Brooke 10 weeks already!

We have had so much fun taking wee Brooke out and about. In the photo above you can just about see her exploring Matthews Mums garden. (Its hard to get pics of her awake as she moves so fast!!) She had her second jab at the vets on saturday and enjoyed being fed large amounts of liver :) Matthew and I took her into St Albans again on saturday but this time without the other two shelties. She was a very good girl being fussed over by numerous people and then she promptly fell asleep when we stopped to have a coffee!

On sunday we went to Herts County show which is a perfect place to socialise a puppy. She is still being carried due to just having her jabs and plus there was a lots of dogs around (plus food on the floor that Brax felt the need to hoover!) My friend Annabel held her while we went off to get food and she fell asleep in Annabel's arms! It was lovely seeing five shelties walking round the show as well - Brodie thought he was in heaven!


About time I wrote some agility news!! HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Paul and Maria Bell with their beagle Chester who won into G3 and the qualified for the Starters Challenge Final at only their third KC show ever!! Also massive WELL DONE to Sue Proctor and her fab Working Cocker Dudley who WON G1 agility at Cippenham, their first KC show of the year. I'm very proud of you all!! :D

Brooke on the train!

We had a lovely weekend going into St Albans on the train with all three shelties to walk round the market and do some socialising! She was a very good girly and took everything including the train journey in her stride. We lost count of how many people stopped us to cuddle the shelties - 7 people asked if Brodie and Brax were Brookes mum and dad! Matthew and I even managed to stop for a nice coffee to sit and watch the world go by!



On Sunday we went to sheltie camp which is run by the ESSC Working Section. Matthew and I were teaching agility so we failed to get any pictures but I was so impressed with the standard the dogs we trained. It was great to see everyone having a go even if they had never tried it before. Brooke had great fun playing with her brother Sonic all day! It was a good chance to socialise the pups and thanks to Lian for looking after her while we were busy. There are some amazing pictures on Lians blog including some very cute puppy pics!

Here are a couple of photos from the WAO that people have kindly sent of Brax and Matt

Brooke pupdate

As I type Brooke is busy chewing up a toilet roll to get the treat out :) She is such a fun puppy, really inquisitive and quick to learn. In the last couple of days she has been
- carried round the common and sat on a bench to watch cricket
- been passed round everyone in the gallery at agility training
- met the horses and loads of people at the yard where I keep Max
- been for several rides in the car
- been to visit the staff at the kennels and watch me train (while someone held her)
- said hello to children coming out of school

As well as all the socialising we have been getting her used to settling herself in her crate when she is tired. She likes going in there when she is getting sleepy and will scratch at the door to go in if the door is shut - how cute!! :) So far she is being really good at her toileting outside (I don't want to speak too soon!)

We have also been playing loads with her - she is a tug monster and will hang off anything, 'killing' it and doing little growls. To begin with she would only tug inside and outside our house but as she gets used to new places she is starting to tug in new situations as well. We have been doing fun stuff with the clicker and she is pretty reliable at sit, down, come and paw in any situation. We have been playing with roll and spin which she likes doing. All credit to Lian who did such a great job preparing her for the big wide world as Brooke takes everything in her stride. She is utterly adorable!

Yesterday we gave her one of the dog games toys with some food in, she worked it out almost straight away!

Introducing Brooke!!

After the World Agility Open Champs we picked up little Brooke, the newest addition to the Burdett household. She is absolutely lovely and has settled in so well making herself at home straight away! Brodie and Brax spent yesterday with her before we took her home and they are being really good with her. Brooke was bred by Lian Knight and she is keeping Brookes brother Sonic. Its so nice that they will get to see lots of each other :)

This is Brooke just after we arrived home


Her posh name is Licosateria Mai Rising Star and we already think she is a little star :) She has been really well socialised and takes everything in her stride - thanks to Lian for letting us have such a gorgeous girly!!

Matthew and the girls last night (yes he is sitting in a dog bed!!)



Getting sleepy watching the world go by!

World Agility Open Championships

WOW TEAM ENGLAND!!!! What an amazing experience. Being there in the stands watching some of the best agility dogs and handlers in the world and screaming and cheering for our team until we were hoarse!! The England team members did so well coming away with so many medals and we felt lucky to be a part of it and cheer on our friends!


Brax was a superstar and in her pentathalon events she was 3rd, 4th, 5th and 9th. Unfortunately an elimination in the last event - speedstakes meant she finished in 7th overall but so pleased with her doing so well against the best small (300mm) dogs in the world. Marilyn with her gorgeous little sheltie Tia finished 2nd with five clear rounds - go England!! Brax loved the atmoshpere in the main arena and seemed to go faster the more cheering there was!! I can't believe how nervous I was watching Matt and Brax but so very proud of them both. I'll post the videos and put them on the website once I learn how to get them off the video camera :)

Nervous and excited!

The World Agility Open Championships are this weekend! Good Luck to the England Team including little Brax who has just been traumatised by having a bath to tidy her up a bit :) Brodie and I are going along as groom and fan club, I'm sure we'll be busy! I'm looking forward to seeing all the amazing dogs and handlers from around the world. I will video Brax's runs and put them on my website (address left)

Brodie and I had fun yesterday going for a nice walk with Megan and Hattie. We took them down to the river and Brodie had a great time - he is such a water baby!




Brodie and I did our first Champ class at the weekend at Beacon and got eliminated in both rounds - we had fun though!! The courses Lee Gibson set were amazing and we managed some of the tricky bits well so I was really pleased with my wee man! He did a lovely run in the C6-7 Crufts singles and finished about 15th out of 80 odd which I was pleased with as there were so many fast mediums there :D

Brax back into training :)

Vet has given us the all clear and Brax is fit and raring to go again!! We have started doing bits with her in the house and building up the walking again. Here are a few videos of her doing the different types of exercises was have been practising in preparation for the WAO champs which are only next week - arrgghh!!!

Gridwork (progressive bounce grid)


Balance work - exercises on her wobble cushion. Turn the sound down as I get giggles at her half way through!


Contact work to reinforce her final postion.


Here is a photo that Matthew took of Brooke puppy during his visit at the weekend - not long to go now! Isn't she just beautiful?! She already tugs like crazy and loves her toys :)