More mud!

Boy, are we glad that we aren't camped at Supa Dogs! We got a text from Leah early this morning to say that competition for today had been cancelled. Hardly surprising as we've had rain all night and it's still raining now.

We went along on Saturday and had a lovely day in warm sunshine. I wasn't looking forward to it as I wasn't sure what I would be able to do with Zeki at a day show. However we had a lovely time. Jan kindly let her have a good play in her garden with Teazle and Megan (both of whom were lovely with her) and then Jay put up some windbreaks beside his caravan and we parked alongside so had a nice little compound which she could play in. She had lots of visitors and by the end of the day was the most exhausted I've seen her. Hurrah!

Agility-wise:

I have to get my act together with Niamh. I'm still making one error in each class which is costing her some really good places. I know it always sounds easy to say this but I can feel the difference in her. She is at last starting to use some of the power she displays on walks and at training within the competition environment; her contacts have improved a great deal and she is changing so much. I feel we are on the verge of some good results if I could just hold it together better.

Dear little Pops got 2nd in the veteran jumping. It was a really nice course with a little bit of handling and some weave poles (yippee!). As soon as I come over the finishing line with her I just want to run back to the start and have another go. I so love running Poppy (sorry if I keep repeating this but it's true!)

Kizzy was working much better than at BATS. She is still not quite as focused as at training but things are improving a lot. She came 2nd in her G1-4 jumping on Saturday, beaten by just 2/100ths of a second. It was a really good round with a full set of weaves. She had one slightly wide turn which obviously cost her the win but Andy was really thrilled as she worked brilliantly.
In her other classes she made a couple of errors but her contacts were brilliant, fast and accurate.

Yesterday Andy went back to Supa Dogs and had some nearly rounds. They were "nearly" because in one of them Andy was marked on his A-Frame, she did leave it earlier than planned but friends around the ring remarked that she clearly got the contact but only with back legs. It was last but one obstacle in the 1-7 agility and she had really motored round the course. I think she (or was that Andy) possibly got a little carried away as they neared the finish. She is really keen for her ball at the end of the round so perhaps this was also a factor in her contact not being as good as it should have been. It is good that she is driving for her ball though! Again Andy was pleased with the speed of her contacts.

In her other two rounds she again targeted obstacle numbers (as she did in one of her rounds at BATS last week): once at the weaves and once at the tunnel. Andy was really disappointed as the rounds were going really well. We need to get the numbers out more at our training club and get some for home. It's something we've never really trained much as it hasn't been an issue with our other dogs. I think maybe it's something that attracts smaller dogs more? Our numbers aren't nearly as large as those you meet in the competition ring so we're going to stick paper plates on them to make them appear larger and put them in lots of odd places at training. Kizzy learns fast so I'm sure we'll soon overcome this little glitch!

Leah got two clear rounds with Murphy yesterday. He came 20th in his qualifying class and not sure yet if he got anything with his other clear, apparently that one was a little messy. Leah was really pleased with him. She is having a good time at the moment having got reserve ticket with the lovely Herbie at Nottingham. Well done, we're so pleased for you.

I stayed at home with the other dogs as I didn't fancy looking after a puppy in the rain and mud. I'm glad I made that decision as Andy said I wouldn't have coped very well with all the mud! We had a rather lazy day to be honest. Zeki had several little sessions of tug and one clicker training session. We've started her "walk backs/reverses" and progression of the elephant trick which I'm finding rather a challenge as she wants to sit on the tub all the time! I'm also starting to teach the roll over but again this is challenging as she keeps standing up. I'm going to have to take it slowly and be patient (not easy for me!) I am working hard on her tug at the moment, she really loves to tug and I just want it to continue and get stronger. I have also started to send her to her dead toy, so far so good!

In the afternoon we all went out in the garden and had a lovely time. I took Zeki down with the other dogs on her extender lead as I don't want her tearing around or getting knocked over. At one point I was picking up a poo and when I looked up she was right at the end of the extender standing in the middle of the dog walk cross plank. I almost had a heart attack. I just prayed she'd stand still and quickly got over there and plucked her off. I need to pay more attention as she's such a bold little thing and climbs on anything in front of her. She did the same with Andy in the week and climbed the seesaw and had to be plucked off. I don't mind her trotting through the tunnel but no dog walks or seesaws just yet please!

Late in the afternoon we had a bit of a grooming session for the big dogs and when Andy arrived home from Supa Dogs he helped me with Zeki. He held a biscuit for her to nibble on while I did all her toe nails and trimmed her feet plus a full groom. Andy's thumb is now like a pin cushion but at least I got my puppy groomed! He bought her a present at Supa Dogs - here she is groomed and trimmed and wearing her present. I asked him to get me a pink collar so that I can return the borrowed one to Lian. I was thrilled with his choice, I never thought Andy would buy a pink bling collar!

Here she is all groomed, trimmed and blinged up! Isn't she gorgeous!

I am so lucky to have her!