Catch up

Been very busy so haven't had a chance to update. We have had a brilliant year. Zara is getting clears at grade 5 but no places yet, but she is running well, most of the time. Ruger is going form strength to strength, getting places at every show except one, this year and not forgetting winning out of Grade 3 at WBSDS show at the start of August, good little Mali.

Top picture is of Zara at training, she's nearly 8 now and looking good, next picture is Mawgan who was 9 last week, she doesn't like having her picture taken, and especially with the other 2. Bottom picture is Zara and Ruger enjoying the lilies in my Mum and Dad's garden.

WBSDS

Not quite on form as last week, although not all E's for Ruger! He didn't want to weave first time but when put back was fine, so frustrating. His last run on Saturday was G3 jumping and was a reasonably tough course with turns and needing to listen. He ran a lovely clear to get 7th place, not bad out of 190 entries, and we could have had a better time but he went really wide on at least one turn, but we are in the process of training this, so well pleased with that. He also got best BSD in that class.

Zara managed 2 clears in jumping and agility, in her first show at Grade 5, not placed but good clears.

Sunday we managed one clear each, Zara in agility and Ruger in jumping (15th place)

Ruger also was awarded a lovely trophy for Best Grade 3 BSD on the Saturday.

South Durham Easter

All K9 Skool members did well on Easter Sunday. I will start with Zara, she managed 4 x E, at her last grade 4 show! but finished the day with a lovely clear in G4 agility to get 8th place.

Ruger managed 4 clears to be placed 4th G3 agility, 5th G3 agility, 5th C1-7 jumping (4th height) and 14th G3 jumping, so really pleased with him. He is getting his stay back and his contacts are fab. Hopefully we can keep this form going for the rest of the season.

Dani and Jet won G1 jumpathon

Helen and Loki won G2 agility and 3rd in G1-2 jumping

Deb and Lassie had 2 places I think 2nd and 3rd

So a good show for all of us.

Dog Vegas Grade 5 !!!!!

Planned to camp at Dog Vegas, but ended up in a B & B :)

First morning of the show, found us being a bit late, so I missed walking Zara's jumping course, so watched a little bit. For me it was a horrible course, more like a helter-skelter with weaves, not a Zara course, it was designed for fast dogs, no tight turns. We ran last and surprisingly went clear, so pleased with Zara, she normally would knock poles on this type of course, it got better though, she actually came 2nd!!! Zara's agility course was difficult, but really liked it and looked forward to running her, we got E'd. Next agility course was a good G4-5 course. Zara ran clear, she was ace and really listening. I went to look at results but told to go away by the show secretary, I couldn't see results, but to make sure I was at the presentation, she then let me look WE HAD WON GRADE 4 AGILITY I never expected that to happen, little Zara has made GRADE 5. Presentation took place while I was running Ruger in G3 agility, managed to get there though!!!

Ruger was also fab that day. His first run was G1-3 agility, it was my worst nightmare for Ruger, it started jump, dogwalk, tunnel. I asked the judge could I put him back on the contacts if he went straight for the tunnel, she kindly said yes. Ruger did a beautiful 2o2o dogwalk contact and A frame too, also 12 weaves, went clear and came 3rd, what a good little Mali. His other runs were good too just 5r for the weaves on 2 courses and an E for jumping as I sent him to a tunnel and missed the fact that the tunnel attacked him so he turned away and followed me!

I judged on the Sunday all grades 1-3, saw some fantastic newbies. K9 Skool ring partied and did a brilliant job of running an efficient ring all day :)

Wyre

Only Zara competing at Wyre, too busy for Ruger. On Saturday we had some silly runs and managed to collect lots of points, oh sorry I mean faults!!!!!! Sunday was much better with 2 clears. We had a 13th place in the Agility Secrets qualifier which was a combined 4-6, so really happy with that. Then we had a clear round in the G4 agility, but just out of the places.

Crufts 2014

We spent 2 days at Crufts this year, it was strange to be there without our dogs, first time we have done that for a few years! But we managed to get a good look round and I attended 4 Kennel Club Acredited Instructor seminars which were very interesting. A fascinating discussion about nutrition in the canine athlete has made us rethink Ruger's and possibily Zara's diets. It was interesting to hear how what we eat can affect our performance and how dogs get their energy. Jackie Boyd also gave an interesting talk about sporting dogs, mainly focusing on her research into jumping. She was engaging and realistic in her lecture and I came away with some new ideas, but she also confirmed some of my own thinking too. We met up with people we haven't seen for a while which was lovely.

Ribble

My posts are a little out of order at the minute. Zara ran well at Ribble getting a clear in G4 Agility but just out of the places, but a good run.