Culture Clash

Very amusing few minutes this aft: Billy's ball went missing in action and so he went into gundog mode - nose down, methodically quartering the ground. He was closely followed by Tim in full herding mode - Billy is such an uncooperative sheep but Tim never gives up on him. And then we have Maisie laid down looking pretty and watching the daft boys charging around doing their stuff. Oh but then she calmly gets up and strolls across, immediately locates and picks up the ball and bogs off with it at 200mph - two boys in hot pursuit. She then lays down and has a good leisurely chew of the ball till she gets bored and wanders off letting them have their toy back. LOL!!! :o)

Wilmslow & Weaves

Wilmslow at Myerscough on Saturday. Maisie got very mucky and also got 6th in Doc's grade 1 agility and a jumping clear, and she ran really nicely and speedily in all her classes with some very respectable times. She's so much more zoomy in the colder weather - really makes a big difference to her.
Read an article somewhere recently arguing that the number of weave poles used in "the lower grades" may have a long-term effect on the dog's expectations. Just realised we've not had 12 weaves for yonks and hardly ever do at the winter indoor shows (yet the higher grades do, so it's not just a space issue!) Anyway, we had a big problem with weaves this spring/summer with Maisie quite consistently wandering out somewhere in the second half, and I think this was largely because she'd got so used to only doing six almost all last winter - and we've only just nicely got over this problem! So though I do get slightly more nervous on seeing twelve weaves in a course, looking at the bigger picture ... bring them on!

HATS

This was a fab show again - good fun and nice to see several people and dogs enjoying the magic of their first ever show.

Some brill results from "our gang" - specially Jules and Jette getting a well-deserved 5th in 1-2 agility!!!!! & Helen & Skip 1st in jumping and 4th in agility - yay!!!!! Maisie & I managed 3 E's - ooops! But also got 8th in the jumping, good Mouse :o) & Tim got to play in the pre-comp classes, thanks to them kindly taking a late entry on the day. The boy done good. The jumping was a good learning thing for both of us, though a bit weird having not walked the course!! Then in the agility our first run was a bit chaotic but we settled by the second one and had a super run - unfortunately some muppet had dropped something near the startline so he bogged off to sniff after the first jump and before the last, but then again it just shows he's not yet quite obsessed enough with focusing on working, though he was pretty keen! Apart from the start and finish, the rest of the round felt wonderful - what a buzz!!

It's a new experience running two dogs - and such different ones at that.

Things to remember when running Tim:

1) Don't try to race him - I won't win!! 2) Use my inside arm to push him out and on, especially on long straight bits - keeps my shoulders pointing the right way too 3) Breathing during the run might come in handy too.

Things to remember when running Maisie:

1) She's cleverer than me and sometimes gets things right when I try to go wrong LOL! 2) She doesn't pick up on such subtle body cues as Tim and I have to be clearer for her - when she engages mousey turbo boost I have to watch her and make sure I signal clearly so she turns when I do. I let her down twice on her agility runs - didn't matter though coz she had an ace time and great to see her running on confidently. 3) I do have to race her, and from her POV it's better if I cover at least twice the ground that she does and do plenty of foolish pirouetting (AKA front crosses).

And I just have to mention Jules' sloe gin/vodka ... heehee, 'nuff said!!!

Billy Woof FDG

Billy Woof has earned his Flyball Dog Graduate award - over 3000 points! (Actually he earned it in September but the BFA points system has a bit of a timelag.) Anyway that's a nice landmark and it's his third level award. To be honest, they're sort of awarded for turning up, though they accrue more points when the team runs faster, and they have done pretty well. What a good boy he is!!! Not looking good for training for him tomorrow as it's bucketing it down and forecast gales ... the poor lad is most unimpressed with the weather.

We survived the Bonfire Night(s) celebrations last week - mostly by avoidance. Managed to get both Billy & Maisie through it without lasting trauma this time. We went to a Dog Vegas indoor show (Grantham) last Saturday and it gave us a busy day out. The exercise field was huuuge so spent much of the day playing out with all three and trying to tire them - good fun. Maisie managed a couple of unplaced clears but we were both quite distracted - partly due to a nearby shoot, and partly due to a bonkers calling-in system which meant daft queuing, rudeness and rush. Oh well. Nice to spend the day with great company anyway - human and doggy, including the delicious scrummy baby Beardie, Pickle, she is just soooooooo beautiful!!! & Tim's girlyfriend Belle who chases his ball for him whilst he chases her adoringly :o)

Training Tim was good again this week, he's so willing. He did all jumps at the height below large for the first time and didn't seem to really notice a change from medium. Though speedy, he seems to be jumping quite accurately which is good. His wait's gone a bit squiffy but think that's coz he's twigged how exciting this agility lark is and he's struggling to contain himself heehee!

The ground's really swampy everywhere just now so The Swamp Monster is taking every opportunity to wallow - she's also "done" both cow and fox poo this week, in large amounts, what a lovely girly!!