Holidays-Diamond and Devon Dogs

First time I have done Diamond Dogs and we spent 2 days there, it was a nice show. Zara had some really good runs but just unlucky with 5 faults. Ruger's best run was in Grade 3 Agility, I was a bit frustrated with his contacts as in training they are brill, so I decided to train them, he did a lovely 2o2o on the dog walk so I told him so but made him hold it for quite a while, same on A frame, he went clear and got 9th place, I was so pleased with this, looking at the times I don't think he would have made the top 3, but possibly could have got 4th, so very encouraging. The first day at Devon Dogs was very wet, so we took our time and didn't get there until lunchtime :( Meaning Zara only had one run and Ruger 2. Zara ran a nice clear but it was Combined 4-7 Jumping so she didn't get placed, but a good course lots to think about and she showed how good she can be :) Ruger had one E and a Clear in Combined 1-7 Jumping, they placed to 11th and he was 13th, so I am happy with this, his time wasn't that far off the winner. On the second day Zara had a clear in G1-4 Agility, and what would have been a clear in Jumping but she had time faults, its funny as lately some of the course times seem to be getting too tight, I agree not to allow too long, but when Zara is slow, she is still moving, I don't exactly get the chance to just jog alongside. Ruger managed 2 clears, in Com 1-3 Jumping he got 13th place and in Com 1-7 he was not placed. So a good start to the holiday with 4 days of agility, we then finished the rest of the week in Devon at The Woodleigh Guesthouse, fantastic dog friendly accommodation with an enclosed paddock for the dogs to play in. Weather was good to us and Simon's Mum and Dad joined us and my sister so we had a great time sightseeing. Then a week in South Wales. We finished our last day at The Welsh Kennel Club show, where I judged jumping. It was a lovely just one short shower, but the competitors all seemed to enjoy the courses, had some good feedback and I had the chance to judge some excellent teams and saw a lot of potential that day. Its a nice show, well run and I like having just 2 rings.

Dog Vegas

We've never been to Vegas before but Zara and Ruger both qualified for the finals at High Peak, so we decided to do 2 days camping Saturday and Sunday. Camping didn't happen!!! as 2 nights in a tent in wet windy weather wasn't as appealing as a 2 hour drive across the M62!!!! Sunday was a lovely day weather wise and Zara ran fantastically getting 2nd in G4 Agility and a clear in G4-5 Jumping. Ruger had a bad day as on his first run, just as he entered the ring 2 dogs dived in towards the ring one from behind and one from the side, and Ruger went to pieces. Its dreadful that people don't realise the effect this can have on other dogs, or are they just too selfish to realise. I think more empathsis needs to be put on safety around the rings and maybe even just good manners. His agility run was not good and then his jumping run was affected by a gobby dog behind him :( Both runs may have been bad anyway but we'll never know! His second agility run was nice except for the 5f for jumping the contact on the dogwalk aaarrrggh!!!! Monday was finals day. Zara was first in the C3-5 Agility she did a lovely run but just knocked the second to last pole. She then went clear in G4 Agility to get 3rd place, so pleased with her, she is getting faster and more accurate. She also had a clear in Jumping but not placed. Ruger got E'd in agility, but then went into the finals in C1-3 Agility, he was manic, barking at me and had no stay whatsoever, I went with him and he listened and got his contacts and weaves and managed to do the jumps all in the right order for a clear round and 5th place, so pleased with him, he won a huge rosette, £10 and a T-shirt. He then went clear in jumping to get a 6th place. We thoroughly enjoyed the show it was relaxed and the showground was good, so we will be back.

Wirral Alsatian

Wow had a great time! Saturday we got there in perfect timing to walk the Adams Derby and Zara was running early and got through to the jumping run and had a lovely clear to give us 9th place. Ruger leapt off the dog walk contact but judge allowed me to put him back on and he did a perfect 2o2o !!!!!! Ruger went clear in the G1-4 jumping with some wide turns to get 12th place, if I can tighten his turns he will be in with a chance :) On Sunday someone congratulated me on my agility run the day before, I said no I had 5f but when I checked the results Zara had 4th place with 0.18 time faults, otherwise clear so what I thought was a refusal hadn't been marked, its unusual for Zara to get time faults and I know she was slow for her, but that was a tight time as I ran round that course, it was very hot, that refusal cost us some warrant points, oh well. On Sunday we had 2 clears one for Zara in C3-5 Agility giving her 20th place (well within the course time) and one for Ruger in G1-4 Jumping again to get 15th place, he's listening more now and getting his weaves. I was told to enter Zara in the Best GSD in Show, but checked it was ok as she is a cross, therefore I haven't entered her before. Because there are few GSD's competing these days I was allowed to enter her and was surprised that she won it, so she got the 2013 Withymoor Maximillion trophy , I will try to post a photo of her with it.

Lady Zara Arth Coch AW (B)

Its only taken 5 years but Zara now has her Agility Warrant (Bronze) so pleased with her. Funny out of my agility dogs she has done the most, but my expectations were very low when she started. She did not take to agility naturally as she can be clumsy, but now she's running at her best, she's lovely to run and doesn't have any hang-up's. Well Done Little Zara :)

Tuffsbury

Had a day competing on Saturday, beautiful weather but a bit too hot for agility. No results for either dog but some nice work and some not so nice!!!!! On Sunday I judged, the ring party were great, really organised and we were finished and packed away by 1530hrs. Had some nice comments about my courses which was nice. Lovely show, hope to do Tuffley and Prestbury next year, as my first time for both.

Ribble

After retraining Rugers contacts that week it was a shame to see his first course had a difficult start, tunnel banked up against the contact, in a Grade 1-4 course! Ruger started lovely but had to take the tunnel instead of the A-frame for an E. His contact was perfect and apart from jumping the dogwalk contact aarrgh, he did a stunning run from distance, so pleased with him. His jumping runs were not good he just didn't want to turn :( He ran lovely in the 1-3 Agility but I took the safe option and recalled him over a jump, I should have gambled and sent him on and round, rest of his run was brill even the weaves. Zara was only entered in a few classes and had a clear in the 4-7 jumping, but out of the places possibly because I forgot the course and took her a long, long way round a jump:( I ran little Ollie for Lin as the course was like a marathon and he was fab, getting 2nd in a C1-4 jumping class, even did his weavies for me :)

Contact training

Ruger had lost his contact behaviour at Wigan and has been dodgy for the last few shows. We haven't trained contacts though since last October, or not on a regular basis. Now I have the contacts back and painted, thanks to Deb, Danni and Ali :) I have spent this week training. Ruger is really over the top when it comes to toy focus so I decided to use food instead and reward correct, calm behaviour. This has worked well and after 3 days and various short sessions, I can now run on and he will stop, if command is used :) I am happy with this as I will move on to independent contacts later. Next thing is to put this into practice at Ribble tomorrow