Dog walks dog walks dog walks!

Ok I actually think it is now an official psychological disorder. Nancy and I have/are both suffering from. Dogwalk itis! I am dreaming dog walks. I keep saying Twix's dog walks are different in the ring to at training and I will get some video. But I got someone to take a brief video of a couple of Twix's tonight. She did a great dog walk on her first run. Sadly not videoed but then we did some dog walks on their own and I had two videoed. Believe it or not I was not happy with either of these.... I felt she slowed a lot on the down plank. Until I watched them back. And now I do know she is slower in competition but I really am begining to think I am worrying about nothing! And as Gemma said to me a while back, what is there in training will eventually come in the ring... Here's hoping!! So videos below!! I really should give Twix more credit.

Wallingford and BSD show

Not much exciting happening. Last Saturday I was at Wallingford show. First run was an agility with Twix. I think Twix did the worst dog walk ever! GRRRR it is soo frustrating. I know how well she can work yet I just can't seem to get her to dog the dogwalks she does at training in the ring!

Any way Twix also had another agility and I have to admitt her dog walk was much better. Still not like I know she can do them but better. Light at the end of the tunnel? I will have to get some video of Twix at training and shows so you can see the difference. Any way, I do know she has the speed to play with the good guys and girls in grade 5 as she has had a few good jumping places lately. She had a 2nd in 5 jumping at Wallingford. Good girl.

Jag was a good boy at Wallingford. I got us e'd in one of his agility runs, mainly because I got the dogs running orders round the wrong way and ran out of order! Oops. So I told the judge and she let me run NFC. Jag came 6th in his grade 7 jumping. The course was perfect for him, sadly I got lost and Jag must have read the numbers to get me out of trouble. So really we should have finished a lot higher but he was a good boy. I didn't do Jag's grade 7 agility. I was cold and just wanted to go home. I took one walk round the course and hated it so decided I would be doing more harm than good to try it. I really was NOT in the mood for it!!

I really wasn't looking forward to going back to Newbury today, not after last week. I think the cold really took it out of me. Any way forecast for today was good and to be honest the weather was 100% better than last week but was still windy but was at least dry and quite warm.

Both dogs had three runs today, two jumping and one agility.

Jag came 4th in his 5-7 jumping. Was a weird course, it flowed really well and wasn't particularly hard but everything seemed quite close together. When I came out I felt like Jag had run really slowly. But a few others said they had felt the same with their dogs. I guess maybe there just wasn't the room for them to open out. Was a nice course though. Jag had a pole down in his 6/7 jumping.

Hm now you have to appreciate there is a big pause in between the previous bit of my blog post and the next bit. Mad Karen on the phone telling me all about her obedience show!!! Yawn. Good job she is saving her sanity by going to Lewes tomorrow.

Any way right, Jag also had a pole down in his 6/7 agility. But they were our only two "mistakes" so he really has worked well. His contacts were great and he waited at the start. Ok not for long but he did wait for me to release him.

Twix had a great day. She had three clears. 4/5 agility, an ok dog walk. Not fab but ok. She came 10th so it must be improving as normally I am out of the places in agility at the moment. I am doing her contacts so that as soon as she is in the stop position and paused for a split second I release. Hopefully this will build her confidence of what I want and as she is a dog that feeds off of confidence, she will get quicker (cheers to Toni for that one, it seems to be working). So we are still wasting time and not running contacts so 10th really isn't bad. 5-7 jumping I was wondering down to the ring when they said the class was just about to shut. So I ran down there, couldn't remember the course, watched one dog and had to run. Twix was out of the places but only 2 seconds behind the winner which is not bad. We had some nasty wide turns... but... weirdly in my haste and rush I "forgot" to baby her quite so much and pushed and she really felt quick. So may try a bit more pushing next time but not forget to work my turns next time. Twix came 3rd in grade 4/5 jumping. A lovely David Isbister course that was a good balance of requiring turns and long stretched out bits. The two dogs that beat her had much wider turns but more ground pace. There was .02 between Twix and 2nd place dog. So lots to be pleased with there.

Tomorrow is a day off!! Nothing at the weekend next week but Vyne on bank holiday Monday.

So lots to be pleased with over the last couple of weekends. I seem to be able to handle both dogs relatively well at the moment! Last year it always seemed to be one or the other and never both. Looking forward to the rest of the season now.

Um... not much going on really

Not a lot of anything particularly exciting happening really. Last week was training on Monday, rest on Tuesday night, gym Wednesday, teaching Thursday. Oh I guess Friday was interesting ish but not from a dog point of view. I was out with the guys and girls that I work with. Nothing unusual there. But we tend to go for a meal and then for a good old drink up. Well we went for a good old drink up before this time. Have to say by the time we got to the restaurant I was... well... not quite completely in control of my actions lol. Any way, we were booked in at a rather modern looking Indian. Nothing in usual in that you might think... accept at 31 I have never had an Indian.

Basically I can't bare the smell of it! So have never got passed the door. After lots of teasing from my colleagues who said how could I not like it if I hadn't tried it, I was persuaded to go. And I have to say whilst what I had was edible I really can't see what people rave about. Will stick to Italian I think... yum.

No shows at the weekend. Saturday I went swimming. Have now discovered this really is actually quite a good hangover cure! Sunday I went to the gym, hoovered my car then took the dogs out with a friend for 2 1/2 hours. Went back to work on Monday for a rest.

Tonight I got in an extra.. yes extra gym session. Will go again tomorrow. Training on Thursday, gym Friday then off to Wallinford.

Oh and Twix's dog walks were blinding on Monday at training. So here's hoping for similar on Saturday.

Have to say in my class on a Thursday (sure I have said this before) but I have a lovely puppy group. They are all nearing "coming out" time. And they did their first nearly full (lol) course last week. And you know what through all my panicing, they are really very nearly looking ready. Yipee!! Maybe all the nagging is worth it.

I think I need a white jacket and a padded cell!

Saturday saw the first Champ show of the year for me. I was really looking forward to it. After all my moans about Jag and I not being "together" I have actually felt a change lately and lo and behold, feel like I can actually work him now! Add to that, touch wood and contacts aside, I haven't lost it with Twix... something good is happening!

Scunny is a flippin long way!! That's all I can say. I had asked Toni and Lee if I could go up with them as Toni has her van back on the road. It seemed to make sense to be able to split the huge cost of the journey! Not to mention I really didn't want to travel that far on my own.

Basically, by Friday evening I was really starting to think I was mad. By the time I got up on Saturday morning, and it was JUST morning, I knew I was mad. I had to get up at 0155 and leave at 0225 to be at Lee's for 0310!! what hell was I doing!!

Any way Andy Brown was the Champ judge and he set some lovely courses. We all said there was something strange about them yet they were challenging and not silly. I think it can only be that there was quite a lot of running past one thing to get to where you were meant to go.

Champ jumping was first and Jag did a lovely. I really thought we had had a pole early on but apparently not! However I was told that we hit the last but one pole and the pole actually came out of the cups but landed back in it. Jag came 4th in this round. Very pleased. Toni was also clear with Kite and Lee clear with both of his.

The agility round I am still kicking myself. I had to do a flick away on a jump. I think I gave the flick away arms before I had done the jump arm and Jag turned away form the jump. Apparently I wasn't given 5R, although I would have given myself 5!! Any way I managed to get Jag round the jump in the best grade 1 style I could muster. Only to carry on and get eliminated. I am kicking myself because I was obviously far to busy thinking about the mistake and not concentrating on the bit of the course I was working! GRRR!

So that was that. Champ class over. Toni and Lee, with both dogs, were in the final. Lee came 3rd with Shy. Bold was doing a great run only to find Lee not quite where he should be and Toni went for it with Kite and had to take a risk (Dave with Dobbie had put in a blinder) and sadly it didn't pay off. But you have to try these things in the final, you won't win otherwise.

As for the rest of the classes, Jag went clear in pairs but partner had a pole. We had a clear in the Crufts class but it wasn't pretty and I knew I had wasted loads of time so ended up training his last contact.

Twix was a good girl. She was e'd in her agility but... dog walk was slightly better. Heres hoping. She came 4th in 4/5 jumping which I was very pleased with and just had a pole in her pairs. I didn't do her other agility course as all I wanted to do by then was go home! I was tired, cold and wet. There was lots of wind and hail during the day. And any way I needed to get home for part 2 of my certifiable mad weekend!

I have to thank Toni for driving though cos it was a huge huge help to me staying awake today.

Well after getting home at 2200 on Saturday (that was some long day) I quickly ran around to get my stuff ready to..... go and judge at Downland!!!

This involved getting up at 0515. I had 1/2 large steeplechase. 345 small jumping, 345 medium jumping, 67 small jumping and 67 medium jumping. Courses below 345 numbers in white and 67 in red.




On the way I drove through sleet and not long after getting there it started to snow and snow..... and snow....... and snow!!! Now madness has been mentioned a lot in this post but now I am seriously concerned! I had had sod all sleep in the last 36 hours and now I was (ok inside) but judging while snow was falling heavily wearing two ski jackets and huge gloves.

However the courses ran well. My ring party were great and we finished nice and quickly, due I would guess to sensible people remaining at home.

So now I am home. Got in at around 1900. Am sitting her typing this whilst drinking cider brandy. Not something I usually do but hey I don't care. I am very tired and off to bed very soon.

I have a weird kind of half day at work tomorrow. Was meant to be a morning off but I have a meeting I can't miss so am going in at 1045 and coming home at 1430 so that will be nice. A lay in and then an early day.

So since 0000 hrs on Saturday to now, some 40 hours later, I have had 7 hours and 35mins sleep ish.


BED!!

cold cold cold!!

BRRRR. Why is it so cold at all the shows! GRRRR.

Well the last has been.. eh.. pretty normal actually. Nothing major has happened. I was glad to have bank holiday Monday to have a lay in. Think I needed it after the show. Was suprised to find we had training on Monday night. Twix was an angel, doing those lovely quick dog walks.. grr... please please please can someone ask her to do the same in competition!

Bottled out of the gym on Wednesday as I felt yuck. Was a good girl though and did go on Friday. Was pleased I had gone afterwards. Have been a bit lapse with it really. Must get back to it. Does make me feel better.

Saturday was off to Shuttleworth. What good doggies I had! Was very windy though and then the rain came. Made me feel like I had an ice cream head without the pleasure of eating the ice cream lol. All in all conditions were a bit rubbish but I had a nice day.

Toni and Lee were there so I enjoyed having good company.

Was Lee's Birthday last week, he was 52. Doesn't look bad for that does he lol.

Any way back to the dogs. Twix had a pole in her g5 agility and a slow dog walk ahhhh. I was really p'd off when I came out. Had a chat with Toni and then felt a bit better. Twix went clear in her helter skelter and came 25th. Not bad considering it was 1-7 and there was less than 2 seconds splitting 35 places apparently. Twix was excellent in her g5 jumping and came 2nd. Was very pleased with that and has given me some confidence back.

Jag had pole down in his helter skelter. Was clear in his g7 ag but I trained his contacts. He did slide off his see-saw but as it was wet, I might forgive him that one! Might! Jag won the g7 jumping. Was quite a tricky little course but fun. Toni was 2nd with Kite and Lee 3rd with one of his think it was Bold but not sure. I think Jag just got the nod because of the huge straight line there was at the end. He just ate up the ground. Times were something like Jag 26.985 and Kite 27.035 or close to that so really nothing in it. We were musing that it was a course of two halves. Kite and Bold would have won the first half with Jag winning the second half lol.

Course below as best I can remember it.



Belive it or not I managed to get 4 reverse turns in between jump 1-10! Which was not easy with the ground being somewhat boggy. Lee managed the same. Actually think he managed one more!

Today I went out with on of my friends to do some weave training. Her dog needs a bit of one to one stuff and you just can't do that at club. I also too the opportunity to do some speed weave work with Twix which she also needs. I opened up the V's to get her striding better. I also used the training to practice some entries and her weaving while I disappeared in all sorts of directions.

After training we went off for a nice two hour walk.

Took a couple of pictures on my phone. So not great but hey ho.






We did get a little wet but hey ho!

Back to work tomorrow.

Hope all the other bloggers had a good weekend.

Easter Celebration

Well what a strange weekend of agility!!! I did have to seriously consider my sanity on both days of the show. On Saturday at 0630 when it was snowing while I was driving down the motorway and then on Sunday when I looked outside to see snow laying on the ground and on the equipment!

Are we stupid!! Well no but maybe all a touch unstable lol. I do think the campers were mighty brave though.

I have to say in a lot of ways, I was glad to get back in my car each day and be on the way home!

As for the dogs... Well. Main objectives for this weekend had to be Olympia qualifiers for both dogs. So I guess on that score my success rate was 50%!

Jag had four runs on Saturday, two on Sunday and Twix had three on Saturday and 3 on Sunday. Twix really seemed a bit off form. She knocked poles in every class I think. Not something that she usually does. There did seem to be lots of dogs knocking poles and after discussions with various people we can only think that the dogs were loosening and chruning up the sand an awful lot and the smaller less powerful dogs were getting bogged down in it. The big thugs (or donkies as Toni likes to call them) were powerful enough to fight their way out. That is of course a generalisation but could be a reason.

Any way I was disappointed with Twix's contacts all weekend. I think it is work in progress. Thanks to Nancy and others for some good advice. I will be working hard. Actually to be fair it is only the dog walk contact, the others seem pretty sound no (touch wood). Twix managed zero clears this weekend. Lets hope this changes soon. It is frustrating but early days for the season and i'm sure things will change.

As for Jag well I seemed to be a bit more back on form with him. He even did some short waits!! Ok yes they were very short but at least he waited. Our biggest want for the weekend was top 10 in the KC Olympia qualifier. Jag came fourth with a very nice round. Was very pleased with him. And just to make his Mummy even happier he was 3rd in grade 7 jumping earning an easter egg.... good boy!!! Our other rounds were all ok. Just silly things. His grade 7 jumping on Sunday seemed to be going sooo well until I kinda got stuck behind a jump and couldn't send him out to the long jump. Never mind.

So that was about it. Some good stuff, some frustrating stuff, some goals met and some continue to need meeting.

Watch this space!

Shuttleworth next Saturday as long as it is on. Think i'm looking forward to it. As long as it doesn't snow. As for now I am very tired and need sleep. Thank goodness I have a day off tomorrow!!

Mand

Oops, have just had to read back through my last post to see where I was at updating my blog! Now that can't be good.

Feel like I have recovered from Crufts now. Have spent lots of time reflecting on things. I am sooo pleased we won the team. My team mates and the team groomy (Sue)are just the best of my friends. So to win something with them is great.

I love the pic below. I think we all look so happy. Is a shame we didn't managed to get Sue in with us on the pic at some point as she was such a help on the Thursday. We chucked four dogs and her and off we went lol. She was just there with everything I/we needed.


Thanks to agility eye site for photo.

Champ class well what can I say I look back at pictures and video and kick myself. But after some lovely comments by others, I might actually be begining to think I can win another ticket!!! Here's hoping.

Moving on then!!! Saturday was Mid downs. All in all in was really happy with how things went. Jag had 5 faults in the 567 agility. I pulled him off the side of the see-saw but he felt good and I had a wait!!!!!!! And lovely contacts. In the 7 agility we got e'd! Completely my fault but again a wait and nice contacts. And we came 4th in 67 agility. Not bad at all. Think there were some areas I could have tightened but it was ok for a start to the season.

Twix had two poles in the 567 agility. Weird and not like her but hey ho. In her 45 agility we got e'd. We had a 180 turn from a flat tunnel onto a jump. I just didn't work the end of the tunnel enough and she ran round the jump. 345 jumping we came 9th which I was pretty pleased with as Twix came to a complete stop in front of a jump and did a full spin before finally jumping it! I would have given me 5 faults!!!! I wasn't as happy with Twix's contacts as I thought I would be. But Dave Munnings said he thought they were quicker than last year. So that's good as he hasn't seen her for ages. But they still weren't up to where they are at training.

Not a bad day though. Oh and I got to run the lovely Kite. She is just so lovely and smooth to run but she did catch me out when I reversed too quickly off the weaves and I pushed her the wrong side of a jump! Even the best trained dogs have to be worked properly!!

Sunday was WAG. I enjoyed most of it but not the weather!!! Huge thanks to Leah for her help with timing. Hope Jay manages to fix his dogs contacts and things now you have ruinned them (only joking!). Hope little Herbie is ok soon :-(

Monday was training and a good night. I have decided that I will swap my dogs classes each week as the classes are slightly different so think that is the easiest way of doing it.

Went training tonight with a small group of friends. Didn't do loads of runs but what we did was valueable.

Now just looking forward to Easter. Twix and Jag both have Chum qualifiers. So heres hoping!