Happy birthday mate

It's Billy Woof's official 'birthday' this week - 7!!! If that makes him offically middle-aged, no-one told him!! In a way I can't believe it's only four years since he came along, it feels (in a good way) like he's been around forever. I remember meeting him at the RSPCA like it happened in slow-mo - he was led down the prison steps all worried and sad, but as soon as we met he flung himself at me with big snuffley kisses, he was absolutely totally 100% my best mate from that second. Awwww, he's taught me soooooo much and has grown so much himself from a fearful boy who could be sometimes reactive both with other dogs and people, to the most balanced, lovely, easy, fun, intelligent, loyal, kind dog anyone could wish for. We all adore you, handsome woofy one. xxxxx

Back in Action

Landy has been worth its weight in gold on the horrible roads of the past couple of months

We are back from an agilityless wilderness! Hadn't done any shows for weeks or training for even longer!! :-O Then last weekend we made it to Wilmslow at Myerscough. I didn't enter Tim coz I think the noise & bustle there is just too much for him at the moment, so it was just Miss Mouse playing. First run was surprisingly OK, she did very well, even nailing her weaves confidently which surprised me a bit after the break. I just pulled her off the Aframe the second time over it. I handled her like a three-legged dining chair so she did very well considering! Then her second run she really opened up! It was a big open course and we're starting to love running these type of courses together. I never thought she'd have the speed to be placed on these but she's suddenly become a very confident & really quite speedy little mouse!!! She finished 5th and I was well chuffed with that as there was some good competition. Billy & Jette had a lovely walk along the canal and it was a fab day out, even though I had to leave early to go to work, booo!
Then on Friday we actually managed to go to a training session! I was a little worried about how Tim would be as he's had such a break, but actually he was ever so good!!! :o) I don't want to speak too soon but it seems that my little chap may just be started to grow up a tiny bit, he was much more focused and not so clingy with people, and he seems less worried by other dogs nearby, good little man.
Then yesterday we went to Ribble. Had entered only half-intending to go, but fancied a trip out and it's not far so set off late morning (how civilised!!!) for just one run for each dog in the aft. The ring plan worked in our favour as it was in the small arena with just one ring - nice and calm. Again it was a big spread-out course. It was a hard one to walk as not only was I walking it for two such different dogs, also for each there were bits where I thought: if this is happening her I'll do A, but if that is happening then it's plan B. My little brain hurt! First up was again super speedy Miss Mouse!!! Our new startline method caused some giggles: I've started carrying her to the startline and revving her up in the air like a wind-up mouse and she hits the ground running at the first jump, she thinks this is hilarious and it sets her off as supermouse! Unfortunately (doh!) I wasn't clear enough handling for her when there was an either-end tunnel and she scampered past it so we got 5R. In the end though she ended up in 3rd place which was ace - she so deserved a rosette for her zoom! Tim ran the same course and tried hard. He found a 'sniff' on the startline and wouldn't focus so I had to move him from where I wanted him and he set off round jump one and it went a bit wonky. Got him back on course though and he did a respectable (& bloody fast!!!) run, with some lovely send-ons and turns away. He tried so hard to keep his listening ears attached and we thoroughly enjoyed the run. Billy did some nice spectating though caused my heart to nearly stop when he went from docile waggy hanging around to trying a mad leap over down from the gallery into the ring - I only just caught him ... cheeky man! It was a very very soggy afternoon and nice to get home and dry and snuggled in for the evening, full of renewed enthusiasm, agility rocks!!! :o)