Sunday 28 September 2008

Lincolnshire Agility Show

Our last camping show of the year and what a way to finish!

I thought I was going to have to wait a whole year for one of those trophy's that you get at the Bromsgrove Show, I couldn't believe my eyes when I noticed they were giving them out at this show too, all be it a different figure in the middle.

That was it, dogs were briefed, bribed in every way possible, sadly Ronny didn't fall for it, not a single clear all weekend, he did us both proud at our first grade 4 show though just knocking poles on his better runs.

Keisha was in good form, her first class she had a pole but in some sort of way I think that helped, she never knocked a pole after that for the whole weekend. From then on she was just on a mission. Her saturday agility class was just superb, she ran her round lovely and finished in 3rd place, we had won one of those trophy's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today was even better, she started off getting a 4th in her first agility class followed by another 4th in her jumping class. Her last agility class of the day was just amazing. I can honestly say I think she is going to be better than Ronny at agility. She had a fantastic round with good fast contacts and incredibly tight turns. She ended up coming a brilliant second just missing first place by a whisker. I didn't realise but the class was sponsored so ended up winning a 15kg bag of food and other pressies such as a collar and lead and a fancy blue dog bowl, and of course another one of those brilliant trophy's, a bit greedy!!!!!!

Pudsey seemed to take most of the spot light, he is certainly an eye catcher and the amount of people that threatened to kidnap him, I best keep him under lock and key.

So what a fantastic way to finish the year, who could ask for anymore.

Friday 26 September 2008

Lincolnshire Agility Comp

This weekend is our last show for the season. Ive never been to this show before so don't really know what to expect. This is Ronny's first Grade 4 show so I'm expecting the courses to be slightly harder.

Ronny and Keisha have been on fantastic form this year so hopefully it will carry on through until this weekend. The weather forecast is looking good, mind I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing as the dogs prefer to run in the rain, at least I will be able to sun bathe!!!!

I will update the blog on Sunday night with the results, watch this space.......

Sunday 21 September 2008

Bromsgrove Agility show

Soooooo close to getting one of those trophy's but unfortunately I guess we will have to wait another year!!!!

Looking back on this weekend it has been a very successful competition Ronny didn't manage any clears but showed some great control and skill over the courses, sadly he was a bit of a pole knocker this weekend taking generally just one or two poles out each round.

Keisha on the other hand has turned into something else, I know she was coming into good form but my god, this weekend she was on fire. She had a great run on Saturday and finished 8th in her jumping class, today in her combined grades 1-7 jumping she ran like a star, she didn't look out of place in that class either, her turns are so tight I'm surprised she doesn't take the wings out. The last class of the day was her agility, she has been missing her dog walk contact so I really wanted her to get it today. She was brilliant, ran with great enthusiasm and drive. We got to the dog walk and I held her on it for a second to reconfirm in her mind what she needed to do. Well it turned out to be too long, she finished up 4th, a tenth of a second behind the 3rd dog!!!!!!!

Thursday 18 September 2008

This weekend we are at the Bromsgrove Agility Show. This show has the most beautiful trophy's, a glass cube with a 3d dog in the middle, Ive briefed Ronny and Keisha up and promised them a double ice cream if they win me one!!!!!!!

As Ronny and Keisha are competing at the weekend, today was just a lazy day in the sun, yes you did hear me right, SUN !!!!!!

The toy box was quickly emptied by the dogs who then went on to play for hours (maybe it was just a day of rest for me then!!!)

I even managed to get some training in with Pudsey who is a very clever boy and is retrieving his ball brilliantly. I'm sure Jan told me that Pudsey just slept all day when he was a very young puppy, no sign of that, it's like having a double Ronny in the house, infact its quite freaky how similar they are, that puppy never stops.

Tuesday 16 September 2008

Paws in the Park

Ronny wins Dash and Grab !!!!!!

Never in a million years did I think my brilliant man would win the dash and grab.
Otherwise known as the fastest water retrieve, a race between two dogs each having their own lane and jump platform. The dogs have to race against each other to jump in collect a tennis ball at the other end of the pool and swim back and climb out before giving the ball to it's handler. The race is scored best out of three and is a knock out competition ending up with the fastest two dogs in the final.

Ronny loves swimming, he hasn't got the biggest jump by all means but what he lacks in that area he certainly makes up with super sonic swimming and sheer determination not to loose to his challenger.
Ronny won his semi final 2-0 and was through to the final against the Dash and Splash European record holder a Labrador x Pointer called Dash.

I must admit I doubted my boy for the first time ever and thought we were going to place second, anyway nothing to loose and try stopping Ronny!!! a water doggie that would have broken every bone in my body to have another go.

Whistle was blown and both dogs jumped in to their lane, Dash jumped almost on top of his ball and was already on his way back for home, Ronny was about a meter away from his ball so had some catching up to do, my god he can swim, Ronny collected his ball and over took Dash on the way back, climbed out of the pool first and handed me his ball. We were leading 1-0.
So Dash needed this next one to stay in the game, both dogs lined up at the start line awaiting the off. The whistle was blown and both dogs set off, Ronny had a brilliant jump and was level with Dash, Ronny put his super sonic swimming on and scrambled out of the pool first, Dash closely behind, I tried to get the ball from Ronny but in my panic dropped the ball, I looked across and noticed Dash's handler had also done the same, luckily for me Ronny was watching with his eager eyes and picked the ball up again and handed it back to me, we had won, 2-0 !!!
I guess Ronny is just too competitive to loose, anyone who knows Ronny will certainly know what I mean.
We collected our Rosette at the end and to both of our surprise the winner received a whole load of toys and food and a giant dog bed (not for me of course!!!) Ronny was thrilled, it took us half an hour to get back to the van as I was carrying his prizes back he kept jumping up to see what he had won.

Anyway that wasn't the only good news. Keisha had a brilliant weekend too. She had a fantastic agility weekend, 3 out of 3 clears on Sunday gaining a 21st in her agility, 6th in her ABC jumping and then finishing with an amazing run in her jumping class to come 2nd in a class of over 200 dogs. The course was a fast but catchy course, the dogs really had to listen and respond quickly or they would over run and be eliminated (exactly what Ronny did) but Keisha was in form and for the first time really showed her proper potential.

Ronny and Kiah competed in their pairs event and came away with a fantastic run and only 10 faults. This pair is amazing and when they get it right I don't think there will be many dogs that can match them. Well done you two maniac's you did us both proud.


Ronny in action

Monday 8 September 2008

We were supposed to be competing at Shackerston Flyball Festival last weekend but due to mother nature I received a text from Emma our team captain saying that the show had been cancelled as the field was water-logged!
Never mind I would like to say that I had a lovely weekend off but I didn't, unfortunately I had to go into work instead!!!

Anyway god knows what the weather will be like this weekend, we are supposed to be at Paws in the Park Festival but I have seen the weather forecast and it doesn't look good, lets hope it doesn't get called off. Ronny and Keisha have been entered into the Dash and Splash event and I'm also hoping we will get chance to look around at the other attractions too.

Hopefully Ronny and Keisha will still be in good form at agility, Ronny is pairing up with Kiah in the pairs event, they are both manic mali's so it will either go horribly wrong or just pure brilliant, I'm hoping for the later as they are both terrific dogs and they are certainly entertaining to watch!!!

I will keep you posted if I hear any news about the show.

Monday 1 September 2008

Pudsey's first castle walk

It was only a matter of time before we could get back up to the castle so our new little man could go for his first proper explore.

Full of things to do and see he was always going to enjoy himself. Cows were the first stop, Pudsey didn't think much too them, couldn't work out why they were moo-ing at him when we walked past.

Pudsey seemed to stick with Ronny most of the time, he has taken a proper shine to him. They did all manage a blast around the open fields, Keisha and Kody tend to be joint at the hip and try out new wrestling moves they have learnt on each other, suprisingly it always seems to be Keisha that wins the battle.



The brook was always going to be fun, especially as we knew Pudsey enjoyed the beach so much when we were up at Jans. Unfortuantly I didn't manage to film it but at one point Pudsey launched himself of the bank and straight into the water, must be practicing for dash and splash later on in his life!!!!!