Hydrotherapy

Today Brian has had his first Hydrotherapy session at the new place and he loved it! I think he was a little confused as to why the lady was in the water with him as Stan didn't get in with them at the place he swam at before. Today was just an initial assessment so she could look at how he swims and what he needs to improve on.

The good thing is he is very confident in the water still and is happy to turn both ways in the water which is quite important. His only downside which I did know about is he is lazy with his back legs and doesn't use them as much as he should but she knows how to work on this with him so that's what we will be focusing on in the coming weeks to try and build up his muscles around his back legs.

This weekend we should have been doing agility at Dogs on Top on Friday and at Dordale over the weekend but our plans are on hold at the moment as Conor is on his way home but I'm not sure when he will be arriving and when I need to collect him.

Lincolnshire Agility Show

This weekend we have been competing at Lincolnshire Agility Show. I entered it back in November and because at the time Heidi & Megan couldn't weave I entered them into anysize and when I remembered I had done this it was too late to change them. (As it happens they had weaves anyway!)

We have had a lovely weekend, meeting up with lots of friends and Heidi and Megan have played with Reno & Speedy and Brian with his friend Billy.

Yesterday started off well, both Heidi & Brian going clear in their agility (mine & Heidi's first!!), but both out of the placings. Megan wasn't keen on the flat tunnel in Agility so I held it up for her and she got a bit distracted by what was going on in the score tent and also that there were other dogs doing agility in the ring next to her. I didn't run Brian in his jumping as it was getting a bit warm for him, the girls both had good rounds though, Heidi knocking two poles and Megan having a brilliant run but went in the wrong end of the tunnel.

Today wasn't so successful, I got there and walked their course went to get Heidi and she was the very first dog to run, it was only when I got halfway round I realised it had changed from when I walked it and they had taken out the weaves and put in two jumps so I got lost and we got eliminated. Megan also did and Brian got 5 faults for a refusal. It was then a long wait for their agility class, Brian got 5 faults for missing the last weave pole and the girls runs were probably the worst of the weekend and as it happens these are the ones I have on video! (Thank you Caroline for staying to video us)

I managed to video one of Speedy's runs too so I can email it to Jackie but here it is below anyway, I'm sure she wont mind me posting it as he was such a good boy.

Great Training

The dogs have had some good training over the past couple of days. On Wednesday Brian had obedience and his retrieve has improved loads (especially as we have hardly practised!) and his scent work was good too. I have decided to stop taking Brian to agility training now, he keeps getting these niggling little injuries and so I have decided to call it a day with him. He will still do some at home with me here and there and as I have already entered him into shows for the summer in anysize I will take each one as it comes and if he wants to run he can, if not I wont be pushing him to.

Last night the girls had training at club, Heidi has moved up a group now and has taken Brian's spot, it actually seems a much better class for her to be honest and I found it easier only having 1 dog in the first class!

It was Megan's first class in 6 weeks, I had worried that her having so long off would have put her back but it seems to have made her more enthusiastic. She did full height jumps all night with no bother, she did the weaves and her contacts were good too.

This morning me and Megan did a 2 hour workshop with Lucy for G1-2 dogs at the Lincoln showground. We are there this weekend competing so I thought it would be good for Megan to have some training there today. I think she may have been a little tired from last night still as after a few goes at full height jumps she started to run under so she ended up with some on medium and some on a slant. She seemed to have a good time though, she did contacts really well, she is loving the see-saw (which is mad considering she hated it!) and we did weaves too. Megan also has a new friend by the name of Billy, a Jack Russel on the workshop, she must have really liked him as she doesn't really play with dogs she doesn't know but she wouldn't leave him alone!

Injuries & Ailments Update!!!

Today I have been to have my wisdom tooth out, I must admit it wasn't as bad as I was expecting (I had been really worried about it before I went). It is painful now the anesthetic has worn off so I'm dosing up on painkillers for the night, but I'm sure in a few days it will be fine and much better in the long run.

Megan has been back to the vets this week, this time with a scab on the back of her neck. I normally wouldn't worry too much about stuff like that as the girls often play fight but after what happened to Reno (Megan's brother) I decided to take her to get it checked out as she had had it for about 10 days and wasn't getting better. Good news is it's nothing too bad, the vet thinks it may have started as an insect bite and where she has scratched it she has broken the skin and is now left with a scab about the size of a 10p coin. She has some antibiotics as it was beginning to get infected and some cream. Seems like we are keeping out vet in business at the moment!

Her foot is completely healed now which is a bonus and my ankle is on the mend, most of the bruising is gone now although it's still a little painful and swollen.

We don't have any agility shows this weekend as I am at work on both Sat & Sun morning but I'm hoping we might get some training of our own in over the next few days especially as we have missed club again tonight!

Beach Fun

Today I decided it was about time we went to the beach, Megan hasn't been this year I don't think, so this morning we headed off. It was quite chilly down by the sea but it didn't stop my mental dogs having a good splash and getting soaked! We stayed for a good hour and there wasn't a single person in sight, I love it when it's like that!

When we got back we did some tidying up in the back garden, I'm hoping it's sunny tomorrow so I can do the front too. I had some 'help' from Megan (if you can call it that!) She chased the broom and barked at it and then tried to kill it when I wasn't using it!!

I think the dogs will be in for a quiet week on the agility front this week, I'm trying to rest my ankle in the hope it hurries up and gets better and on Thursday I'm getting my wisdom tooth taken out so I don't think ill be up for club either but ill see how I feel. Hopefully next week ill be fighting fit again!

Delinquent Dogz Agility

Yesterday we went to Delinquent Dogz Agility Show in Rotherham. It was only a small show but it was a lovely relaxing one to have fun at which was what I wanted as I had entered Megan too (they were accepting entries from dogs over 15 months). Out of 12 runs spread between the 3 dogs there was only 1 clear round all day and that was from...MEGAN!!! Not only did she go clear, she was awarded with 3rd place in jumping! A little star!

Her first two agility runs were good but she did get eliminated on both, in her first one the tunnel was so much fun she did it twice in a row and on her second agility she did the A-frame and then went round to do it again! I didn't mind as it was all about giving her a fun experience. In the afternoon she did two jumping courses, her first one going clear and her second, which was considerably faster, she got 2 jumps from the end and jumped over a jump to the right as it was leading to the tunnel again (think she might be turning tunnel mad-wonder which family member that comes from! :))

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Heidi's agility runs weren't so great, jumping all of her contacts and supermaning the see-saw (I did make her re-do that properly). Her jumping was much better, just knocking poles but she was really listening and was very fast.
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Brian was in one of his couldn't be bothered moods so I stopped running him, he was more interested in saying hello to the ring party so I gave up with him for the day and just concentrated on the girls.

Today we should have been at the Gundog Agility Show but after running around on my ankle yesterday the swelling returned and the bruising is worse than ever so I decided to miss this show. I'd rather miss one and rest it than do more damage and make it worse for the rest of the year. We don't have any shows now until the 24th April so I've got a few weeks to get it better.

Megan's See-Saw Success

We had a good few days at my mum and dads, the dogs had a nice walk on Cannock Chase on Tuesday with me hobbling along with them. They managed to find some good water spots to swim in and got really muddy as they often do!

Yesterday Brian went to see Natalie for a massage. She said he was in very good condition, she worked on his shoulder where he had hurt it over the winter and he had a knot in his bum which she worked out too so with a bit of rest for the next few days he should be fighting fit by the weekend although I'm not sure that I will be!

Pictured right is my poorly ankle, it looks worse than it actually feels. I have invested in a good ankle support so hopefully that will help. The swelling has gone down a lot now so at least I can get my shoes on!

Today we had to wait in as our new A-Frame and weaves were being delivered (typical that they didn't arrive until half 4!). As we were home I decided to give the see-saw another try with Megan and we had great success not only is she happy doing it now, I caught her doing it a few times on her own while I was in the kitchen! As we were on a roll I decided to do the flat tunnel again with her as she hadn't wanted to do it at Dog Vegas back in Feb and again she had no problems so hopefully that has sorted that problem. The A-Frame and Weaves finally arrived so for now they are in the garden although next week I will take them to York Rd as we don't have room for them here and ill be taking the see-saw too so hopefully we can do some courses.

Tonight should have been training and would have been Megan's first one back after her injury but I decided to give it a miss to give my ankle the best possible chance to be OK for this weekend.

On Saturday we are off to Rotherham for Delinquent Dogs, a small independent show and on Sunday we are off to Stoke-On-Trent for the Gundog Agility Show. All 3 dogs are running on both days as they both have a nursery class for Megan (which was the main reason I entered them). Anyway I'll keep you posted on how we get on.

Dog Vegas & Bretford Agility

Yesterday was our last day at Dog Vegas and I was quite glad as it was time for a change. I didn't run Brian as he was having 3 runs today so I gave him a rest day. Heidi's run was probably our worst of the weekend, she missed her weave entry so I had to put her back in and then she got them but I just didn't get to where I wanted to be and I think my arms were doing their own thing so we got eliminated!

Today we went to Bretford Agility Show, it was nice to go somewhere different but I don't think I'd go there again. Brian had obviously been saving himself for today and did a lovely agility run and finished 2nd. Heidi did well too, only getting 5 faults for missing an A-frame contact. I ran Brian in his jumping but got eliminated and after that the day rapidly went downhill!

I got Heidi out for her run and walking to the ring down the path something spooked her (I'm not sure what as there wasn't much about!) anyway she cut me up and I fell over her and twisted my ankle. I was pretty embarrassed so I got up and carried on walking to the ring, we stood in the que for our go and when we were next to run I suddenly felt sick and became aware that my trainer was feeling very tight on my twisted ankle.

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I attempted to run her anyway but didn't get very far round before having to give up, I went back to the van and took my trainer off and my ankle was now about 4 times the size it should be. Luckily I had my wellies in the van as I couldn't get my trainers back on and we headed back to my mum and dads as there was no way I could run the last runs with each dog.

Anyway I'm sat on the sofa with my ankle in the air now hoping it gets better fast! I guess we'll have to wait and see.
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Below is the picture I took of Megan and her brothers on Saturday, L to R is Speedy, Megan & Zippy.

Dog Vegas Update

We are two days into our four days of agility and it has been going pretty well. Brian has had 2 clear round so far although yesterdays was at snail pace! Today he was much quicker but he didn't run til nearly 6pm so I didn't stay to see if he had got a place, ill check tomorrow but I doubt it anyway.

Heidi has been doing well, she has only been entered into Grade 1 jumping so she has just 1 run on each day. Yesterday she ran under the first jump as I had gone too far away from her and as she jumped the second one got eliminated straight away. Her weaves were very good though, getting all 12. I bought the photos from her run yesterday as I bought Brian's first ones so thought I should get Heidi's too. They are not that good really but I cant take better when I'm running her!

Today was another good run, I was not as close to her as I wanted to be when the weaves came up so I shouted Weave and she did it! Got them all again, I really needn't have been so worried about them! Unfortunately it had started to rain about half an hour before Heidi's class and so the ground was wet, she slipped coming out of the last weave and missed her footing for the next jump, knocking a pole. She knocked another pole a few later due to slipping again and she got 5 faults for a refusal as I ran a bit too wide after the tunnel and she came with me but I was very pleased with her anyway, especially with those weaves!!!!

Megan met up with Speedy and Zippy (her brothers) and I managed to take a few photos today but I've left my camera in the van so I'll post them next time.

Tomorrow is our last day at Dog Vegas then we are off to Bretford Agility Show in Monday. I'll update on Monday night with how we have been getting on.