Team GB tryouts and Crufts

 As usual I'm behind with this! February was a busy month with the Team GB tryouts and amazingly it was a very dry month and I actually managed to teach in my own field which is a rarity through winter. Bru racked up four E's in the four Team GB tryout runs but he showed some amazing skills that he didn't have this time last year. The best bit was that he managed some insane weaves but then did something daft on the same course like running past the start jump as in the video below!! 

Two weeks later was Crufts and Bru was in Novice Cup and Champ...very random but for some reason the KC didn't hold the Novice Cup at Crufts last year so it had rolled over to this year. Bru was absolutely amazing and loved the atmosphere! He won the Novice Cup overall!!! 💛🎉🎉 He was second in the jumping with a very scary moment where he turned the wrong way and 2nd in the agility with a held seesaw. I love this photo of him with his posh sparkly harness and lead on from Tater Togs!

Onto the Sunday and champ day! Matt had a whoopsie on the jumping where Bru ran all the way round a jump so saved the E but got faults. There were so many clears that he knew he would have to go for it in the agility round and wow he did a stunning run and finished 4th!! All the videos are on my YouTube channel but here is his agility round 💛

He made it into the Final and was running first! The turn off the dog walk proved very tricky for a lot of the dogs and unfortunately Bru did a cracking dog walk and Matt then said go instead of right so Bru shot round the side of the third jump. Then it all went a bit wrong but so proud of them getting there and running on TV right before best in show!!! Hopefully they will be back in the future!

To finish Bru's news 😂 we also went to champ at Wyre show last weekend. His Dad got him E'd in the agility round on a technical course but they went on to win the jumping round again some very fast spaniels! We don't think Bru runs that well on sand compared to grass as he doesn't train on it as much so we were very surprised and had already left when we found out he had stayed in first! 

When we were at Wyre we met up with Branstons Dad Kuri and his sister Sidr. Kuri is such a sweet dog and has lots of things in common with Pickle. We even managed to get them sitting and posing for a photo!

Pickles agility training is going well, he is now sequencing dog walks, Aframes and weaves but still hasn't got a finished seesaw due to the wet weather! All of his weekly videos are on a playlist on my YouTube channel as its nice to keep a record of what he has done at what age. None of our dogs have had a seesaw before 20 months so its obviously a theme 😂 I have had people ask what I do when with my puppies but I might do a separate post about that. 

He has turned into a handsome boy...I am biased! We had his hip scores back really quickly and they are 3:3 so lovely and even ❤ His coat is getting darker and his nose lighter! He is still the sweetest boy, a tad overexcited at times but I'd rather he was full on and confident! At our latest agility lesson we had a girl collie in season and he worked like usual, played tug, didn't go off sniffing at all and stayed really focused so can't ask for more! Our latest weekly video is below

Branston thought Crufts was the best day out! He loved walking round and meeting people and seeing the other dogs. We also got to meet up with our friends Rowena and Nigel and their shelties Toes and Dougal! Look what a gorgeous quartet they are and no doubting which one is Pickle with that tail!! 😂

Brooke Bean loved her Crufts walkies as well (second right in the above pic) We recently got a blood test and vet check done as she has just turned 12 and we wanted to make sure she was doing ok. Her sight isn't great in the bright sun or dark but her liver/kidneys were all good. We have retired her from hoopers as I was worried about her catching the hoops and not being as confident. She is a natural at using her nose so I have booked her on to a series of scentwork workshops and am really looking forward to learning more!

Sparkle bear had a run at Wyre in the champ agility and it reminded me that she really isn't keen on running inside when its noisy! 💜🙈 The positives are that she ran, did stunning contacts and a cool layer. The rest didn't quite go to plan but she tried hard! Her handler was useless and didn't cue her tunnel turns at all! Now she is ten I am trying to keep her happy and fit to keep running this year, luckily as she is top end medium so I don't think she will struggle. We have also done our first hoopers show 😁 My friend Jo-Ann put on her first Javawolf Hoopers Show and we went along for a girls day out and had a great time! I tried the distance options and she did me proud and even won her assorted class and won me a wolf 🐺

Massive catch up!

 Matt and Bru went to the European Open champs at the end of July and although I was very sorry not to go with them (Toad is now 15.5 and high maintenance bless him!) they did us proud! 💛 They did four runs in total and had one that was a bit chaotic but the other three had just one tiny mistake in them! The best thing was the weave homework had paid off and in three runs they were brilliant 😁 Contacts were great too!  

While Matt and Bru were in Belgium we had the start of a heat wave here where it hit 40 degrees at times. It was awful and the dogs hated it too. I was starting work at 7am and finishing by 9.30am to get some training done before the worst heat. The ground was really hard and dry too and Spark managed to rip her dew claw off 😔 It has taken ages to heal and I'm still wrapping it up to do agility with her just in case.

When Matt and Bru came home they went to the Kennel Club festival to do the Novice Cup qualifier and they WON it!! This means that they are off to Crufts next year in Novice as well as Champ 😂 We think it is bonkers that a dog can be in both...we really don't understand why they didn't hold the novice semi finals last year for this years Crufts! 

We have had some Wrest Park visits which we have loved. We do a longer walk for the younger three and then a potter for the older two with a coffee!

And some random pics!

My little Pickle is now almost 15 months and soooo handsome!! 

And we are learning how to weave! 

Spark makes herself comfy! 

His jump work is coming on nicely, he has just started jumping 30cm 

These two were awesome at WBSDS!! 

Brooke has been doing some hoopers workshops and loves it! 

And last weekend we tried Mantrailing which she has a natural flair for!! We think her eyes aren't so good any more so its nice to let her do something that relies on her nose instead

Branston Pickle is coming on nicely in his agility work! Just starting to do some dog walks but not the most confident with that yet so I'm taking it slowly. We haven't done Aframe or seesaw yet but have started weaves and touched on most of the various jump and tunnel skills. I am still a bit shocked by his speed! He is quite long and around 40-41cm tall but takes less strides than Sparkle. I have ran them over the same sequence a couple of times and he so far has been quicker! 😮

https://youtube.com/shorts/Lizc-21Ei0Y?feature=share

Bru wins small champ ticket at Axstane!!

 My blog recently is full of Bru doing clever things so why not post one more! 💛 We did champ at Axstane on Saturday, Bru had faults in the weaves in the agility round and came 2nd in the jumping which put him 5th to run in his first champ final! Matt knew he had to go for it as there were so many good dogs in the final 20 and he did a fantastic run and held the lead. I don't think I have ever been so nervous!!! I'm so proud of them that I could burst! It qualifies them for the Championship class at Crufts next year too 🎉🏆

Bru also came 2nd in the jumping with a hairy moment on Number 2!! 

Spark had an unfortunate pole in the jumping and missed her dog walk in the champ agility but her time would have put her 3rd which I'm thrilled about as it wasn't her sort of course really! 💜 The best thing was that neither her nor I got stage fright which seems to have happened in champ most previous years! Something has gone wrong and then one or both of us falls apart and we end up leaving the ring in a hurry. This years goal was not to do that so that was a personal win!! 

The weather has been super hot this week. We had 32 degrees last Friday so spent most of the day in the shade in the garden and doing some freework. The shelties enjoyed sleeping under the tree over the pond!

Yearly pic of my favourite Petunia!

Spark and some of the pots this year 

March, the show season starts...and CRUFTS!

I have been so bad at updating the blog recently. I admit I have had a lot on my mind as I decided to sell Diva (or actually was pushed to a decision by the hasty departure of a field mate) My riding days are over due to lack of time and a very dodgy back and knee. I will be very sad to part with her but it is the right decision for both of us.

At least the weather is improving slowly and means I can get more training in. I took my two and Dolly spaniel to Dog Vegas show at the start of March and although I could only stay for the morning I still managed to squeeze five runs in! Brodie ran past the dog walk in both classes which is so unlike him but I think there were reasons for both (one was totally my fault!) Dolly jumped really well but weaves were our downfall and the dog that got 2 out of 2 clears was Sparkle! She won the Graded 5-7 jumping and came 2nd in the C1-7 jumping, so proud of her! Videos here

Then less than a week later Brodie and I had the excitment of Crufts!! Although being reserves we didn't get to run, we had the best time cheering on our team and were very proud of how well they did WINNING!! What a brilliant result and well deserved. Icing on the cake was getting to run round the main arena with Brodie for the lap of honour :-D What an experience! Third year that Jenni and Rommy who I train have made it to Crufts so very proud trainer as well! I haven't got a link to the video but its on the Crufts official channel. 

Here are some photos from the big day...

Toad trying on his amazing team kit, sponsored by Doggystyle

Toad and his best mate Rommy :-) Toad looks very serious and Rommy looks very happy!

Lian had these amazing cup cakes made with our dogs on them!

Blingy harness!

Pic courtesy of Linda Gore....me and Toad, Lian and Sonic, Jenni and Rommy, Chantal and Savannah, Sammie and Penny. Our team kit was sponsored by Agilitywear and the ESSC Working Section

After Crufts we looked after Maverick as his Mum was showing at Crufts. He settled in really well and thought Brax was worth flirting with! Shelties waiting for breakfast

And Mav, Mama Bean and Daddy Toad :-D