This last week has got to qualify for one of my worst this year.
We went away for a wedding middle of last week in July, leaving the dogs with my mum and a close friend knowing they would have loads more fun.
So, I come home last Monday and realise a) Demon is acting as if he is glued to my kitchen cupboards & b) Roxxi is in a pretty crappie mood (with Demon).
The reason for this, I discovered, was that in fact Roxxi had come into season a month and a half earlier than planned......panic stations.
Now in the whole of Roxxi's life she has never ever been early. She's been late (loads) and recently she's been on time, never early.
Now for a lot of you this would never be a problem but for me it caused soooo many issues I can honestly say from the minute I realised so had come in to season early all I felt was a sick feeling.
The past week I have tried juggling ferries, trying to arrange kids, tried to move my holiday at work you name it I've been doing it.
But it was not ment to be.
I don't have the luxury of being able to just up and leave at the last minute like I'd love to.
I have cried (a lot ) and spent a heck of a long time trying to organise various different aspects of my life to make this mating go a head.
I don't have the confidence to do the drive from here to denmark, if i took a ferry and drove part way it only gave me around 24 hrs max to drive 8 hrs get a mating and drive the 8 hrs back to the ferry (in time to be back for work and kids) and the other option being getting a last minute flight didn't sit well with me as I don't feel Roxxi would cope well with it & I am not willing to stress her out caging her up in a luggage hold of a plane.
So after months of planning, getting weeks off work (incase she was late) & making my mum book time off to have my kids .......All in September...... I have made the decision to cancel mine and Roxxi's trip to see the gorgeous Ziggy in Denmark.
To say I am gutted is an understatement but the risk in the ferry-drive (if the mating didn't happen) to Denmark was too much of a risk for me.
I am not a big breeder and neither do I have large amounts of money, so, I also have to think responsibly and look at the bigger picture.
Ziggy has been my choice for a long time now and he would be my choice should I get the chance to breed from Gossip.
I am forever great full for the time and help Asa (Ziggy's owner) has given me.
I know there are still a few people wondering what I will do now and today I can not say as I don't know myself.
I will look at it with fresh eyes and a clear head in a day or so.
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Fit For Function
Yet again a long overdue update :-)
So, i have had a bit of a reality check now the season has started again and decided I need to get fit for function as it's put :-)
I started jogging with the dogs when i managed to convince myself De really had qualified us for Olympia, I'd been told the ring was alot bigger than what our normal agility runs were in. The fact i even thought about jogging is an achievement for me in itself ( i can walk for miles but i despise jogging ) but i put it to the test and actually felt alot better doing it (apart from in the mornings, i felt like an old woman trying to get out of bed lol.) After Olympia the bad weather started and it hit the back burner a bit.
So, whilst at crufts i realised i really shoud get my act together and start up again. I treated the dogs to a new harness each and a flashing collar since its dark some nights when i go out. I also thought it would be an idea to invest in some bike lights for when i go biking along the prom in the evenings (something i should of had anyways. . . . . luckily i haven't been run down as of yet for not having lights, since i have to go through town to get to the beach) We are all now fully visable for our evening/ very early morning runs/ bike rides.
The dogs have been going swimming at Dogwise Hydrotheraphy through the winter for fitness as an extra to the walks across the dunes/ beaches or woodland walks we do and really seem to enjoy it.
Dogwise is a lovely pool and the owners are brill with the dogs and come highly recommended by Demon & Roxxi, more info can be found on Dogwise Hydrotheraphy's website: http://www.dogwisehydrotherapy.co.uk/
Below are some pictures of De and Roxxi swimming taken by Katie of http://www.mcmaniganphotography.co.uk/
We're now getting in to the swing of the show season, although the weather really isn't great, got lots to update on both dogs and will get a vid up of some of our most recent runs, hopefully can keep to updating a bit quicker now but hey, we'll see :-)
So, i have had a bit of a reality check now the season has started again and decided I need to get fit for function as it's put :-)
I started jogging with the dogs when i managed to convince myself De really had qualified us for Olympia, I'd been told the ring was alot bigger than what our normal agility runs were in. The fact i even thought about jogging is an achievement for me in itself ( i can walk for miles but i despise jogging ) but i put it to the test and actually felt alot better doing it (apart from in the mornings, i felt like an old woman trying to get out of bed lol.) After Olympia the bad weather started and it hit the back burner a bit.
So, whilst at crufts i realised i really shoud get my act together and start up again. I treated the dogs to a new harness each and a flashing collar since its dark some nights when i go out. I also thought it would be an idea to invest in some bike lights for when i go biking along the prom in the evenings (something i should of had anyways. . . . . luckily i haven't been run down as of yet for not having lights, since i have to go through town to get to the beach) We are all now fully visable for our evening/ very early morning runs/ bike rides.
The dogs have been going swimming at Dogwise Hydrotheraphy through the winter for fitness as an extra to the walks across the dunes/ beaches or woodland walks we do and really seem to enjoy it.
Dogwise is a lovely pool and the owners are brill with the dogs and come highly recommended by Demon & Roxxi, more info can be found on Dogwise Hydrotheraphy's website: http://www.dogwisehydrotherapy.co.uk/
Below are some pictures of De and Roxxi swimming taken by Katie of http://www.mcmaniganphotography.co.uk/
We're now getting in to the swing of the show season, although the weather really isn't great, got lots to update on both dogs and will get a vid up of some of our most recent runs, hopefully can keep to updating a bit quicker now but hey, we'll see :-)
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Monday, 24 October 2011
Grade 6, Contacts & New Pictures
I thought i'd better update the blog before i forgot what has been happening;
I took Demon to Dog Vegas on August, it's quite a close show for me and i like the atmosphere and the way the shows are run...Lovely.
Demon worked very well coming 2nd in Grade 3-5 Jumping and then going on to WIN Grade 5 Agility!!
He was a little naughty self releasing his A-Frame and waiting on the ground until i released him but i hadn't noticed until after the run when a friend mentioned it to me, so, the last Grade 5 Agility class i made sure he held his contacts until i gave him his 'OK' release command. He was a good lad and stayed put.
To be honest i was a little bit gutted De had won out of Grade 5 and had a few tears as i wondered how being in Grade 6/7 for the rest of his agility career would affect him both physically and mentally.
Things such as the tighter turns and demanding weave entries (although the new weave spacing coming in to force in Jan 2012 will help this) there is then also the fact that 'I' must try to cope with remembering the harder courses, so not to let De down and figuring out the safest route for him. I am not prepared to run him into the ground and i believe thinking about his route may prevent any long term affects.
After thinking things through i have come to the conclusion that as long as De is enjoying himself and we are having fun it is just another great activity we can participate in together.
Only time will tell if we can hold our own but De is still young and i still have lots to learn, new training and me using my brain when walking courses will help and i think we may just be fine.
I have ordered some new agility equipment (Contacts) from Alan Sharp of Lincs Agility, these will be rubber coated.
My See Saw and A Frame will be Pink with Black contact points and my Dog Walk will be Purple with Black contact points.
As i type this i have had my See Saw back and it is LUSH!! I will upload some pictures soon.
Sadly Alan has had to go into hospital for an operation on his knee, since then he has been rushed back into hospital after getting an infection in the op site so was operated on yet again!!!
I am wishing him a speedy recovery (for his sake) and know my equipment will be with me when he is up and running again.
Below are some picture kindly taken by Dave White at the August Dog Vegas show.
I took Demon to Dog Vegas on August, it's quite a close show for me and i like the atmosphere and the way the shows are run...Lovely.
Demon worked very well coming 2nd in Grade 3-5 Jumping and then going on to WIN Grade 5 Agility!!
He was a little naughty self releasing his A-Frame and waiting on the ground until i released him but i hadn't noticed until after the run when a friend mentioned it to me, so, the last Grade 5 Agility class i made sure he held his contacts until i gave him his 'OK' release command. He was a good lad and stayed put.
To be honest i was a little bit gutted De had won out of Grade 5 and had a few tears as i wondered how being in Grade 6/7 for the rest of his agility career would affect him both physically and mentally.
Things such as the tighter turns and demanding weave entries (although the new weave spacing coming in to force in Jan 2012 will help this) there is then also the fact that 'I' must try to cope with remembering the harder courses, so not to let De down and figuring out the safest route for him. I am not prepared to run him into the ground and i believe thinking about his route may prevent any long term affects.
After thinking things through i have come to the conclusion that as long as De is enjoying himself and we are having fun it is just another great activity we can participate in together.
Only time will tell if we can hold our own but De is still young and i still have lots to learn, new training and me using my brain when walking courses will help and i think we may just be fine.
I have ordered some new agility equipment (Contacts) from Alan Sharp of Lincs Agility, these will be rubber coated.
My See Saw and A Frame will be Pink with Black contact points and my Dog Walk will be Purple with Black contact points.
As i type this i have had my See Saw back and it is LUSH!! I will upload some pictures soon.
Sadly Alan has had to go into hospital for an operation on his knee, since then he has been rushed back into hospital after getting an infection in the op site so was operated on yet again!!!
I am wishing him a speedy recovery (for his sake) and know my equipment will be with me when he is up and running again.
Below are some picture kindly taken by Dave White at the August Dog Vegas show.
Monday, 26 September 2011
ISDS Puppies.
My Demon, as many of you know, is a duel I.S.D.S and KC registered border collie. I have found him lovely to train and a joy to live with in and around the house. His breeder currently has a litter of I.S.D.S puppies, that again, can be duel registered.
Dam of the litter is full sister to Aled Owen's - Roy and Sire of the litter is a dog named Cap who is a top trials dog.
For any more information on this litter please contact Dave Taylor on 07793551920
Dam of the litter is full sister to Aled Owen's - Roy and Sire of the litter is a dog named Cap who is a top trials dog.
For any more information on this litter please contact Dave Taylor on 07793551920
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
KC Fest & Results are back.
KC Festival:
Last Thursday I headed on down to Long Buckby (about 30mins from the Kc Fest venue) with De and Roxxi, we were staying with a friend which meant we had home comforts after a day at the show which was bliss. The weather was lovely Fri, Sat & Sunday although it was a little warm for the dogs i think. Not really a lot to report on the results side De did a cracking round in the Grade 5 Agility on the Saturday but i dropped my arm at the end which resulted in him dropping the last pole, Demon is working really nicely unfortunately i am either calling to late or dropping arms or commanding to early/ late either way the problems are definitely my fault. We managed a clear in the last run of the day, Sunday, in the Grade 5 agility, although i held his contacts. We came away with a respectable 9th which, considering the held contacts, i didn't think was bad.
I decided with the weather being very warm at times that i would invest in a Cool Coat for the dogs i have see a lot of dogs wearing these and the feed back on them is brilliant and i have heard a lot of people recommending them. So off i went to purchase one, when i got to the stall i realized Hurtta had brought out a new cool coat these came in blue and purple and blue. I really liked these and they seemed to cover the dogs better than the previous model so i chose to get one of these new ones. I must say i recommend these coats and will be getting Roxxi a purple one too (although she needs the size below.)
Roxxi's Results:
So after a nice weekend away at the KC Festival i was please to come home to be told that Roxxi's Hip/Elbow Scores were back....we i was please but nervous at the same time. I now had to make an appointment to go and discuss the results with my vet.
I have been there this afternoon (Wednesday) and am happy to say her Hips are 7/4 = 11 and her Elbows are 0/0 :-) So i'm a happy bunny now and feel better for knowing they're not bad.
Last Thursday I headed on down to Long Buckby (about 30mins from the Kc Fest venue) with De and Roxxi, we were staying with a friend which meant we had home comforts after a day at the show which was bliss. The weather was lovely Fri, Sat & Sunday although it was a little warm for the dogs i think. Not really a lot to report on the results side De did a cracking round in the Grade 5 Agility on the Saturday but i dropped my arm at the end which resulted in him dropping the last pole, Demon is working really nicely unfortunately i am either calling to late or dropping arms or commanding to early/ late either way the problems are definitely my fault. We managed a clear in the last run of the day, Sunday, in the Grade 5 agility, although i held his contacts. We came away with a respectable 9th which, considering the held contacts, i didn't think was bad.
I decided with the weather being very warm at times that i would invest in a Cool Coat for the dogs i have see a lot of dogs wearing these and the feed back on them is brilliant and i have heard a lot of people recommending them. So off i went to purchase one, when i got to the stall i realized Hurtta had brought out a new cool coat these came in blue and purple and blue. I really liked these and they seemed to cover the dogs better than the previous model so i chose to get one of these new ones. I must say i recommend these coats and will be getting Roxxi a purple one too (although she needs the size below.)
Roxxi's Results:
So after a nice weekend away at the KC Festival i was please to come home to be told that Roxxi's Hip/Elbow Scores were back....we i was please but nervous at the same time. I now had to make an appointment to go and discuss the results with my vet.
I have been there this afternoon (Wednesday) and am happy to say her Hips are 7/4 = 11 and her Elbows are 0/0 :-) So i'm a happy bunny now and feel better for knowing they're not bad.
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