Time for an update

A few pictures taken on one of the only sunny days we have had so far this year!! 

So to update, since my last posting we have been to our first show for 2011. It was great to get back in the ring, in a competition environment and see if our winter training was paying off, and what we still needed to work on! J

Smudge was a little star and won five out of the eight classes across the two days. We were running like a real team and I was really pleased that we both enjoyed it so much. His contacts on both the dog walk and a frame were gorgeous, and it seems as though the work we having been doing on these over the winter has started to pay off. On the downside, the lack of attention I have been giving to the see saw means that Smudge has now decided to try to fly each time he hits it. The height he was getting as he spring boarded of the end of it each time was really something to be seen! Lol So lots of work on the see saw over the next couple of weeks I think! I am hoping that we have plenty of time before April, when the agility season starts in full swing, to persuade him that stopping at the end might be a sensible idea.

Mayzee also took part in her first full show, and enjoyed every second. She suffers from a lack of confidence, and some rattling weaves in the first class of the weekend proved a bit too much for her, and she had weaving issues in almost every class. This was a shame as her weaving is generally pretty good! Still, we made no issue of it, and I am sure once she has been back through a couple of different sets she will be back to normal. Everything else she did really well…..nice contacts, good turns, no sniffing! and excellent responsiveness to commands. All in all a pretty good performance for her first show. The one clear round she did get was in the pairs, running with Smudge. And can you believe it, they won the class! So a red rosette on her first outing – not bad! I can’t wait to see what Mayzee will achieve when her confidence and ability grows J

Little Maisie also ran, just in the jumping classes, and even got a second place. The old girl still has it!

So a good start to the agility year. On a slightly less positive note, training is limited at the moment due to the weather! It has been torrential rain for what seems like weeks now, and our training venue has become completely waterlogged. I am praying for better weather so that we can get going again! Luckily we do still get to train with the local club, but it isn’t quite the same. Next Saturday we head off to the BVI and New York, and the dogs go to their holiday homes where they are always thoroughly spoilt!! I am hoping that when we get back the field will be dry and lessons can start up again. In the meantime we have spent time working on the house (which never ends!) and are currently giving our agility equipment a revamp. Well if we aren’t using it much at the moment we may as well use the time constructively! Hopefully the equipment will look sparkling new when we have finished with it!

Thought I would share these pictures of our new home, now that the downstairs inside is almost finished! We and the dogs love it!!!

Our garden is also now finished, and its lovely to look out at a garden now, instead of a swamp! The dogs can’t believe they are actually allowed out there after all this time!