Wow, wow, wow, WOW. And did I mention wow?!

Elton and I had the most incredible weekend ever. The kind I'll remember for the rest of my life :D

On Sunday, Elton was entered in Okehampton & District Canine Society's open show. We had two breed classes, and I'd put Elton in both. I wasn't overly optimistic, there was one dog I thought would definitely win the first class. No - Elton won it! Just one Junior Warrant point to go. Back in we went for the second class, this time I was hoping against hope he would win this one too and slightly regretting putting him in both classes! I needn't have, because little rocket man only went and won that one too!! Last point he needed for his Junior Warrant :D and also Best of Breed because he'd already beaten everything.

However....Elton being Elton....that wasn't good enough...he then won the large (13ish dogs) and very strong toy group!!! He went beautifully actually, best behaviour :lol:

Not content even with that, he decided he would really finish off in style and ended up RESERVE BEST IN SHOW and Best Opposite Sex in Show!!

Especially in this area, the toy group is brutal both in terms of quality and numerically. They'd put us on after the utility group, which although a small group...it's not a good idea to have toys sharing a ring with anything else :lol: So we'd taken ages, and all the other groups had long finished. Which although was good in one way in that it meant no waiting, meant Elton had to go straight from group to BIS. We'd been there since 8am, and it was now gone 6pm, so we were both getting tired!

So into the BIS ring, and Elton was an absolute nightmare....there was food all over the floor, and all he wanted to do was get his head down and hoover! I eventually got his attention (aragh free standing breeds!) and he was more or less ok most of the time when it mattered. He didn't move as well as in the group (kept trying to pull his head down to eat!), but he was much better once I got him on the mat and it was passable - well, it must have been given the result!

Major fail on the posting front :-P I've been doing bits and pieces, but posting is evidently another matter!

Solei is still Solei...I've now got him retrieving a dumbbell again indoors at home, but not yet in other environments or outdoors. Screwball :-P
I took him to a companion show with obedience last weekend - it was a very basic round (heel on lead, recall, stay) but I thought it would be just what he needed to build his confidence up and he was actually pretty good. Came 3rd, but I was pleased with his performance - definitely progress!

Elton is coming along nicely, he's maturing and thus getting better about holding his stays. His heelwork is coming along well, though halts are still weak - he's so enthusiastic he's not very good about stopping in time, sitting straight and close beside me! I love the fact the only problems I'm having with him are due to overenthusiasm :-) The other heeling problem is him swinging his bum out and occasionally working too forward - again, both overenthusiasm!

Although again his sits aren't always the straightest/closest, he also knows both a left and right finish, which he manages to look adorable whilst doing them XD

Recall is quite nice, he's getting better about consistantly coming in straight.

His attention still wanders, concentration needs to improve and although he's pretty good at home now he is terrible with distractions! I've only ever taken him to one obedience class, so I need to get him back there and do some work on that! I've hardly been to obedience over the last three months, so I really need to get Solei back there as well - I'm intending to start again in October, and then possibly alternate - take Solei one week, and Elton the next.

As far as showing goes, Elton is wonderful <3 He still needs to settle on the table - he's a real fidget, especially when they're "restraining" his head (though funnily enough fine with his teeth!) - but once he's settled (sometimes when the whole class is moved together he's a bit all over the place) he's so much better on the move now.

Yesterday we went to a championship show where Elton won both Junior Dog and Yearling Dog :-D So he is now just 2pts off his Junior Warrant!!