Lazy sunny afternoon's..

Sennen having a rough playing session with her Dad!

Actually he is trying to get her belly exposed to give her a "Raspberry"!!

Now that's a face that has been on this planet before, well I think so.

Harry doing what he does best, sleeping! anywhere will do!

Grass having it's first cut of the year! watched on by Buzz.

"Mindy" - 27th march jumping.

So the jumps have gone up a little, in-between micro and small, going to give her one more go at getting to full height and it may take until next year to get there if we do, doesn't really matter, she's still so young.
I think it's because I only have Sennen and Harry working and Harry really doesn't do training so I end up twiddling my thumbs training wise and Sennen has been so very easy to train. So I feel I owe it to Mindy, as you can see she loves agility and really wants something to do, so as this is my chosen activity then so be it!

We have done big circles at this height with the jumps at different distances apart (grid work really but 9 jumps worth) she is bonkers and has had some spectacular crashes, where she took off way too early and I think even before the accident she would have done it too, but thankfully when ever I change something like now having an actual course for her to do with turns in etc, I get Ian to video so that I can actually work her and not watch, it's still very hard though and it's all "MY" fault she didn't turn right out the tunnel in the clip as my body (if you slow it down or even pause it, you can see quite clearly I am facing forward) is still saying go forward yet my command says turn right, but when I get both right she turns. She is really teaching me how important our bodies are to our dogs and from a distance too....

"Sennen" Running AFrame

last video of the day, Sennen's slow motion running "A" frames, the 3rd attempt wasn't good, so she wasn't rewarded for that one and she knew it, look how slow she comes down the next time, bless her, love the last one.

We used Dawn Weaver method, you need to check her web page out for details http://www.dawnweaveragility.com/ or follow the link on the right of this page at the bottom.

She's not quite got all her legs sorted yet, but I must admit I don't train it lots, as she's still only 17 months, actually come to think of it the last AFrame she did was in a private lesson over a week ago!
I'm one of those people that don't train everyday with any of my dogs, they are pets first not machines! WELL MINE ARE.
I just hate hearing that some people not only do their dogs not go for free running walks every day but just get their exercise by doing agility, but also that they train their dogs 5-7 x a week, crazy IMO. Right I'll get off my soap box!

"Red" training anysize

"Red" comes out and plays once every two weeks or so, depending on how she's feeling.
She still shouts going around, she still bites me and trys to jump up at me, think it may be time to put the jumps down to Mindy's height as she does miss judge a few, so rather than her hurting her self. She looks and feels well, no big lumps or bumps at the moment and long may that continue, her heart mumur hasn't got any worse and her HD in one hip isnt causing any concern either.
She still think she owns the lane outside the house and no one is allowed to pass without getting barked at when she's outside and she is still top dog. How can 13 years (nearly) pass so quickly?

Mindy's "Elephant trick"

Yes I know she's not an elephant!
This is another part of Mindy's physio which she gets to do 4/5 x a week, slowly, part on and off the carpet as that's another experience for her feet to feel different surfaces under them.
This is one of the few tricks I have never mastered with Harry, think I was just being impatient, so we will get there and do it, Sennen can, maybe that will be next winter "Joint" trick for all of them to do together...

21 tonnes!

Saw a neighbour down our lane getting rid of some top soil, we've already had 12 tonnes, chucked over the bank, but needed more, some for the veg patch and some to raise this area, so it doesn't flood! So I put on my mini skirt and.... No I'm liar, I actually just went and asked and they turned up with their 3 ton dumper truck and dumped 21 tonnes! that should keep us busy!

Saw this in the week and it made me laugh.

Dog's off to the chiro next week for their pre-season check up, so not a lot happening here, I'm still coughing, damm and blast it, doctors have put me on a "Brown" puffer now.

Lots of shows that really I would love to go to, but I'm not travelling far this year, maybe to Newbury Showground and that's it really, feel a little sad as I love meeting up with my buddies and watching lots of classy dogs and handlers, but hey ho, you cant do everything, maybe I would have thought differently if Mindy was running on full height.

Where did Feb go?

Cant believe we've been here in this little home for 5 years today, well Ian has, I moved in two days later as we had to break camp up, we had lived in our 2 berth touring caravan for 5 months in the bottom of a great friends garden with 4 dogs, 3 collies and Harry for 5 months over Cornwall worst winter in 30 years! November to March.

Anyway I still cant believe where Feb went, I was ill for most it, shorten version of events as follows!
Caught real "Man" flu and into the second week couldn't cope so went to Doctors for some meds, I had a mild chest infection, then came out in a mild rash which they didn't think had anything to do with the penicillin then had to go and have more meds in the 2/3 week, which I reacted to big time, waking up to find my joints all swollen, I didn't have any knuckles or ankles! and then the rash was back it was hell, itchy and blistering in places.... stopped the meds, prition worked slowly and soon felt better, except have been left with a stupid cough which is exhausting, so had chest x-rays. Last time I had been to the doctors was 2008! Never ill.....
So that is where February went! and I'm glad it's gone.

I have just been able to go back to walking the dogs for further now back up to an hour a day and weekends Ian comes too, Sennen as you can see has been busy, it's a shame I cant gut them, as it would save me having to go to the butchers each week for they bones. She's not interested after she's caught and killed them, but here she's been chased by Mindy and Harry.

Harry loves sleeping next to the radiator, well actually he like just the sleeping part best! Love this lad.

Mindy's Bump Jumps, being used for their second use, to start off the carrots, spinach, beetroot and spring onions, all planted and growing.

Ian's been really busy since I was ill, as he didn't really want to stay in and be nurse maid, not much fun, so he finished the veggy fence and made the 3rd raised bed, filled it with soil and compost from our very own compost heap, just needs a little more soil and we are ready to go.

and he put Mindy's sign up, planted a few extra shrubs that had wintered over in bigger pots. Fiddled with his Discovery, think it's almost sorted now, for the time being that is.

Crufts this week, wishing all my buddies going and competing a great time, I'm staying at home and watching it on TV.