A bit of a blog

Taken from my website, anything that I write now will be updated directly onto here.

Back to the basics- 25^th August

So agility stared again on the 23^rd August and we have a lot of new starters, it’s so nice to see so much interest in the sport and so refreshing when I hear people say ‘actually I just want to do it for fun’. That’s what I’m here for!. I read so many things nowadays with people complaining about various things in agility, and I would never dare put my opinion forward as my age would diminish any credibility, it worries me that if any new starters began to research and look into the sport that they would be put off. I have found that whilst people would not like to believe it, at times it is very lonely sport, unless you are part of a club where other members attend or you happen to know someone who knows someone.

Having competed since I was 14, I think once the initial ice is broken (as such) it becomes easier as the years pass, but I am thankful that I now know club members and have made friends. Don’t get me wrong I don’t have the answer on how to make shows more newbie friendly, but all I’m saying is when you walk past someone who looks worried and on their own than ask them if they need help, if you get a mouthful of abuse or a dirty look, than so what, at least you tried. I speak from personal experience of being at a show with just my dad, no clue what I was doing, not knowing anyone, waiting in the queue for a junior class, as they all flew round like pros with dog after dog, after dog, and feeling extremely intimidated stood with my little treat bag and just my ONE little newbie dog.

Who would think that I would be where I am today, (still chugging along with my one little dog in grade 6).

Any newbie’s reading this, don’t be put off, it’s a very rewarding sport for you and your dog. (Even in torrential rain or freezing weather).

But for every hour I spend teaching other people I feel that I am neglecting my two spaniels as I have done very little with either of them. I don’t worry about Rusty who’s a grade 6 as he tends to thrive after a good break, but Lucy is not getting as much one on one training as I would like. I am stuck between a rock and a hard place, I cannot train her during teaching sessions, but then I cannot teach her at home because more often than not the jumps are left at the centre and I cannot transport the contact equipment. I am also conscious of the fact that my third year at university begins at the end of September and I would like to have her confidently doing courses by then. University brings with it a whole host of new issues, no more so than timetable, at present I have no idea where I stand with being able to teach classes after September, which is a worry, not to mention the workload and the constant drone of the dreaded ‘what are you going to do when you leave’ voice. I don’t know yet! That’s 90% of the problem. Anyone fancy lending me enough money to build a massive agility complex? No? then I suppose I will have to reconsider my life plan. All I can say is one way or another it will involve dogs.          

A drop in temperature – 21^st August

Well, America was amazing, one of the best holidays I have ever been on and so unbelievably hot (all of the time). If only it was less than 10 hours on a plane then its rating as a holiday destination for me would treble.

Most people come home with pressies and maybe jetlag, not me, instead I came home with flu. Needless to say that this put my training on hold with my own two dogs, who having been in kennels for three weeks were less than impressed that their mum was asleep on the sofa most of the time.

After a couple of days I ventured out into what felt like the Artic (I was used to 106 everyday) and took the dogs for a walk down our local route. To cut a long story short I ended up walking 5 dogs but coming back with 6. I must also explain here that where we walk runs parallel to an opencast and also a large railway track, so to see a dog loose is unusual. It was a dog that I have never seen in Widdrington let alone down the tip road (our nickname for the route). A young dog, less than two was the epitome of a crossbred, smaller than a Spaniel, the head of a German Shepherd, body of a Corgi, and beautiful pristine white feet. So the fact there was not one speck of mud anyway nor under its nails we established it could not have come across any fields. We drove round for around 4 hours, no one was looking for it, no one had ever seen it before, and no one was asking for it at local stores. After various attempts I couldn’t pin down anything that would suggest this dog was actually lost. Unfortunately I am not a big fan of current rescue systems as this is not the first dog I have found, and my experiences are not great. When it was collected no microchip was found, and he is currently residing in kennels. (Although I intend to follow it up, as it was a lovely little dog, and had I been in different circumstances then I would have adopted him myself).

Let’s hope whoever felt the need to dump him has a few sleepless nights, or if indeed he was lost, then let’s hope they learn their lesson and avoid this by buying a collar and getting him chipped.

So I will be unavailable for nearly four weeks whilst I am away, a week in New York followed by just over two weeks in Florida, to say I am excited is an understatement, of course my dogs will be a big miss! I am hoping to see if I can go to a couple of competitions/dog related things and see how they do it across the pond.

 NESSR Fun Weekend 16th- 17th July 2011

Having planned for weeks leading up to this event, contacting trade stands, displays, creating posters for the agility and also plugging it online, the weekend finally came about. Not only did I take the job of the have-a-go agility I also had my boyfriend and brother running the trade stand, Profleece bedding, which did better than I thought considering it was never really unpacked properly over the two days. Of course, beautiful weather Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, could only mean one thing? Right? Wrong! It didn’t just rain, it poured all day Saturday from 8am till about 7pm. I couldn’t believe it, so much hard work put in by so many people, despite this there were some brave souls who came out and supported NESSR. Everybody kept a smile as at the end of the day it’s for the dogs, I ended up with around 30 people who had a go at the agility before I called it off at 3pm. So I am grateful to those that ventured out. Sunday was a little better with intermittent bits of sunshine, there was more people, and there were around 41 people that had a go at the agility. The police dog display proved quite the crowd puller (Video available on Facebook and YouTube). Along with all the other trade stand and displays that were brilliant.

Let’s just hope for nicer weather for future events.

 Last training sessions July 14th and July 19th 2011  So it was the last Thursday and Tuesday class for a while, and everyone seems to be having fun. When I first set up the classes I never envisaged how well they would go. Unfortunately due to the fact I am a full time university student I am limited to how much time I can put in, which has also meant my own two dogs training has dwindled. It is so rewarding to see the dogs at week one, and see them improve week by week, doing things that their owners never thought they would, that’s why I do it, and that’s why I enjoy it. I hope everyone has a good summer and I look forward to classes returning in late August. Felton Village Fair - July 9th 2011So having shown my Cocker Spaniel for around 3 years when I was about 13 years old I have a good idea about what goes on at village and country shows when it comes to the companion dog show. Though I never thought I would be asked to actually judge one, so after being asked by the lovely Grace, I agreed to judge the Felton companion dog show, it was only as the weeks began to fly by that I became slightly nervous and doubt the fact I knew anything. I have always joked that during the Crufts group judging I can pick out the top 4, (sometimes in the right order) and usually win a bet with my family. So I did what anyone would do, I Googled it, did a little bit of research, and before I knew it the Saturday came around. Good old British weather, one minute blistering sunshine, the next the biggest thunderstorm and heaviest rain you've ever seen. So looking out the window, I came to a dilemma, what do I put on, do I go over the top smart and end up looking rather silly, or do I dress for the weather?. I decided my best option was a smart jacket, twinned with my posh Hunter willies.When I arrived it was just as I had remembered, everyone made me feel very comfortable and once I got into the swing of it I was fine. It is quite easy to tell who does it on a regular basis, whose dogs were experienced and whose dogs were pets. It can be something as simple as the lead they’ve chosen, or the way they stand their dog when they come in (or if they stand them at all). I thought I did a pretty good job, and judged with good merit (there seemed to be no complaints), the Best in Show I chose was actually a winner at Crufts. (So I must have done something right). I did enjoy the occasion, but I know what it feels like to be stood on the other end of the judge, I also appreciate the hard decisions judges have to make when there are several very good dogs. So unfortunately I don’t think anybody will see me later in life as a judge at anything other than a companion show.