Quick summary of the last week... Bex had 13 wins at Dashin Dogs, I can't believe dad managed 13 clears let alone 13 wins! Bex is on fire! They had their first grade 4 at Dordale and won 1-4 agility, 3-7 agility and 2nd in 1-7 jumping, so grade 5 now. Go little Bex!
Tia had a 4th in champ obedience today yippeee! 4 champ shows and 2 places, feels like we are making progress! I just have to work on getting that bit more commitment now. I think it will come in time, we just need to do more shows, as missing June and most of July didn't help.
Now... a doglet I'm training, spaniel (yes, another spaniel, eeeek, lol) Copper - he's just over a year old now and is lurrrrvely, I wasn't too keen on training another spaniel (an example of why... Bex on fire at Dordale, then in one agility ran up the aframe, turned round and ran back down the same side to have a sniff!!!) as I prefer the amount of focus that collies tend to have - however Copper is so like a collie to train! We've been doing go-ons and tunnels since he was about 10 months and have just moved on to full height dog walks and aframes, he adores 2o2o on the aframe!
Monday, 25 August 2008
Sunday, 17 August 2008
Bex is a dashin doggie
Dads been at Dashin Dogs for 3 days now and has had 6 wins!! Thats 1 win Fri, 2 Sat, and she won all 3 classes today! Crazy Miss B is on fire! Thats 18 (I think!) wins they've had this year! I wish I did that well in my first year lol!
Tia had a 6th in ticket yesterday I am really pleased with her! Especially the dozy handler herself lost 2 marks, and had I not done that she would've been third, eek!
Today I drove all 166 miles to Kent for Tia to miss a position in DC which was the first exercise, so out we came! She did a good training round in open C, a good fast sendaway and I didn't drop her and she didn't drop herself, so she's learning now, at last!!! Did about half the heelwork before giving her her ball. I don't normally do 2 days of obedience shows as I am too lazy and I always find Tia's more tired on the second day - she won't ever sleep before she has worked - yesterday we were drawn second so this didn't matter but today being drawn 25th we didn't work for quite a few hours so maybe she'd worn herself out looking out the window at every slightest movement!
Tia had a 6th in ticket yesterday I am really pleased with her! Especially the dozy handler herself lost 2 marks, and had I not done that she would've been third, eek!
Today I drove all 166 miles to Kent for Tia to miss a position in DC which was the first exercise, so out we came! She did a good training round in open C, a good fast sendaway and I didn't drop her and she didn't drop herself, so she's learning now, at last!!! Did about half the heelwork before giving her her ball. I don't normally do 2 days of obedience shows as I am too lazy and I always find Tia's more tired on the second day - she won't ever sleep before she has worked - yesterday we were drawn second so this didn't matter but today being drawn 25th we didn't work for quite a few hours so maybe she'd worn herself out looking out the window at every slightest movement!
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
A sum up
I don't seem to have any spare time at the moment so here is a quick sum up...
Training with Tash last monday was awesome, Tia did 3 runs on full height before we dropped her down to medium. She was working really well and was only tucking up occasionally, my handling was pants, I knew what I was trying to do but my brain and my arms wouldn't connect!
Lee and Scott were fab, I think Lee learnt soooo much and Scott didn't knock one pole in the 3 hours of training! Scott then went on to get 2 wins and a 2nd at the KC festival. Things are on the up!
Dad and Bex did really well at KC fest, Bex had 5 wins in total, what a star! Was also doing a really nice round in her agility on Sunday but ran her contacts and dad then reminded her that 'target' meant target, and Bex reversed back on to the aframe bless her hehe. After a whole weekend of running them dad doesn't want to let her think she can do that all the time!
I have upped the amount of fast pace I am doing, I have set a target now that I have to try and run round a football pitch in fast pace, we put in some turns, following the lines on the pitch... can't say I've got anywhere close to running the whole length yet, it's made me realise how much work I have to do on it! On the plus side it's made Tia try a lot harder in her normal pace rather than dillydallying along.
Decided no agility shows for the rest of the year with Tia, was umming and ahhing about late September but just thought no I will concentrate on obedience at the moment. I'm finding it very hard to train her agility as she tends to skid/fall over the minute the grass is slightly damp, which means right now I'm not training her hardly at all! Hope to do a few ag shows next year but nothing's certain. Still waiting for Ruby to come into season - HURRY UP RUBY!!!!!! She won the jumping qualifier at KCI - woo go Ru!
The few lessons I'm doing are going really well - Wesley the german shepherd and the kids are doing great. Wesley's now jumping all at half medium/half large height, and some are now full height. He's taking corners naturally as well now rather than stopping and then running off. Still haven't even thought about tackling pull throughs yet! He's really fast for a shepherd. On upright weaves now, I'm holding his collar through them, I let go of him on Saturday and he did about half of them himself before coming out, but this is such progress considering he used to have a major freak out if the weavies so much as touched his side!
Jess had her first lesson back with Copper the ESS after Cops had a grass seed removed from near his willy - ouch! Poor Copper was so excited to be back and wouldn't wait on the start line, and of course I am mean and wouldn't let him have his fun until he did is waits, hehe! His contacts are fab, he's got tons of drive. And Lee Jess's boyfriend ran his mums collie Toby, and Toby was SO enthusiastic we were all a bit stumped as to why he suddenly found agility so thrilling! He worked really well. Gonna be so cool next year them both being able to compete at all the shows :o)
Thats enough rambling for now... think it may be a week before my next post... atho I do have a little vid of Rix which I may upload soon.
Training with Tash last monday was awesome, Tia did 3 runs on full height before we dropped her down to medium. She was working really well and was only tucking up occasionally, my handling was pants, I knew what I was trying to do but my brain and my arms wouldn't connect!
Lee and Scott were fab, I think Lee learnt soooo much and Scott didn't knock one pole in the 3 hours of training! Scott then went on to get 2 wins and a 2nd at the KC festival. Things are on the up!
Dad and Bex did really well at KC fest, Bex had 5 wins in total, what a star! Was also doing a really nice round in her agility on Sunday but ran her contacts and dad then reminded her that 'target' meant target, and Bex reversed back on to the aframe bless her hehe. After a whole weekend of running them dad doesn't want to let her think she can do that all the time!
I have upped the amount of fast pace I am doing, I have set a target now that I have to try and run round a football pitch in fast pace, we put in some turns, following the lines on the pitch... can't say I've got anywhere close to running the whole length yet, it's made me realise how much work I have to do on it! On the plus side it's made Tia try a lot harder in her normal pace rather than dillydallying along.
Decided no agility shows for the rest of the year with Tia, was umming and ahhing about late September but just thought no I will concentrate on obedience at the moment. I'm finding it very hard to train her agility as she tends to skid/fall over the minute the grass is slightly damp, which means right now I'm not training her hardly at all! Hope to do a few ag shows next year but nothing's certain. Still waiting for Ruby to come into season - HURRY UP RUBY!!!!!! She won the jumping qualifier at KCI - woo go Ru!
The few lessons I'm doing are going really well - Wesley the german shepherd and the kids are doing great. Wesley's now jumping all at half medium/half large height, and some are now full height. He's taking corners naturally as well now rather than stopping and then running off. Still haven't even thought about tackling pull throughs yet! He's really fast for a shepherd. On upright weaves now, I'm holding his collar through them, I let go of him on Saturday and he did about half of them himself before coming out, but this is such progress considering he used to have a major freak out if the weavies so much as touched his side!
Jess had her first lesson back with Copper the ESS after Cops had a grass seed removed from near his willy - ouch! Poor Copper was so excited to be back and wouldn't wait on the start line, and of course I am mean and wouldn't let him have his fun until he did is waits, hehe! His contacts are fab, he's got tons of drive. And Lee Jess's boyfriend ran his mums collie Toby, and Toby was SO enthusiastic we were all a bit stumped as to why he suddenly found agility so thrilling! He worked really well. Gonna be so cool next year them both being able to compete at all the shows :o)
Thats enough rambling for now... think it may be a week before my next post... atho I do have a little vid of Rix which I may upload soon.
Saturday, 9 August 2008
Bex is going to Crufts!
Woooopeeeee!! Bex is going to Crufts! She won the KC Festival Small Novice Cup today (she also won the agility qualifier and 4th in the jumping q yest) which should qualify her for Crufts next year... I can't believe dad held his nerve! Bex also won 2 more jumpings today. She is going so well! Her being pants at Rugby last month really shocked dad into doing some training and he's clicked back in sync with her now and they are working so well together, I'm so proud of them both!
Well done to Nancy and Niamh for qualifying for Olympia yesterday - fab!!
Well done to Nancy and Niamh for qualifying for Olympia yesterday - fab!!
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
The weekend
Ok so Saturday I arrived at the obedience show the earliest I have ever arrived at an obedience show, at 8am!!! I was so early I was parked in the first row of cars!! Tia found nothing to freak out at, much to my relief. I did some training with her and she was very hyper and keen, more relief! Then I went and watched the first 10 or so dogs, trying to learn the pattern of the round so I help Tia rather than hinder her (I probs still hinder her but not as much!). It absolutely chucked it down while one poor dog was in the ring, I felt SO sorry for her as had that been Tia she would have done her wet lettuce impression!
Soooo got her in the ring and she was still fairly bubbly, I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be, just excited! I think this was because the round was fairly straightforward, some of them are sooooooo complicated that I am sure I will never get my head around them!
Tia did some stunning heelwork, did her 3 positions on the move brilliantly, her fast pace was not great, I think it was the longest FP we've ever done, my heelwork training normally consists of 80% normal pace, 18% slow pace and 2% fast pace, more work needed!! I'm too lazy!!
Anyway I think not only was it the longest FP we've ever done, but the longest heelwork we've ever done as I finished it and I was KNACKERED! I am so unfit!!! I cannot actually believe how tired I was, which I find quite embarassing!
Then DC, here is when I kick myself a bit!!! It was 'leave your dog in the stand next to the marker on the floor', so I set Tia up and she won't stand next to the marker, so I have to reset her. Not good in her books! Then when I give the first position command (the sit), my voice goes all wobbly (tiredness!) and she misses it! Stupid Char! All the other positions she did really nicely.
She did a lovely sendaway just losing 0.5 I think on the pickup, and 0.5 on retrieve, for a slightly crooked present.
Sooo as I walk out the ring to go and play with Tia the judge stopped me to say what a shame she had missed the sit as it was such a lovely round - wow :o) I looked at her marks and she had, at that time, the best heelwork marks of the day, and had she not missed the position, would have been in the lead... the dog that won it lost 9.5, and Tia, had she not missed the position, would've been on 10.5... Tia lost 9.5 on her heelwork, which is the same as this dog that won (it went clear on set exercises) so if you discount DC Tia wasn't far off the winner, which in my books, is FAB, as all I wanted was to go in and not look like total muppets!
Ooops sorry this post is getting rather long!!
On Sunday Lee came to the obed show (open this time). Lee wanted to go home after he'd eaten his lunch lol! Tia gets SO excited when Lee comes to shows, she can't stop staring adoringly at him, grr bad Tia, I half expected her to go and take the retrieve article to him!! She worked a nice round again, didn't have quite the same spark that she did on Saturday but we both need the ring experience as it's only the second C we've worked (ie not trained) since May. She then did a scent which I was SO SO SO pleased with as she went over the decoy several times before eventually finding the right cloth. Had a run off for first but I didn't do it as I knew Tia would be tired and I didn't want her to switch off. So came 2nd, really really pleased. We got a lovely write up too, thank you Claire :o)
"2nd –Charlotte Harding and BEKKIS BEYOND BELIEF OW AW, BC, Losing 11.25. Ran 10th Wow – Tia has so improved since I last judged her! There’s a ticket in her, I can see it! Just have more faith in her – she CAN do it. Beautiful NP, but FP needs tidying. Declined the R/O with above dog as Tia was ‘tired’…ahem. Well done on this place."
So Tia is in my extra good books, hehe. Such a good girl. Me and Lee had our training eve with Tash yesterday, but I have rambled enough, so I will post about this later in the week!
Soooo got her in the ring and she was still fairly bubbly, I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be, just excited! I think this was because the round was fairly straightforward, some of them are sooooooo complicated that I am sure I will never get my head around them!
Tia did some stunning heelwork, did her 3 positions on the move brilliantly, her fast pace was not great, I think it was the longest FP we've ever done, my heelwork training normally consists of 80% normal pace, 18% slow pace and 2% fast pace, more work needed!! I'm too lazy!!
Anyway I think not only was it the longest FP we've ever done, but the longest heelwork we've ever done as I finished it and I was KNACKERED! I am so unfit!!! I cannot actually believe how tired I was, which I find quite embarassing!
Then DC, here is when I kick myself a bit!!! It was 'leave your dog in the stand next to the marker on the floor', so I set Tia up and she won't stand next to the marker, so I have to reset her. Not good in her books! Then when I give the first position command (the sit), my voice goes all wobbly (tiredness!) and she misses it! Stupid Char! All the other positions she did really nicely.
She did a lovely sendaway just losing 0.5 I think on the pickup, and 0.5 on retrieve, for a slightly crooked present.
Sooo as I walk out the ring to go and play with Tia the judge stopped me to say what a shame she had missed the sit as it was such a lovely round - wow :o) I looked at her marks and she had, at that time, the best heelwork marks of the day, and had she not missed the position, would have been in the lead... the dog that won it lost 9.5, and Tia, had she not missed the position, would've been on 10.5... Tia lost 9.5 on her heelwork, which is the same as this dog that won (it went clear on set exercises) so if you discount DC Tia wasn't far off the winner, which in my books, is FAB, as all I wanted was to go in and not look like total muppets!
Ooops sorry this post is getting rather long!!
On Sunday Lee came to the obed show (open this time). Lee wanted to go home after he'd eaten his lunch lol! Tia gets SO excited when Lee comes to shows, she can't stop staring adoringly at him, grr bad Tia, I half expected her to go and take the retrieve article to him!! She worked a nice round again, didn't have quite the same spark that she did on Saturday but we both need the ring experience as it's only the second C we've worked (ie not trained) since May. She then did a scent which I was SO SO SO pleased with as she went over the decoy several times before eventually finding the right cloth. Had a run off for first but I didn't do it as I knew Tia would be tired and I didn't want her to switch off. So came 2nd, really really pleased. We got a lovely write up too, thank you Claire :o)
"2nd –Charlotte Harding and BEKKIS BEYOND BELIEF OW AW, BC, Losing 11.25. Ran 10th Wow – Tia has so improved since I last judged her! There’s a ticket in her, I can see it! Just have more faith in her – she CAN do it. Beautiful NP, but FP needs tidying. Declined the R/O with above dog as Tia was ‘tired’…ahem. Well done on this place."
So Tia is in my extra good books, hehe. Such a good girl. Me and Lee had our training eve with Tash yesterday, but I have rambled enough, so I will post about this later in the week!
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