Brooke goes Grade 7!

We had one day at Nedlo this weekend and all four dogs were running again. The weather was really weird-really cloudy and not very warm in the morning-baking hot and sun cream weather at lunch time and then back to cold and cloudy in the afternoon. Brooke was the first to run in G4-7 agility and ran beautifully but had a pole down. Same thing in the C6-7 jumping, fastest time by a second but a pole down. Matthew didn't mind that too much as it was little Bracken that won it!! She managed to keep the poles up in the G5-7 agility and was the fastest time over all grades, making her Grade 7!!! I am so proud of her and Matthew as he has worked so hard with her and not rushing her and letting her grow in confidence has paid off this year. She loves her agility and I am so excited about seeing her in champ next year! The gingers got very pretty pink medals for their sofa picture!!

Brodie ran in agility and jumping. His jumping run was lovely and he finished 4th (only placed to two) we really had a blast! He was a cheeky boy in the agility and we got E'd on number 2 from pure excitment!! He does make me giggle :-D My little Sparkler only had one run and it was at the end of the day. The start was a tyre and she would just not wait! I turned into one of those people that take the whotsits resetting their dog about ten times. I was really pleased with her work on the course-lovely flick into a tunnel on a rear cross, really good wing wrap and her first cloth tunnel in the ring! Big grown up girl now!

My two had a busy day on Wednesday visiting a local hospice to do some tricks for the patients and have cuddles. They were brilliant and everyone enjoyed watching them. Sparkle got a round of applause for fetching slippers on command! Here she is waiting for her turn.

We have had beautiful Bailey to stay with us and he fits in so well with our guys. He is a real pleasure to look after and soooo handsome!

This is after being out at the show on Saturday!!

I promised to send Sarah a video of her lovely ex racer Tom playing in my field and unfortunately my phone won't attach it to an email so thought I'd pop it on here instead!! Hope you don't mind Sarah but I just love watching him bounding around!!

Paws in the Park

We had fun on Saturday at Paws in the Park in Kent. All of the dogs got a run or two which was good and the weather was mostly kind! Brodie almost went clear in the agility but I dropped my arm and my honest little boy turned off the dog walk getting us a refusal. Then he popped out of the weaves in the jumping but to be honest a lot of dogs did and there was a rumour that a dog had pee'd up them earlier which is usually enough to put Brodie off no matter how well washed they are! It was a day of 5's for both of my dogs which was exciting! I know that sounds silly but Sparkle had a refusal (not elimination!) in both of her classes, one for running past the long jump in the steeplechase (if you watch the video she doesn't look for it so more work on long jumps!) and one for a weave entry but then did 12 weaves and the rest of the course really well!

This is Sparkle in the C1-3 steeplechase. I love the fact she works out her striding so well at some quite tricky distances and manages the straight tunnel to right turn which was quite hard. Best of all-look at her wait!!



Matthews girlies had a mixed day. Brooke started off with 2nd in G6 agility and went on the do a lovely run in the C4-7 agility which she came 5th in. The jumping was a hard course and Brooke came out of the weaves in the same place as lots of other dogs. Poor little Brax ran into the side of a straight tunnel, bless her!! Brooke is on her own on the sofa this week

Here are some random snaps I took over the last week-Brax being totally adorable at Lians last weekend!

Its rare I have the older two for the day but they enjoyed being out without the youngsters :-)

Sheltie fun in the field-Brodie toad and his best mate Rommy cooling off

Brodie pushing in on Brookes balance work!!

Dolly came to do some training at the field during the week-here is the medium gang! 

Me being taken for a walk! 

We have done a lot of balance work this week-even when changing tyres!

And after all the excitement...a big sleep!

Ajaxs, Southam and Trent Park!!

AJAXS
I know...three shows in one weekend? I shall explain but yes in brief I am nuts!! I decided to take Dolly to Ajaxs on friday as I haven't had the chance to do much with her over the past couple of months as all the KC shows we had entered didn't have the right classes for her being Grade 1. She was a really clever spaniel and did her weaves perfectly and even ended up 3rd in a competitive Novice Steeplechase so I was really proud of her! I did nfc weaves in the ring with Miss Sparkle as she had only done 6 in the ring before but she managed 12-yipee!! I also ran her in a Beginners steeplechase as it was a good chance for her to really stretch her legs and RUN! She had a pole down due to a late command by me but she managed to win it!! Jo-Ann and Queenie won the toy height so it was a good day for the J9 doglets!!

SOUTHAM

The day at Southam started off with the walking of an incredibly tricky 6-7 agility course. Poor Jennni with Rommy as it was her first Grade 6 show! The course was really interesting but I think there were only a handful of clears in small and medium. All of ours had faults or were eliminated but had fun in the process! Then it was the C5-7 jumping which was a flowing, fast course but quite tricky if you couldn't run (or do go rounds...not mentioning any names...Bracken!) Brooke and Rommy did really well in this coming 5th and 4th and were both the fastest G6 doglets! They also both managed to finish 2nd in the graded agility!!

TRENT PARK

So nice to go to a show that is only 30 mins away and is at such a beautiful venue. One of the rings was on the front lawn of the Manor house!! I don't even know where to start about how awesome all the J9 doglets were! Willow beagle won into G4, Rommy got his first G6 win, Brooke won C6-7 jumping and Brax got two 2nds in jumping (one of them to Brooke!) Sparkly pants managed 12 weaves in the ring in both of her jumping classes and Brodie managed a clear round with a pull through-YIPPEE!! I don't even know which dogs run to post here as I am so proud of all of them (they are on my YouTube page if you want to see) but I think it has to be Brooke and Brax running the same course. Little Brax finished 0.9 seconds behind Brooke! Spot the differences in Matthews handling with the two dogs...

Brax C6-7 jumping

Brooke C6-7 jumping

Brodie hasn't had a sofa picture for a very long time and is feeling left out so here is a nice one of him to make him feel better, love him!!

Agility Nuts and busy week!

The sofa picture this week belongs to the sable ladies!! They had a good time at Agility Nuts show. Brooke won G6 jumping class and came 2nd in G6 agility with a missed Aframe (it was hard as Matt had to hold back and she didn't get drive on as much as he thought she would) Fastest time though so yet again an Aframe has stood between Brooke getting her last win for G7! Brax totally blew our brains though-did a lovely run in a C6-7 jumping going clear and was shocked that she won it!! There was some good young dogs in it including one of Brookes sisters and it wasn't even the sort of twisty course that Brax normally does well on. I haven't got the videos off the camera yet but will post here when I do. My guys did well-Brodie was E'd on the same course as I sent him into the wrong end of the tunnel-bad mummy! Sparkly was a wee star in her first C3-5 getting the weaves but being E'd with a wrong end of tunnel (uh oh...spot a theme!!)

We have had nice weather this week so here are some of the things we have been up to!

Lots of playing in the field :-) I love Brodies paw pads in this picture!

Beautiful pair-what gorgeous puppies they are going to have-excited!!!

Lots of lovely long walks in the sunshine! Spark can just about play with a full size tennis ball now-she is a little dink!

Weekly trip to the bank-the doglets love coming too!

Have a few training demos coming up so I have finally got round to teaching Sparkly to 'be a bear'!!

Photo catch up!

My new phone has not wanted to 'talk' to the laptop so thanks to my lovely hubby I have finally managed to get some pics off my phone to put on the blog! This one is blurry but I just love the fact it is full of happy shelties! Brodie and his little brother Sizzle are so alike trotting along at the back with their tails up!

I love this one of Miss Sparkle looking so regal! It shows how pink her paw pads still are as well.

When Matthew works in the spare room, the gingers curl up on their cushions by his chair-they are so cute! This photo really shows the difference between golden and shaded sable for all of the colour nerds out there like me!

This was one of those lucky snapshots I took of my two being happy little numpties in the field! Sparkle doing her froggy legs in the clover to cool off after running and Mr Toad having a lovely roll around!

Sunny day training! Miss Sparkle won't be doing agility in the ring for competition this year but her contact training is coming on nicely :-)