. I can't help worrying about Freddie and Rupert and hoping that they will be back home safe and sound soon.

Agility Cattle Dogs!

I spent today with a group of Australian Cattle Dog handlers and their dogs (and one or two other breeds) working on their agility skills. The group's aim is to compete in some team events as an ACD team, but first we need to get them all up to standard. We worked on contacts, turns, send ons, positioning and line, and some weaves. The youngest dog was a 6 month old, gorgeous red girlie, so we were able to talk about how important interactive play is, and how to prepare a puppy for agility in small doses. We did tiny recalls and send ons over poles on the ground and through a wide weave channel (just 4 to 6 weaves) and through a tunnel. Quite enough for a baby!!

The most experienced dog/handler partnership was Kylie Birch and her blue boy Tooey (sp?). High drive, accuracy and suppleness - just some tweaking to do after his 3 month layoff. Watch out in the ABC Qualifiers!

In between we had all the range of experience, which made for interesting work as we needed to break things down for some dogs, and extend them for others, so spectators (if they were watching) could see what the foundations should be and what sort of progression to expect.

After a chill out at lunchtime, we tackled a couple of courses using the morning's learning. I was really impressed with the progress made, in handling and in the dogs' confidence.

The day was held at Staverton near Daventry, at the ground used for the agility trials for the European Open team selection in April, so you get some idea of how spolit we were with facilities, equipment, and warm welcome. And the sun really shone, and the day was mild, and all the dogs were lovely, and the handlers were great. Hope we can find time to do it all again sometime!!

For more details of ACDs, go to : http://www.acdsocietyofgb.com/

Mad March

I'm really looking forward to March - it's going to be a fairly mad time for me, with a number of very different, exciting things to look forward to:
Firstly, there's the Agility Training Day that we are running specifically for Australian Cattle Dogs. These dogs have so much energy, enthusiasm, suppleness and drive that it's going to be great fun! perhaps this will be the first of a few get-togethers for ACD agility dogs?
Then, it's off the Dublin to judge the agility at the Irish kennel Club's Celtic Winners' Show aka The St Paddy's Day Show. Dublin on St Patrick's Day - woohoo!! The craic will be good I expect....
Immediately after that it is my father's 90th birthday celebrations - guess why he was called Patrick by his Irish descent mother? And Mothers Day too, so both parents get to be cossetted and fussed.
And then it is the Final show in this year's Northern Agility Winter Series, with the final results of the Championship League, the distribution of the glitzy Champion rosettes, and the donation to Tia Greyhound and Lurcher Rescue - we are hopine someone will come to the show to receive the cheque, which is looking healthy at the moment.
And somewhere in amongst all this, I will be training my dogs ready for the onset of the outdoor Agility Show Season in April.
Ain't life grand!!

Of shoes - - and ships - - and sealing-wax - -

I always loved Lewis Carroll's books as a child, and thought this was quite a good description of trivial talk.
So, some more trivial talk.
Had two lovely walks with the dogs today. First with Bryn on his own - he was racing around the hillside, chasing and retrieving a ball on a rope, when suddenly we were joined by a very fast, very spunky little terrier cross called Millie, and the pair of them flew around together having a great time until we came to a parting of the ways. What an amazing agility dog that little one would make!!!
I took Bryn back home and brought Amber and Corker out, and lo and behold, we met Millie and her owner again. Now Amber isn't usually too sure about strange dogs, especially strange female dogs, and Corker is always a bit 'in your face' but again a huge game developed, with Millie teasing the Cattle Dogs and getting them to play fast dodging games. It was lovely to see Amber and Corker playing with someone else's dog. Later in the walk Poppy, a lovely black lab, came to join us. Poppy is a regular companion with her owner, so again a game developed, and we were then joined by a big red and white border collie (descended from the fabulous Mr Chips of Mary Ray and looking so like his great-great-grandfather) Now, Corker isn't too keen on red and white collies, nor large, entire males, and this was both, so I held my breath.... but needn't have worried because yet again it was 'game on'.
And the sun shone..... and it was mild.......and the birds were singing.......and all was well with the world.

(Just for the curious, here is the verse from 'The Walrus and the Carpenter' that gives this bit of trivia its title:
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings.")

Training on Sunday

I take Bryn to Janet Nero's 4PawsAgility club each week - it's great to be able to concentrate on training my own dog rather than feeling I need to watch other people, help them, design exercises etc, and Bryn has come on well there. So I jumped at the chance to join an extra 3 hour training session yesterday afternoon, especially as we have had no agility training all week because of the snow and ice.
Initial aims: to stop him from going off to visit people and to reinforce the wait on the start line. Anything else - a bonus.
Lots of bonus then!! There were only about 6 of us, so we had plenty of opportunity to try out different ways of working exercises - flick flacks, box work, sendaways, redirects, run pasts and more - all focusing on higher drive, better lines, better positioning and cueing. I really enjoyed the afternoon, and Bryn was a good boy! And we had results from the initial aims as well - let's see if they carry through.
As we were leaving it was just starting to snow again, and we had another inch or so overnight. You can have too much of a good thing.......

Why be different?

Everyone is busy posting pictures of snow, so this is our 'playground' today.

This is where we walk everyday, but it doesn't always look as magnificent as this!

What have I learned?

The training day with Di Talbot was cancelled today because of the snow, so off we went for some snowy walks, and I discovered:
that Bryn's sparkly white bits are actually creamy beige;
that Bryn doesn't really know how to play with other collies;
that Amber leaps like a kangeroo when chasing snow balls though snow drifts;
that Poppy the local labrador can run faster than Amber in snow because she has longer legs;
that Corker can still find someone's lost tennis ball from under 6 inches of snow;
that all the dogs think that Zak the local JR cross terrier is an amazing playmate in the snow, despite dispising him usually.......
A few inches of snow and this country comes almost to a stand-still, and the adults all revert to being kids again - one of the neighbours deliberately parked his van across the road so that the local little kids could use the sloped top of the road for sledging! Lots of fun - and the mulled wine was good too.