Tim’s Training

I thought it might be nice to keep a week-by-week agility training diary for Tim starting from scratch, but he’s had his 5th session tonight and I’ve not started yet. Oh well, progress so far!..
First week he was an angel. That was surprising as we’d not done much basic obedience and I expected him to just bog off and round up other dogs. He was just being a good boy overawed on the first day at school though, and the next couple of weeks were pretty awful with him being sooooo distracted by the other dogs. Away from class we’ve worked hard on his recall, sometimes using Billy & Maisie as stooge distraction targets. Last week he was pretty good but still on his flexi-lead mostly, then tonight I was able to work him off quite a lot and he was really keen to work and only bogged off slightly a couple of times, but came back quickly.
On the equipment itself he’s very confident.
Jumps: now going over a couple of small jumps OK – recall and sending on, and with a turn.
Contacts – been over the A-frame (at great speed!) but mostly just working on rewarding his down contact “check” position. His legs are wayward at times but he’s getting the jist. Tonight we worked on holding the position even when I put a bit of pressure on the lead, and he kind of got it, though plenty more work to do.
Tunnels – really likes the pipe tunnel and will send from a short distance away and will already go through it confidently even with a bend in. He’s done the cloth tunnel once – working down to it held a bit open, and he was happy enough with that too.
Weaves – he thinks the channel weaves are a pleasure ride!!! With his recall now good enough to work him off-lead a bit we did a mix of recalls through, sending in from about 6’ away, and me running (not walking!) alongside. I sent him in from a slight angle a couple of times tonight and he got it so we’ll probably work on that a bit further next time. The channel is already close enough for him to get a proper little wiggle on and he thinks he’s ace and can’t wait for his next go!
Need to get him working to toys more as he is very food-oriented. His obedience is coming along well; he has a half-decent Wait already. We're also working on Heel/Side and Left/Right.
It’s really good fun :o) Tonnes for us both to learn about working together, but a nice start I reckon.

Ice Cream

Otley DTS show this weekend. It was smashing! We were camped towards the bottom of the site and really close to a little river running through trees, perfect for cooling doggies in the hot hot hot weather. In the mornings a milkman came round with milk, juice and eggs. And through the day some local ladies served tea and cakes on the lawn. Then the ice cream van turned up selling Nidderdale-made ice cream, from Jersey milk - amazing! The 'hokey pokey' (cinder toffee) ice cream was to die for. We did a whole lot of sitting on the grass playing with dogs and splooshing down to the river.
Oh we managed a bit of agility too :o) I was a numpty and added an extra jump into Maisie's otherwise brill first round. It took an effort to push her out over the extra jump - doh!!! Then our other rounds on Saturday were a bit so-so - mainly due to our 'broken' weaves :o( - really must try to fix them ... On Sunday our first round was alright, then I pulled her out of the ABC class - not defeated by the events of last weekend - just the course didn't suit us, so there were two classes left to go. I was a bit unsure about running her as it was sooo warm, though she had been kept cool, but decided to see how she went and was glad I did as she got a clear (no place as was comb 1-3) then in the last (graded) class she again went clear and got an 8th place!! I worked really hard myself in those two rounds and came out knackered! I usually just try to jolly her round but this time I decided to try "revving" her up on the start line, and then really driving her round quite hard - and though she was probably a bit weary by then, she responded ever so well and seemed to enjoy the challenge, good girl!! Jules and Jette had some fab rounds - just missing out on those elusive clears by little things. Helen & Skip also got an 8th!!! & the other Helen had some nice runs with Lucy, and Jock - well he didn't do many obstacles, but neither did he create any chaos, so that was a victory too! Sara & Tilly also had some lovely bits - I love watching those two when it comes together, and they were unlucky to not be in the rosettes.
Each of the dogs got a toy from the stall for being so good. They were all chuffed with them but Billy is now obsessed with his penguin - bless! Tim was a good lad and did some chilling around the rings and nice playing on the fields. He had a super play with three kelpies, I think he now believes he IS a kelpie.
All in all a wonderful weekend - defo one for the diary again next year :o)

Collies and Not Collies

This weekend was the ABC show at Winterton. Maisie was a good girl again and produced a couple of nice clears each day in the 1-3 combined classes (no clear round rosettes awarded though, boo-hiss.) Even though it was a much cooler, ie. flippin' freezing, weekend she still tended to lose her spark later in the days so I've decided to strictly limit her to two, or at most three, runs per day in future to keep her motivation high. She does really love our agility so I want like to keep it that way by not asking her for more than she's physically/mentally comfortable with at any time.

Don't think we'll bother with the ABC classes/shows in future - too open to unpleasant human-ness with a dog who happens to look very slightly collie-esque if you stand on your left leg and squint. Yet it was nice to see the diversity of more 'other breeds' than collies working for a change. Watched a couple of lovely Shepherds running with the exact same face-splitting grin that Maisie has, though on a much bigger face :o)

And after all that ABCing, the boys are reminding me there are one-and-a-half collies in the house by currently both bombarding me with their tennis balls! Now these boys - they never tire ...

Sunset

Three Good Doggies

Relaxing at Haweswater in The Lakes

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Clever Mouse & Agility

This weekend we were agility-ing at Wigton to the north of The Lakes. Think I must’ve entered this show by accident really as it was a bit further than we’d normally travel, but it was a nice weekend – non-stop sun and a good atmosphere. It really was hot and Maisie got a bit weary later in the days but she still came away with a 10th, 12th and another clear, clever girly! In one of the jumping classes – the unplaced clear one, just a “nth” off a place – I glanced round at her on the long home straight and she had wings on her paws and the biggest grin ever, lovely :o) She’s maybe never going to be the fastest or the most naturally driven dog but she tries her very best and has such fun, and that’s more than good enough and is what it’s all about.

On the way home we detoured into The Lakes proper and had a play on the banks of Haweswater. It was beautiful and great to have the time to chill out and enjoy the scenery. Maisie had a good wade, Tim was cheeky and so Maisie shoved him in with a big splash, and Billy cheered safely from up the bank :o)

Billy Woof & Flyball

Last weekend the boy ran at Ryecroft Farm in Cheshire. We didn’t get placed as a team but Billy ran ever so well again. That was a hot day too and we were in a division of seven teams, so had six races, most of which were very close and went to five runs. Billy coped very well with the heat and exertion so that was pleasing. He's also coping very well indeed with Tim and they're doing a bit of boy stuff together - important sniffing and leg-cocking things us girls don't understand :o)

Tim & Baby Stuff
The youth has started agility training (he’s about 11 months) and has made a nice start in his first two lessons. I kind of expected him to spend the whole time chasing other dogs and so have been pleased that he’s focused quite well generally. He’s a clever, cheeky, bold, speedy young hooligan and it’s going to be a fun journey :o)
He’s also doing much better in his social interactions, learning not to mug people for affection, and learning that sometimes you don’t go in feet-first to play with other dogs. Again this weekend at Wigton he was allowed to play off-lead with a number of other dogs, and he did OK. Things are also settling down within the ‘pack’ in a sort of peacefully chaotic way.

Beside the seaside

Waldridge Fell KC show this weekend – almost on the beach near Redcar. Arrived on Friday after a rubbish journey to be whisked down to the beach for a wonderful weekend-starts-here walk! It was the dogs’ first time near the sea and they loved it. Absolutely bizarrely, Billy, who won’t even tiptoe in a puddle/stream/lake, or even go out into the garden if it’s raining, went charging in and out of the waves!!!!?!!! & Maisie the swamp monster/ waterbabe wasn’t really that fussed about it, but enjoyed running on the beach with the other dogs. Tim did follow his hero Billy into the wet stuff. We had about ten dogs all together and they all got on well. The waves were crashing and the sun was setting with a perfect golden glow. It was an hour I’d like to have bottled to keep forever, but took some pics instead to try to capture the essence …

Oh, and the agility stuff … Maisie ran very well but we just had little ‘blips’ in most rounds, so no placings this time but some pleasing work. Every time we run together I think her sunny grin gets that bit wider! She’s such a fun, happy girly.
Helen & Skip had the most fantastically successful weekend – loads of very good places. Really well-deserved and it was an absolute pleasure to share in their victories, well done mate!!!
Brenda & Bryn had a difficult day on Saturday when he kept bogging off to see people ringside, but had a real breakthrough on Sunday when he focused so much better and worked. He’s a lovely boy. And our pairs run on Sunday wasn’t too disgraceful either :o)

Tim conducted himself well and was calm around the rings. He was a little worried by the tannoy so it was useful to get him used to that. Out walking he still tends to try to join other dogs’ games, but is gradually getting better and I was able to let him off lead both on the beach and the exercise field when it was quiet, and only had to go and retrieve him and apologise a couple of times, and most times he did come back to huge praise, cheese & tuggy games. It was exciting to watch Suzanne running fellow Welsh Sheepdog Bailey – wow, FAST!!

What a fab show - beside the seaside, beside the sea.

Big Brother

“It’s day 26 in the Big Brother house and Maisie Mouse and Tim have been quietly bickering over a rope toy for one hour and twenty minutes.”
Observing these three form a pack is like a fascinating social experiment. Like the inmates of a BB house, all was fluffy and over-polite to start with. Maisie & Tim were best buddies – constantly puppy-playing hard, not a cross word, whilst Billy kept himself out of the situation, politely reserved. As the days go by, though, the cracks start to show, disputes arise, allegiances change, different sides of personalities emerge, social rules are formed and challenged. After a week or so and it became obvious he was staying, Maisie started to get a bit fed-up with the way Tim was just too OTT – not respecting boundaries, biting her ears that bit too hard, barging, diving in for toys, etc. and she started to tell him off, really tell him off in that scarey bitch way!
Maisie & Billy have always had a quiet relationship – Maisie henpecking Billy, but Billy mostly quietly deferring to her, so no conflict. Tim doesn’t back down so easily – not that he answers back, rather he stands there looking goofily nonplussed and then goes right back to being an annoying youth!! I’ve noticed Maisie getting more frustrated with this lack of respect but she’s kept at it. Now, though, Billy is stepping up to the plate! When Tim’s a pain and Maisie tells him so, Billy strides into the fray and loudly enforces the telling-off. And it works! All he does is some big woofing and he marches Tim into a corner, and Tim really respects him for it, and Maisie gazes at Big Mister Woof adoringly! Tim now tip-toes around Billy and is also starting to act a little more respectfully towards Maisie. To be fair, Maisie does wind Tim up. She takes a toy and drops it on Tim’s head so he goes to grab it and she then gets cross! You can see why the word “bitch” is used in its context as a derogatory human term.
I tried to not intervene myself at first, thinking they needed to establish their own rules, but now I am getting more involved and trying to help Tim pick up the rules, sometimes telling him when he gets it wrong or right before the other dogs feel they need to. Tim is basically a very sweet, well-meaning, adorable young lad but I really wonder whether his background may explain his lack of doggy etiquette – could be that he’s grown up with his sibling(s) or parent(s)?? Or he may be just a very awkward age.
The rules and interactions all change again outdoors, but that's a whole other chapter ...
Anyway, Tim’s learning all sorts of stuff pretty quickly – apart from picking up at least a few manners, he’s also cracked house-training, he walks beautifully on lead, and he’s doing lovely basic obedience which he takes very seriously, bless him.
And who will be voted Pack Leader in the BB House? The dogs will decide!

Big Bro Billy Woof

Flyballing at Drax

This weekend we’ve been flyballing at Drax Power Station. It’s a surprisingly pleasant venue! And some quality Billy Woof time. The boy is just super and I’m ever so proud of him.
We ran on Saturday in a team of otherwise baby beginner dogs. They all had little “moments” – running out and whatnot, but they all showed bits of confidence and promise for the future so it was satisfying to run with them and the lack of placing just didn’t matter. At the end of the day all was lovely and fluffy till … Maisie and I had a bit of an accident – I bent down, she jumped up! My world went red, then very very black for a while!!! A broken nose and two black eyes, ouch. Real teamwork came into play as lovely clubmates sorted me out from a terrible state of shock, determinedly avoiding hospital with some deftly applied first aid and upside-down cups of sweet tea. Crikey, not nice at all.
Sunday was a quiet day of recovery, relaxation and walks. Young Tim had a good big walk with a couple of other dogs, Raven and Moose. He played hard with the gorgeous Raven – young Lab girly – and she was so tolerant with him but eventually, sensibly, told him to bog off, ever so politely but another little lesson well learnt. Later, Tim also had a lovely play back at camp with collie boy Eric, the same age. They’re both hilarious “roughy-toughy” boys with legs of odd lengths, and a firm forever friendship was formed, I think.
Today (Monday) we ran in the Multibreed competition. Flyball, for a sport that at first seems like a simple case of organised ball-chasing, actually involves a whole load of complicated rules!! The team name we ran under was new and so our “seed time” was a guesstimated declared time, and the dogs ran too quickly!!! We kept beating that time and exceeded out “breakout time” three times and so were eliminated from the competition, oops.
So no rosettes BUT Billy Woof gave his all every single run and he really did enjoy it, so job done! I absolutely admire Billy for his total and utter commitment to his chosen job. He gets so excited beforehand and then goes in and focuses and runs as hard, fast, straight and reliable as can be, every single run. Billy Woof, you’re my inspiration and little superstar! What a good lad.