Wyre

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

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)

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

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 hot chocolate too! Clover had a fun little play with her new big pal Flynn, she can’t wait till she’s big and strong enough to play proper roughy-toughy with him! 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 the Friday 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 rest of the dogs, and found Tim three-legged!! I was really worried for him as he was clearly in some discomfort. Remembering to breathe and that he has previous form with seemingly-serious-but-not-really injuries I just gave him a cuddle and stayed calm for a bit. It was getting a bit late anyway so shelved the idea of setting off north for the night, thinking we were probably going to end up with a vet visit. Soon, though, the boy started to improve, and within an hour he was back to looning round the house and garden – sound as a pound!!! I never did 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 long drive (2 hours) up to the show but we arrived just in time to walk the first course. Maisie wasn’t too happy, there was a bit of birdscarer noise, and we didn’t run well together, I just can’t run her right at the moment, useless human. Tim, though, pulled out on of his best runs yet. It was a 3-5 Novice Olympia qualifier and he wasn’t far off clear, and fast!! Would be just typical of him to flukily get well placed in something like that and qualify for a final then go into a big ring and look like he’d never seen an agility course before!! Got to love him :) Anyway, of course we were e’d but he did some really special stuff on that and other 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 big classes – champ and qualifiers – but it retains a small, friendly feel. The walks along the river and around are smashing too.

Sunday turned into a too hot day. Maisie & I managed a scrappy clear and then retired to the shade. Tim did OK again, nice bits but I also pulled him from his last run too – too hot. The day was marred by the gang having the most almighty brawl in our garden … Still don’t know what kicked it off but Maisie seriously nobbled poor Billy (the most unlikely pair to fall out ever), then when I grabbed her, Billy took it out on poor Tim who did react back but looked equally surprised. Good girl Clo kept her distance and just looked mildly surprised. Anyway, no blood spilt, just a lot of hideous noise, and peace returned as quickly as it went and no-one held any grudges. Slightly disturbing though, 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 long summer evenings and a blissful weekend off last weekend. Far too many fair weather dog-walking numpties around at the moment though. Also, I’ve been increasing worried by some dogs up the road – three English Bull Terriers who live in a garden we have to walk past to get up onto the fields. I’m sure they’re nice dogs really but the bloke who owns them stand gormlessly and lets them lunge very aggressively at the fence and gates and, as they’re all built like brick outhouses, they are very intimidating indeed. I was feeling really fed-up about this as the only other way onto the fields is down the road and along a single-track lane which is not much further but it had a blind corner and the odd lunatic vehicle speeds round it, making it feel unsafe to walk two dogs 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 way via “cat steps” up a snicket between cottages. By complete chance, Maisie wandered off on a sniff up on the field and 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 believe I’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 Hare n Hounds long weekend … fingers and paws crossed. 

Oh, and to end the most waffle-rambliest blog ever … Clover’s posh 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!

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

Sorry, the pic had to be done ... :o)

 

Snogs, etc

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

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

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

glum

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

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

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

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

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!!!

 

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

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

Back in Action

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

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