Amazing Paws

Ginger-sheepdog-superhero

2012-01-04T21:43:00.000Z

The boy Tim donned his sparkly underpants on the outside of his fluffy trousers again the other day.

We've had some exceptionally severe weather round here this past couple of months - and that's notably worse than average for somewhere 1000ft up northwesterly-facing in the lee of the Pennines!! Most walks feel like an elemental survival battle more than a pleasant stroll. Tuesday was no exception when I set off for a late afternoon expedition with the three 'big dogs'. We were stomping up the path that takes us up onto the fields and this passes the field of a neighbour who keeps alpacas. Suddenly Tim ran back toward me and anchored on, staring worriedly into the field. He seemed to be staring at a stone but then, sadly, I made out the dead body of a tiny baby alpaca - hunched in an awful death pose and now almost covered with a blanket of the sleet which was pelting down in a galeforce wind. I felt so sad as I stomped on past - poor little sod had been a late-born 'accident' and had perished. But Tim would not leave it - he went into his 'bow' position and was trying desperately to burrow his nose through the fence whilst making the oddest crying noise and he would not leave the tragic little mound. He was so concerned I thought I'd better investigate for him. With that normal yuk feeling at touching something clearly very dead, I toe-poked it just to make sure - nothing. But still Tim whimpered. I was just telling him he was a very good boy for finding it anyway when I thought I saw one of its beautiful long eyelashes flicker! I climbed into the field and prodded it further - OMG it was just alive! Maisie Mouse now joined in the concern - she wants to nurse anyone who's poorly! (Billy was was like - 'err, sod it, come onnnnn, where's my bally!?' lol) Deciding it wasn't going to work taking all three dogs into the field with adult alpacas milling around I ran them all home and then ran back with Billy's spare warm dogcoat and wrapped the little thing in it and carried it down to the buildings and worked on warming him up. Sadly, on the way down I found an adult alpaca also in a really bad way and I could not get her up. Within a few minutes of rough rubbing and warming, the baby lifted his head and soon started to try to get up and stumble around!! Within about 20 minutes he looked amazingly chipper! Their owner then arrived and dealt with the adult who turned out to be his mother - she'd been very poorly with a growth in her throat and they'd been trying to keep her hanging on long enough to feed the little'un, sadly she couldn't make it but her suffering was quickly ended. But the little man had just started taking solid food and with a bit of luck - and thanks to our Tim - hopefully will survive ...

So the ginger chap may be a little random in the agility ring but what a bloody cracking sheepdog!!!! :o) Very proud of him. x

Clover is 1!

2012-01-02T18:27:00.002Z

It's the little blonde bombshell's official first birthday today. Happy birthday beautiful monster. xxxx

Proper collie pose

Wyre

2011-08-31T21:58:00.002+01:00

It was a total mudfest!!! Show cancelled on Saturday but went ahead Sun and Mon with improving ground. Not a whole lot to say really except it was extremely muddy! Maisie Mouse's first run on Sat could've been a stormer for her but there was a bit where I'd have needed to sprint to push her onto a tunnel and I was left floudering like Bambi on ice. (I ran her first in the first class of the day in the elusive ring 4 - so her path was fine, handlers' path was terrible just from course-walking!) The ground really improved through the day and, though I very nearly packed in for the day after that first run, we did do some more. Weavitis hit Mais again but she ran well. The cooler conditions have started to bring out much more zoomy Winter Mouse!!

Tim again was a little star, I can't believe how suddenly his confidence and joy in the ring have transformed! One Jumping run was just fab - we just pushed wide past one jump but crikey he was fast!!! Fast 12 weaves included. One of his classes on Sunday (Jules will like this!...) I walked the course for and was delighted at how handley but flowing it was - perfect for the boy, couldn't wait to run it, went up to the caller to get our ticket, not on the list ... ummm I'd walked the 4-5 course in the next ring by mistake!! So of course then made a bit of a bollox of the G3 course I hadn't walked. You've gotta giggle huh!

The weekend was lifted by some great cakes (Greyhound Gap) and puddings (we made Eton Mess, yumm my fave pud ever!!). Also the Champ class was so exciting to watch.

Then we came home and washed, scrubbed and scraped for days!

Puppy Clo is now just about 8 months old. I thought it might be time to start introducing props to our bits of basic training so I got out a traffic cone last night and took it up on the field. I started her off going round it either way about 6 times each way and she got the hang of that very quickly and thought she was ace. I took her off then for a wander and play round the field, leaving the cone to maybe go back to and do a couple of times again after. Well, we walked on but then I heard her doing her squeaky yipping and looked across to the other side of the field where she'd zoomed back to the cone and was play-bowing to me and staring at it with the biggest most enthusiastic grin on her pretty little face. Helllllllllp!!!!

Billy Woof ... I'm still getting sandy knots out of his bum fluff from West Lakes!!! LOL x


Slightly random pic of my new shed :o)

West Lakes

2011-08-25T23:14:00.002+01:00

The last half hour of driving to the venue tired on a rainy, dark Friday night, on windy roads, I was promising myself I'd not bother again, it couldn't possibly be worth the effort ... I was so wrong! The show has to be in the most stunning location of any agility show in the UK, probably the world!! Surrounded by big hill scenery, the venue itself (Millom rugby club ground, Haverigg) is perfect - flat, well-mown, well-drained, superb facilities - shower to die for, cheap club bar with hand pumps, lovely gang running the show. Oh and you just tootle off from the top of the rings over a narrow strip of dunes and you're on an idyllic beach!!!

The weather was quite kind - crazy blustery rainy late evenings, but daytimes were bright and dry with a perfect cooling sea breeze. We had a lovely supper from the village chippy, eaten on the front. After being knackered driving home too on the Sunday last year I opted to stop over till Monday and so we got some fab whole gang walks on a very quiet beach in at the end of the show. Ah yes, the show!.. We did indeed do some agility too! Maisie got a nice 13th place in G3 agility on the Saturday and she did some happy running in other classes, though has really gone off her weaves - must work on jollying them up for her!

Tim ... was the most consistent he has ever been over a weekend - & no, not consistently baaaad! He was such a good lad and really enjoyed all of his runs. On his first one he was so un-anxious that when he ran past the weave entry I felt able to gently bring him back to try again and he did all twelve, same on his next run, and then on each run after that he nailed his weaves, one even from a tricky angle, good boy!!!! One jumping run he ducked under the first jump (rushing to get to the weaves, ironically! haha) so I put him back and he went on to run clear! Ho hum. Another very nearly good clear was spoilt by a crap handler moment - I was so shocked he'd done the hard bits beautifully I failed to step back far enough when pulling him in round a wing and so of course he back-jumped. Couldn't be more pleased with him though - gosh, it's a journey for us both but we are getting there - wherever there is!! He has been quite challenging from the start, just coz he's such an anxious, easily-distracted little man, but I've never stopped believing he's got "it" in spades. Watch this ginger space!! ;o)

2011-08-19T11:08:00.002+01:00

Not much to report. We had a nice weekend at Hare n Hounds at Primrose Farm (up Barnard Castle way) again a couple of weeks ago. I'd entered Sat/Sun/Mon but didn't manage to get up till the Sunday morning due to a family happening - some good came out of this as they had the most horrific thunderstorm on the Saturday, bad enough to cancel the show, so I was very relieved not to have been in a tent with the scaredy pair for that. The rest of the show was good. Maisie ran a couple of clears - on fast courses and just missed on places but that was fine as she did enjoy them. Tim did some nice bits again, fair bit of muppetiness on Sunday but much better on both of his runs on the Monday. I was very tempted to stay for his third run but instead quit whilst we were ahead, finishing on a super positive note. The quiz in the marquee and real ale were great, puppies galore and so I took Clover in for a bit and she had a fab time, totally unfazed by rowdy crowds!

Work's fairly crazy for me at the moment and the dogs are all brill at how they fit in with a really random routine - them often, all or some, coming with me, or staying home for a bit then being swapped! Obviously Clover isn't left much yet, if at all, she's only 'ickle. She's about 7 1/2 months now though! Still growing like a ridiculous fuzzy weed and soooo delightful. She's not done anything agilityish yet but her basic stuff is coming along ace. She has a fab wait, proofed with thrown toys, not-quite release words, etc. she's so funny - very very VERY READY!!!... We've started vaguely on directions with little spins for treats/toys but that's about it. It's amazing how their listening vocabulary builds up without much conscious "training". She's a lot different to ditzy-social-butterfly-boy-Tim, very focused indeed and joyfully desperate to please me, bless her. She's more similar to both Maisie & Billy in that way but I'm sure with much more natural drive than Princess Mouse and (hopefully!?!) a little less natural lunacy than Billy Woof :o)

Last weekend was another one off. Ooo I do love weekends at home in the summer! & now we're all excited about this coming one away at the seaside for West Lakes, wooooo!

summer daze

2011-08-04T23:35:00.002+01:00

Eeeek! Where is the summer going? Seems to be flying by.

We went to Barnard Castle. It rained – a lot. We were pants –well, mostly. There was real ale though – yummm! And there was nice hotchocolate too! Clover had a fun little play with her new big pal Flynn, shecan’t wait till she’s big and strong enough to play proper roughy-toughy withhim! Then we came home and dried out.

Billy Woof - just coz he's handsome & shiny x

Then we went to Weardale, in the end … Setting off on theFriday night was scuppered – We were pretty much ready to roll and then Maisie& I popped out to get the car and trailer and then home to pick up the restof the dogs, and found Tim three-legged!! I was really worried for him as hewas clearly in some discomfort. Remembering to breathe and that he has previousform with seemingly-serious-but-not-really injuries I just gave him a cuddleand stayed calm for a bit. It was getting a bit late anyway so shelved the ideaof setting off north for the night, thinking we were probably going to end upwith a vet visit. Soon, though, the boy started to improve, and within an hour hewas back to looning round the house and garden – sound as a pound!!! I neverdid find the source of the problem, wonder if something could have stung him?Anyway, miracle over, time for bed and then an early start. It’s quite a longdrive (2 hours) up to the show but we arrived just in time to walk the firstcourse. Maisie wasn’t too happy, there was a bit of birdscarer noise, and wedidn’t run well together, I just can’t run her right at the moment, uselesshuman. Tim, though, pulled out on of his best runs yet. It was a 3-5 NoviceOlympia qualifier and he wasn’t far off clear, and fast!! Would be just typicalof him to flukily get well placed in something like that and qualify for a final thengo into a big ring and look like he’d never seen an agility course before!! Got to lovehim :)Anyway, of course we were e’d but he did some really special stuff on that andother runs.

We had a super evening in camp with Pimm’s and plum wine(not together!!), really enjoyable, sat out on the grass, steadily drinkin’ n’chillin’! It is a really nice show, almost surprising as it’s full of bigclasses – champ and qualifiers – but it retains a small, friendly feel. Thewalks along the river and around are smashing too.

Sunday turned into a too hot day. Maisie & I managed ascrappy clear and then retired to the shade. Tim did OK again, nice bits but I alsopulled him from his last run too – too hot. The day was marred by the ganghaving the most almighty brawl in our garden … Still don’t know what kicked itoff but Maisie seriously nobbled poor Billy (the most unlikely pair to fall outever), then when I grabbed her, Billy took it out on poor Tim who did reactback but looked equally surprised. Good girl Clo kept her distance and justlooked mildly surprised. Anyway, no blood spilt, just a lot of hideous noise, and peacereturned as quickly as it went and no-one held any grudges. Slightly disturbingthough, my gang are just not like that at all. Dogs will be dogs, I s’pose.

We’ve had some ace walks and playtimes at home in the longsummer evenings and a blissful weekend off last weekend. Far too many fairweather dog-walking numpties around at the moment though. Also, I’ve beenincreasing worried by some dogs up the road – three English Bull Terriers wholive in a garden we have to walk past to get up onto the fields. I’m sure they’renice dogs really but the bloke who owns them stand gormlessly and lets themlunge very aggressively at the fence and gates and, as they’re all builtlike brick outhouses, they are very intimidating indeed. I was feeling reallyfed-up about this as the only other way onto the fields is down the road andalong a single-track lane which is not much further but it had a blind cornerand the odd lunatic vehicle speeds round it, making it feel unsafe to walk twodogs on the narrow footpath, let alone more. Then I made a remarkable discovery!!!...A few years ago I saw a historical map of the area and spotted a right of wayvia “cat steps” up a snicket between cottages. By complete chance, Maisiewandered off on a sniff up on the fieldand I meandered after her, only to literally almost stumble down said steps!!So now we have this awesome new route onto the fields which it’s hard to believeI’ve not found before as it’s like 80yds from home!! lol! (They've obviously been rebuilt since - errr - 'historical' times ;o) & the land happens to be owned by a master craftsman waller.) Happy days.

Cat steps. Enid Blyton couldn't have written a better Secret Way!

At last! Someone who can tire Tim out! :o)

This weekend we should be back at Barnard Castle for a Haren Hounds long weekend … fingers and paws crossed.

Oh, and to end the most waffle-rambliest blog ever … Clover’sposh name has been approved by the KC: Mioruilt Golden Clover – ‘mioruilt’(it should have accents) being Gaelic for ‘miracle’, coz she so is. xxxx

AKA Little Miss Norty! :P

Lakeland hol, Otley, Rescue Finals, all go!

2011-07-14T23:49:00.002+01:00

Cool gang

Oh where to start with catching up?... We had a fantastic summer hol in The Lakes for Lune-Barrow week. It was very VERY hot and so we did very little agility! Instead doing plenty of chilling, walking, puppy socialising, eating, drinking, being merry, tripping to various pretty places and seasidey splooshing! Why would you let agility spoil a great hol? ;o) The very best best bit was an afternoon just me and the woofs spent on the beach at Ravenglass. We were in the Landy for this trip (& it chugged around beautifully!) and somehow I found myself driving right it onto the beach!! Goodness knows whether this was allowed but hey-ho, no-one shouted :P It was awesome to be able to stop and let all four dogs out to run and chase and swim on our very own miles of beach and sea, what absolute total bliss.

Ravenglass - heaven!

The gang are getting along so well it’s untrue. Clover-giraffe-legs is proving herself to be the perfect addition to our family. Back at the show we had a decent-sized garden set up and I spent hours sat on the step watching them play and interact nicely. I’m especially pleased with how lovely the Mousey girl has been with her – was a little nervous about adding another girly but, so far, no problem – of course there may be jostling as Clo gets bigger but I really don’t forsee any major fallings out, they’re both such (mostly!) nice girls.

Could bang on forever about what a lovely break this week was but will shut up now.

Fun in the surf

'Swamp Cooler' to grow into, bless!

Happy Mouse at Crooklands - home of yummy grub! :)

A short week back home and then we had Otley show. Went on Thursday eve to help set up, putting up the trailer alone in a thunderstorm wasn’t much fun!! But hey-ho, got sorted and then on Friday helped get the show ready and had some nice walks. The afternoon brough a horrific thunderstorm, poor Billy & Maisie were very upset; luckily the other two didn't give a stuff.

Saturday morning saw us on the move again! Down to Just Dogs Live at Peterborough for Miss Mouse to take part in the Rescue League Finals again! I dithered and wobbled about whether to go as it promised to be warm again and last year she had sooo wilted there in the heat. In the end I took her just for the Agility final in the aft, skipping the invitation jumping in the morning to keep her fresh. It all worked out just right as we travelled down at a civilised hour and then got parked right underneath some big trees in a quiet spot – perfect! I kept her quiet, calm and cool-coated and she arrived at the ring with a spring in her step! The course was v straightforward so no point going for a steady clear so decided to run for it. I did her running launch at the first jump and for the first time ever the pole fell (ooops, my fault!) but that was probably a good thing as it meant the run really was just for the joy of taking part. Actually we got e’d (ran past the cloth tunnel) but that was absolutely fine, she really enjoyed it and that was all I wanted for her – it was super-duper! & several of our pals were running there this time too. Sue & super-spaniel Rosie won our class!!! & our new lovely friends Ulla and Max came third, brilliant!! Gill & Zara did very well too. Paula and Border Terrorist Gruff TWD absolutely stole the show with some very terrierish clowning, bless him!!! Again a proper ace event, very proud indeed to have been part of it again.

Smiley clever Mouse
(thanks for pics from organisers)

Gruff takes his deserved bow!

Back to Otley for a rather wild evening!!! Felt very dodgy Sunday morning, ‘nuff said! Helped on the rings, etc, did some crap runs, got very rained on, ate some lovely cake and had brill company and giggles. Oh one good Agility moment (certainly not from Tim, he was v norrrty! lol) – Miss Mouse set off on one and did jump-jump-jump-TUNNEL with a huge grin! (we were supposed to turn left before the tunnel) – I was sooo proud of her for whizzing on instead!!! :o) Then we came home and went to bed, zzzzzzzzz!

Life seems to be conspiring to stop us going training anywhere, ever, so it was a rare treat this eve to snatch 20 mins on the field with Tim with two jumps, 12 weaves and a tunnel – crikey, he was fab!!!

Will we got to Barnard Castle this weekend? For: Real Ale! Against: I need a really, really big sleep-in! We shall see!...

Clover in Clover

2011-06-24T10:12:00.002+01:00

Sorry, the pic had to be done ... :o)

Snogs, etc

2011-06-23T11:06:00.000+01:00

Go, Go, Gadget Legs!!


Ginger n Blonde


Sleepin' Wiv My Eyes Wide Shut :)


In a different universe these three are soooo mummydog, daddydog and poopydog!

Clover has been with us almost 3 weeks, it feels like longer! But in a good way. She continues to be utterly perfect and every day she is building her own lovely relationships with each of the other doglets, with me, and with the big wide world. She's growing like a weed - gaining 1.5 kilos in her first fortnight here! You can practically see her growing. This weekend we didn't have a show and so put some special effort into the whole Socializing thing. She went on the bus, saw a steam train, watched cricket, went to the pub, rode on a trailer behind a tractor. She met people, dogs, sheep and alpacas. She is a very cool girly, a little wary at first but she's a real thinker and very quickly sums up whatever situation she finds herself in and makes friends with it, in her quiet sweet little way. She is rather fluffy! Looking back at pics of 'ickle Maisie Mouse at a similar age, Clo's fluffier already, eeeek! Hopefully she'll have a slightly more sensible collie coat though?!...

Poopie snog

More snogging, ahhhhh xx

I've been emailing with Clover's wonderful foster mum in Ireland and we will definately keep in touch with her special Auntie Mags :o) She was so very pleased to hear how she's landed on her paws. She said "thank you ... for loving one of our death row puppies and giving her well deserved forever home". Death Row - what a sickeningly awful thought ...

Have to mention the mega news of the week from Newton Heath when Jules and Jette got their Agility Warrant (Bronze). Wooooooooooooooooooooo! This has really taken work and perseverance and belief and we're very proud of them!! :) What a super-fabby-labby team they've become!

Oh & my little nutter Tim turned three last week! Still showing very little sign of growing up, he's crazeee but ace, very loving and so much fun. Happy birthday my super ginger lad xxx

This Friday were off on our jollies for Lune-Barrow week - very very excited, totally unprepared in any way, not trained or anything for yonks, Clover's eaten most of my underwear & socks, I'm way behind with work, it'll be right, can't wait!!!!!!

North Derbyshire

2011-06-13T17:03:00.000+01:00

Awwwww!

First time to this show in the very pretty thatched-cottagey village of Ashbourne in North Derbyshire. Arrived on Friday evening to snowdrifts!!?! Well, they were 'haildrifts' as it turned out, but still very surprising! Apparently there'd just been a huge hailstorm!

This was Clover's first camping trip. She took everything in her happy stride, she really is a very cool little girl!

Saturday morning I got up late-ish as for once no courses to walk first thing ... except it turned out I'd read the ROs wrong and Tim should've been in part 1, not part 2, of an agility class, so I'd missed walking it. Watched for a bit, couldn't get my head round it enough to run him so didn't bother. He's challenging enough to run even when I feel confident about where I'm going, teehee!! Later we had another agility class. Maisie really wasn't up for it - it was quite warm - and I handled her like a numptie anyway, somehow we got nearly round after a fashion but she knocked one of her very rare poles. In her next class later she was off form again so I brought her out for a cuddle, it was warm for a well-fleeced girl. Tim was then up in the same class. The start was simple enough but hard for him as you did two jumps then a sharp right pulling off the A-frame - he made the turn but that headed him towards the judge who was v close by and when his rosette flapped temptingly Tim just couldn't resist ... lol, ooops! I used my stern voice and so he sat down and scratched his left ear. It's a good job I so love that little dog!!! Of course he then went on and ran the rest of the course fast and beautifully, including some tricky bits, even doing 12 weaves very closely followed by a tunnel. It was a really pleasing run anyway. I think we gave up for the day then and had lots of walkies.

Clover had a super time walking around, she even went round the rings and hardly batted an eyelid at the noise, movement, people, dogs, tannoys, etc. You don't get anywhere fast with a cute pup as everyone wants to say hello!! She had some fab positive experiences with people and dogs. The evening was sunny and warm, I sat out with her and Billy and a beer for quite a while. Billy even had a very small play with her!!! He's never really played with Tim (though they are quite companiable in a blokey, sniffy, leg-cocking, ball-chasing kinda way) and he only very rarely plays with Mouse when they're on their own, so it was nice to see he's taken to the little 'un so well. He's a good lad. The evening took its usual course of Chinese food, beer, cakes, raucous giggling, singing and more cake :o)

Sunday was a different day altogther - cool and wet, VERY wet! Jules and Helen came for the day too so that was super, and we had yummeee cupcakes ... :)

Can't remember our runs much - Maisie got an OK clear but stopped after the weaves to thoroughly shake a bucketful of rain out of her coat ... Tim did two runs, was utterly miserable with the rain, and so we called it a (soggy) day. Will I ever get a dog who will work in any weather? Wot softies!!

Driving home, the traffic was being slowed down because there was a swan on the hard shoulder of the M1, it was accompanied by lots of flashing lights and chaps standing around trying to work out how to capture/remove it! Life's never dull!

Clover, Tim and the sex-toy! ;o)

Lucky Clover

2011-06-06T16:44:00.000+01:00

Butter wouldn't melt ... or would it?!

Once upon a time there was a small golden puppy ...

It's taken me a few days to get my head round this story but here goes. She must've been about 10-12 weeks old when she was taken into Ennis Pound in Ireland as 'found straying'. I think I'm right in saying they have only three days to be claimed or killed there. Already she became one of the very lucky ones when she was taken out by a local rescue group. She was then put into foster care with a lady who obviously cared for her very much. Much of this story comes from a beautiful letter she's passed on with her and this is something to treasure; it even includes photos of her as the tiniest fluffy blonde bundle! She asked for her forever home to contact her to let her know the happy development of her story so I've just sent a very happy email! Clover was then called Kia-Kiora (odd but pretty name!) The lady says in her letter that she was starting to come out of her shy shell and loved playing wth her little niece, but then after a week she suddenly became terribly sick and was rushed into the vets. It turned out she had parvo and was a very poorly pup indeed; she was on a drip for five days and so nearly died ... The lady said that all the people in her village were praying for her and that somehow she miraculously pulled through!!! She then went on to stay with another kind foster family for a couple of weeks or so before being picked up on one of Many Tears amazing collection runs over the Sea, and she was then taken back to the centre in South Wales. The second foster family have also passed on more info about her and her development, etc. The first foster lady's letter explained how much she loved her and would've loved to keep her herself but couldn't give her what she needed, and she signed her letter off saying "Goodbye my little princess ... hope you have a lovely life my little miracle puppy xxxxx". How amazing is that!

So how did she end up here? I've been toying with the idea of adding number four (as you do!) and had a look around over a couple of months, but I then decided to be strong and wait until next spring ... I told a mate this on the Thursday evening and then on Friday lunchtime I had one last look round the rescue websites, and there she was ... Can't explain how I felt when I saw her except I literally stopped breathing! lol. I thought for about 20 seconds about all the reasons for being sensible and waiting, then filled in the online application anyway. A tense weekend followed - that one at Nottingham which was not good in many ways - on the Sunday I phoned and got the gutting news my application had been turned down! Couldn't believe it as Tim had already come from MT and I thought I had the perfect set-up for her. To cut out a lot of heartache and grovelling and me explaining exactly how she would fit into my working life, they finally agreed on Tuesday that she could come to live with us after all!!! (Huge thanks to ace mates who stopped me going completely nuts till the good news came!) So on Thursday a 10-hour round trip brought her home. Couldn't believe how tiny and sweet she was when I met her! She must be about 5 months old but small for her age and skinny, she has comedy knees and paws though so I think she'll grow and she is eating like a Shetland pony! She'd already been spayed which I felt a little sad about as I'd have liked her to grow first, but understand the pragmatism behind such policy. I was dreading the journey home - two years ago coming home with Tim was a stressy seatbelt-eating nightmare!... but she literally slept the whole way apart from loo breaks, ahhhh.

Considering what she's been through in her little life so far she is an incredibly well-adjusted pup - great social skills with dogs, shy with people at first but soon comes round, and she has completely bonded with me already and gives ace snuffly waggy smiley kisses. Her house-training is not bad at all, she kinda walks on a lead and has a recall(ish) - I've never let one off lead (in a safe place) so soon. She's a nutter and very playful, cheeky, hilarious, chewy, into everything, total kleptomaniac, hyperactive, a fuzzy whirlwind force of destruction - just as a young pup should be! What an absolute credit she is to that chain of kind people who helped her on her way, and what a very, very, very lucky pup she is to have received that help and care.

Oh, and contrary to rumour ... she is NOT Maisie and Tim's lovechild! Though she looks uncannily like she could be! She looks like a Welsh Sheepdog but presumably isn't? Her eyes are soooo like Maisie's (she was a v similar age when she came), a lad who'd spent time with her at Many Tears said she seems to gaze into your soul - and she really does - with shyness but trust. We all love her to bits already. Tim is astounding me as a 'big bro' and he worships at her fluffy little paws (delighted to have somone of his own mental age I think!! teehee) Maisie's been very sweet and gentle too, if a little wary in the house, but she is coming round and plays beautifully with her outdoors. Billy Woof seems quite pleased to have someone else to mutter and glare balefully at!
She is ace!!!!!!!!!!! xxxx

My biggest bro!

Hmmmmm?

Pwetty girlies!! xx


Coming mummeeee! :)

Duffing Ging!

Hehehehe!

Clover :) xxxx

2011-06-02T23:20:00.000+01:00

glum

2011-05-29T21:40:00.002+01:00

Two shows to catch up on.

Last weekend saw us back at windy rainy Bakewell, this time for a Dog Vegas show. Had a nice time really. Both dogs did some good stuff. It was a 3 day show and I was just getting over the potato-leg injury. Saturday it was still quite dodgy so I didn't run Mouse at all, as I do need to sprint with her ... Tim did a run and did pretty well. He has indeed nailed weave entries, hurrah!!!!!! Sunday was an odd day with our mates getting injured this time - Helen and the Finger ... and Nikki and the flying table incident. All v dramatic but thankfully all relatively OK! Tim did some more nice stuff. Had meant to not run Maisie again but to my surprise - as I sometimes think she enjoys her aglity just to be polite :) she was going NUTS every time I got her out, so decided to try a run for a laugh after all, leg well strapped. She was soooo up for it, bouncing and yelping in the queue!!! and amazed me with more independence than she's ever shown before - my god, she even did layering!!! lol. Delighted she ended up with another 8th in G3 Agility! Monday was v soggy. Maisie did another speedy one first thing but just slipped out the side door of the seesaw. Tim was spooked by the cattle market noise in his Agility then we hung on for a Jumping run which was not our finest hour ... Most pleased the leg held up though and even improved over the w/e.

This w/e we ventured even further south to Nottingham. Not the most inspiring showground, camping pitch covered in thistles, ooouch! Saturday, Maisie did a nice run, I made a stupid lurch and got us e'd, but well done her :o) Tim did some more nice stuff. Classes were all 3-5 and really a bit hard for us. He did some more stonking weaves though - once off-course when I was sprinting off in the opposite direction. Think we've nailed the weaves!! The jumpies went a bit awry though and he ran under a fair few which he's not done in ages, confidence I suppose.

Very, very sadly, our gang lost an oldie girly whilst at the show, making for a painful time for all, and put the ups and downs of agility in perspective. Our dogs are so precious to us and we must remember to treasure every day we're honoured to share with them. xxx

ETA: forgot to mention Maisie's last run to cap off a pretty crap weekend ... Did her last Agility run just before coming home. It was a very spread-out but straightforward course so I knew she'd no chance of a place but she should go clear with a paw tied behind her back and hopefully at least pick up a couple of Warrant points. So off we set - really zoomy start: jump - A-frame - jump - tunnel ....... flew into the tunnel, didn't emerge!!!! I ran to the exit end and called her - no sign! Ten seconds must have passed so I decided it was time to give up, so went back to the entry end - still no Mouse - I was starting to panic that she'd somehow shot off somewhere and I'd not noticed, but the Judge was still looking deadpan. Eventually, whilst I was literally sticking my head in the entry end to look for her, she popped out of the exit, then back in and out again! At this point giggling overtook us and we pootled off straight to the finish line. There MUST have been something yummy or very very sniffy in that tunnel as no way would she normally stop like that when she headed in so speedily, I suspect food - we ran second in the class so maybe something got dropped during course-walking. Hey ho!!!!

High Peak

2011-05-19T22:00:00.000+01:00

Well, grade 3 at last!! Wasn't sure what to expect. We've been doing loads of 1-3 and 1-4 classes so thought it probably wouldn't feel much different, but it did ... maybe partly coz we were a bit off our usual patch being as far South as Bakewell added to the feeling I hardly knew anyone in our queues!! teehee. Going back to arriving at the show - it was "interesting" as my (OK, secondhand) camping spot was already gone! Big thanks to Karen & Andrew for squidging us onto a corner of their palatial plot, luckily we were just in the mini-mousehouse this time!

So to the rings ... first up was a 3-5 jumping for Tim - fairly tricky but not impossible course, we bodged the first bit but he did some lovely bits including a very non-linear last line - the type of thing he's struggled to sequence in the past, and he flew down it, very good boy :) Mouse then had a 1-3 Agility - fairly straightforward course, she was pretty zoomy and ran a nice clear - few seconds off the placings - G3 reality bites!! On that run, on a sprint to the finish, I set off and twanged something in my lower leg ... kinda decided to leave it there for that day but the in the late aft there was this ace course ... was 'only' G3 but it was such an interesting tricky course I couldn't resist running the girlie again, despite the leg and the downpour and the big queue and the fact I had to walk it 973 times to almost remember it!... & blimminy heck, to cut a long soggy story short, she only went & finished 8th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It wasn't a classic run and though we set off well we both ran out of steam a little halfway round and she stomped through the weaves, unimpressed! lol, but 8th!!!!! I suspect this may turn out to be her PB in G3 - and that is fine. The course was not Timtastic so he didn't run - it would've blown his mind. He did a slightly muppety one on the 1-3, bless him!

On Sunday, with the leg strapped up and a bucketful of painkillers, I ran both of them in a 3-5 Agility. This was a really nice course with some slightly more challenging elements without it being too bonkers! There was a wrong-end of the tunnel bit which both dogs ran with aplomb. I was particularly pleased that Tim did a wonky flick-flacky bit very confidently. In fact, his only 'error' on the course was (again! arrrg) entering the weaves at the 2nd pole, otherwise he ran very proficiently indeed, albeit at a rather sensible pace for him! Clever Mousie went clear again!! & she was very zoomy for her!! Think this was quite indicative of how things will be for her in G3 though as we were about 4 secs off the places, even though she ran as fast as she ever can. Was reeeally going home then Paula Z put up a lovely Jumping course for Tim so we stayed and had a run round that. Went in at the 2nd weave - again ... but he did some super sending on and listeny bits and had his supersonic legs on this time too!

I was very proud of the pair of them over the weekend, some slightly harder challenges which they rose to beautifully. G3: it's OK really!

Greyhound Gap had the most superb cake stall, a tent of tempatation and joy!!!

Have really buggered up my leg though, dunno if I'll be able to run this w/e when we're back at Bakewell again, this time for Dog Vegas. If it holds up I might be able to 'run' Tim as he will work away, but Mousey sprints would just be too foolish so it looks like she might be joining Mr Woof on the Management Team for this show. I'll be gutted not to play with her but got to be sensible for once, I think.

What with being one-legged for most of this week and unable to walk them enough really, I've done some extra bits of training with Tim - working on his weaves with me stood/sat still!!... I think we might've partly solved the recent wrong entry problem - famous last words!?!!..........

playing out

2011-05-08T21:09:00.000+01:00

Went on a training day outdoors today and had a fab time. I'm very pleased with Tim as he managed to keep his listeny lugs on for the entire long afternoon!! He did some really nice stuff. He's surprisingly good at variations on tunnel under A-frame exercises, good boy. Just been thinking - the group we were with today is pretty much the group we've been with from the start, and for quite a while Tim was, though "delightful", definately the class clown. Well, now I think he's just another one of the group, making good progress, and barely clownish at all!!! lol :o) Actually it was my brain that was fried by the end when I couldn't find my way from jumps 1 to 3, ooops! Good job Tim had no idea how stupid his mummy was as he'd have been proper embarassed. Maisie made a 10-min guest appearance (she doesn't do training!) and was quite a giddy whizzy girl as it was a bit breezy, bless her pretty fluffy bum.

harenhoundseaster

2011-05-07T19:29:00.000+01:00

What a view from bed!!!

Well, it was an amazing long weekend in many ways - sunny, stunning venue, fab show, great company, but I made the mistake of over-volunteering to help and that made for a bit of a knackering and kinda stressful time really, you live & learn. The mousehouse performed well and kept us all snug. It was our last show at G2 - eeek! Maisie got a couple of places - one a 2nd - but didn't do many runs and was not on form due to the heat. Her best run was an unplanned early-morning agility when it was a little cooler and she had a lovely bound around - I missed a bit of the course for an E but but couldn't have cared less as she was all smiley. Tim did some fab work and is developing the slightest glimmer of consistency in the ring ... I'm still learning so much with him & his super-sensitive boy ways ... his dogwalk came over a bit uncertain and I made the error of trying to repeat his contact position, but must remember he simply cannot ever have the slightest indication he's not been Perfect! & he gnashed off. Also his weaves which have been improving - on an early run he missed the first pole though did the rest lovely and I stupidly brought him back to try to get the entry - doh, he lost confidence in his weaves again for the rest of the weekend. Really must remember to keep him flowing, no repeats, praise to the skies the good bits and cheerfully carry on however the rest goes. When I remembered that in subsequent runs he did some ace stuff, good listeny lugs and confident driving on/out/through bits, v pleasing, especially the fact that he's going into each run really up for it & supersonic and not going flat like he was a bit before.


Thank you Jules & Helen, yummmm! :o)

The most memorable happening from this show though has to be Jules and Jette - not only WINNING out of G1 - sooooooooo long overdue!!!! But backing up their readiness for doing so with a whole gang of other fab results. Couldn't be more chuffed and proud of them!!!! Also tonnes of other great fun & results all round :)

& BW had a super walk down through the woods and to the river with a gang of doggy pals one evening, he even almost got his feet wet. Really hope we get to play out at this venue again sometime, it was truly stunning and I'd love to explore a bit more round about. There was a bit of bird scarer noise but HRH MM coped pretty well, considering and otherwise it was just idyllic. Tim was admired by another Welsh Sheepdog person and again his services were enquired after as a stud!!! LOL! Even if he had the required equipment, the world's not ready for a litter of Tiny Tims, though it's a v cute/chaotic thought nonetheless :o)

Two weekends off before our next show (High Peak) and then the camping season really gets on a crazy continuous roll!!!...

Lincoln

2011-04-17T21:27:00.001+01:00

First camping weekend and gosh was it HOT!!!! Arrived to the usual slightly bizarre camping organization but soon got sorted and settled, just in the 'ickle green tent this time as the mousehouse hasn't come out of hibernation yet. Saturday first thing we had an agility run - Maisie seemed to think that she's far too important to do contacts now, teehee!!! To be fair, I pushed her on maybe a bit more than usual and she flew off the dogwalk and skydived the seesaw for a good E! Tim in the same class did really well - had a minor wander (due to my crap handling) but managed to only incur a 5R so again a non-E! :) Didn't run anything else till the aft when it was well hot. Maisie managed a clear but it wasn't exactly a classic though she got boogying on towards the end. Tim did OK - an E but he did perfect 12 weavies again! Think that's all we did Saturday. The evening was full of chinese food, cake and John's staggering tequila and orange sorbet!!!..... amazing stuff!!!! :o) This morning Maisie did an OK agility run but I think she just ducked past the last jump - my fault, bad mummy! Then this aft young Tim only went and got another clear!!! He was off his pace as it was pretty warm and his braincell was whirring and steaming but, bless him, he tried ever so hard & did 12 weaves again!! & kept his lovely listeny lugs on. Finished 8th anyway which was nice :) Stayed on for last agility run. Maisie did OK considering the heat and whatnot and managed to finish 5th. I ws a bit unsure about running her as the judge was a big bloke with a cowboy hat and a huge walking stick!!... But he (Richard Brain) was such a kind man - came over to the line at the start and said if anyone needed him to lose the stick as it might be frightening to just give him a wave before they started. Took Tim in after but I could tell straight away he'd had enough so I just gave him a cuddle and came out. He's done so well overall, we need to work on his stamina - mental more than physical I think - but very pleased with the little man.

Helen & Belle did a super jumping run and got a good place!! So good to see their confidence and speed blossoming that bit more each time out!

Can't believe how hot it was. My face is red despite lashings of factor 45.
Billy, bizarrely, fell madly in love with Rusty (not that he's not v loveable!!), I bought him - Billy not Rusty - a whole bag of balls, and he even had some of the amazing ice cream! So he was a very happy lad too.

Next weekend it's four whole lovely days at Easter HnH -what a treat, can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....................

Let Them Eat Cake!!!

2011-04-10T19:14:00.003+01:00

Not blogged for ages! In the meantime we've had three Hare & Hounds shows! All good days out, Maisie's kept getting 2nds and 3rds, Tim's got a bit better (mostly!) each time but never fully settled indoors.

Then yesterday - sunny Scunny!!!... First outdoor show of the year for us and what a beautiful spring day for it! First up was Tim's Jumping class. We've been really practicing weaves a lot and my aim for yesterday was for him to do some!.. The weaves in that course were just after a tunnel - coz he sends on to tunnels so well I was able to stroll across and pick him up just before the weaves and this helped to steady his stride a bit and I then held my breath whilst he did 6 perfect weaves!! Slightly gobsmacked, we somehow floated round the rest of the course and all of a sudden he was over the last jump and the Judge was clapping - Clear!!!! With weaves!!!! Couldn't believe it!!! & to cut a long wait short I was thrilled to find later he'd actually won the class!!!!! His Agility run went slightly pear-shaped but another postive - he did weaves again, this time 12!! albeit with his paw off the accelerator for once! lol

Meanwhile Maisie ran a nice Agility course which she thoroughly enjoyed and put all her fluffy joy into. Total disbelief then when it turned out that she'd won that class too!!!!!!!!!! It really was a bizarre fairytale of a day :o) & the cake was amazing and plentiful and the sun kept shining and there were smiles all round. Happy happy days!!!!! I couldn't be more chuffed for Maisie that she was the one who won us up to G3 - she totally deserves it as she's been consistently picking up good places but she cleverly waited for the ginger little bro to prove he was ready too before getting that elusive win, she certainly is my Amazing Maisie Mouse.

& next week the camping season begins at Lincoln!.... Would be lovely to try pick a few more warrant points before being lost in the big jungle of G3 - but no doubt we'll be utterly pants after all that over-excitement! Oh well! :)

Clever pups with Team Captain Mr Woof

Happy birthday mate

2011-01-25T14:59:00.002Z

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

2011-01-17T17:51:00.000Z

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)

Winter catch-up

2010-12-19T20:53:00.000Z

I've been a rubbish blogger lately so just thought I'd try catch up in brief ...
Been to a couple of shows in between things - HnH end of Nov - dogs ran well, Mouse specially so. I let her down on 2 good runs - one where she worked a tricky tight handling bit beautifully then I forgot how hard I need to work her across a box when it's near to the start/finish end of the ring ... and one where I got lost on a simple course and she said: oh well, whilst you're pondering I'll just do this nice jumpy then ;o) Good girl. We did manage a place - 3rd I think in the jumping - least good run of the day but hey ho! No recollection of how Tim did at that show, ooops, perhaps best forgotten?! Then a couple of weekends ago we ventured down to Agiity Nuts near Newark. Worth going as it was a quieter, less crowded kind of indoor show for Tim and he ran well - just ran wide on one in the Agility and I back-jumped him over it for an 'E' but otherwise really nice, then his Jumping run he did some great bits too. Her Royal Hairiness ran well too - strangely faulted on the A-frame, then numpty me got us lost again on the Jumping (after a long year of me fairly well not getting lost, oh dear!!!!). Most pleasingly though we did manage a pull straight across a box close to the finish - she did think about flicking me a 'V' and veering off grinning but responded well and was delighted with a big whoop when we pulled of that bit for once :o) Both of these shows though were spoilt a bit by very icy roads near to the venues. I shall approach winter show-going in a much more cautious/conservative way in future, I do not like driving my precious gang on unsafe roads - agility is not worth more than their safely - ever.
Life in general has been pretty hectic - decided I needed to get a part-time Job (eeek!) for the winter and so not need to rely on outdoor work - & somehow ended up with three ... plus keeping business ticking over, plus family stuff, plus - of course - keeping hairys entertained, plus fitting in some tinkering with the Landy (got some bargain parts - it's amazing how much more economical it is with a new fuel tank without a ****ing big hole in it!!!). So all in all been a bit busy. When I have found time to nip on t'internet the laptop/internet connection has flounced off and said: how can you expect us to have a relationship when we hardly talk any more!!... ;o)
Doglets have been soooo great. We've done a lot of getting up early, going for walks in the near-dark and on rushing home at lunch/between jobs, etc. etc. and they just wag and bound on happily. We've had TONNES of snow. The toilet drain froze up for quite a while ... Billy & Tim's relationship seems to have shifted a bit. A couple of times Constable B. Woof of the Fun Police arrested Tim for petty toy/girl-sharing crimes and duffed him over lightly but soon released him without injury. This morning a really bizarre moment occured - Billy actually nuzzled Tim's neck in a friendly fashion!!?! Maisie is as delightful as ever and is just faintly amused at the boys' bickering.
Starting to waffle on now when I'd so like to spend some rare quaity time with my bed quite soon. So g'night! xxx

Bonfire weekend

2010-11-08T14:27:00.000Z

This is always going to be our dreaded weekend of the year with Billy & Maisie's extreme noise fears. We got through it though with the usual multi-angle approach of every therapy known along with a large dose of avoidance. Think we drove the equivalent of Land's End to John o'Groats over a couple of nights as rolling up and down the motorways with loud dance music is the way to go! Hey ho, could be worse - at least they don't make me listen to classical music :o) When Maisie did have moments of panic, Tim was the sweetest little bro ever and he literally took her under his wing, at one point falling asleep with his paw and chin over her back whilst she was trembling. Ah bless! I think Billy did a little better but still had moments.
Anyway, knowing all this was going to be happening I'd not entered a show but then we did somehow end up going to HATS show on Sunday. It worked out well as we didn't need to be there first thing, and it turned out a cold but sunny day. Maisie doesn't tend to do as well placings-wise with the two-run per class format and also the jumps are a little over KC height which she does notice - she's only an 'ickle mouse. Anyway, yesterday she ended up placed in both classes (6th & 7th, lovely rosies!) and in both cases not clear on first run, so this time it was good to have 2 runs :) First agility run was just a pole down and first jumping run - well, I had a comedy moment and tripped and booted jump 2 right out from under Maisie as she was in mid-flight!!! LOL! So we retired in a heap of giggles and did her 2nd run instead! Tim did OK. Agility was a bit bonkers but then I felt a bit rushed and my head wasn't in the right place so I'll take the blame for crap handling. He did do some nice bits though and in the Jumping he worked pretty well. He just gnashed off slightly in the Agility as you came off the seesaw straight towards the scribe, then again so did Maisie!!!! Both runs!!! Haha. Her time would've been better but for that but no way was the lady for turning!........ It's a real victory that Tim is pretty reliably staying with me now and he's not snogged a polepicker/judge for weeks now (famous last words?!)
Lots of our pals did super well too and it was a good fun day out all round.

We are very tired today zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Spookily good weekend

2010-11-01T16:31:00.006Z

It had been a month since our last show when we went to Hare N Hounds halloween show (woooooo!) this weekend. Bit of a strange one really as it was a two-day show but I ended up driving there and back both days to near Richmond, wasn't too bad though as it was the w/e the clocks went back so an extra hour in bed. On Saturday we had our first agility run early. I thought Maisie might be a bit bonkers with having done no agility at all in a month - I was right, she was!! It was all a bit chaotic to be honest, haha - very E'd but ace fun! Then it was Tim. After Myerscough the other week I was unsure how he'd be indoors again but I needn't have worried coz he was rather ace!! Just fluffed the weave entry and I didn't turn him quickly enough on a diagonal towards the end, but pretty good focus. He wasn't as fast as he can be - slightly hesitant, but v v pleasing, good boy! Our second agility class - and only other class entered that day - went up late morning and Tim was first - again he did some lovely work and only a couple of minor mistakes. Was looking forward to running it with Maisie and went to get her - loitered for a couple of minutes on the way back to the ring but not long but was then gutted to find that the class had already closed!!! It was such a Mousey course too, BOOHOO. Sara and Tilly did the same thing too - also gutted. Oh well.
Ended up staying a bit longer into the aft anyway and sooooooooo glad I did coz though I blinked and actually missed their run - arrrg! - Jules (following the earlier victory of actually getting to the show!.. teehee) and super Jette won the G1 Jumping!!!!!!!!! ACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! & Sara & Tilly came 3rd!!!!!!! So it turned out to be a SUPER-FAB day after all :o) & Billy met his doppelganger in the shape of a lovely boy called Harvey. Billy even liked him!! Till Harvey liked Billy so much he tried to hop on and have sex so then Billy didn't like him so much any more ;o)

Lookeee, I got a rosie all of my very own!!
& I arranged my beard specially for this pic :)

Back up on Sunday to do it all again. Maisie was entered in 3 classes this time, Tim just 2. First up was Maisie's Jumping - nice course, she was a little spooked (wooooo) but ran well considering, specially as she coped with a big man judge (Doc) and a big man polepicker in a big hat - both stood on the outside of the 12 weaves. Clever brave Mouse, and she finished 3rd!! Then it was their agility class. It was a nice course for Tim so we went for it! Second obstacle was the dogwalk though and just outside the ring at the bottom end was a photographer plus a WITCH in a big tall hat!!! Tim wasn't the only dog who stopped in their tracks! So he spent several horrified seconds at the top of the down plank. He then carried on though and worked really well round the rest of the course, picking up the speed he's capable of when he's happeeee. Couple more slightly hairy moments - one with a turn away from the edge of the ring where the ring party included some of his best human pals! & then another turn that I just handled too late but he responded ace when I did pull him round. In a blurry waggy ginger heap we landed at the finish - CLEAR!!!!! Bearing in mind it was the first time we've not been E'd at a KC show it felt pretty damn fab!!! :o) Still in a state of shock it was time to run the Mouse - and she didn't half go for it too!!... I know Tim lost a few seconds on the dogwalk but otherwise he was v fast, but the little fluffy one actually beat him on time, bless her!!! In the end she finished 2nd and Tim 3rd!!!! His first KC rosette was appropriately ginger (pumpkin?) & black :o) My mum had baked ginger biccies which seemed an apt celebration :) The afternoon is all a bit blurry but I remember smiling lots!!!! & watching Helen & Belle also do a really super round with just an unlucky pole down, they are doing sooo well too!!!! & then late aft we had another Agility class. Tim's brain exploded slightly and he charged under a couple of jumps and orbited off the seesaw, but he still did some nice bits and stayed with me and carried on even when it started to go a bit pear-shaped. Then Maisie came out and pretty much stormed round again, v speedy considering it was her last run of the day, and she finished 3rd again!!! So clocking up lots of lovely points and prizes and still cleverly staying in G2!!! Ahhhhhh happy happy days :o)

Seasons

2010-10-21T21:21:00.000+01:00

Last week it was summer, this week it is winter. Anyone seen autumn anywhere?...

Vaccinations

2010-10-19T16:31:00.003+01:00

Oh yes, that dreaded annual event for Billy & Maisie. The bad bit is the kennel cough vaccine up the nose. I debate with myself about them having this vaccine every time, it really is a horrid thing to endure. What I decided this time was to have Billy done but not Maisie - two reasons: one is that though Billy is also very upset by it, he gets over things more easily than Maisie does; secondly, when Tim had his earlier in the year, Maisie developed a minor sniffle which suggests that she picked up some of the live vaccine shed from Tim's nose - harldy surprising as those two do live in each other's faces! Also, now Billy's been done there is a fair chance of him also shedding some of the vaccine to the other two and so they share the immunity around. Anyway, it'll have to do.
Today we saw the vet who originally dealt with Billy's heart issues and I was interested to hear what he thought of his heart now, whether there had been any deterioration - well, no!!! & not only that but it has improved again to the point that in every way it is within the "normal" range!! YippEEEEEE! He said that if he'd never met Billy before he wouldn't say that he was a dog who'd ever had a heart problem at all!!! Big smiles :-D I do so love that big soft dog.

Sulking

So then it was Maisie's turn. Went out to get her from the Landy. As she jumped out, on lead, she realised where she was going and she shot off. OMG, her lead slipped through my hand and she was away. I was soooo scared as it's near a road - can't believe I didn't doubly secure her, not like me at all as I'm completely paranoid about her safety especially. Of course I immediately leapt after her and dived to rugby tackle. My head nutting the wing of the car parked next to us made such a bang it actually startled her into stopping dead and I grabbed the lead as I landed, so she only actually got a couple of feet away. Ouch (again!! lol). So I gathered us together and staggered in, trying not to look like a total loon, but as I was sat there with her I could feel blood oozing through my trouser legs. I've got two badly grazed knees and an elbow - look like a 7-year-old after a bad playground tumble! and an egg on my head! Anyway, back to Maisie ... she did very well and also has a clean bill of health. Checked both their weights and they are both a little leaner than last year - Maisie about 14.8kg and Billy 17.9kg. I think Billy's slightly on the lean side myself but the vet was v pleased with him at that. I think their body shapes have changed for the better since they've been having more raw food.

Told you there's a whippet-slim doglet inside this Polar Bear suit, nurrr!

Also got a bucketful of their firework meds and we're as prepared as we can be for that horror to come.
So hopefully they will avoid the v.e.t. until next year ... Tim's due at a different time but he is soooo easy to do compared to the wibbly jelly pair.
Called to get them big bones as a treat on the way home but there were none, so they've got a big disgusting pile of tripe instead. Me, I need a stiff drink!!!!!!

big dogs small bed (cont.)

2010-10-18T09:30:00.000+01:00

You use all that effort to get your second pair of legs in and then
the first pair pops out. Ohhh my brain cell's too tired, zzzzzzzzzzzzz

darkening nights

2010-10-17T19:50:00.001+01:00

This week started off wondrously when Tm stuck his toenail in my eye! Not his fault really - he was pestering Maisie to play with him and she kept saying "No, Tim, go away", and Tim being Tim kept prodding her more till she said "SOD OFF TIM!!!" and Billy joined in: "YEAH, SOD OFF TIM!!" So he sodded off ... over my shoulder ... via my eyelid. Result was some handsome bleeding, swelling and afterwards a black scabby eye. Dogs!!!! Course it was my good eye and the other one is so duff I was a little stuffed till the swelling went down as I couldn't actually see much - like: the road (so no driving), computer screen, phone display, telly, mirror!!! - so at least I couldn't really see how awful it looked, haha!
Anyway, wounds heal.
Whilst pottering round in a partially sighted state I came across an old puppy bed of Maisie's so gave it a wash (just to keep it fresh, there is no patter of tiny paws!!) Left it out on the landing to air and it started all sorts of fun!... Both Billy & Tim have come over all Goldilocks and have to keep trying it for size & comfort. Honestly, it's only about 18" across, they are Too Big!! But they're both constantly in and out of it - & when one of them's in, the other lays beside it looking mournful and waiting for his turn! Maisie thinks they are nuts and reclines in luxury in the big bed in the other room.

Billy's good squidging technique

Tim tries the reversing in method ...

Ummm nearly ...

Duh, look, just can't quite get that last ear in!

Boys are buffoons

Training
No shows for 3 weeks (arrrrg!) but we had a training day on Saturday. I am soooooooooo chuffed with how Tim has started working the past few weeks. No bogging off, fab focus. We've kept everything pretty simple for him all along, to build his confidence, and now it's really starting to pay off and it feels like we've turned a definate corner. When I get the handling right he can do lots of the harder stuff already and he's so keen & speedy. Sort of by accident we ended up playing with the higher grades group and I wouldn't have thought he would cope but he did really, really well. Oooo exciting boy!!!!! Just need to keep working on transferring that focus to shows now ... Still not decided whether to do the indoor shows with him; much more looking forward to the spring anyway though. Maisie bounced off the subs bench & did the last bit of the training session and ran at medium and she was a very happy girly too and quite giddy!

This morning loads of crazy people ran up our road. The dogs wuffed for a while but soon got bored. It was the Bradford City Run. Well done crazy people.

Weather has really turned this week and it's quite chilly at night. Not lit a fire yet but it's stacked up ready to go. Brrrrrrrrrr.

Male Bonding

2010-10-06T22:16:00.000+01:00

OK, I know this is not a remarkable sight in most doggy households but my Billydog is not a snuggler - well he luurves human snuggling but not dogs really. He does quietly adore Maisie and always has, and will let her lay with him sometimes, and recently in the back of the car he's even let her lay her chin on his flank! Tim is a huge snuggler and sidles up to Maisie a lot and rests his chin adoringly on her, which she sometimes consents to - yeah, she is the princess! But the boys ... snuggling together ... nah, never!... Tim sometimes brushes past Billy and Billy goes "ARRGG, GEROFF ME, MUM, HE TOUCHED ME, HELP!!!" (Think Christopher Biggins' "IT WAS ON ME!!!" moment with the rat in the jungle.)

This state of affairs held till just the last few days ... when suddenly snuggling broke out!!!!!!!! OK, it's only bum snuggling so far but ahhhhh just look at my sweet snuggley boyz!!! heehee :o) xxxx

Random pics

2010-10-05T17:02:00.000+01:00

Just coz the camera was gathering dust.

May the light of the universe shine bounteously upon his golden pate

Tim having a kip

The beastie slumbers yet maintains a watchful eye

Billy having a kip

'Tis the season of the Swamp Monster

Maisie's daily bath

Lune @ Myerscough

2010-10-03T11:55:00.003+01:00

We got a sunny day - sandwiched between the two very soggy days of Friday and today. Maisie, true to form, got swampy within about 30 seconds. She's really getting her winter Polar Bear coat on now so she looked a right state, lol! First up was the 1-2 Agility. Tim was in first and I got him there right at the start so he didn't have to queue for long, but the poor lad didn't cope well with the noisy big arena. He set off and ducked under the first jump, onto the dogwalk, which he almost crept over - normally his dogwalk is excellently rapid!.. & it didn't get any better. He was just freaked and I felt sad for him so brought him out and cuddled him. Maisie went in shortly after. The course should've been great for her - it was a bit weird! - sharp turns off both the A-frame and seesaw - she can do stuff like that, but she, also, was really not happy. She got uncomfortable on the startline - barky dogs, tannoy, no space - and she wasn't right. I hate hate hate how they corral the queue between barriers. She missed an easy weave entry even though I was close to support her, and then pulled in past a jump, so I just brought her out and gave her a big cuddle too. All this by about 8.45 - not the best start :o( Took them all out for a bit of a relaxing run. Then Maisie had her 1-4 gr Agility - luckily, this time it was in the far end of the smaller arena - it feels different again in there, though it's still busy, the acoustics are much softer. There was a queue a mile long (terrible calling in!) so I sat with her in the gallery for a while in the hope that it might go down - it didn't, so once she seemed a bit more settled anyway I took her ticket and joined the queue for a while, then asked the person behind us (with a stunning Flattie) to hold our place and I took her outside for a few mins before popping back in near the front of the queue. She ran OK, not outstanding but business-like. She did do a beautiful send on to a tunnel which took me by surprise! Anyway, she finished 3rd in the class which was lovely :) Then we had another course to walk - 1-4 gr Jumping. It was a twisty-turny one with v tight spacing in bits - a very Mousey course! She set off a bit distracted and the first pull-through bit was clonky, but then we got it together a bit more. On the tight bit at the far end I did about 17 front crosses (OK, maybe not quite 17, haha) and she liked that. Unfortunately, between us we had a pole down ... I'm not sure but I think it was a pole that's I'd half backed into going a bit deep into the box so I may well had dislodged it with my bum before Maisie rolled it?!!... Oh well, we are a team, we'll take joint responsibility ;o) Shame really coz the last bit of the course was ace - I did a sudden sprint past the cloth tunnel to a blind pick-up - love doing those, I think it's the danger!!! hehe. In the end she got 5th anyway on 5F - her time something like 0.05 behind the winner - and she did stutter a fraction after the pole rolled, so if it hadn't ...... Oh well, it would've been a fluke win anyway, we weren't that fast but could've just got ridiculously lucky :) So that was Maisie done! Debated whether to stay for Tim's 1-2 Jumping class much later in the aft but had to wait for results/presentations anyway so did.
Helen & I took our big lad passengers Jock & Billy ' the pathfinder' Woof for a really pleasant walk - partly along a canal and stream. Never ventured much forther than the exercise field there before so it was a great find and lovely for the boys to have their special bit of day too. During the aft I took Tim into the arena to try to chill him out a bit. It's not an easy place to work with them though coz you can't really find a space to sit out of the way. Eventually our course went up and it was a nice, simple flowing one - very Tim really, and it was in the smaller arena. He was much better than in the morning though still quite distracted. One bit of it went well - sent him out over 3 jumps to a tunnel and then out straight on to another jump then weaves with me wide on his left - he made a fair attempt at the weaves though unusually entered on the wrong side.
I really don't know what to do about future indoor shows with him. He clearly took a step backwards yesterday from how well he's started to do at the outdoor shows. I don't want to stress him too much when he's been coming so good and am half thinking of just giving him a rest from shows over the winter and focusing on more training. It's so much about confidence with that boy - he is a very delicate little flower. He did wander round there a lot last winter and through the day yesterday and became quite relaxed outside the ring, but once you get in there and ask them to work it is different? Also I saw several loose dogs run into rings - two with bovver on their minds and I think a dog that was running was actually hurt. If something like that happened to Tim it really would upset him lots - well it would any dog :o( On that last run when it went awry I brought him into me and gave him a quick stroke and then carried on and calmly did a little sequence and praised him. so he did come out of the ring on a positive. I'm quite scared of being told off for blatantly "training in the ring" but sometimes it's what's needed. Will see how he does at the next one and then decide what to do.
We called in at my parents' on the way home and were stroked and fed, respectively, so that was a nice finish to our long day out.

Fallen Hero

2010-09-30T10:38:00.003+01:00

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog
You are his life, his love, his leader
He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart
You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion
Author Unknown

I love the above poem and always think it could've been written for my superheroBillydog.

Well, I did ...

Yesterday I was working in a garden and best mate, Billy Woof, was happily helping as usual. I was walking along a flagstone path on my way to pick up a rake when something shot in front of me like a bouncing bomb - it scudded right underfoot and suddenly the world turned sideways and I landed in a messy heap. As I lay there gently flexing and probing for snapped bits of body my faithful boy came nuzzling and wagging, all concerned, to check I was OK. My hero. Very 'Lassie Come Home'. Or so I thought ... As I uncurled he pounced in and retrieved the windfall apple he'd decided was a great ball!!! Applications for a new best mate are now being taken. ;o)

Twice the bridesmaid

2010-09-27T17:00:00.001+01:00

Hare & Hounds up near Barnard Castle again this weekend. I felt a bit late and rushed setting off on Thursday eve, having just had a towbar fitted on 'the blue car' in the afternoon - wasn't sure how it would tow but in fact it pulled the mousehouse beautifully, good. Drove through a huge downpour on the A1 but arrived in the dry and calm, though dark, late evening. Our home went up without problems - managed it on my own with no swearing. Norrrty Tim stole and scoffed an entire loaf of bread, thankfully with no bad effects later. After a nice cup of tea and a bit of faffing it was bedtime. Snuggled into the luxury of the proper bed, read for a bit and then went to sleep. Half an hour later it sounded like all hell was breaking loose!!!!.. A strong wind had suddenly got up and the mousehouse was not coping well! I won't go though all the ups and down of the night - the trip outdoors in shorts and bare feet with bits of string in a force nine gale at 4am, the lying in bed worrying about whether the dogs would be safer in the car, the gusts so strong that the mousehouse felt like it was flapping its wings preparing for flight ... Think I managed less than an hour's sleep all night. Finally got things into better shape and drifted off about 5.30am, then at 6am other people started getting up and hammering down their surroundings too! Oh well, no sleep. Hindsight is great and I now know how to make it all secure - I sort of did anyway but the evening had been so still and calm when setting up I hadn't thought about how things might change in the wee small hours.
Anyway, I was working on a ring all day so had to be up and about and bright and breezy. The weather was really bloody awful! Cold, wet, windy, dismal. The cheerful spirit of those shows though is incredible and there were smiling - though somewhat blue and dripping! - faces all day. Maisie & Tim were entered in 2 classes each. Fisrt up was a 1-4 gr agility - decided it was too tricky for Tim so didn't run him, but perfect for the Mouse - she came second!!! Later ran them both in a 1-4 Jumping class - Maisie went clear and fastish, though it was too fast a course for her to be placed, but this time it was perfect for young Tim who did a really lovely run - going forward but also listening well. He just ducked under 2 jumps on a turn before the weaves - probably coz I was stressing slightly about the weaves - thanks to Suzanne for noticing that :) Really super pleased with him though. We managed to get our ring finished quite early so I took all three dogs for a long walk and ball session over the fields. It really is a nice venue. Steaming casserole for dinner, couple of beers with Billy (& some humans! haha) in the real ale marquee, and in bed for 9pm - big ZZZZZZZZZZZZs all night, ah bliss.
Saturday morning dawned cold but sunny. sadly Jules and the gang couldn't make it and we so missed them :(
First class was an Agility - ran Tim first and - Oh no! He'd gone into lala land!! Did some OK bits though and he did stay in the ring with me which is about the best I can say! Maisie ran clear and came third!! Had no more runs then till late aft so after getting everyone walked and fed we chilled in the mousehouse - I drank several gallons of coffee and did some reading, really nice to just kick back for once. Maisie had another Agility run in the aft - she wasn't very up for it (dunno why!). Almost got round but there was a bit where you had to do a sharp left after the weaves so I crossed to her left and she missed the entry - really need to do some work on that, though she can weave both sides really! lol. Typical - I popped her back through the weaves now on my left and she pushed out beautifully to make the turn after. Oh well! Another hour or so till Tim's Jumping class. It was a fab course for him but I was a bit unsure about running him after the morning's wayward run. After sitting in the sun and being inspired by G6-7 Jumping and supping vino with Louise & wannabee-collie-Saff ;o) I did run him and he did ever so well - just fluffing the weave entry and then I think I pulled him past one jump. Not sure if I was slightly pissed or it was the low sun, but on leaving the ring I thanked the Photographer rather than the Judge, lol!!! Saturday evening brought more beer (cannot get over the perfectness of agility and superb real ale in one location!!) and we had v funny chocolate quiz confusion!!... And so to bed.
Sunday was cold but sunny again. Worked on a ring again. Maisie came second again!! Can't even remember running the course but I'm sure it was lovely?! Tim did two runs again - first one was a bit iffy - he lost his focus a bit, but then late in the day he ran in another Jumping class and worked soooo well - at a stage in the w/e when his brain has normally exploded. He even got a fast weave entry and did some totally amazing distance work, I'm in awe of my little ginger man at times. Got a couple of ace encouraging comments about him too :o) Best run of the w/e was then Maisie in another Jumping class - screeched up to the ring at the last minute (had been busy on our ring), bowled her over the first jump and she knocked the pole on number 4 so I called it a day - no time for 5 faults!! lol! BUT it was the best run coz of the bonkers way she set off - in fact knocking the pole as she bombed round the outside of a box toooo fast!!
The friendly feel of these shows is brill. This one had six rings so really quite big, but still easily maintained that fluffy feeling. As ring party spirits were flagging mid-aft Chris tannoyed for everyone to get themselves a hot choc from the caterers - not just any hot choc but huuuuge frothy ones with cream and a flake.
Ah what a great show :) And v v pleased with Maisie cleverly managing to just about stay in G2 - but two 2nds and a 3rd - a bit too close for comfort, little Mouse! x

Wrong side of bed

2010-09-19T19:28:00.004+01:00

The alarm went off at dark o'clock this morning to get us up for Ribble show. Unused to such an early disturbance, young Tim leapt up on the bed and instantly fell back fast asleep tightly snuggled in my arms, snoring like an angel - do angels snore?? Getting up (once 'snooze' had happened a couple of times) was then a struggle! In fact, I stumbled out of the wrong side of bed ... Perhaps this was a sign/omen/portent ...
Set off - cold and drizzly out, steamy in the car. Arrived, got out of the car into a big puddle, and splomped (cross between splooshing and stomping?) into the arena to walk our first course. Over an hour later the judge arrived, having got lost/delayed en route - not her fault, I'm sure, these things happen, but the upshot was we had 3 courses to walk one after the other, then to run at the same time - two dogs, small classes, all got a bit stressful TBH.
The reason I decided to enter this show actually was coz there was a helter-skelter class and I thought Tim would love it! Sadly a) the course was very, very tight in bits (in fact there were v few clears, which I don't think is what normally happens in HSs?) and b) it was in "that ring" the one near the overlooking spectator gallery where Maisie frrrrreaked at the same show last year! Tim, bless him, was similarly utterly horrified that people were hanging over looking down on him!!! We then dashed to the safer far end of the arena for the graded agility - again the course was tight and we struggled with bits, though he settled more and did do some good bits. Then on to the combined 1-3 agility - loved this course for him - though the space was still small, it was a much more baby-friendly course and he did very well indeed :)
Then the graded agility was closing so I had to dash and get Maisie (who had to have a hasty wee en route - what with waiting for the judge I'd not even had chance to take them out for a proper stretch.) The tight course was OK for her and she ran really well - just I rushed her dogwalk a little and as there was a jump v close after it, she just about popped her contact - good run though. And it was won by Sue & little Rosie anyway, so that was nice :) Didn't then have time to think about whether to run her in the comb 1-3 agility - v unusual for me to enter her actually - anyway it was there, the queue was short, so we did it. In that she ran a clear - the tannoy went off overhead(!) when she was in the middle of the weaves, so she stopped and looked up, but carried on for a tidy enough clear - just missed the places, they weren't generous. Then waited at least 4 hours for our only remaining run in the graded jumping. She set off surprisingly swiftly for a third run late in the day (hooray for the minced venison brunch!!) and did the hard bits - beautiful wrong end of a tunnel, then sent on round a loop and I front crossed before the weaves to be on the right side to try avoid her being spooked as Tim had been by the gallery - she never looked! lol! But that left me needing to do a rear cross at the next jump. Note to self: unless Maisie has decided to bog off in front and force me into an unplanned rear cross, then planned manouvres must not be made until she is actually in the air over the jump ... I cut across just as she gathered to take off but, being the clever little mouse she is, she heroically pulled off and came with me!! So then we came come.
The clear round rosettes were worth mentioning for their crapness!...
Oh but good results did happen: Sue & Rosie, Lou & Radlleeeeee, Steph & Lucy all won out of their grades, well done all of them!!! & Billy bummed bits of sandwich, pie, crisps, cheese and god knows what else, so he had fun :)
Home now - bathed, had shepherd's pie and a glass of wine - still feeling knackered, damp, cold and shoulda/coulda maybe stayed in the right side of bed this morning?.....
THERE!!! To the person who said I'm always positive - what a moaning git, eh!!!! ;o)
Oh and ... on the way home there was a young man wandering on the motorway - thankfully, the police had stopped to escort him safely across though. And then we got stopped at roadworks for ages, then at the level crossing for ages. And then the sun mockingly came out but as soon as I pulled the car up at home and opened the door, it joyfully pee'd it down again!!!! OK, enough already ;o)

Glorious Mud - Wigan

2010-09-12T17:06:00.003+01:00

This weekend we went to Wigan show - which is actually near Preston. Friday was a mucky horrible day but we set off undeterred with our new home on wheels, 'The Mouse House', in tow. The Landy had a jolly old chug over the Pennines, barely noticing its new burden. We arrived about teatime and set up straight away - with a little kind help from Helen it was up and moved into within about 20 mins! Still not quite got the method by which you can put it up with the roof in place, but will keep fiddling! (Trying to put it away to facilitate this for next time resulted in a bumped head and some bad words!!! lol) The showground is in a nice location, unfortunately it's also a very very VERY badly drained location! There was a fair bit of rain but outside in the real world it was still quite normal. There, though, it was a quagmire!!! Saturday dawned wet and muddy ... The show squelshed on though. Maisie had an early running order in her first (Jumping) class - thankfully coz it was in the worst ring! She did an OK run - going well up till the tunnel where there was a very interesting sniff, and then eventually out of the tunnel into the weaves sloooowly coz she wanted to go back to investigate further! :) Still somehow managed to end up 5th though!! Luckily her Agility run was also in not too bad conditions and she did a tidy enough run to finish 4th - doing some of those lovely tight turns she can do if she has her listening ears on, haha. I ummed and ahhed about running Tim coz of safety, but decided he should be OK as it was fairly straightforward and I could make sure he was straight and steadyish for the contacts. He did a really super run actually - just nipped under one jump before the seesaw and popped out of the 12 weaves. He worked so nicely though and he had his listening ears on too! He was very funny at the start where the ground had got awful - normally he does a 'down'- or 'bow'-wait but No Way was he putting his tum in that mud so we improvised a stand-wait - which actually worked! He almost did a Jumping run too but was frrrrrrreaked by a walkie-talkie (my big brave boy!) and so I pulled him out before we started. The chap with the WT was very apologetic (not his fault) and when I took Tim straight over to seek his monster, he gave him a lovely cuddle with the WT in hand and all was well in the ginger world again. And that was the end of the Agility. It rained more overnight and then this morning we wallowed round the courses but the day was cancelled before it started - sad but totally sensible decision.

It wasn't all mud-wrestling - Helen & I had yummy hot choc with Baileys in and ginger bics. It was heaven to not be crawling in and out of the small tent in the soupy mud - amazing timing for the Mouse House to turn up in our world and it's earned its cost already, I reckon.

Terribly impractical venue, cancelled day, MUD MUD MUD, oh and more MUD. Would we go again? You betcha! :o)

AMAZING Maisie Mouse!!!

2010-09-08T09:58:00.002+01:00

Not blogged for a while due to a wonky dongle(!) so looooads to catch up on! Here goes ...

Last weekend we went to Dog Vegas. The main reason for going to this show was to support Helen & Skip, and Sara & Tilly in the First Contact Finals!! I wasn't sure I'd be able to get there on the Friday so just entered each dog in one class on the off-chance - this just so happened to be the FC qualifier and Maisie only went and came 3rd and so qualified!!! Hadn't even walked the course! :-O Oh! And not only that, that result also gave her the last few points she needed for her Agility Warrant (Silver)!!! Crikey! :-O
Through the night on Friday both Maisie and Tim were quite restless and had slightly runny bums - the after-effect of bones I should've taken off them sooner on Thursday, bad mummy. Billy retriever guts was fine :) Maisie did one run on Saturday morning but didn't feel right so I pulled both of them from their runs that day, to give their tums chance to recover. The Finals were on the Sunday evening. I decided not to do any runs with Maisie through the day anyway to save her energy for her big moment - this proved to be a good decision. Did a couple of runs with Tim though and he did really very well, I was so pleased with him. He also had a lovely little mad gallop with sweetie-pie Pickle! The day was reaaaaaaaaaally windy! There was a flying marquee incident and all classes in the aft were run without dogwalks, for safety. Sadly Jules and Jette had to retire injured from the day, we did miss them :(

The evening came and our course was built!...... Still no dogwalk (yippee - it's our 'dodgiest' obstacle!) - instead we had 2 A-frames, one after the other - very unusual but great fun! There was supposed to be a wall for the last obstacle but bricks were flying in the 'breeze' so it was replaced by a spread jump. There was, though, a wishing well, very exciting!! I felt quite confident Maisie would jump it OK and she did - no hesistation at all! It was a bit scarey watching the audience gather with chairs and beers, eeek! Helen & Skip were first to go - Helen was amazing as she'd had months to worry about it but just got on and did it - unfortunately big Skip just missed one of his A-frame contacts -well, 2 in a row is a lot to ask for! :) Good run though! Then next up were Sara and Tilly. Unfortunately Tilly was very spooked by the wishing well and was having none of it! Think she might've had a fault by then anyway though? Still very well done though! We were to run nearly at the end of the class. Maisie and I went for a wander and just got to the ring at the last minute. I heard there had been quite a few fast clears so decided we had absolutely nothing to lose and might as well just go for it!! As we got on the startline, ready and raring, the timing broke!! They had one of those big display timers. Whilst they were trying to fix it the commentator had the crowd doing Mexican waves, lol! Then we were off!..... Oh it was F.U.N.! Maisie soooo rose to the occasion and ran as fast as her little fluffy legs could take her! Had a couple of hairy moments - one at a top corner when she spotted a surprising number of people sat by the ringropes and actually almost stopped to grin! Then there was a seesaw which was directly followed by the back of the start jump - I so knew she'd want to jump that rather than the left turn we needed, and despite all efforts I very nearly lost her there! The crowd ooohed! Rest of it went quite smoothly - though we fumbled the approach to the weaves as she was going far faster than planned and I was totally in the wrong place! lol! The Judge's hand stayed down though! The 12 weaves were in a corner running into space - towards people - so I had to work her closely through those, and then you turned in for the home straight which was jump-spread-jump-spread - running like hell togther down that line was such a buzz!!! Loved it, loved it, loved it!!!!!!!! And to cap it all she got a lovely 9th place rosette - really super-duper excellent as there were some very fast dogs in there. That little fluffy girly dog never ceases to amaze me and I'm very, very, very proud of her. Dream come true. :D
And I accidentally bought a trailer tent! Was helped with it by such kindness from mates - towing, storing, packing, paying, mechanic-ing. Very blessed indeed with lovely mates, made me go all fluffy! :)
And then Billy flyballed at Drax on the Monday - he was as fab as ever, the team didn't do owt as little Dylan kept, uncharacteristically, running out. Very good day though, enjoyed it.
During the week the Landy got its tailgate guard made & fitted by our lovely mechanic friend Martin - it's all proper posh!!
I put up the trailer tent and it took about an hour - lol! That was with crap non-diagramatic instructions and no clue what went where though, so maybe not too bad. I think I could do it much faster already and it packed down in 5 mins flat. Mum helped with giving it a good clean - though it has been kept beautifully for its age (old!) - and she's made it some pretty new curtains, cushions, etc. Cool!
Tim & I went on a training day on Saturday - he was such a good lad. Really looking forward to next year with him, think he's starting to grow up a little - slooowly, as blokes do :)
It's feeling definately autumnal out and not in a good way - drizzley and darkening. Got to look forward though - to roaring fires and sloe gin! And to look back on a really wonderful agility season :o)

West Lakes

2010-08-23T21:00:00.003+01:00

Not Wet Lakes this year - well, it did rain a lot but all at night, how kind!
This may be the most amazing show location - the exercise area is the beach! And a perfect doggy beach it is too. The facilities are excellent too - great club house, great toilets, great beer, great coffee, just great!
Maisie Mouse did pretty well - 3rd, 6th and 7th place rosies! Not bad from 4 runs :) Actually the run she didn't get placed on was her best in a way as she was most speedy, though she broke her wait (& I didn't put her back - Bad Human) instead taking a weird detour round the outside of the dogwalk where the (surprised!) judge dodged out of the way, lol! In all the hilarity of this she missed the contact and then later took out a pole with a flying leap - not E'd though. So from 7/8 Es last week to none this week, haha!
Tim kept up the E quota though. He was much less focused this time and downright hard work at times. I was really encouraged by how he ran last weekend but it's two forward and one back sometimes ... Dogs are such great levellers! Anyway, the one run he set off superbly on I stoooopidly twitched a shoulder and pulled him off a tunnel, arrrg! (Bad Human again) He had fun though and did do some nice bits. He also had a super walk on the beach with a big gang of dogs - which he's not really done before - and he behaved v nicely and had a whale of a time.
Billy had several walks on the beach and one into the village. He was a bit confused by beautiful big bouncing baby Flynn but just did a bit of slightly nonplussed gentle woofing, lol :o)
It is a great show but in future I'd defo try to make at least a long weekend out of it as it felt like too far to go for just two days - v v tired driving home last night.

Big Ta to Louise McGovern and Laura Sivell for pics of Miss Mouse and The Ginger One respectively :)

Hare n Hounds

2010-08-19T09:52:00.002+01:00

(Zebra Danio - not my pic)

Our first 4-day show - and what a superb one! The HnH shows are so brilliantly run - nothing too much bother, lots of smiling faces all the time, sweeties, real ale - lots of fantastic real ale - agility heaven!!!!!!!! Oh, & some agility :)
Friday was an awful day weather-wise but both Maisie & Tim did their best runs EVER! Tim did a paw-perfect agility run, apart from when we came round to the weaves near the end & he had to briefly gnash off to tell Auntie Karen on the startline how Clever he was being :) But he did come right back and carry on nicely, bless him! Someone said he just got embarassed coz I said "weeeaveees" in the silly high-pitched voice Maisie loves, so may try to be a little more cool & blokey for him next time, lol. I was really pleased with how he did all weekend - just did that one run on Friday then two each on Sat & Sun, and he didn't completely lose the plot as he has before a bit over multi-day shows. His focus really is getting better and he did lots of nice bits, only going under the very odd jump. His contacts were just ace, as were his startline waits - only went under one first jump, so hopefully that's almost fixed. He's tending to miss weave entries but I think it's pure excitement and him feeling a bit anxious about the change of pace required? He so can weave! Took him up on the fields last night and tried to replicate the speed he gets up in the ring by racing him into the weaves from a flat-out gallop halfway across the field - both sides, all angles, and he can soooo do them, so we shall now work harder on that happening in the ring :)
Mad Maisie Mouse ... In the cold, wet, windy weather on Friday she was Amazing. I'd walked the course with the wrong dog in mind (doh!) so wasn't sure how to run it, but I needn't have worried coz she was supersonic (for her) - specially driving through the weaves like a collie!! I had to put in unexpected rear crosses all over the place! Knew it was a v competitive run and the dogwalk was second last obstacle - I had a rush of blood to the head and just screeched her over it a bit hard and she must've just missed the contact. In the event she finished 5th anyway with a pretty rosie and fortunately she'd have not won it anyway if she'd gone clear - though I don't want her to win out anyway!.. OK so that was the good bit ................... I ddn't even realise this till we got home but over the rest of the weekend we got nothing but Es!!! SEVEN of them to be precise!! Mix of her being surprisingly speedy and going lalalala with paws in lugs whilst dashing off in random directions, and me doing some spectacularly crap handling - on one run I actually got lost between jumps 1 and 2. Oh dear!!!!!!!! No matter though, it was fab and v positive :D
Jules & Jette breezed in on Sunday and then limped home with a fantastic 3rd in g1 agility, sooooo well done!!!! & many other good runs from - well everyone but me & the mouse, hehe.
I had a ridiculous nearly v serious accident with an exploding duck egg on Tues. Now that would've been one for the Darwin Awards ...
Got some pretty new tropical fish yesterday. Not had a tank set up for ages so that's fun. Maisie has been watching them in a that's-dinner kind of way, but they are safe :)
Hopefully Mr Woof is flyball training tonight. He had an ace w/e at HnH - cheesy chips, pub dogging and tent-warming. He'll be happy to play on the beach at West Lakes this w/e too, happy doggy days.

Culture, innit!

2010-08-01T17:12:00.000+01:00

I did manage a little culture today in a visit to our local gallery. South Square is just down in the village (Thornton) and it's an ace little place. The current exhibition is of some local images - the project focusing on the "snickets" - tiny paths between houses, fields, lanes, etc. that we have loads of round here - and where they do/don't/might lead to.
http://www.southsquarecentre.co.uk/index.php?/gallery/about-us/
As well as regular exhibitions, there are artists' "spaces", weekly art workshops for kids and grown-ups (always meant to have a go ...) and other, well ... arty things - a picture framer, good quality crafts - cool jewellery, etc. and the wonderful cafe where I had a fab cuppa and cake this aft. :o) On Fridays evenings about once a month they have an opening night for the latest exhibition: you can get a stonking 3-course meal for about a tenner, and can even take along your own wine. It's really chilled and friendly, not at all arty-farty-snotty; you could rock up in scruffy doggy clothes and no-one would bat an eyelid. Must get back into going more often.

Domestic Goddessry

2010-07-31T19:38:00.000+01:00

No shows this weekend!!! So I decided to try to have a 'normal' weekend, like 'normal' people have? ;o)

(No dogs were harmed in this domesticity, we still had a lovely long walk and playtimes!) but I also:

Cleaned the house – not just the normal flick round so it looks not too embarrassing on the surface, but real proper cleaning that involves moving heavy items of furniture and evicting civilisations of fuzz-bunnies

Washed curtains & rugs, beat heavy rugs

Caught up with a (non-doggy!!!) friend and had the loveliest hour drinking coffee and laughing :D

Bagged up all the change in the ‘copper’ jar - £27+

Re-plumbed the kitchen sink so it drains in a more logical manner - ie. mostly downwards

Re-potted and fed houseplants

Tidied the cellar and found, amongst other things: a dusty bottle of wine – vintage chateau neuf du co-op, a (very) dead mouse, my favourite lump hammer, a bottle of rust-killer – slightly irksome after buying a new bottle yesterday, a teapot I’ve never ever met before, some fab turquoise paint – still can’t find anything to paint it on to but it’s such a pretty colour anyway :)

Cooked a huge pan of Aloo Gobi

Here’s a recipe(ish)

Aloo Gobi

Smallish cauliflower – roughly broken into florets
About 2lb potatoes – medium chunks
Handful of frozen peas
Small red onion – chopped small
Bunch of fresh coriander
1 fresh red chilli – finely chopped
4 big cloves of garlic – mediumly chopped
Half a sq. inch of fresh ginger – finely chopped
Spices – teaspoon each of powdered: coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric
Salt to taste
About 4 tbsp veg oil

Use a large pan – I use the largest Le Creusset casserole pan

Heat oil then add chilli, onion, ginger then garlic

Add potatoes and stir well, add powdered spices and salt, then add about half a mug of water and stir again

Turn heat down (electric mk 2-3ish) and keep stirring, cover and leave about 20 mins, keeping stirring and adding a little water to cover the bottom of the pan. (The potatoes cook by sort of a combination of frying and steaming – there is probably a proper name for this process.)

Add in the cauliflower and frozen peas and cook for about a further 30 mins until all veg are cooked through

When finished the dish should be quite dry

Leave to stand uncovered for about 5 mins

Check and add salt to taste

Stir through and garnish with chopped fresh coriander

Serve with rice &/or chapattis, mint raita (natural yoghurt and chopped fresh mint) and pickles – I used garlic pickle – and nice cold lager. Yummmm.

So what do the 'normal' folk do next?? I might try watching a film - curled up with a pile of hairy doggies of course :o)

Tomorrow I might try do some "Culture" ?!?!...

Bright Spark

2010-07-27T20:09:00.000+01:00

This morning I electrocuted myself three times before leaving the house.
Then I got in the Landy to find the battery was as flat as a ... flat thing. Left the lights on last night & never thought to check when I went out to turn them off. Luckily I've got a plug-in charger.
This aft I walked up to the field with a couple of jumps and weaves and two willing participants - got them all set up and then the heavens opened and it thundered - electrical activity in the sky :-O So we came home again, untrained. Of course by then it was sunny.
Oh & this is not strictly an electrical phenomenon but Maisie had rolled head-to-toe in pea-green slurry and so she's had the full shampoo-bath treatment. Now she's drying she looks like she's stuck a paw in a socket!!! Her fluff is all puffed up and she looks like a pretty cloud :D

Weardale ... Planet Ginger Dog!

2010-07-25T21:04:00.000+01:00

Just got back from Weardale. Yesterday there was much ginger dog action:

Ginger 1: Tim did a couple of good runs – he just gets that bit better each time :) On one he sent from the startline down a line of 4 bounce-stride jumps then on to another jump further on and then right at the top over a further two jumps – not ducking under any(!!) Meanwhile I was still somewhere behind jump two gathering my thoughts and feeling like I was moving in slow-mo! On his other nice run (& this was defo his best yet) he did the whole course perfectly apart from ducking under the start jump and a jump before the cloth tunnel. The best bit was that he stopped on the A-frame - which was followed by the weaves - and even when I walked forward to the weaves, pointed and said “weave” he would not release himself till I said “OK!” Either his release is proofed better than I thought or he’d slipped into a brief trance, lol. Anyway, he then did the weaves beautifully too. Good boy! Of course today he was cr*p and back in lala-loony-land but never mind eh!! Two steps forward, one back is still moving on.

Ginger 2: Karen & lovely Mac finally got their passport to bog off from the G1&2 queues by getting that agility win that they’ve been threatening! Very, very well done to them both, well deserved.

Ginger 3: Katie (who is well up there on Tim’s most-snoggable-humans-in-the-universe list) & amazing 3-year-old ginger boy Copper won the Large Champ class!!! Soooo exciting, seriously amazing runs, an agility fairytale!! It was really thrilling to watch all of the Champ competitors – WOWEEE!!!

& the Mouse … well the great news there is that she found her weaves!!! Not sure where they’ve been off to, but never mind! We didn’t get chance to practice at all during the week so I wasn’t expecting an improvement. One of the (many) fab things about Maisie is that the reward she works best for is praise, so I can reward her in the ring without needing treats/toys, and so her confidence soon came back once they started to happen. On her agility run this morning she missed a contact (my bad) & rolled a pole so I then sent her quite fast into the weaves from right behind and she did them v happily. She did get a clear round each day – both in Jumping classes, but not fast enough for the places. She’s been placed on less good runs before but that’s just the way it goes and she was most chuffed with herself anyway.

Billy had a fun walk along the riverbank with Skip this morning, and Tim had a romp with baby Belle who was playing for the first time in big classes - she did sooo well. Skip also got some clears and maybe a G3 place – good big lad!

Tim had a naughty-comedy moment … I let him out of the car and his Auntie Helen made a tactical error in the war on ginger chaos – bending right down and giving him a lovely big tummy tickle – he was so overwhelmed with luuuurve he got a little over excited and projectile wee’d right in her face!!!! Oh how we chortled :) :) (Tim sez sooooooo sorry Auntie Helen, but your complexion really did look extra beautiful afterwards, honest!!!)

Otley

2010-07-19T17:12:00.002+01:00

Oh what a fab one!! Busy, strange weather, but fab. It's amazing how well the human body can survive on beer, coffee, sweeties, and about 8 hours sleep spread over 3 nights :)
I'd more or less decided not to run Tim at all with being busy, I didn't think it was fair if I couldn't give him enough focus, but then found time to do one run each day after all. And soooo glad I did! It is something of a journey with Tim - specially getting him up to full height jumps - not sure why it's been such a long process but so be it. Anyway, on his run on Saturday he only ducked under the first jump (my fault!) and his run on Sunday he didn't run under any!!!! Yippee!! His contacts were really, really good - I actually sprinted past him on the A-frame and he stopped perfectly! So now it's really just tweaking the steering. The difficulty therein is that sometimes he responds to the slightest twitch of an eyebrow, and other times something else attracts his attention and then it's like trying to turn a supertanker with a thread ... One really good bit of progress is that I've started giving him food rewards rather than a thrown toy/tuggy at the finish, and this is defo helping him focus on me more - on his run on Sunday he even came screeching into a sit at the finish for his treat. His forward drive was really good and he also did some really nice focused tight work on a double-pinwheel-y bit. Both judges he ran under are great handlers and it was v encouraging that they each made a nice positive little comment about him :)
I don't know what happened at Lune/Barrow a couple of weeks ago but somehow Maisie's weaves got broken :( Specifically, she is getting the entry but then tending to miss the second gap but then carry on after a fashion, though she's clearly not happy with them at all. Her weaves have never been stunningly fast or independent, but they have been at least fairly reliable for quite a while. I can only think that something spooked or maybe hurt her - toe on a peg perhaps?? And this happens at a time when I'm finally feeling really happy with her contact performances!! Arrrrrg! LOL. Anyway, she had a couple of runs each day - two of which we aborted coz the weaves didn't happen (real big shame on one coz she set off like sh*t off a shovel!!) and the other two I practically poked my fingers up her nostrils and (gently!) towed her through the 6 weaves - not ideal but ... the other bits of her runs were pretty good and it was a relief she was more "normal" after being so under par at the Finals last week; she finished with a 6th in a 1-2 comb Agility, and 3rd on a huge gallopy Jumping course - that was a super surprise, especially as I'd woken her from a pleasant afternoon snooze and plonked her blinking in the ring at the final call, ooops! I'm so lucky to have her and, gosh, has she taught me a lot!
So our project for the week, for Weardale next w/e is Operation Mousey Weaves ............
It was fab to spend time with so many friends this w/e and share beers, biccies, sweeties and laughs, great stuff :)

Our Little Champion

2010-07-14T22:49:00.005+01:00

Well, we went to the DARL Finals :) On Saturday morning I saw 4am from the wrong side, setting off to the East of England Showground near Peterborough – as it turned out the journey wasn’t that and only took just over 2h.
On arrival I found a nice shady spot behind a big hedge, but was soon moved by an officious carpark bod - into the only shaft of sunlight. Some people really shouldn’t be allowed a high-viz jacket & badge … Anyway, we moved back into the shade PDQ. Found the Finals ring which was in front of a big grandstand! The whole show (Just Dogs Live) was quite huge with streets of trade stands, display rings, a champ posing show, and RVA agility show. I’d been asked to liaise with the gundog display team and the police to check if/when they would be using gunshot in their displays … thankfully they had been asked not to after all, big Pheeew.
In the morning we had a “warm-up” Jumping run – same course for all G1-7, then the main event was the Agility Finals in the aft. The day was soooooo hot – hottest day of a hot summer … and unfortunately Maisie never really settled, what with the extreme heat, along with lots of background noises, she was distracted and our runs weren’t great. I was a bit disappointed for (not with) her coz she’s been running so very well & joyfully lately and on a different day would’ve right enjoyed both courses. Nonetheless it was an amazing day and an honour to take part. There was a super atmosphere with everyone supporting one another. The standard across the grades was fantastic and I believe there was almost full attendance across the grades – quite something with it being a national league. There was one dog & handler who’d qualified in our grade but the poor dog had suffered a sudden spinal paralysis a few months ago. His owner bravely told his ongoing recovery story and then presented our rosettes – very tear-jerky but fab. All of those dogs there had been unwanted/unloved/abused/thrown away at some point in their lives, and no doubt many had/have "issues", and yet you couldn’t see a happier, more adored bunch of dogs and their humans.

Everyone got a lovely rosette for taking part, "winners" on the day or not, and I think we all came home feeling we’d been part of something very special.

The previous couple of weeks had been difficult for our family, with Dad being poorly. Thankfully he came home from hospital and got a whole lot better last week. At one point I wasn’t sure we’d make the Finals at all so to be able to go, knowing he was so much better was extra wonderful. He always calls Maisie ‘Our Little Champion’ and he’s right, she so is :)

Huuuge thanks to Jules for coming to support us and share the day and taking some fab jumpy pics and having a good day agility-ing into the bargain! :D

Came home via Sheffield, picking up a dog guard for the Landy I’d bought on Ebay. Got chatting with the sellers and met their two huge snarly GSDs – they mentioned they’re planning on breeding from their bitch, not because they even want a puppy but “because she needs her temperament calming down” and they weren’t going to have any health checks “coz they’re too expensive.” How deeply depressing.

Barrow

2010-07-04T20:33:00.001+01:00

So we got to Barrow after all :o) Went back up Friday morning, arriving about 10.30am, just in time to walk two courses, run them and be done for 11.30! I felt a bit rushed and didn't run Tim (have to be in the right frame of mind, lol!) but that was maybe a blessing as later in the day I took him in the practice ring and he was ACE!!! In the morning's classes Maisie got a 5th in her agility classs - dunno how as it was a dire run - she'd got very spooked en route by some RAF jets so was on go-slow - however, that flukey result made up for the disappointment of a lovely jumping run (on a course with pushy-outy bits that she should've hated!) at the end of which the last pole slowly toppled ...
Maisie did nice runs all weekend actually - just odd poles & whatnot, She's such an angel.
& Tim was much better! He got half a clear round!!!!!! ;o) Going lovely and I was getting a bit shocked when he was still clear by obstacle number 10 - his super weaves have re-appeared, yay! and he was jumping beautifully! But then he spotted his tug on the finish line ... oh well, he came back and finished OK and went on to do some other respectable runs. One day he will be Fabulous!!......
I got the cartoon above of them done - kept meaning to last year but never got round to it. The bloke who does them is fab and such a nice person. I think Maisie looks a bit evil, Billy's pretty cool, but I think he's captured Tim to a T! Can't look at it without chortling :o)
Maisie's Rescue Finals next Saturday ... if I don't explode with excitement first! :-O

Maisie arrives in grade 2 ...

2010-06-28T19:11:00.005+01:00

... at Lune with a load of E's!!! heehee. But today she pulled one off on an Agility run and got a 4th!! So maybe G2 isn't such a bad place after all :o) She also did her only Jumping run of the w/e today and did a really nice one, shame she just tipped the first pole but she attacked the course really well, especially considering it was hot and at the end of a long weekend.
Tim ... oh Tim!! Some nice bits again, a minor snog with a polepicker, some crap bits, lots of ginger grins. Love that baby dog!
On Saturday I had the pleasure of meeting Ruger pup - oh he's lovely! http://agilityshepherds.blogspot.com/
The show at Lune was a lot different to last year due to some roads being laid through the showground. The (nine) rings were much more spread out and quite a long trek from camping; also it didn't seem to have quite the same atmosphere. Still nice though and the walk along the canal is ace. I was a reluctant bingo virgin at Saturday night's entertainment but then won £25 so bingo rocks!!! Had hoped to stay up for the week but sometimes life gets in the way of agiity. Hoping to get back up later in the week anyway for Barrow show.

Good vs evil!

2010-06-20T12:39:00.002+01:00

Maisie Mouse with her prizes from last week:

Ahhh, look at me, what a clever and cute 'ickle girly I am!

GEROFF MY TROPHY GINGERPIG!!!

& back to angelic pwetty pwincess mode :)

Weekend off this week! Vicarious victory though as Jules and Jette got a 5th at Newton Heath yesterday, yippee! ETA: & then a 2nd on Sunday!!! Coooool! :o)

We're all ready(ish) for the great Lune/Barrow expedition next week :-)

A bit of fun

2010-06-16T16:51:00.001+01:00

Cartmel

2010-06-14T20:27:00.004+01:00

We arrived late on Friday eve into Cartmel village which is small and pretty, lots of cottage garden flowers, and the priory bells were ringing. Wyre members met us in the square and pointed us to our camping, the racecourse venue is literally in the village. Our plot was idyllic, right on the bank of the stream! Even more perfect, the stream ran down to the ring area and so Maisie was able to sploosh her way to her runs :)

Saturday was hot and sunny. Maisie and I were e’d both runs – the second one because, just in time, Maisie spotted a dangerous monster lurking in the tunnel and anchored on, narrowly avoided being eaten by it (that’s what she told me so it must be true!) On Sunday, a cooler, wetter day and our last in grade 1 (boohoo) we fared better with a 2nd (another trophy, what is going on?!) in g1 agility, and 9th in 1-2 agility :) Then she did more splooshing and playing.

Tim had a couple of runs each day and a go in the practice ring. He seems to be getting over his stagefright and did some nice stuff, in one only ducking under 1 jump!! He was more confident and happeee, good lad. We met a lady with Welsh sheepdogs. Tim had a mad play with her 10 m.o. boy – interesting how in tune their body language was. He was short-coated and so you could clearly see the difference in structure from BCs. They all seem to have the funny skunky tail! She said how late they are to mature and I agree! It was Tim’s ‘official’ 2nd birthday on Sunday, but he’s still a baby pupster. He had nice playtimes with other dogs too and a walk with fave girlfriend Belle and her bally.

Even Billy Woof got to participate as there was a fun scurry. He had a few goes and it was ace! He also came to the pub on Saturday night to watch England – the pub had a world cup marquee in their pretty beer garden – real ale, Pimm’s, great atmosphere, bliss! Billy bummed crisps and was fussed and happy in his role as guide dog for the drunk :)

The primary school had a yummy cake stall at the show, and there was a charity plant sale, tombola, a cricket match, and wonderful hot showers. We never did find out why there are multi-coloured sheep lurking all over Cartmel village but they are very nice anyway!……

Exciting stuff

2010-06-03T09:24:00.003+01:00

Just had this comment from the BFA webboard emailed to me, re: Monday's racing. It really was thrilling!!!

OMG - I have to say - Div 1 multi-breed was not only my first experience of MB racing (and I loved it, and so did ---!) but it was some of the very BEST racing I have seen in the 4 years I've been involved in this sport. Close just doesn't do it justice - you couldn't get a hair between them in many cases. The crosses were the type that make you draw breath in expectation of someone getting a light, and as for the very last race of the division - went to 5 legs and I don't mind admitting there was a lump in my throat and a tear in my eyes as I was watching this. Wasn't even my team but my GOD it was amazing.

Ah, summer evenings ............

People said nice things

2010-06-01T19:24:00.001+01:00

Ths weekend we were at DV at Bakewell. Great venue, so nice to have wonderful walks, river paddling for doggies, an interesting town and even a farmer's market with oodles of yummy free samples, all right next to the showground! The weather wasn't kind though - rainy one day, cold and windy the other! Hungover from last weekend's dream results, Miss Mouse and I were very average! Just one rosette for a jumping clear. She did some lovely bits nonetheless and had a good time.
Tim was back on much better form on Saturday - did a couple of runs and they were respectable - no off-bogging and he worked happily and went over a lot of jumps. He was especially good on a very tight 1-4 jumping course that I was really unsure about running him round - really focused in that one. By Sunday he went off into Timland again, should've really quit whilst we were ahead! Probably no more runs for the next month now so back to concentrating on happy training. It's all there with him, he's so able, we just need to bring it out fully in the rings and that'll take as long as it takes :o)
On Monday Billy flyballed at Ryecroft Farm (Cheshire) in the Multibreed comp. I must say it was a great day's racing and we were just pipped into 2nd in the last leg of the last race of the day. Very, very exciting and the whole team did so well. We got our fastest time down to 19.15.

The nice things people said ... Well each dog had something nice said about them that made me go awwww!...
Maisie: A lady came to give her a cuddle whilst we were queuing for a run and said she'd seen her earlier and wasn't she pretty and that she looked like "an explosion in a fur factory!" Such a delightfully apt description! :o) And she's had so many lovely congrats and kind words about winning out last week.
Tim: Well, perhaps not so complimentary but very funny ... On his last run he'd lost the plot and ran under two jumps and bogged off on a mad gallop, then plopped himself down for a good old ear scratch right in the middle of the ring! The judge just laughed and said something to the effect of: Not only is he bonkers, he's also got fleas!! Bless him for not being snotty and making us feel worse than we already did!
Billy: Our div judge gave him a lovely compliement and said that she thought we were going to pull it back in the last race. Very kind again.

This aft Tim had his boosters and was a good lad. Compared to the annual horror of Billy & Maisie having their kennel cough drops up their noses, he just stood there waggily and tried to lick the vet whilst she did it, then went in for a full-on snogfest afterwards! He's a little challenging in some ways, but in others he's so sweet and easy.

Waldridge Fell - Maisie Mouse wins!!!

2010-05-24T18:20:00.001+01:00

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside! Amazing Maisie Mouse only went and did it!!!!!! Not only winning one agility class, but also 3rd and 4th in others (as well as best rescue in the charity fun day on Friday :o) ) She was ace!!! It was such a hot and sunny weekend but she actually coped pretty well with the heat, with careful management. Can't believe she won out on a "fast" course, beating the second dog by over 2 seconds, gosh! I tried out blind-crossing after her contacts and it worked a treat!!! Really speeded her up. She worked her weaves and seesaw beautifully and got a right fluffy wiggle on along the straight jumping stretches. Still can't quite believe it though!! And how awful is this: I missed the presentation!! Heard the announcement they were starting and did think we might've got into the lower places (in itself fairly rare on a fast course) but as helping with a course change I couldn't get there in time. They went further up the places then and I half stopped listening, then got such a shock!!!!!!!!!!! Sprinted down to the sec's tent and it was really true!! The judge (Ann Jones) must be our lucky judge as it was on one of her courses Maisie got the last few points she needed for her AW(B) earlier in the year :o)
So it's an unexpected bye-bye to grade 1! Delighted and very proud of the win but slightly mixed feelings about actually moving up a grade as I'm not sure how often Maisie will make the placings in grade 2 ...
Doesn't make much difference to Tim - he's fast enough for whatever grade if/when it all comes together. He had a less than brill w/e but with the promise he showed last weekend I'm not that worried, he's still going to be fab too.
Actually I'm just utterly chuffed for Maisie, whatever the future brings. If Tim reaches half of his potential he will go further up the grades, so it's perfect that Maisie got to make this move on her very own merit. She totally deserves it and I love her soooo much! xxxxxx

Dog Vegas (Winterton)

2010-05-17T08:47:00.000+01:00

We've been to quite a few DV shows and they're always nice but this weekend turned out to be a really super one. The weather was perfect - sunny but just the right temperature, and everyone seemed relaxed and happy :o)
Maisie did some super runs and she is loving her agility at the moment. On Saturday she got 16th in the First Contact 1&2, earning yet another one of those cool rosettes with a spaceship on! Then on Sunday she came 3rd!!!! in a 1-4 graded agility. We had some brill courses all weekend, really enjoyed every one. Her other run on Sunday was round a big galloping course - though still with handling bits. I always walk courses like that and think it looks a long way round for a little fluffy one, but actually she loves them when she's in the mood to fly. We were a bit unlucky there as there was obviously a sniff of some sort in the tunnel and she stopped to investigate then reversed back out, lol! Even on 5R she was 6th, though rosettes only to 5th, but no matter, the fluffy one was sooooo fab.
Oh Tim! Well I ran him with the modest aims of him staying in the ring and, hopefully, going over more jumps than under! His first run was OK - stayed with me though did run under loads of jumps - he did though do 12 super weaves and fast, solid contacts. I was then really undecided whether to do any of his other runs as I don't want to spoil the good bits by re-inforcing the idea that he can run under jumps in the ring. Anyway, decided to try one more run and this time he was much better, and then he got better with each succesive run, to the point when he was only ducking under the odd jump here & there, result! Apart from one 1-2 all the rest of the classes were 1-4 graded and so we faced some fairly challenging handling sections and he responded well to those. In fact he jumps much better on the trickier handling bits and he really listened and worked well - when it goes right it feels amazing! A non-straight-line start really helps to grab his focus. I was super pleased to be able to cross sharply behind him in his weaves, and run past his contacts, and he did some lovely confident send-ons to do bits of the course on his own. Really, really encouraging bits, and I'm now pretty sure it is the right thing to keep taking him into classes - the ducking under seems to be largely a confidence thing, apart from odd times when inexperience means he just doesn't quite get his stride right when spacing is tight - but he tries so hard and is realising what an amazing game it all is!! Clear rounds (or even not getting E'd) are a distant dream yet but we're defo making progress. Of course he had to have a clown moment - was a bit unsure of the Scottish judge and had to go and check what Scots keep up their kilts, teehee :o)
And Jules and Jette had some really fab runs and a lovely time. Sara & Tilly qualified in 5th for the FC final! Helen & Skip survived their move into grade 3 and I'm sure are going to do really very well there. Tim's ginger 'big bro' Bailey ran sooo well too :) And up at Hare & Hounds, Wendy and Kyle won into grade 6!!
And next weekend we're off to the seaside, yay!!!!

Fire

2010-05-11T09:45:00.001+01:00

Saturday 11th May 1985, twenty-five years ago today, at Valley Parade, Bradford City were presented with the Division Three Champions' Trophy before kick-off of the last match of the season v Lincoln City. It should have formed one of those golden sporting memories. Just before half-time though, celebration turned to disaster when raging fire took hold of the Main Stand. Hundreds were physically injured, thousands traumatised, and fifty-six people never made it home. We'll always remember the victims and their loved ones and the lessons learnt.

Training day

2010-05-09T18:14:00.000+01:00

Went on a training day today with Tim today and he was megasuperfabby!!!!! As the weather was so nice we did half of the session outside and half indoors, and that was fun. Tim worked so well - he was really quite focused and mature (for him!) The bits of jumping work we've done alone seems to be paying off as he jumped really well and confidently over mixed heights. His distance work is coming on a treat and whilst powering on over what's in front of him, he's really listening and responding to directional changes too. He even managed, at second attempt, a pull off a tunnel which was very close ahead - really good for such a tunnel-crazy beast! He also cleverly got a weave entry which I'd set him up quite badly for. He did some nice stuff wrapping in round wings over a jump - should probably practice this more so that I can send him to wrap round himself from further away. We still struggle a little with the pushing out part of a flick-flack - I need to keep thinking about my positioning, but he seems to be picking it up the concept better. He turns away from more straight behind really confidently - definately got eyes in back of his head. His seesaw's great and he's got back his 2o2o on the A-frame which was slipping a bit, even when he doesn't quite manage to stop his front end in time he's hanging on there with his back tippy-toes and grinning with his beautiful big brown eyes shining!
And now he's knackered and snoring like a fat bloke :o)

Goat and Slugs

2010-05-07T16:40:00.001+01:00

There is a large, hairy, unusual breed of goat marauding around the neighbourhood.
This morning I went into the kitchen to find that four huge slugs had spontaneouly generated themselves in the sink - YUKKKKK. (A political omen?)
We have a Hung Parliament.

So here's a pretty picture. Work that camera, baby :)

Birds

2010-05-05T19:41:00.000+01:00

I'm not a twitcher at all but there's loads of bird activity at the moment. Just seen a sparrowhawk!!! in the garden behind the house. We also have robins nesting somewhere, amd bluetits. And there's an owl twit-twoo-ing away on a night - probably in the barn opposite (maybe a barn owl then?!) No sign of the swallows yet but they should be back soon ...

Billy Woof's day in the sun ...

2010-05-03T20:18:00.001+01:00

... with sleety haily stuff, yuk! Though it was a little cool for human comfort it was perfect for the boy. We ran at Drax in the Multibreed tournament, along with Charlie Brown, Dylan and Shadow. Really enjoyable day and not even too much hanging around! And we WON our Division!!! Billy Woof was an absolute superstar. He ran last dog and, as usual, consistently ran his socks off, never putting a paw wrong or giving less than 110%. It was close racing all day and several times he set off neck & neck with the other team's last dog, and he brought it home every single time!
So lovely for him to have his chance to shine. He's a wonderful and happy agility groupie, but flyball is so his grand passion and his commitment is something to behold.
The others had a nice day out too, of course. At one point Tim was playing with a pack of at least ten dogs, and his behaviour was so lovely, though it was hard work herding them all at once! haha. He'd only been with us for a few weeks when we went to that tournament last year and then, though he wasn't awful, his manners and boundaries left a lot to be desired, so it was a good reminder of how far he's come. Oh & it was there that Maisie broke my nose last year and happily that wasn't repeated.
Happy days.

Weeeeeavies!

2010-05-02T18:11:00.001+01:00

I'm determined that Tim is going to have superb independent weaves! I've made some stick-in poles and keep taking them out on walks with us! Just had a brilliant 5 minutes playing with them on the park. He's super at finding his entries from all different angles - I think starting with the channels was really good for that. He's also sending in from waaaay behind and at speed - always gets the entry, sometimes pops back out, but mostly succeeds. In fact, I can stay so far behind or wide of him I think I'll take a "wanger" next time as it's too far to throw his ball ahead by hand to reward! He's doing both sides well, is good with me crossing behind, or being ahead. The thing we need to work on some more is me running fast past him whilst he's in the weaves - he tends to then rush and pop out early - only when I'm close to him though, so he's doing pretty well :o) I think he's a bit more speed to give yet too though he is getting quite swift already.
Billy's flyballing at Drax tomorrow. Nice cool, dry-ish day forecast, should be a good day ...

Desert Rat

2010-04-28T20:52:00.002+01:00

Maisie's powers of water divination are quite special. Today we walked over land near where I was working - somewhere we'd never been before - and suddenly Maisie set off galloping like her tail was on fire. After about 500 yards she suddenly disappeared into thin air!! I was a little worried as it was basically a flat field and she shouldn't have been able to disappear, so legged it after her to see where she'd gone. I found her merrily splish-splashing around in a very small but deep (about 4') drainage hole that had been dug in the lowest point of the field. How did she know it was there?! Amazing Mouse Powers. She'd be very handy in a desert.

Good Big Boy!

2010-04-27T20:13:00.000+01:00

Just had an ace little 10-minute training session with Tim on this lovely spring evening. Set all jumps at full height this time and did various things - some twisty-turny, some blasty, some close work, some long sendaways/recalls - and he didn't duck under once!!! Last couple of sessions he's managed about 80% success, even with varying jump heights, but this time 100% Big Boy Jumps! He seems to be getting his striding and shape in the air much better, what a good lad - and so happy and pleased with himself. The next step is to improve on his jumping before the obstacles which most attract his eyes down - he's not too bad going into weaves, A-frame and dogwalk, but the seesaw and tunnels, especially the cloth tunnel, he very often charges under to get to. A plank on the ground will have to do instead of a seesaw, and will bodge up a quick-assembly tunnel to add to our little bag of portable gear. We have a Plan ...

Lincoln

2010-04-26T21:23:00.004+01:00

The show was huge - 10 rings - and it felt a bit too big. Camping was quite spread out and with the rings being in different sections of the showground, you could go the whole weekend without seeing people you knew were there somewhere! And they struggled a lot for helpers and so those who do ended up doing more than was pleasurable. Ho hum.
Maisie did some nice runs and some random amusing bits - TUNNEL! What tunnel? The one 2' from your head! Ummm, I see no tunnel! Maisie, tunnel, the GREEN one! Ah, you never said it was green. Mouse logic: it's green therefore it doesn't exist! OK Maisie but please go through it just for me? Oh, OK then, why didn't you just say?! Canters on OK round the rest of the course till we get to the green tunnel for the second time - and repeat!.. teehee. Then in another class it started with a straight line - jump-jump-jump-tunnel straight ahead, exiting to the right - so Maisie thought that was too boring and bogged off to the wrong end of the tunnel - now that we probably would fail to do if trying! She's a poppet and all errors were no doubt mine really :o) She managed a couple of respectable clears from the w/e anyway though so did many others so no places this time. A huge positive is that she coped brilliantly with the Red Arrows practicing overhead and enjoyed the game of mugging me for happyairoplanecheese each time they appeared.
Ran Tim in the anysize classes. Some positives - he focused pretty well and did some super distance work - I'm able to send him on, especially to tunnels, and cut corners to the point of being able to stroll leisurely into position to meet him sometimes. He did weaves for the first time in competition in sequence after other course elements - one set after approaching from a tunnel over a jump then I front-crossed before the weave entry and he did them paw-perfect, and the other lot after a fast galloping stretch - that time he missed one pole, but made a really decent attempt to adjust his speed. Out of 4 runs he only bogged off slightly once and that was just for a quick howdy to someone he knows, so quite pleased with his focus. He also did consistent waits and contacts. A couple of the courses, though basically "flowing" courses had some rather tricky angles and they caught us out - all good experience though. However, I really don't want to run him in anysize again. It hopefully helped his confidence in the big show environment, but I don't want him habitually belting round recklessly over small jumps (the largest you could jump was 35cm). So from now on it's big boy jumps or nowt! & it may well be nowt for quite a while ......... but we'll get there one day.
& Billy made a doggy friend!! In the tiny form of Pheobe the Yorkie - he not only sniffed and wagged his tail but actually did a small playbow!!! Verrrry cute, she's just adorable.
& the sun mostly shone and cake happened and then we came home.

Bathing & Jumping

2010-04-22T23:48:00.000+01:00

It's that time of year when Maisie likes to take her daily dip in the horse trough :o) & the other day Billy had his annual bath - in the human bath at home, of course, with warm water, shampoo and fluffy towels.

HATS show at the weekend - gloriously sunny, shame to be indoors really! Maisie ran nicely - clears in both classes. I think she's actually working away a little better - maybe I've changed handling a bit from running Tim? And Tim did some nice stuff in the pre-comp classes - unusually, there was a tyre in the Agility and unfortunately it was set at medium, like the jumps, and poor Tim was confused and tried to fly over it!!! Thankfully no harm done and next run I, and others with baby large dogs, asked the Judge and adjusted the tyre to large - Tim flew through it with no loss of confidence, good boy, pheew, lesson learnt. He just ducked round a jump but otherwise nice run. He ran a nice clear in the Jumping in 17 seconds which was "only" fast enough for 5th place! Some other very fast young dogs played too. I lost us a couple of seconds with a scruffy wide turn, so he was up there on time again really. With the lovely spring eves we're doing 5 minutes of training quite often and it seems to be suiting him. He's jumping large easily but can still duck under when the jump spacing is tighter, so we're working on that. This weekend at Lincoln he is running in Anysize at medium, and it will be interesting to see how that goes ... It's going to be a big 10-ring show! I'm reluctant to do much more competing not at full height as he gets in the ring and runs differently to how he does in training - faster and flatter - and I don't want that to become habitual coz that may just lead to running under large jumps again. So I guess we'll just keep up the training and hoping that his jumping confidence gradually grows and that "muscle memory" thing happens ... He's come a long way already as he limbo-ed under small jumps when we started!! Everything else is great - super weaves, etc. and whilst very forwrad-going he does really try to listen/watch and be a Good Boy and we're gradually learning together.

Easter Bunnies

2010-04-05T19:55:00.003+01:00

It was last easter that Tim joined the family so it's almost a year (easter being a little earlier) he has been here. And what a smashing young man he's grown into:

He had a couple of runs at Dog Vegas this weekend. I knew he wasn't really ready so it was just to dip a toe in the deep waters of KC shows!!! The boy did OK in a way ... Ran under a lot of jumps, had a brief snog with someone ringside, and picked up an obstacle number in his gob! But he also did some great startline waits, solid contacts and, most amusingly, got a perfect weave entry and did 12 fabby weaves in a course where he otherwise ran under all but 2 jumps, lol! Not a disaster by any means - he's only just done a bit of jumping at full height in training, so we just need to do more work on that before trying it again in the exciting atmosphere of an open show, and nothing more entered for a few weeks anyway. He's doing ever so well generally and he mostly went in the right direction horizontally, if not quite vertically! Most importantly, he's a lovely, funny, cheeky, happy, sweet, young ginger man, and I'm very proud of him.
So it was up to the super Mouse to bring home the rosettes again! She got an 8th in an agility class - rewarded with another ace rosette with a spaceship on it, yay!!! Plus another couple of lovely clears on challenging courses, and another with just a pole down in a really nice run. Unfortunately a certain Judge judged contacts in a rather interfering way, leaning in right next to us on the A-frame, spooking Maisie off and potentially undoing lots of work on making her feel OK about Other People being at a reasonable distance from her on her contacts. Ho hum, what a thoughtless Elf.
She's a fluffy superstar and generally she really enjoyed this weekend and was back to joyful jumping after a couple of ever so slightly "off" weeks. Sticking to just one or two runs per day seems to be the way to go with her, to keep her happyfluffyzoomy levels up through a show :o)

& Billy, well, he was the bestest agility groupie and tent-warmer and general company as usual :0)
At a worrying time for the human members of our family, there's no better therapy than the company of three super-fit, deliriously happy dogs. xxx

NAWS March

2010-03-28T20:42:00.002+01:00

Got to the show late today due to my precious Dad being taken poorly last night (he's much better already, thank goodness) and what with very little sleep, today has felt pretty surreal.

Just landed in time to have a bash at Maisie's Jumping - did both runs one after the other and she set off ever so whizzily, but just knocked a pole on each attempt so I retired us gracefully and went for a much-needed very very strong coffee instead. Unfortunately by her Agility in the aft she was much less up for it (maybe she should've had coffee too!) Slightly concerned she's gone off the boil agility-wise the past couple of weeks. Hope it's nothing to worry about but will just see how she goes for now. She seems more than fine and happy in herself.

Tim's Jumping runs were reeeeeally good. He ran at 'nearly large' height (22"?) for the first time in comp and did so wonderfully, really confident, not running under or knocking a single pole, even from a long recall start, good boy. Really great to have the opportunity to run at that height as a training stage for bigdogs, perfect. Just minor steering issues round one turn on both runs (sometimes it would be great to have a third attempt, lol!) but otherwise it was really pleasing stuff. Then his Agility and he was just Not Right at all - bogged off to see people (which he's never really done in the ring before - usually surprisingly focused!) and generally not together at all. Second run he flat refused to go over the A-frame and it was then I realised he wasn't just being a muppet and must be uncomfortable somewhere, so I brought him out. Checked him over and found that the poor lad has a very sorely back paw toe. Don't know how it happened, he's not actually lame on it and there's nothing to see or feel, but it was clearly bothering him. Poor lad, I feel terrible for not realising immediately he was hurting somewhere. Bad mummy :o(

So a bit of a mixed and generally glum sort of day though with good bits and good friends.

Meddling

2010-03-27T21:30:00.001Z

Oh dear, I've been meddling with the new whizzo blogger layout thingumijig and it's gone all wonky! Will try to dewonkify it later!

Lots been going on. Last week was the BC Club Show at Newark - nice day out, Maisie had OK runs and a clear but no places. She did some ace weaves - her weaves have really come on lately and I'm starting to have the confidence in her to let her get on with them and speed up a bit, good girl.

Today Tim had a play at Delinquent Dogz - really good for him to have a go at running outdoors on that strange green stuff called grass! He did seem a bit unsure about agility al fresco at first but soon settled and enjoyed it. Course were a bit arrrrrg! Way too tempting tunnel traps in both agility and jumping pre-comp courses! So Tim flew into them head-first, of course! With hindsight I feel a bit bad for setting him up to "fail" like that and should've perhaps taken a different line at which we could succeed. Rest of the courses he ran beautifully though, good contacts, some great distance and layering, sending on from behind, out round a pinwheel into a front cross, pick-up into a sharp turn over a jump from a tunnel exit, so some real positives. My aim for the day actually was to get him to run to his tuggy at the finish line to prevent him tugging my arm instead, which was starting to become a bit of an issue, and he did that brilliantly so mission accomplished.
Maisie & Billy had a lovely day out being fussed and played with, so all happy tired dogs at the end of the day. Last NAWS tomorrow ... :o)

Bliss

2010-03-11T16:42:00.002Z

Swamp and snow in one walk. It doesn't get better than this! mm x

Tim's a life-saver

2010-03-04T23:49:00.003Z

Out walking this aft with the boyz and Tim started acting really oddly - even more than usual :) Anyway it turned out he was telling me something and when I looked there was sheep in trouble. She'd got stuck on her back in a hollow in the ground. I thought she was dead actually - all four legs stuck straight upright and no movement. Thought I'd better go check though and when I toe-poked her she moved, so I checked her over then rolled her back onto her feet. She had a huge wee & poo so must've been stuck there for quite a while. I did a bit of door-knocking and found out who she belonged to and, as luck would have it, just as I found out, her owner (t'Coalman!) drove past and so we flagged him down and told him and so he went to sort her out. Apparently they're just a few days off lambing and as she'd obviously been stuck there a good while she'd have probably croaked had Tim not spotted her. It was like a scene from Lassie! So perhaps Tim is in touch with his inner sheepdog after all. Clever multi-talented ginger boy.

too cute

2010-03-04T10:43:00.003Z

I really tried to not buy any more photos of Maisie doing agility, but she is too damn cute!! So here she is. Happy birthday for yesterday, her official birthday - a three-year-old princess. xxx

Photos by Sunnyside Photography

NAWS Feb

2010-03-02T19:58:00.007Z

Tim & I had been on a training day on Saturday and had a really good session where a few things clicked into place. Then on Sunday we had NAWS.
First Maisie's Jumping - first run went a bit tits-up partly because of a bit of argy-bargy in the queue, and then the weaves were near to the ring rope where a huge man was standing! :-O So that didn't go down well! Second run was really nice though - it was a shame she tipped a pole, but never mind. She wasn't so up for the Agility in the aft and went back to backing off her contacts a bit again, for some reason. She managed a respectable clear anyway though, my good girl.

Tim's Jumping - well the boy was on fire! Slightly bemused by his first stonking clear, I was quite gobsmacked when we managed it a second time!! In the end he finished in 3rd but only an nth of a second behind the winning time by Lesley's Mist who is jaw-droppingly FAST! Apparently Tim doesn't look nearly as fast as Mist (I've no idea, he's just a ginger blur to me!) but he seems to run pretty efficiently. I have noticed he doesn't tend to motorbike on his turns as much as a lot of fast BCs do. I'm not getting too carried away as it was basically a helter-skelter type course, and going fast in big circles is what he is best at, but still very, very pleased! & then he ran very nicely in the Agility too, judged by his Auntie Nat. He was clear again on the first run and very pleasingly sent down a long straight line to a tunnel with me at least 2 jumps behind. Second run I just turned my shoulders too soon and pulled him off the tunnel mouth! My fault, of course. And then he steamed over the A-scale and didn't stop as solidly as I wanted so I popped him over again and gave him a cuddle. Placed 5th on the first run though, even with contacts held for a good while. He is still running over medium jumps in comp and that seems to be working well for him for now. His startline waits are getting mostly quite solid - good job, we're sooo gonna need them!!!

Photo by John of Sunnyside Photography

Shopping

2010-02-22T16:52:00.000Z

I was just in the farmshop queuing for the till when a lady in front of me with two small boys realised she'd forgotten to pick up some celery. She told the boys that they'd have to come out of the queue to go back for it. The bigger of the boys though, only about 5 years old, said: "Don't worry Mummy, you stay there, I'll go get it, I know where it is!" So Mummy agreed and off he sprinted, there and back in the blink of an eye. He proudly presented his prize like it was a beautiful bunch of flowers! Except ... it wasn't celery but a bunch of spring onions!! His Mummy had the briefest little chuckle to herself but immediately gave him a big smile and said "Thank you Daniel, that's brilliant, well done for being such a helpful boy!"
I thought this was a lovely bit of training :o)

Newton Heath

2010-02-21T11:22:00.001Z

After getting stuck on some awful icy snow stuff earlier in the week I was quite hesitant about setting off over t'Pennines to Myerscough. The alarm went off and I got up to look out of the window and there was a very hard frost so I snuggled straight back into bed zzzzzzz. Maisie had other ideas though - alarm going off when it's dark means going to a show!!!!!!!!! So she started bouncing around going Yippeeee!!! So I got up to let them out to the loo, see if that would settle her back down. Then, once I was stood on the doorstep in my PJs, freezing bits off, it seemed a) not too bad out after all, and b) now we were up we might as well get on with it, so off we went! And it was a good decision by Miss Mouse as it turned out to be a lovely cold but sunny day.
We only had two runs. Maisie had got spooked going into the arena and she was backing off all the way round the agility run, even having an uncharacteristic pole down, never mind. The jumping course seemed OK when I walked it but I spent ages watching the earlier runs and it was proving tricky to get round. The start was nigh on impossible if you didn't have either a good startline wait (amazing how many dogs don't - at all!) or the ability to send them into weaves and cross behind. After the weaves there was a sharp turn right across a sort of box and I bet about 70% of the class (graded 1-3 so mostly gr3s) went wrong at this point!! Either popping out of the weaves early or failing to make the right turn and being E'd over the jump to the LH side of the box. I decided to work Maisie right past the end of the weaves and make a kink out to turn and thus get a straighter line into the box, and in the event this worked really well - OK not the most totally efficient line, but the safer option. There was also a bit where you really needed to be on the dog's right to work a curve round three jumps to the right, but then somehow cross to the left around the long jump. I'd decided that the only option here was to cross behind her at the long jump which I wasn't at all happy about as I thought it might make her look back and shorten, but then got a good idea from a handler I admire who runs non-collies and decided to just leg it with her past the long jump and then just set off from the corner towards the flat tunnel - so it was sort of a rear cross after the jump. I'd have thought this would be very messy but actually it worked great and kept her driving into and out of the corner. After the tunnel there was then a pull off a line of jumps straight ahead and learning from messing this up last week I tried to suggest the turn before she entered the tunnel, and also hung back a little and then sort of pulled her two-handed round the left as she came out - worked really well!
Gosh isn't it boring when people over-analyze courses ;o) This time it was worthwhile though as we finished in 4th!! Great placing for Maisie for a Jumping class and her time was very respectable; the winner stormed it but Maisie was less than a second behind the 2nd and 3rd placed dogs.
Other news: Tim's weaves are really coming on, and he is learning the art of relaxation - he's such a cutey sometimes, awwww :o)

And Billy's stubbed dewclaw toe is getting better - he's such a brave hero - ummm, not! But he gives the most smashing cuddles.
This morning we've woken up to a white, fluffy winter wonderland - again!

Flyball: Billy Woof is back!

2010-02-14T19:53:00.000Z

How cool is this! I agonised for ages about pulling Billy from flyball team selection and since I decided to I've still kept feeling a bit bad about it for him. Well, I've just had an email from our team captain asking if we could commit to the Multibreed team! They only race on special days on bank hol Mondays so it's just a commitment to four days this year, and some training, though not necessarily every week. This works so perfectly for us and I am soooo chuffed for the boy!!!!!!! Also, the Multibreed team (Grasshoppers Multi) is really good - last time I looked they were seeded second in the UK in M/B!! So the boy will get some great quality racing without an impossibly difficult commitment in time. Yippeeeee! Isn't it super when unexpectedly fab things like this happen! :o)

Amazing Maisie Mouse AWB

2010-02-14T17:55:00.000Z

So yesterday at Hare & Hounds (Richmond) Maisie got those last few points for her Agility Warrant (Bronze)!!! If her head gets any bigger she'll not fit through tunnels :o)

It was a hideously early start with classes starting at 8am. I'd only entered Maisie in the two (graded) classes so it felt a bit of a long way to go just for two runs. First run was jumping for a change - lovely course, we got E'd after the first jump, as did Helen & Skip - amazingly we each accomplished this feat in different ways, and what makes it even dafter is that the first four obstacles were jumps in a straight line, haha!! Then we had our agility run - fairly straighforward course apart from a pull-through and a sharp left after the seesaw into the cloth tunnel, which caught a few out. Maisie did a nice workmanlike round and finished 8th. There was a bit of a drama as somehow I'd got the wrong scribe slip - dunno how I didn't notice as I (nearly!) always check! I do think it's an important part of scribing to say "When your ready, Ermintrude" to double-check against this sort of thing. Anyway, after some begging and lip-trembling it was sorted by the lovely Show Manager. I paid penance by stepping in to ring party in the aft, they were quite short of volunteers and for a couple of hours I was doing leads, slips, poles; and even calling in too for some of the time. Now that's an impressive bit of multi-tasking if I say so myself ;o)

There were some other great results too: Helen and Skip 5th in Gr2 agility, Louise & Saffie winning out of Gr3 smalls and other fab results, and Sara & Tilly 3rd in G1 jumping.

I took Billy on the back field on his own with a tuggy this aft and had a lovely time without the two little monsters - sometimes a half-hour doing nothing much can be really special and this was one of those times.

Roll on Easter ...

2010-02-07T18:51:00.002Z

It's been surprisingly nice so far to have a bit of a winter break from shows every weekend and I'm sure it's done Maisie good too. Today, though, I found myself tidying my sock drawer and brushing fluff from between the radiator fins. So I sat down and did a load of entry forms. :0)

Fab

2010-01-31T21:15:00.003Z

NAWS Jan: One of those days when the rosettes somehow feel like they under-reflect the dogs' performances ... ;-)

First up was Maisie in her jumping - first run was amazing - sooo zoomy, so much so she scoffed in the face of a bungled front cross and bogged off into the yonder, E'd! Second run she was still pretty fast and did a super clear - someone complimented her perfect efficient line through the flick-flack :) It's a shame she was just off the places as she ran as fast as she possibly could and her turns were super, so that's more than good enough. Often people comment on how fast she ran and she must've got a good place, but I know she can look faster than she is - that 'ickle scampering stride! Wouldn't change a hair on her fluffy body for the world though!!

Then Tim's jumping - oh my gosh, his first run felt wonderful - a couple of very minor errors, but so nearly WOW!!!! Then second run was good too but he went off on a bit of a wiggly-wagger at the scribe, lol!

Maisie's agility runs were also really nice. Pole down in first run and held her contacts for yonks in both runs and gave her a cuddle on the dogwalk contact (she just looked like she needed one!) and she boogied on over both A-frame and dogwalk beautifully both times so that felt like a good investment of her runs.

Tim's agility runs were both respectable too - all long straight lines so not easy for us, but he's sending on more and more as his confidence grows and he is loving his game and rapidly growing up into an Agility Dog.

Exciting times :-D

The fields are green!

2010-01-19T15:00:00.003Z

Finally got a pretty pic of the girl with her trophy :o)

Thank goodness the snow has almost gone at last this past couple of days. I must be getting grown-up and boring coz I've never wished snow away before, but it has gone on so long and casued so much disruption, not to mention loss of earnings. There are still odd patches in the hollows and by walls and so Maisie is still taking the opportunity to seek them out for a good snowy roll!

I've been working with Tim this week on getting a really good dynamic 'wait' and he will now stop and wait at a good distance whilst I throw his toy the other way and then he'll 'ready' bouncing in anticipation but without breaking till I say 'OK'. That takes a lot of self-control for him and he so tries to please, he's a good boy! I'd like to work on it more on the startline and maybe to be able to throw his toy whilst he's coming down/stopped on his contacts, and then release him to it. Fingers, toes and paws crossed we will get to train this week!..

& Billy's news - well, after much agonising, I've decided to not put him forward for flyball teams this year. It's just been too much trying to commit to both flyball and agility - and train at least weekly for both - so I'm just going to take him to training when we can make it but not every week, though we will be available if cover is needed in a team sometime. He is very easy to fit into a team if needed as he'll run anywhere. I still feel a little guilty but also think there's no need to really as he seems to enjoy the training as much as tournaments - rosettes are really for humans after all! And he's a dog who just knows how to enjoy life 100% anyway, with or without an organised sport. I so love that Billydog :o)

Just made an apple and blackberry pie so off to eat a big hunk of it now - except it turned out to be apple and raspberry when the 'blackberries' thawed ... I'm sure it will be delicious anyway, yummm :o)

HRH MM ...

2010-01-12T15:12:00.005Z

... is far too important these days to pose with a mere trophy. Here's her response to being asked:

It's a beautiful trophy but hellishly difficult to photograph well. Will try again later ;o)

Amazing Maisie Mouse is a STAR!!!

2010-01-10T18:43:00.004Z

OK it's only 'ickle but it's Maisie's first ever agility trophy :o) It's for finishing 10th in Grade 1 in the DARLeague with 706 points. Many of the dogs who finished above her have moved up the grades so she's one of the highest to still be in gr1. It qualifies her for the Finals in July. Woooooooooo! Reeeeally looking forward to that!!!......

Here's a duff pic of her rosette collection for the year. She looks disgruntled coz I picked her up from a royal snooze to pose :o)

And then something else super brill happened - she WON the SupaDARL 'Dog of the Year' title!!!!!!!!!!!! This is such an honour - it's for the dog from all the grades who has made most progress in the year from a difficult past, etc. Awwww, so very very very proud of her!! She really is an amazing little fluffy girl :o) Another trophy to follow!... Agility has done her so much good and every single person she's ever come across in agility has been kind and patient with her - from our lovely clubmates and trainers to, for example, lead-movers at shows who I've sometimes asked to not walk up behnd her on the startline - everyone has shown consideration and kindness and helped her confidence blossom. The Mouse sez "ta!!!" x

Was going to take a pic of Billy too with his flyball stuff from the year but he's stomped off upstairs ...

We're still very snowbound. Wilmslow show called off yesterday, boohoo. Here's some more fun in the snow instead:

In the bleak midwinter

2009-12-21T08:55:00.007Z

The last few days have brought the first snow of winter - very brrrrrrrrr but also very pretty!
Saturday was an unusual day - had just got back from a lovely romp with the dogs and we'd got cozy and settled in for the rest of the day when there was a knock at the door. I opened it to the lovely surprise of my mate Steph who I've not seen for about 3 years. Only Steph could open conversation after all that time with a bizarre question like: "Want to come skiing?"!!! "Errr, OK!" I said ... So she has all this gear loaded up and off we set - I got to drive her brand-new Landy TDi - verrrry sexy (& also comfortably scruffy inside aleady, lol!) The skiing was quite mad but fab fun - I'm fairly bad at downhill skiing but at telemark (cross-country) well ... I didn't quite spend all of the time on my backside! Boots three sizes too big didn't exactly help either, lol! Someone told us it was -8c out - thought it felt a bit nippy!! Anyway, that was Saturday's adventure! :o)
Then on Sunday we had NAWS. Set off on sheet ice and arrived on the venue on sheet ice. Really didn't think many would be nuts anough to go but actually there was quite a respectable turnout! Car parking duty involved finding a flattish bit on the approach road and waving people to slow down and wind their windows down, then yelling as they passed that they had to keep going once they got into the yard or they'd not get up the slope! Meanwhile a lovely couple were bashing their way through frozen grit to try to defrost the yard a little. We only had one car get 'stuck' - pretty good really! The judges put up some nice courses. Tim did some lovely bits in both - he did superb waits (good boy!) and in the agility he did an amazing confident send to the finish both runs - wow!! Unfortunately on his second run I backed off a bit too soon when sending him to a tunnel - was trying to get ahead to pick him up after - and he came with (at!) me - I tried to block him but the boy was shifting ... we ended up in a heap! Damn muscle strain wrecked again. Owwww. Still had Maisie to run but just couldn't run so had to take it steady and used the opportunity to reinforce her contacts - she did lovely 2o20 on the A-scale for the first time at a show in yonks. Anyway she still finished 7th and 8th in her classes, good Mouse :o)
I was quite lucky on the journey home - very glad to be in the Landy though, but poor Jules (who'd been judging) had a nightmare journey on the frozen motorway. I do hope everyone else got home safe and sound.
Here are obligatory happy dogs in snow piccies :o)

Stop Shouting!!

2009-12-14T15:07:00.009Z

Why do so many competitors SHOUT at their dogs? Stoooopid too-late things like "I TOLD YOU TO GO RIGHT", "NO!/BAD!" to a dog that's missed its contact, etc, or "I SAID 'TUNNEL!' and how often do these people praise or encourage? Saw one recently where a lady was yelling at an inexperienced dog to go through the cloth tunnel, but then when it eventually did, with the aid of the Judge, not a word of praise, she just finished the round and stomped out. & why have these things gone wrong in the first place - is it ever the dog's fault? No, of course it's not! The dog that didn't turn right, or ran past a jump, or took an off-course jump - didn't do it to be "naughty" - it did it because the handler either didn't communicate what they wanted clearly enough - they made the error in the timing of their command, or the clarity of their body language, or they haven't trained the manouevre well enough. & we all do these things, some of us pretty often LOL! But if we have any decency we tell the dog how fabulous it's been anyway for trying to follow our bumbling directions. And these same handlers come out and tell their friends how the dog did this and that, and what a numpty the dog is - sorry, YOU are the numpty, dear handler!!!
Is it ever OK to shout? Well in some situations I'd say yes - e.g. sometimes to quickly interrupt something like a dangerous behaviour, or raising your voice in a positive way e.g. to really reinforce your body language when you're trying to pull the dog off an obstacle? But the instant they respond you make sure you praise them to the skies!
Sorry, not sure where that rant came from but it's just something I've been noticing a lot lately - not just observations from a particular show at all.

The show we went to this weekend was Agility Nuts - one we've not been to before and perhaps a bit far to go very often (Notts). It was a good day out though, and though I went alone, met up with a few familar faces and got chatting with nice new people too. In the Agility class there was a bit of a problem in that there was obviously the most fabulous smell ever on the arena floor - right next to the (12) weave entry. Dog after dog set off well, turned the corner, nose down, stuck!!! Never seen anything like it. Having watched all this happening I went in with Maisie determined to really drive her past but the same thing happened ... Shame really as she ran the rest of the course beautifully, but we finished on 5R (weaves) plus time faults(!) as it took yonks to unglue her nose from the ground without handling!! The scarey thing was that over halfway through the class she was actually in the lead even on that bad score! (They have these ace computerised live scoreboards, really good fun.) Loads of other dogs stopped and then were either bodily removed from the ring, or eventually carried on but later in the course gnashed off back for another sniff, or got E'd/faulted in other ways as it was quite a tricky course too. Very surreal carry-on! In the end Miss Mouse finished 6th.
I'd also entered Tim 'NFC' just in the Agility (and it was his 18-month "birthday" ahhhh) but I didn't want him to have the negative experience of going into the ring and sniffing, so I asked the Judge whether it would be OK to start him after the weaves (which were near the start and I was going to just by-pass them anyway as he's not weaving yet) - and so did and he ran ever so well and even managed quite a tricky turn left across a box, which many dogs had missed. I thought "pre-curving" and it worked! :o)
In the Jumping Maisie did another smashing run but her inept handler pulled her into a backjump from a pull-through. Sorry, Mouse - I AM THE NUMPTY!! ;o) (& Maisie loves me anyway coz she's a very generous girl, LOL!)
& then there was a take-your-own-line class right at the end of the day, which I almost didn't stay for but then did, and spent most of the afternoon scribing in a freezing draught. It was dark when the class came around and though I walked Maisie round for ages before going in, she wouldn't poo .......... till she got just before the second-last jump and just decided she had gotta go!! Ooooops!!!!!!!!! So then we came home :o)

Wyre

2009-12-06T17:19:00.003Z

Miss Mouse relaxing after a hard day's agility-ing

Another muddy day at Myerscough! We had some super courses. First up was the 1-2 Starter's Challenge thingy - great course, very Maisie, some tricky angles and traps. Maisie absolutely flew - fantastic time - think she'd have been third ... except she flew not only round the course but off both the dogwalk and A-scale contacts, ooops!!! She was a total wildchild - looked me in the eyes and launched, I had to giggle :o) Next up was 1-3 comb jumping which I'd not really planned to run but as she was so giddy, for once I thought it might be good to work some steam off her and the course was weird enough that we might do OK! Sadly we were E'd at the fourth obstance - a reeeeally tricky wrong end of the tunnel thing, oooops. I retired us gracefully as my torn thigh muscle suggested that it was on borrowed time, so saved it for the last agility class. Another super course. To my surprise, Maisie even boogied round a pinwheel at a reasonable rate and she absolutely attacked the rest of the course! I did work the contacts very slowly and carefully though and in the event we went clear but just out of the places. On the last line of the course it went jump - long jump - jump - and gosh did she take off - I glanced back and saw her just put in one stride after the long jump (on some days she could've put 3+ strides in there) and take off for the final jump miles ahead, and I totally thought she couldn't make it and would crash through, but she sailed over it!!! Gosh, I've never ever seen her throw her heart over something so mightily. What an amazing little Mouse :o)

NAWS Nov

2009-12-02T19:08:00.004Z

It was a VERY soggy day & the ginger thingy got his first rosettes!!! First a errrrmm clear-ish round in the jumping, then a sooooper one in the agility - actually we did throw in a bit of a twirl before the last jump, but the rest of it was very fluent. His contacts were brill!!! I left him on them, went off for a stroll around, then went back and told him how marvellous he was before releasing, so wasn't at all going for time, but taking that into account his time did look very respectable. What an exciting boy!! And his new fellow ginger baby buddy, Mac, came second in the class, awww!
Maisie had a good day too - clears in both classes, though there seemed to be an outbreak of clearrounditis, so not in the places this time. Her agility runs were funny - did a safe-ish clear first run and made sure she got her contacts, but there was a bit where you were on a fast run down a straight line of jumps to the finish, but had to pull them off and left over a jump at 90-degrees, pull round the wing, and then back into the run for the finish. First run I signalled the left and she just stopped dead (from a fair pace) and gave me a Paddington-hard-stare! Bless her, she then hopped over the jump from her standstill and so wasn't faulted. I was debating whether to do her second run but really wanted to try again to handle that bit better for her, so she was flying down the line again and I made a huge exaggerated left-turn and kept running myself around the corner to try to drive her on into a wide turn, but she stopped dead again!! It could've been because they were jumping towards the side of the dogwalk? But really I think she'd just so locked onto the straight line she couldn't quite believe I was pulling her off it. The look on her face really made me chortle, LOL! Being a dreadful handler I gave her her own way and spun her round and just did the fly down the straight line to a happy eliminated finish :o)

Billy was disgusted at the weather and wouldn't get out of the car till lunchtime and even then tippytoed carefully around the puddles down the lane then got back in the car and hrrrmpphed. Such a delicate little flower but he's my hero anyway.

Culture Clash

2009-11-26T19:45:00.002Z

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

2009-11-23T19:13:00.005Z

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

2009-11-16T13:28:00.005Z

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

2009-11-13T20:27:00.005Z

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!!

Happy Hallowe’en

2009-10-31T16:45:00.004Z

Tim’s been such a good agility lad this week. On Wednesday he did 12 v-weaves on his own - without Uncle Mike and his sausage LOL! and some other nice things. Then today we went training at a nice venue at Sicklinghall near Wetherby. I expected to not know anyone but walked in and knew almost everybody! Lots of friends from the grade 1/2 queues and mostly their baby dogs :o) We had a great morning’s training and the group was very supportive and a good fit for Tim and he did very well again. We’ve not done much turning him away yet, but once we’d made the turn once and thrown his ball and knew what I was trying to ask of him, he was really eager to do it again and made a lovely tight turn, he picks things up incredibly quickly. His contacts are coming along great, sooo fast and his 2o2o position is the bestest place in the world – he fair screeches into it and hangs there with a big daft grin and shiny eyes, ah bless him.
Maisie made lots of new best mates as usual and had a 5-minute play at the end of the class and the jumps were still at medium which she absolutely loved flying round! Really must Do Something about her contacts though … our winter project.
The venue is in a super location and straight onto a bridlepath, so took the whole gang for a crazy romp afterwards – good fun.
Now we’re all knackered and tucked up at home with a roaring fire, hiding from witches and ghouls. Wooooooo.

‘Control Unleashed’

2009-10-30T19:58:00.005Z

Just read this book (by Leslie McDevitt, Clean Run Productions). Thanks for the recommendation fellow bloggers :o) (and Jan for the loan.) I thought the book contained some very interesting ideas that are quite different to a lot of conventional dog training wisdom.
The most important idea I think is that behind the “Look At That ... (Dog/Person/Whatever)” game, in which the dog is positively reinforced for glancing at something that scares/stresses/distracts him, but when he then looks quickly back to his handler he is rewarded and builds a positive association. The exposure is managed so that the dog notices the thing but doesn't go bonkers (ie. he's exposed 'below threshold'.) I was pleased to read the theory behind this idea as it’s something I’ve already been kind of using without fully thinking about how/why it works. e.g. at a show during the summer Maisie was really frightened by a low-flying noisy ’plane. After this, even around home, she became totally over-anxious about any plane, even though she’d been fine before with ones going over at a ‘normal’ height. She was even uneasy about birds overhead, and other engine noises that hadn’t bothered her before. I’m always worried by Maisie getting anxious about things out on walks as she has a tendency to bolt when she freaks, and that is worrying. So instead of using the usual casual ignoring approach to things dogs are scared of, I decided to actively try make planes a positive thing, and as soon as we heard one approaching and she looked up and looked to me, I told her what fun it was and gave her a treat. If the plane was too low/loud Maisie went into shutdown (‘over threshold’) and in this case I just kept her safe and then rewarded when she started to relax again. To cut the story short, when she hears a plane at all now she comes straight to me into ‘heel’ looking for her treat, so she is a) safe and b) happy. This even worked with quite a low helicopter the other day. Not sure we’re quite ready for low-flying tornados yet but she is able to cope with the things we come across daily in her normal environment. Would love to use this approach for the firework thing for Maisie and Billy, but the trouble is that when they happen they are so waaaay over threshold – though may try working on it again for next year with a scarey sound CD, etc.
Another way I’ve used the theory without realising(!) is handling the dogs around livestock – “Ooo look at those nice sheep”, come here, treat, no problem. I think it’s quite good that I can walk three herdy type dogs through fields/moors within feet of sheep, and feel totally sure none of them will do any more than glance at them and stay close to me.

I guess different people will get different things from the book – a lot of it seems geared towards dogs that are ‘reactive’ in an aggressive (usually really nervous-defensive) way, especially to other dogs, but the same principles apply to dogs that over-react to stimuli/shut down in other ways – sniffing, running away, barking, etc. and the whole idea is that the dogs are taught to relax and manage their own response to their trigger stimuli by a combination of the handler helping them to make positive (rewarding) associations with their stimuli, relax e.g. using T-Touch/massage, and using gradual desensitisation exercises.

The author describes some dogs as being “hair trigger dogs” and this describes my Billy boy perfectly!!! He’s very easily over-stimulated by a number of triggers and quickly goes over his low threshold into manic barking and total loss of focus/self-control. In Maisie’s case she either goes into shut-down/panic or displacement activities like sniffing; and Tim – though generally very well-balanced, if over-faced can go into wandering off and sniffing or clinging to other people/dogs, though he’s got much better very quickly. Another of the ideas in the book works well for him – using short bursts of intense play and then releasing him for a break and ignoring him – the idea is that you release the dog before he’s had enough so he wants your attention, and you reward him for himself choosing to turn back to you even though he’s been released – working up to the dog wanting continuous interaction e.g. through a training session.

So this has turned into a jumbled essay!.. Just good to 'talk' through the ideas. There’s lots more to think about, digest and try to apply too. In fact it is a very thought-provoking read, and because it's all about helping dogs to be happier, more confident dogs it's all good.

Humping

2009-10-27T21:45:00.004Z

Tim decided to push his luck and tried to hump Maisie. Maisie was not very pleased about this, nor was Billy. Tim now realises the error of his ways. Sometimes it can be tough being a cheeky youth. (No damage was inflicted in the teaching of this lesson.)

NAWS October

2009-10-26T15:21:00.003Z

Winter may be grim in many ways but at least we have a fab Winter Series of shows to cheer us up. Maisie enjoyed playing last year and now she's joined by Tim! The pre-comp class is just perfect for youngsters - proper competition and atmosphere but courses without weaves and seesaw, and you can carry a toy. I looked at the jumping course and thought it was going to be a non-starter for Tim as the first bit was a straight line of four jumps into another line across the top of the arena. I thought he'd run out after the second jump but actually he amazed me when I recalled him from near the second jump and he did make it to the top of the first line and the jump after the turn before going slightly off-course - no doubt my fault, lol! The rest of the course was a little hit-and miss. but just kept him moving on and he finished thinking he'd won!!

Maisie's jumping was similar, not particularly a Maisie course but she was up for it and went clear and as fast as she could so we didn't do her second run, to save her legs for the agility. Well, in the agility she was ace!!! Ran clear with a good time for her on the first run and then on the second we both just legged it and had a great laugh! She got her contacts more by luck than judgement, but unfortunately just rolled a pole towards the finish - really good time though, not far off the winners, and anyway she got 4th :o) from her first run, albeit 4 secs slower. There are plenty of things I'd like to keep working on improving with Maisie but have to note that one thing she is fab at is the seesaw - loves it and does it very efficiently with no hesitation. I'm not sure why this speedy dog turned up in Maisie's fluffy clothes yesterday but do know the cooler weather suits her much better. She's a star.
& then Tim's agility ... blimey, he was fab!! He spotted the tunnel from a couple of jumps away and really drove towards it. There was a right turn to the dogwalk and he ran past it, but there were other nice bits and the only part that really tripped us up was a long straight run to the finish. Second run was great!! I was quite gobsmacked to realise he was going clear up till the last turn for home - I knew he wouldn't send all the way down there again so I massively cut the corner to try to get ahead but pulled him past the jump before the turn - only just though and it was good to test how far away he's working already. Anyway I stopped him and set him up for the last line and he finished on just 5R which I was delighted with, what a clever baby! I think it'll be a fair while before the clear rounds start to happen, but such a pleasing start - if nothing else I can now stop worrying he's going to bog off and mug the judge/ring party/queue as he was very focused and in his element. He gave plenty of snogs and muddy hugs out of the ring though, bless him.
Helen and big Skip had a superb day - first in the jumping and second in the agility. Their winning jumping run especially was just brilliant and a total joy to watch them both being so confident.

Ups and Downs

2009-10-22T21:15:00.005+01:00

Blogging is cool, innit! I’ve made loads of attempts to keep some sort of diary over the years and always got too lazy to bother carrying on. But I find it easy to keep up with a blog – dunno why but it must be because it’s kind of in the public domain? Anyone else found similar? Maybe it's just because it's good to share, though I guess the main function of your own blog is quite selfish – to have something that records (in this case dogs’) events, achievements, changes, goals, etc. to look back over time and remember and smile or cry and maybe learn from? One thing I’ve noticed is that I tend to record the positive things more – not sure whether that’s necessarily bad, and I do try to be a glass-half-full kinda gal.
Anyway just thought I'd do a grumpy blog for a change and note that: after that brill training session on Monday, we were totally cr*p at training last night!! And the kitchen sink drain has gone stinky again. And I've lost Billy's favourite lead. Boo hoo.

Training Tim

2009-10-20T14:34:00.005+01:00

Had a BRILLIANT training session last night with Dawn Long who had come to teach us for the evening. She started off by saying that the main ‘rule’ was that the dog is never wrong, it’s always us, and we shouldn’t ever use a negative tone or words like ‘No’, but rather just tell them how wonderful they are when things go as we want, and, if they don’t then to ask them to try again, but in a positive way. I loved this approach and so did Tim.
Some bits stood out:
Startline wait – setting up the dog and walking down a line a jumps but not always releasing towards you but instead sometimes to a toy thrown behind, so the wait itself becomes a fun and dynamic thing, anticipating a reward – whether that be the forward release or back to the toy.
We also worked up to some exercises which were challenging for the stage we’re at, by breaking them down into sections and rewarding, so e.g. first sending on down a straight line and throwing the toy to the end, then adding in a 180-turn into a tunnel and throwing the toy after the tunnel, then adding on the next bit, etc. Tim really responded to this as he picks things up so quickly and he was desperate to try to get each next bit right. & when we (I!) didn’t get it quite right we just had to carry on and work through it and reward him for trying. He believed he was a superstar! Some things we achieved included working diagonally across a grid from one side, then sending on and away with the opposite arm, to a thrown toy, and then repeating but this time sending on further to the next obstacle. And Tim does now seem to be really picking up his lefts and rights, and he’s sending on ahead at speed but still picking up directions from right behind – gosh, I can’t believe how well he’s doing :o) Another bit I was amazed at was setting him up in a wait and me moving out several yards sideways and releasing him forwards over a jump to a tunnel. I couldn’t believe his confidence in driving forward and out.
Another point that was made was that when waiting for our turn we should constantly be interacting with the dog so that they become totally fixated on us and that attention is there when we ask them to work. This seems obvious in a way but it is easy to slip into sitting having a chat with your mates, rather than keeping on chatting and having a laugh with the most important ‘person’ there – the dog.
And I’m feeling a little less overwhelmed by Tim’s natural drive and starting to just enjoy the thrill as much as he does. Don’t know what I did to deserve such an ace little dog but feel very lucky to have him to play with – so completely different to Maisie as an agility partner, but equally perfect.
I hope everyone else got as much out of the session as we did – guess so as there were smiley faces and lots of tired doggies at the end. Bloomin’ suffering with my neck today but never mind.
And club training is tomorrow already, yippee!! OK, I’ll stop gushing now.

Not So Delinquent

2009-10-18T20:07:00.002+01:00

Delinquent Dogz today. Sunny day and nice company, including Helen's new baby Belle with the big long legs - what a sweetheart she is.
Maisie ran a nice clear in the agility and did well in her other runs to say I was pretty crippled with a bad neck - eased a little by a massage which was lovely but left the world seeming rather surreal!! She's obviously more relaxed than at big shows as she tackled the A-scale with much less worry and hesitation.
& Tim had a little run in the baby class - we're sooo not ready for public appearances yet but hoped it would be a positive bit of training, and it was! The boy is so confident in himself and wasn't fazed in the slightest by being in a different environment. He did his startline wait, his contacts were rock-solid perfect and he did some really good bits of jumping. I reckon it was the worst sort of course for a speedy inexperienced baby - big straight lines, but actually he did really well and sent on beautifully in bits. & when it started to go a little pear-shaped I just looped him round and made up a bit of course that we could succeed at, and so kept it really positive and happy. And the thing that I was concerned about didn't happen - he really kept his focus on me (apart from a very minor bum waggle at the judge) and didn't bog of to say HELLOOOOO, I LOVE YOU!!! to anyone at all. What a super-good puppy!!! :o) So now I'm slightly less nervous about his first 'official' outing at NAWS next week ...
& Billy spent a lot of time looking handsome and bumming treats.

Artwork by Tim

2009-10-12T19:24:00.002+01:00

Lakeland Adventure

2009-10-11T11:42:00.006+01:00

The dark hours yesterday morning saw us setting off to Wigton. I was a bit dazed and confused at getting up so early and made a coffee for the journey and promptly poured it into the sink ... We chased a zillion cat's eyes along the foggy Dales road and then up the M6 where this eery light started to appear in the sky - turned out it was the sun coming up.

The show itself was good, the courses were great and the atmosphere really nice. Maisie got a 7th in the agility over a pretty tricky course - I was a little surprised how many clears there were in grade 1 - the standard was good. We flunked out in the other two classes but never mind :o)

Finished early and so made an impromptu detour on the way home - to Ullswater which I think is possibly the most stunning of The Lakes. We ended up having a brill walk, and stopped for a bit on the lakeshore, where strange things happened ...

At first it was pretty normal - Maisie going splooshing and the boys dithering at the water's edge:

But then something strange happened. I threw the ball in for Maisie, but it went a little beyond her deep-paddling comfort zone and so it stayed there bobbing on the surface. Billy started getting a bit hysterical coz the bally was lost, then all of a sudden he waded right in and threw himself into a swim!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it - would've been less surpised if Maisie had signed a pledge of cleanliness, or Tim sat down and done a crossword puzzle.

Sadly for Billy, the tidal waves generated by his powerful paddling sent the ball bobbing further away from shore and he never actually retrieved it, but he went back in a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed himself!!! A water baby is launched?!

Umm, Billy, you look kinda different since you went in the water:

Hey Tim, look, Billy's gone all ... small ... and white??!?!

Duh, that's strange Maisie, but I'm a little worried - look, I got my freaky feet wet:
Heeheehee:

& then a spaceboat appeared and took away the alien swimming Billydog:

Posing and scenery:
& later, back home, Maisie having sweet dreams with her pink princess rosette:

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Pals

2009-10-08T22:42:00.007+01:00

Maisie & Tim really do enjoy each other's company.

Playthings:

Drying off after a soggy walk: Awwww:
& Billy - being himself :0)

(& he's still Maisie's main man really but schhh don't tell Tim - there's enough lovin' to go round)

xxx

v.e.t. ...

2009-10-08T21:33:00.002+01:00

Billy & Maisie’s vaccinations and ‘MOT’ today. Both have been lucky and not been to see the vet for ages so it was good to have them checked out and we needed to go anyway to get armed up with anti-scarey stuff for the firework season. Both were declared fine in every way and Billy’s heart still great, yay! I know he’s fine and he’s kept fit and we manage it well, but it’s always there as a background worry. Other vaccinations went in easily but then it was time for the dreaded kennel cough vaccine up their nostrils. Well, Billy loves going to see the vet and revels in every bit of tending and fuss, but he HATES this bit with an absolute passion and it’s not nice. And poor Maisie’s even more disturbed by it. We managed it in the end but I was left wondering whether it’s really worth the trauma … & I don’t say that lightly because Billy’s heart thing was probably started by a bad dose of KC – it can be very serious indeed. If it wasn’t for us getting around so much and mixing with so many dogs at shows, etc. I would opt to not have it, almost definitely. Didn’t think of this till afterwards but I wonder if we can use their firework anxiety meds in future to get them through it, as it’s got worse for both each time as they know what’s coming. :o(
Another thing we talked about was Lungworm – a growing problem in the UK. Advice ‘on the street’ is to use Panacur granules alternating with your normal wormer. Well, apparently you would have to give them this every day for several days for it to kill off the lungworms. The only really effective treatment is Advocate spot-on. Trouble with this is that it’s noted that collies/crosses can have serious adverse reactions. Tests suggest though that they would have to eat about 4 times the recommended dose for it to have a serious effect. Seems it really is quite safe. However she is going to double-check the recommended dose for them – I was particularly concerned about the Tim-thing as Welsh Sheepdogs have a common ancestor with Rough Collies and they are particularly noted as susceptible - due to a gene thing - will stop there before getting boringly scientific ... Billy & Maisie have had it before anyway and been fine. She recommended using it every month – especially in the spring/summer when there are more slugs & snails which carry it. Oh joy, another regular expense! & also to keep using a round/tapeworm one (Drontal) approx quarterly too.
& Tim had some antibiotics and we got some other bits and bats and I got a big fat bill. Will have to send them out with begging bowls and sad eyes soon. Good job they’re worth it.

Squeaky Mice

2009-10-05T22:22:00.005+01:00

Yes, Mice - plural.

The first one is in the loft and is tapdancing on the rafters and squeaking in the wee small hours. Traps have been laid before the rest of the family moves in ... :o(

And the other one is Miss Maisie Mouse. I just got thinking today about how yappy she is! (OK, so it's yappy, not squeaky, but it is a very squeaky sort of yap.) Anyway, she does this yapping whenever Something Is Going To Happen. e.g. I'm going to open the door to let them into the garden; or going to take them out for a walk - this is accompanied by hysterical bouncing; going to make their dinner; being let off lead - and this is usually yapping at and chewing the boys' ears. But the strangest excited yapping of all comes at bedtime: I get up and turn the downstairs lights off, etc. and she leaps up, usually from a deep sleep, and bounces around yapping, apparently overcome with utter joy, then she gallops full-pelt upstairs and - here's the strange bit - is usually in bed upstairs, totally chilled, almost asleep again in the few seconds it takes me to go up the stairs!!
I know I should probably train this away - not do anything till she doesn't yap and is calm, but life's too short, it really is quite cute to see her so highly delighted at such small things, doesn't last long, and is not nattering in advance but only reactive to when I decide Something Is Going To Happen, and thankfully the boys are both very stoical about it and don't join in or share any of her hysteria - they're just happy at a more "normal" level.

Lune

2009-10-04T13:39:00.004+01:00

Well, no green dog but a sludgey coloured one instead ...

& she smelt far worse than she looked!!
But she was forgiven coz she went on to take 7th in the Agility (goodness knows how - it was an awful run and on 5F!!) and a nicer run in the jumping to take 8th - that was more pleasing as it was quite a big, open, un-Maisie course and she actually beat several dogs on time - often we are, or nearly, the slowest clear round. And the day had started really badly when she was freaked by the arena - I'd forgotten how noisy and frantic it was in there too - and then before her first run she was nobbled by another dog, no harm done thankfully though. We had a longish break before the last class of the day and I hadn't really intended running that one - no point overfacing her and she hadn't seemed 100% herself earlier somehow, but I walked the course and it was a straightforward one I thought she might enjoy so decided to give it a go. I planned and expected to pull her out if she didn't seem up for it over the first couple of jumps, and even warned the lady behind us in the queue to get ready to be on the line early, but Maisie really took off and thoroughly enjoyed the run!! She took me by surprise but I decided to just leg it with her, resulting in a couple of poles down and I barrelled her into the weaves in a way that doesn't work so she missed the entry LOL! Really good fun run though :o)
Then the highlight of the day came in Helen running big Jock in the anysize class. We managed to get him to the arena nice and calmly and off he went ........ brilliant!!!...... He worked so well and almost ran clear, but for just adding an extra jump to the course. & he was happy and relaxed, no suggestion of charging off and woofing at anyone. What a good lad!!
Again I wondered why those shows at Myerscough are so good - the arena is noisy and can get crowded, the tannoy is beyond crap, the exercise field not great, the location nothing to write home about, but they're always really good shows?! And another strange thing - I saw several people there I've not seen since there last year - where do they all go for the summer?..

Camouflage

2009-10-02T18:30:00.003+01:00

When it's dark Billy disappears apart from the whites of his eyes and teeth. When it's snowy Maisie disappears. Now it's Tim's turn in the autumn leaves! Think I might be adopted by a green dog next so I can have that frission of lost dog panic walking over the green fields too. ;o)

I'm addicted to avocados.

Lune Valley tomorrow at Myerscough, yippee!!!...

Have lit the fire for the first time of the 'winter' today - brrrr.