...and for the "Dog Agility" Folks

Harry "v" Mindy in a jump off!
They're so much FUN, these "Small" dogs!

I Love em........

Have a great weekend everyone, the sun is out.............

And, Ian is going to let me on the mower! yippeeee

"Go On" Mindy !

Just a short video of Mindy who's rapidly heading for her 1st Birthday!

We have three toys she loves, her tuggy, a tennis ball, and a holey latticey ball thingy! really though when we go training we take all three for Harry, as he goes off toys quite quickly, so it depends on what he is doing to what toy is the higher value for him, as for Mindy, well she is just a "give me the darn toy" dog! Bless.

A Snowy "Pit" Video

Please excuse the videoing, it's really hard to walk and video at the same time, I thought I could multitask? I think the answer is clear.

Ian this week is working at "Cold Rose" (military base) he called to say he had made it down there, but was now sat in the landrover waiting for an escort on to the base, which could take a while as not a lot of people had made it to the base - yet!

I just love the snow, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

Wish Ian was at home, making fun in the snow, with us all!

Harry pulled it off!

Here's one of Harrys wins in G4 agility at pembrokeshire, taking him into G5



and not to miss Buzzy Bear out, here is one of his fab jumping rounds! Well for Buzz and I it is! Go Buzz, Go. Maybe we can get it together after all, I did feel slightly sad watching Aly and Lisa running him over the past week and seeing how that, their extra leg length, helped drive him along! you had better turn the sound down as Ian is chatting to his mate Mike at the same time as videoing - multi tasking !!!!! note he managed to miss the pole going down - well I think it did!



and here is Mindy and her Dad enjoying the only day of SUN that we had all week!

Just, some photo's this week

I've been lent a small skateboard from Nicky at Hawksflight, so I can teach the small guys something new!
Mindy (15 weeks) took to it like a, Duck to Water, whether that is because I have been teaching her to walk on a homemade cardboard wobble board and other odds and sodds. Harry seems to be happier just sitting on it, but these photos are of our first introduction to the "skateboard" this morning!

So, not bad I think. (good English - just for MUM!)



and Here's the promised photo of Harry's Pairs partner winning haul, Nellie KC name is: North Somerset Nellie.
More to come - I think!


and lastly if you really want to know how we did agility wise over the weekend, read on:

Harry and I where away with the Devon Fairies!
I think because most of our courses have been 1-7, so therefore alot easier than 4-7 which he is now, so I have to start "upping the anti" (spelling) and start to teach ourselves harder things.

Buzz was well and truly away with the fairies.

Red well off course she was good! I thought I saw the judges hand go up for my hairy seesaw, IMO I should have been faulted, I did a reverse turn in front of it, which pushed her forward, so it didn't touch the floor and only just went past the pivot point, but I wasn't the judge! anyway I held her on the rest of the contacts and we where 3rd, I pushed her too hard in the jumping and she had a pole, so I was naughty and didn't work the rest of the course.

Got to go, the postman has just chucked the "agility Voice" through the letter box and I need a cup of coffee!

My "back in the old days, School" friend has arrived!

My School friend has arrived with her Husband and two boys - I say boys, one is taking their driving test next week! Where has the last 30 years gone? now that is scary!

They decided, they would bring all their camping gear! and Lottie the Jack Russell x Collie, no they aren't agility folk! Yes we do have friends that don't do agility.

I did offer them the caravan, that is in use too.
When I went down to see them this morning there they where in their "PJ's" cooking bacon butties!

It is great seeing them all.
They have gone down to St Ives, Tate gallery today as it's RAINING - again.

Good excuse not to train my contacts this week! Well the "A" frame. Mind you, Buzz would have to stop at the bottom, or he would be in the tents!

Happy Days.

It's all been happening!

What a long weekend, in a good way thou.

Firstly:
Well done to Mine and Harry's pairs partner, for winning out of G3, by winning 1-3 agility class at the Blackdown AC Show on Sunday. Hopefully Chris will send us a picture of Nellie and her trophy to put on here. (but you can see a video off our first pairs together, further done the page!)

Secondly:
Harry won another Jumping class.

Thirdly:
Lisa Hughes and Elwyn (Lanchashire Heeler) won another CC Ticket (showing) check out her website "Down on the Dunes" on my links, Well done mate. Hopefully she will be updating her blog now with gossip and photos!

Agility Club show - Newbury showground

It was great to see everyone, as I hadn’t been up country, since September 2007 last year.

Reasons being: The price of fuel, I hadn’t got a job to pay for fuel and entries (Ian wouldn’t have minded, I just felt mean spending all his hard earn’t money, just for my pleasure!)

I had managed to get a holiday job, so I started to enter more shows – yippee.

I left Mindy at home with Ian, for the weekend, especially as I was ring party on Saturday morning.

I found it hard, realising that I had only been out of the big competitions for 18 months and it had changed so much, so many new faces, with flying machine dogs, running contacts and the huge numbers in the classes, the standard was amazing, even in the lower levels.
Take for example the “Champ” class, my last Champ class with Red was Chippenham AC 2 years ago, there was 70 ish in the class and at the weekend there was 112 ish No I didn’t enter the champ class, I felt with Reds health issues it was a waste of time and money, I did love them thou and I miss them, I seem to work better with the pressure!
Red’s highest place in a final champ class was a 3rd, but in those days we walked away with not even a rosette to say we had made it too the final, “sad” hey. But I can remember the run really well and Big Bad Bess won the ticket with Shauna Lyons taking the RCC and Red 3rd. Red was clear in all 3 runs. Bless her.

Back to the show, I ran Red in just two of her 4 classes, one was a pairs, but my pairs partners hurt her self the day before, She was clear in both of her runs, but not fast enough, the 4 th class on the Sunday, I pulled her out off, as I felt it was to hard with too many spreads for an old lady to do! (My choice, if she had been 5 years younger, I would have loved to have had a go at it.)

Buzz, all most got a clear in his jumping class on the Sunday, he just landed so far out towards the wrong end of the tunnel, I did managed to pull him back to the right end, but we got a 5R. His agility rounds, he got his contacts, but came through a gap that wasn’t there! That is Buzz.

The main reason for going to this show, was to see how Harry would fair with the top dogs and I wasn’t disappointed, we had a 4-7 jumping, which we did manage to go clear in, but with two baggy turns and our not so fast weaves, we where just 3 seconds behind the winner, his other clear round was in the small KC Olympia, unfortunately he came down the “A” frame soured over the next two jumps and thought he was finished and headed for the lady sat at the ring side (pole picking up) I was screaming at him like a wild women, but he was convinced he was finished! So winter work, is to get Harry weaving faster and speed up his contacts, I think that is just a confidence thing with the contacts, he did get blown off the dog walk and I think his shoulder gets soar at times, which won’t help for contacts. So I will have to keep the holiday job going to earn some money to pay for the fuel and entries for next year and see if I can go up country more often.

Anyway here is video, kindly videoed by Chris's John, off Harry and Nellie doing their bit!

Help!

Tips wanted:

How do I become more exciting to Harry, than a teenage boy and a bacon bap in the score tent on the side of a ring!?

I know how Andy Hudson feels now (according to the Hudsondogglets blog) when someone throws their treats on the floor outside the ring, for him and his new young small dog, Kizzy.

Harry started the course (Andy Hudson course too!) fantastically, came around the corner to go past the score tent (on the side of the ring) and past the start, to promptly run into the score tent to see his buddy waiting for him with a bacon roll in his hands - I didn't see who was in the tent at the time, but retrieved him and restarted the rest of the course and he did it beautifully of course! I finished gathered him up after playing with his tuggy for then the "Said "person to come and apologise and say it was all his fault, I must admit I nearly clouted him one! (only kidding)
So I asked "said" person, not to talk, touch or look at Harry whilst he stood talking to me, that was very hard for both of them! We met up later in the day so they could have their usually roll in the grass time together!
Yes I've tried rolling in the grass with Harry too and we love it - he is just too happy to see everyone and loves both two and four legged persons!
Maybe it's just time.
any suggestion greatly received.

Having said that, he ran in jumping class in the next ring, the tent wasn't so close to the ring side and with getting stuck in the flat tunnel and rather a wide "QE2" turn came 3rd. So he can stay in the ring and concentrate.

This weekend he worked a dream in both jumping runs and won one and came 3rd in the other one, I think he's started to read the courses now, so when I have to bring him around on his self, we do have a fight, until he realises we have turned back towards the rest of the course, his weaves are starting to get faster, but I'm sure there is more speed there to come (he is faster at home, but still not as fast as he runs) His agility run, I struggled to get him through a tight pull through, so will be practising more tight stuff, just reluctant to stop his speed, if you know what I mean. But I think as long as I finish on a blast, we might be okay.

Red had a couple of places this weekend, Still waiting for Buzz to have his 2nd clear round of the year!!!!

Mindy has been out and about meeting Ducks, chickens and a noisey cockrell, she is still clean in the house! Her sits and recall are coming on nicely, and I've started to get her walking on different surfaces and started on her downs today.

Spring Watch

Both Ian and I love watching “Spring watch” on BBC2 every year and this year was no exception, we decided to join in with a few of their tips on how to encourage wildlife to your garden and as we love watching the birds feeding from the feeders, which we have located in various places around the garden, we thought we would attempt to make a few bird boxes – Yes, even I used a hammer and off course I got to paint them too (outside of the boxes only) Ian’s boxes that where made free hand were rather large, so I got the measurements from the web site and made some suitable for Blue Tit/Robin rather than blackbird, woodpecker ones!
Not that we have seen any woodpeckers here – Yet !


We had strong winds over the weekend and unfortunately it was too much for one large tree which fell over into the garden at the top near the house – I was very sad and “Mrs Grumpy" all day long. I wouldn’t let Ian chop it up, I made myself do it later on in the day, Yes we get some wood to burn in the winter, we have had to cut so many down since we have been here and I have a soft spot for trees. This one seemed so strong and healthy,we had put some feeders in the branches and enjoyed many an evening watching the birds feeding. That's life, I know.

Ian, started on the foundations of the new sheds today, thankfully the digger helped dig the trench, that's why we bought it – to make life easier.

I worked all the dogs on Saturday, before it rained. We tried doing some “grid” exercises (my interpretation of it!) and also an “S” shape line of jumps, this exercise was mainly for Harry, to get him to see things at different angles and pick up on them, he was good at picking up on the jumps, but I struggled turning him at the end to come back down the line of 6 jumps – it was like turning the QE2. So this morning I did some wrapping around wings with food and a clicker, then a toy and then progressed on to using my "stop arm" as a “Q” – Charlotte on her web page (Red’s mate Ricky, on my links) has done a great video of teaching Ember it, when she came to stay with her, this was totally alien for me, as I have always worked my dogs from behind, I’m gradually learning it! Red is great with it, this may be because now that she is slowing down, I can be nearer to her, Buzz can’t cope with it at all, too many hands/arms moving around and he hates me being anywhere near him (some times!)
Red has her second injection tomorrow, she is becoming a lot more relaxed now and not quite so "Mrs Angry", she has been playing a lot with Buzz, so I think she may be feeling a lot happier. Harry is missing out, as she only wants to rough and tumble with Buzz, he seems to only get to play with us or other dogs at shows or at club, perhaps we will have to get him his own play mate!!!!!
Watch this space.

Dog's Update

Well, Red and her Cartrophen! She is so bad tempered!
Maybe she is just feeling “so” good. I have had to restrict part of her exercise at the moment as, usually they can have run of all the gardens, as and when they want, but because she has been guarding all entrances and galloping along the footpath at the side of the property telling people with and without dogs that they are on her land and “get off”, I’ve shut two of the gates so she can only stay up by the house with us, she normally wants to stay with us all, but since Monday well!
I’ve spoken to a few people who’s dogs are on this and they have only noticed that the dogs are feeling more comfortable, getting up easier, want to play more, none have mentioned temperament changes. Red likes to be different.
Well, agility wise I trained her for the first time for over a week yesterday and haven’t noticed any difference yet, she kept all the poles up and grabed her toy at the end, she still has been stiff at night but that might be because she has been more active! So on too her second injection next Monday. She is learning the “Elephant” trick which for her has been more enjoyable than sticking her front feet in the washing up bowl (what is the point of all this - just a different experience for her!)

Buzz, has had his second day of Metacam, as recommended by the vets to see if that helps his blue tongue issue! Tricks wise, He is still struggling at putting his feet in the washing up bowl and there’s no way I’d ever show him how to do the “Elephant” trick, he is too tall, I would need to be stood on a couple of yellow pages, unless of course I’m teaching him the wrong way!
If you aren’t sure what the elephant trick is check out the Obay sheltie blog on my links or go to Utube and put in “elephant trick” I’m sure they will all come up.
He is great at waving thou and can even wave when he is in the down position, Bless him.

Harry can crawl now, but just following a titbit, I’m not going to do too much on that with his shoulder injury – just in case it hurts him, so we a proofing “the Bow” and a small amount of walking around on his hind legs, which he finds easy as that’s how he get to see further! He can put all of himself in the washing up bowl!
He has been a bad boy this week and taught Red how to jump on the dinning room table, I came home today from just being out for 15 mins, walked down to the garage for the paper and loaf of bread, to return to find her stood on the table with Harry! Ummmm Bad dogs.

Time Flies

Buzzy being Buzzy!

Another week has pasted – I’m sure time goes quicker the older you get!

Buzz’s results are back: basically the report says that: He (Vet) can’t really comment on pulmonary infiltrate on these films (x-rays) but there is nothing grossly significant!
Conclusions in association with history supplied:
I recognize a syndrome in Border Collies, which may fit this case. Unfortunately it is not properly documented so the name I give it in my report is “hot border Collies syndrome” affected dogs lie on their fronts and pant excessively, appearing to be week and have difficulty continuing exercise. The mechanism for these presumed hyperthermia cases is not established so management is the only option.
A muscle biopsy may give a definitive answer, but this is a difficult thing to get done on a practical basis.
You should consider other possible causes including intermittent arrhythmias, neurological problems and musculoskeletal pain.
Treatment of these: a short course of NSAIDs

So I can continue for a long as we see that he is not stressed (if we start seeing him stressed then we need to stop doing the things that are stressing him), cooling off before and after exercise might also help, I do already do the after exercise, but hadn’t the before exercise but he is sitting on his cool mat with a cool coat on at shows!
If signs start to get worse and he starts to cough etc. then we need to go back to the vets.

Prognosis – few cases are “cured”

Red started her Cartrophen injections to-day, the information on that said she may be a little quiet for the a day – not a chance she charging around guarding the front gate, but boy is she bad tempered.

Friday was spent mowing all the lawns, clipping the hedges and weeding (well I think they where weeds!) and changing the agility course that had been up for a week.

The weekend was spent being Ian’s Mate! Hold this, pass that etc. The Barn is now finished and has racking shelves, clock and now a dartboard fitted! Next project is the area in front of the sheds/barns, which in the winter becomes a nice mud bath, so we need to put something down, Ian wants to put chippings because it’s cheap, I hate chippings, Cornish chippings are all granite down here and would cost a fortune up country, but its white! You can get the other more colourful stuff but the price difference is silly! One of my friends has just invested in the Grass mat stuff, to do part of her drive. Hope that works, much nicer than looking at chippings!

Sunday – Ian took me too our local Vintage Tractor Rally!!!!!!!
Including, bikes and steam engines, ferret racing, lurcher racing and a dog show!
I should have taken my camera! (May-be not) I get the dreadful feeling Ian wants to change his hobby!
But they did have a little car boot sale and I managed to find some future garden pots, they are old iron drain pipe tops, I thought they may look nice on the end of the only concert stone wall that we have (the other shed) I said I could paint them black, Ian said green! Ummm we will see who wins that one at a later date.

Cousins Across the water!

...I went to see my Mum up in Dorset yesterday and my Cousin David and his wife Margarite where over from America, thankfully they are used to dogs as Mum has two retriever's and I turned up with 2 collies and a puff! and my Brother has his 4 dogs, 2 dobb's and two collies for them to meet! Dave and Margarite have a Rotty and a Lab. So by the end of our visit they where well used to other breeds!

Ian has almost finished the new shed, so now we have to empty the other 3 sheds into this one, so we can knock them down and re-build those out of brick! Good job Ian has a digger!
Check out Ian's scary mask on the welder - if you can see it!

Agility wise:

Well Harry pulled it off again, staying in the ring for both of his classes and winning the 1-5 jumping (yes we actually had a class this weekend, without having to compete against the 6/7's, not that I mind!) and his agility was totally my fault, I decided I wanted to practise crossing behind him when he entered the weaves, I just got my timing wrong and nearly kicked him - Poor dog.
note. to my self, must practise harder weave entries.
Red was 2nd in her 6-7 agility, which surprised me as we had a long run to home with a long jump and spread, she has never been good with that, she took off too early for the long jump, but managed to sort her self out for the spread. The Vet called and wants to start Red on a weekly course of Cartrophen (spelling) injection and see if that will help ease her spondylosis, so we start that next week. Thank fully I have some great friends out there in the agility world, that will tell me if they think its time to hang up her boots, if I don't realise it before them. There is nothing worse than watching a dog (whatever grade) struggling around a course, when they could just have a go at any size or retire altogether, I watched a German shepherd this past weekend that should be doing any size, I was surprised that the judge didn't say anything to the bloke! perhaps he just doesn't have the same friends as I have!