Tuesday News

Last night was Good Citizen training. When we got there about 7 of the dogs were all playing in the enclosed garden area of the college so I took Meg over and let her off, thinking it would be the best way for her to get her confidence with the other dogs. They all came over to sniff her and she was a bit unsure but then they went back to their game of running around and she joined in straight away! I was so pleased, it really did help her as she wasn't shy or worried in her class at all. Her stay was good as was her recall and her walking between people and dogs and I am looking forward to next week already.

We haven't done any agility training yet this week as I have been shattered from work but hopefully tomorrow evening we might do a bit before it gets dark and then Thursday is our usual class anyway. I am off this weekend so lots of opportunity to do some then too.

Willingham Woods

Today has been more like summer than autumn. We decided to take the dogs for a walk to Willingham Woods which is just outside Market Rasen, near to the race course. We have been meaning to take them there for a while so today we did. The dogs loved it, running in and out of the woods.

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There was some search and rescue training going on in the woods and we could hear the dogs barking when they found the missing people. We are fairly certain Heidi knew the location of someone as she all of a sudden had her tail right up as though she was onto something and then ran off into the woods. We let her go and Megan followed but then there was a truck coming down the track so we had to call her back to safety. After that she wasn't bothered about going back in but she was definitely onto something!

With it being October this week I have just realised the dogs can go on Cleethorpes Beach again which is brilliant as it's really close, so next weekend, weather permitting we will hopefully take a trip down there as they all really love the beach.

Photo Update

I just thought i'd post a few photo's of the doggies that I took this morning when they were running around the field all crazy!!!

They have been like this every morning this week, all full of beans. The girls do alot of wrestling and racing each other around, Brian tends to keep his distance or they gang up on him and pull him around!

Agility Drama

This week we have done quite a bit of training at home with the dogs and it seems to be paying off, Heidi's weaves are improving everyday and Megan was much better at her class tonight. Her confidence has really grown in the past 3 weeks, she is like a different dog, she even played with Lucy this evening, much to her surprise. Megan's favorite obstacle at the moment is the A-frame, she just loves it!!!

Tonight went well up until Brian's lesson. I put Megan into the truck and got Brian out. About 10 minutes into the lesson someone mentioned my hazard lights were going off. I knew Megan would have done it as we had used the truck earlier in the week to go to the tip and the side parts to the grill were not back on so Megan can and does climb through the gap into the main part of the truck. I went out to turn them off and found the doors were locked. Only problem was, my keys and phone were in there. There is a button on the centre part of the truck that locks the doors and she had stepped on it. I tried to get her to step on it again to open it but obviously she wouldn't. Luckily I had put the windows down a little to let some air in and I was just able to squeeze my arm in to open the door. Not like Megan to cause a drama!!! I put on the side parts to the grill anyway and went back to Brian's lesson.

Brian is coming on well, I am always shattered after his class though, it really tiring having to be super over the top excited, my legs were going like jelly towards the end, a hint that I need to get fitter I think. Luckily I was organised today and had prepared a casserole for dinner so as it had been cooking all day it was ready when we got home so all five of us have enjoyed it. (Heidi is still eating hers).

Tomorrow is my last day at home before I start work, I'm really looking forward to it to be honest although I bet by this time next week I'll be wishing I was home all day again!!!

Good Citizen & Good News

Tonight was Meg's first good citizen class and I am pleased to say it went well. She was quite nervous but had settled by the end of the class. Tonight we practiced our recall, removing collars and leads, walking amongst people and dogs and controlled walking through a gate (that needs work!) but all in all I was very pleased with her.

The good news is I have a job!!! It's full time and I start on Saturday, it's only temporary until the new year but that should be all I need as I'm hoping to be in training for my real job in January anyway. The only downside with this one is I have to work some Saturday's but I'm sure I'll be able to get off the ones I need for a few agility competitions over the winter. I'm quite excited and looking forward to Saturday already, after having 3 months off I'm definately ready to go back to work.

A Lovely Weekend

Well this weekend turned out to be a really nice one, spending time with family. On Friday me and Conor took the dogs round to Stella & Ambrose's house in the afternoon to borrow something and we didn't end up getting home until midnight! Ambrose's Sister Mary and her daughter Josie are up visiting so we spent the afternoon and evening with them. They loved the dogs and all three of them were very well behaved, I like them meeting new people as it gets them used to having a fuss and a cuddle from others.

Last night the four of them came to our house for dinner, Josie brought the dogs treats so that pleased them. Brian seems very taken with Josie, She sat and stroked him for ages, I think given the chance he would go home with her (he isn't the most loyal, he loves attention from other people!)

Today we all had dinner together and then we came home at a more reasonable hour, tomorrow Mary and Josie go home so Brian will be back to getting a cuddle from just us, I bet he sulks for a couple of days!!!

Meg's Friend

Last night at Agility training little Meg got herself a new four legged friend, however it wasn't a dog, it was in fact a goat called Woody! One of the girls who goes to our club with her dog (in Brian's class) brought her 7 month old goat with her, it can do agility and some doggie dancing moves (not sure what you call it of your doing it with a goat!) Anyway Meg loved it and I think he quite liked her, when it was her turn he kept whining!

Training went well last night, Meg did the full height dog walk last night for the first time and was ok with it and she did the A-Frame too, working on her contacts on both. She remembered what she has previously been taught too which was good. We did a few small jumping sequences as well. She was much more confident this week and not worried by what anyone else was doing (except for the goat anyway).

Brian had a good class although I made lots of mistakes. I tend to slow down when I am unsure as to what I'm doing which makes Brian stop and lose interest. He always tries his hardest though, it's just sometimes I confuse him but we will get there.

A Quiet Week

We haven't done a great deal this week to be honest, yesterday we were without electricity all day so me and the dogs did some agility training for a couple of hours as you don't need electricity for that! Megan is progressing nicely and did a small jumping sequence of 7 jumps.

Tonight Brian and Megan have their agility class so I will be needing to get me and them ready soon, we generally leave a little early so they can have a walk on the way.

I finally got round to ringing about Meg's Good Citizen Class and I had assumed it wouldn't be running as I hadn't received a call but when I spoke to the lady today she said it's starting on Monday at 7pm which is great news, they were just waiting an extra week to ensure they had enough to run the class so I'm really looking forward to that. The picture is of Meg yesterday after she had just woken up from her nap, I think thats why she looks a bit grumpy!

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On Saturday we were supposed to be going to Bromsgrove Agility but its over 3 hours away from here (when I entered it we hadn't moved) so we are not going to go so thats it, not any agility competitions for a while, we have the Gundog Agility in October and I have planned to attend a couple of local shows over the winter although I haven't actually enetered them yet so lots of time for training now as the winter is on its way.

Weekend Away

Conor & Heidi had a good weekend away on their course, they got back home last night. They have brought away plenty to practice, for both Heidi and for Brian and Megan as well. They did a speed exercise over the weekend and we knew Heidi was fast but I don't think other people realised just how fast. They timed each other's dogs going over the dog walk Heidi's fastest time was 1.63 seconds so pretty quick!

Me, Brian & Megan have had a really nice weekend away at my mum & dads house, the dogs have had some very large home cooked dinners (they would be fat if we stayed too long!) and have had some very long walks with lots of swimming, obviously to Brian's delight! Megan made friends with a beagle puppy on Friday and played in the stream with her for ages, she was called Dora. Dora liked Megan so much she didn't want to go on the rest of her walk with her owner.

On Saturday we took them to Cannock Chase and Megan made 2 more new friends and they enjoyed a good game of chase.

The video clip is of Megan and the 2 dogs, they ran around like this for a good half an hour so Megan was shattered yesterday for most of the day and she is sleeping again now, I think the weekend has caught up with her. Typically I haven't heard if Megan's good citizen class is going to be running so I guess i will have to phone tomorrow to find out.

AgilityBuds

This week we have got loads done outside in the garden with the weather being nice. Conor finally got the remainder of the apple tree down today so our garden is nice and light. Just loads of branches lying around now so we are going to get a skip next week.

We had a visit today from my nan & grandad which was nice, they are on holiday in Mablethorpe so they came up for a visit as they haven't seen this house.

Conor & Heidi have headed off to Somerset this evening to do the last 2 modules of his Agility Instructors course so it's just me Bri & Meg. Tomorrow we are going on a trip of our own though to my mum & dads until Saturday or Sunday as it was mums birthday today, Happy Birthday mum!

Tonight we had our first agility lesson at AgilityBuds and it was really good. Meg went first and she was quite shy and very aware of everything going on around her but I'm sure she will settle in a few weeks. All the other dogs in her class are a bit further on than her and can link obstacles together but we have only so far done individual items, by the end of the class though I did have her jumping 3 jumps in a left hand circle so not bad for a first lesson.

Brian really enjoyed his class, my handling was very rusty but it was good to get some instruction as we haven't been to a training class together in months. He did make me out to be a liar though (not like Brian!) he 'normally' has see-saw phobia and either refuses to do it or jumps off mid air so i warned Lucy first and she said she would help him but then he did it ok by himself 3 times. Little monkey.

Megan is going on a Puppy Workshop with Lucy in October and so is Natalie & Reno so I'm really looking forward to that and it wont be that long now!

Prestbury Park Agility

Yesterday we were at Prestbury Park, I got my wish, that Brian's class was not first thing, it was infact last in his ring so he wasn't running until about half four. It was a lovely show, very well run and organised, the only criticism I have was the lack of directions and a postcode that doesn't exist! We got to Cirencester about one o'clock but it then took us over 40 minutes to find the entrance to the park as the postcode on the schedule was not recognised by the sat nav! We were about to give up and go home when we stumbled across it.

Anyway we had some time to kill so Heidi & Megan had some good socialisation, Megan isn't overly bothered about being out and about at shows now, we stood by the loud tannoy and she didn't care, she isn't very keen on being in tents though, even if they have toys and treats. Conor walked Heidi around and she was doing really well until she saw a stuffed dog in the dog games tent and she went nuts at it and everyone laughed at her, poor girl! Outside the tent was an A shaped sign and Conor said she tried to run up it like an A-Frame. Never mind Heidi, maybe it was a blonde day for you!

Brian's class finally came round and we didn't go clear, partly his fault and mostly mine. I wanted to get to the second jump before calling him but I hadn't even made it to the first and he broke his wait and off he went, over jump number one then number six! This then completely threw me and I terribly handled him all the way round with me getting in his way and confusing him. Still we all have bad days. As much as I don't like the early starts, we definitely run better first thing in the morning so dare I say it, lets hope for one at Bromsgrove in a few weeks.

Training Classes

We have had a bit of a quiet week really, tonight Brian & Megan were supposed to be starting at their new agility club but it isn't on as Lucy (their new trainer) is going to Letchworth so we have got to wait another week so I am counting the days!

I have been to register Megan today to start her Bronze Good Citizen course, she should be starting on the 15th September, we just need to wait for them to confirm there are enough numbers to run the course. I am really looking forward to doing some proper classes with Megan, she is really lovely to be around at the moment, so happy all of the time and very keen. I think she will do well at it.

It seems as though the winter is on its way already :( It has been dark by 8pm for the past few nights and today is really wet and cold. I got soaked through taking them out this morning although they all seem to like getting wet on their walks as getting dried at the end is always fun. Brian & Megan aren't too keen on going in the garden when its raining, funny how they are happy to go for a walk though!

On Sunday we are at Prestbury Park, probably just with Brian though. I forgot to change our address on the entry form so the running orders are going to the old house, good job we are staying there on Saturday night. I think Brian only has one run and I'm really hoping it's not first thing so we wont have to be up quite so early!