Hare & Hounds Autumn Show

Had a lovely day yesterday at H&H, a bit hectic with 12 runs though, and 3 courses to walk first thing. Some very interesting courses, a little different. Zara's first jumping class G4-7 made you think, lots of choices for handling, she ran it brilliantly but I went for the gamble and took the shortest route out of the tunnel, Zara went left, I went right, resulting in her going back in, rest of the run was fab though! We had one clear in jumping but unplaced and a 6th in G4 Agility with a clear. Ruger just couldn't get his head around weaves though, he ran past every set, barked at me and then did them perfectly second time!!!! so no clears. He was very well behaved around the rings, so I was very happy with that. It was a great day for K9 Skool members yesterday. Katie had her first KC show with Barley the Cairn and did 2 lovely runs, 5r in jumping for running past a jump and 5r in agility for jumping off the see-saw, but 2 fantastic runs apart from that. Christine ran Amber for her first KC show too and they were really good, Amber stayed with her, not bad considering Amber is not her dog and Christine thought she would go looking for Helen, I was really pleased with their performance. Helen and Loki got 1st place in Agility, meaning that they go up to Grade 2 at their first KC show!!!!!! Sadly I missed the run :( Ali and Chewie and Dani and Jet both had 5th places and Deb and Lassie had an 8th place. A successful day all round, Well Done everyone!!!!!!

Dig It

Well what a difference at Dig It. I was judging agility so only competed in the jumping and steeplechase. Zara ran one of her runs with 5 faults at the weaves, she got a lovely entry I said good girl and she came out :( rest of the run was lovely. Ruger ran straight past the weaves in both runs, and did a circuit round the tunnel, didn't go in it though and had 2 runs with 5 faults, both for weaves! His second run had a nice stay though, so well pleased with that. I couldn't believe it when I heard Zara's name being called out for 2nd place and then Ruger won the class!!!! The steeplechase course was nice, a proper steeplechase, fast and flowing. Zara went clear I was well pleased as it was a difficult course for her, as she likes tough naggy courses. Ruger shot off the start line so I stood in the middle and directed him more or less from there :) He went clear beating Zara by over 5 seconds. So another 1st and 2nd place. Lin and Ollie had 2 places too, in jumping and steeplechase, a 3rd and 2nd. Sharon and Ryan had a 2nd in agility. Lassie, Jet and Chewie ran some fast rounds, but just unlucky with poles down.

Dog Vegas

It was one of those shows were nothing seemed to go right. The ground was good and the layout fab, but I didn't really enjoy it. I walked Rugers first course G1-3 Agility and it was really good, the judge pitched it just right, not too difficult but not just straight up and down, we could have done well on this. Ruger leapt off the dogwalk contact so I asked the judge and put him back on for an E!!! He ran the rest of it nicely got his A frame contacts and the weaves 2nd time round but I did try distance handling. Rugers best run was 5 faults for weaves in jumping. Zara for some reason got 15 faults for contacts in agility, first time for ages she has been faulted on contacts, she even missed the up contact on the A frame :( so with a pole down too that was 20f, she's not done that for a long time! We had no clears at all probably our worst performance for a long time. Both dogs did some really good work but it was just a strange day. Deb was shocked she had 15 faults in jumping and came 2nd, 10 seconds faster than the dog that won!!!! Need more training, but the exciting news is we have a new indoor venue so we can train all winter :) :)

Love this picture of Ruger taken by Action Packed Photography, although I do need to get him to hit the floor rather than the air when he exits the see saw!

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 :)