Happy Christmas :-)

Elton never comes out well in indoor photos if the light isn't good - black dogs! Solei didn't want to partake in my photo exploits :-P

Ria's first Christmas! Safe to say she thought it was great and got thoroughly spoiled. New toys, treats and various bits for me for her (if you follow lol). Of course the boys weren't left out either - but Ria is just that bit easier to buy for!

Had a quiet Christmas, but it was nice - the dogs were just like overexcited children on Christmas morning, which was quite funny. They made it so good, really.

And I have weaves! That was my Christmas present, so I've already started them with Elton, and to a lesser extent Solei (that is going to be a veerry long process) and am looking forward to starting with Ria in around a month.

Went to the last big champ show of the year on 10th, with some trepidation. Ria was fine, though didn't stand very well. I admit I overhandled her! Especially when I stood her for the judge and just as he was coming over she went to put her head on the floor. I got her back ok but that was enough to send me into a panic :-P You'd never know she and her sister were sisters - they are so different, and Ria is an awful lot less mature - which has held her back ever since she started showing. But hopefully we'll have the last laugh :-)

On Wednesday I took her and Elton to Ria's agility class Christmas party. Elton pretty much just watched, he was a little overwhelmed, but I had him out briefly and he made everyone laugh as I'd been saying how fast he potentially was, and brought him out for one of the games - run with your dog down an alley of balls, turn round and run back through it. As I turned to come back I'd only gone about a step and Elton took off and just RAN back up the alley! Everybody was laughing at him, he stood at the end and looked at me with a "well? Where are you? Hurry up!" expression :-P

Ria...well, what can I say! She was amazing.

The evening started with one individual game - Snoopy (Simon) Says - which to my amazement Ria won! Then we did team games.....and considering I think the most she's ever sequenced is two tunnels, one jump and one tunnel or three jumps (all reference to jumps is pole on ground)...

One of the games was four jumps down, tunnel (u shape) then the same four jumps back up....and she did it SO well <3 she was working ahead and everything, considering she's never done anything like that before I was so impressed.

Then the other agility game was 4 jumps down, 3 tunnels, 4 jumps back (not straight) and she was just awesome <3 I think (hope!) she is actually going to be quite good given time. She also coped really well with the dogs that she's kinda met but aren't in her class (for the first half hour of her class they have two groups, one at each end of the hall)...stupidly the only dog she really didn't like was a 10wk cocker puppy :-P That said, she does seem to have settled back down a bit - less stupid than she was a month ago.

Better few days :-) Match night at ringcraft on Tuesday. Took Ria with slight trepidation! She was absolutely fine, and even managed Reserve Best Puppy in Match :-)

Agility I thought was going to be a disaster, well the first bit was! She went through the collapsible tunnel once and then refused to go through again (held open) and then refused to have anything to do with the rigid tunnel either. I think because we were working with someone who was right at the entrance with a toy hanging down right outside and she just wasn't happy about it! I also always have some trouble getting her nose off the floor there (equestrian centre - tastes really good :-P) but I guess some of it could also be a stress response for her.

So I took her off for some 2o2o work which was good, then we went back to the tunnel minus person at the end! And got some nice work then :-)

We finished off with some wrap arounds and Ria was doing some gorgeous figure eights with me standing completely still, just off my arm movements :-) am well chuffed with how fab she was! So what started off really badly actually ended really well.

Onwards and upwards?

Sigh! Solei mated a bitch on Tuesday 22nd and managed to come back on three legs. Not sure what he's done, but obviously no agility for him on Thursday....am hoping we can avoid the chiropractor again! He's seen the vet who could find nothing wrong and said his pelvis was ok, but not sure if he'd be able to detect it or not? Either way although he's much improved he's not right enough for me to feel comfortable about him doing agility, so that's that til next year & probably another Chiro visit :-(

Shows the other weekend were good. On Saturday Ria had a 3rd of 6 in AVNSC Junior, and Sunday we FINALLY did it!! She was in AVNSC Puppy, which happened to be her and 3 Spinones, so I didn't think we stood a chance of even getting through the class. Well...Ria won the class and Best AVNSC Puppy, beaten by another Spinone for Best AVNSC, and then PUPPY GROUP 2! Over the moon :-D finally conquered the puppy group!

Then had an "interesting" agility session with Ria on Wednesday 30th. Her focus is still crap, really need to work on it and I want to try and get hold of Control Unleashed. We started work on the see-saw - letting her bang the end down, which she actually got comfortable with much more quickly than I thought she might. She's still all over the shop in general, had a very uncharacteristic moment where she ran off to another dog and just stood there barking at it - barking at dogs is nothing new, but she's usually the one running away from them! Never in her life has she run TO a dog before. She is a bit unpredictable with other dogs (nervous, fine with dogs she knows but will air snap at dogs she's unsure of) so I hope that's just a one off cos she's being weird in general atm (or maybe the agility just totally blew her mind and she'll learn to deal with it without doing that!)

So after disgracing herself in lots of other areas, Ria then impressed everyone with her tunnel prowess. Including me, actually! I had a tunnel at home for a month back in the summer (see August posts) and did quite a bit of work with her, including sending her to the tunnel from funny angles and blind entrances, but she's done so little since I was impressed at how much she remembered! She was doing some lovely blind entrances :-)

Then after the high of last weekend, this one was just a disaster. On Saturday we didn't get in the ring til gone 5pm (and I thought 4 was bad :-P) and the rings were completely covered in blue carpet - Ria was being a little sod and wouldn't stand and wouldn't get her head up off the floor - though moved quite well. She also shoe away from the judge when she got near her bum. She got a 2nd of 2, but the IWS that beat her went on to win the puppy group under the same judge, so we probably wouldn't have had much chance even if she had behaved!

Sunday was worse. There was food all over the ring floor, thought it was because of the Labs but actually I'm not so sure the bit that caused the main problem wasn't grated cheese and given we were by the stewards table and they hadn't stopped for lunch...
Anyway, Ria wasn't concentrating, all she wanted to do was get her nose down on the floor and eventually the judge came in as soon as she paused...she wasn't ready, and she barked and backed off. Judge didn't get to go over her so needless to say she was last! Judge had been looking at her before we started so that was frustrating, but I was mortified - I think from ringside it would've looked as if she'd tried to bite the judge. Really not good.

In other news I also have Ria working for a ball at home - excitedly. Whether this is novelty or not not sure (tried a ball before and she wasn't interested) - but I hope its not XD

Ack, I've got so sloppy at this over the last month! I seem to have missed another chunk out too? I have nothing written down from my last entry until 19th November. So I'll just have to do a vague fill in again - had another show on Sunday 13th, Ria got a 4th in AVNSC Graduate which I was very pleased with, as it was a class of 10 and she beat a lot of mature dogs, then 3rd in the Puppy Stakes. After some debate I decided to take Elton and just keep him quiet. He had a 3rd in his breed class, then followed it up with a very respectable 3rd in the Open Stakes :-) Agility with Ria on Wednesday, agility with Solei on Thursday.

Now for the bit I had actually written at the time...

Two shows this weekend. On Saturday Ria eventually got in the ring about 4pm! Worth it though - she beat an adult GSP to win her AVNSC Graduate class and was also BP. The judge said she was really lovely. In the puppy group later she was so spooky, never seen her like that in the ring before. She moved well, but standing was a bit of a disaster all weekend! She kept moving just at the crucial moment. Elton had 2nd out of 2 :-P

Sunday I so nearly didn't go. It had been such a long day on Saturday and I wasn't hopeful of good results! However, my optimistic side is always irritatingly....optimistic, and it usually ends in disappointment! However, on this occasion...Elton had BOB! And Ria had 3rd in a class of 5 (AVNSC Graduate again) and beat the GWP puppy for BP :-D So I was really pleased, though nothing in groups. Ria was even worse at standing than he previous day which was frustrating.

Had an easy week this week - I decided against obedience on Monday, partly cos I wanted an early night, but also as she'd been so spooky that weekend I wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not (am wondering if it's hormonal...) and ringcraft on Tuesday cos it's so late.

Then Solei mated a bitch Tuesday and twisted something - ended up on 3 legs, so no agility for him on Thursday! Which meant all I've done is agility with Ria on Wednesday.

Had a fabulous session! She was so much more focused and I was even throwing her toy and she was bringing it back :-) Only had one 'moment' and she did bring it back eventually!

It was very interesting to see that when we did some contact training on a dog walk plank on the floor she immediately knew what I wanted and was fab, wheras doing exactly the same at home on a plank of wood she still doesn't really understand what I'm asking for.

Which has been what I've been doing with Ria and Elton this week! Elton is very good but I keep having to start from the beginning and get his confidence back - it started when mum accidently pushed it against his toes :-P and that took me ages to persuade him to go near it again. Then I'd just got him back  was having trouble seeing his feet to see if he was 2 on and 2 off so I flipped his tail to the other side and that managed to freak him again :-P And so starts yet again going back to rewarding him for going near it!

Had a kinda meh session at obedience with Ria on Monday....and she's still so reactive and nervy with other dogs, it's depressing - even though she is improving. So embarrassing, and people don't understand unless they've been there.

I dunno, I go (sometimes) because I like the structure and the opportunity to practise things amongst other dogs (esp things like stays), but I hate it when the classes are big and I don't like it when people tell me to do X or Y (tbh, not that that happens very often) - I know what works for my dogs and I know which methods I like, and they don't have experience with a very flighty, sensitive, highly strung dog...who you cannot tell off like you could eg a Labrador. So I'll keep doing my own thing, it works for me :-P but trying not to seem like a know-it-all because I don't, far from it.

Elton's chiro appointment was booked for Tuesday. Even though he'd been absolutely fine for the last couple of days I went with my gut instinct which said something was not right, and I'm so glad I did - his pelvis was quite badly out to the right, and spine slightly iffy too. The good news is it hadn't been out long and he responded really well to treatment, so fingers crossed that's sorted that now. The hard part now has been trying to keep him quiet, I just hope it's good enough! So as it happens, rather than me feeling bad about the anaesthetic causing him problems it could actually be a good thing - the dead weight of him being moved under it may have just moved things that were slightly out more acutely and brought an already existing problem to the surface, enabling it to be treated quicker. Of course I'll never know, but at least he's hopefully sorted now.

And apparently I fail here because I wrote this on 11th November and then didn't realise I hadn't posted it nor had I finished off my account of the week! So I shall post this on it's original date, but as it's now 5th December I can't remember a thing so I shall just have to leave it that Wednesday Ria went to agility, Thursday Solei went to agility and that was that!

Well, this is a fun week!

As I mentioned in my previous post, on Thursday I brought the collapsible tunnel home from agility. This was actually primarily for Solei, but also to speed up things with Ria - and mean we could use the classes for more productive purposes.

Apologies if I'm repeating myself, but Solei as anyone who knows him well is the biggest wus ever...and thinks the whole world is out to get him :-P so you can imagine how well that goes down with having to run into blackness and push through fabric that also makes scary noises :-P He will (most of the time) run through it as long as it is being held right open, but if it was lowered at all that was that - and if you overstep the mark he then wouldn't go through it open either. Ria is mainly inexperienced - she had that fright when she first saw the collapsible tunnel age 6 months when the end was grabbed to open it just as she was in the entrance, and then wouldn't go near it again that day. Her next experience with it was at 8 months and she still wasn't very happy, though she did at least go through it once, held open (and then refused to have anything more to do with it!). Hasn't seen it since. Elton has never seen it before, he actually surprised me.

Given the way Solei's mind works, and also that they very rarely use it at Solei's agility club. I figured the only way he was ever going to make progress was to bring it home and have an intense crash course! Which also had the added benefit of being able to get Ria used to it, and overcome her uncertainty far quicker than we would be able to once a week at the club.

So, first session was Friday morning....started with it folded right back so it was just like a partial curtain at the entrance.

This was this (Monday) morning's session....(excuse pjs!)

I am stunned at how quickly Solei has progressed. He isn't terribly confident, but he is doing it - and please note we are training with a toy! For a dog that never used to play, this is equally incredible ;-) haha. As can be seen, although we have a long way to go and it is nowhere near full length, all three dogs are pushing through the fabric! Elton is going to have the hardest job - I wasn't at all sure if he'd be able to do it, he looks so tiny and lost in the entrance! He is quite a bit smaller than Solei, and is going to need to really blast to have a hope of not getting stuck - but I think he has the speed, so fingers crossed.

We'll see where we get to by Thursday!

Wow, what a week. I didn't get much sleep Thursday last week cos I was worried about Elton's dental, though he came back on Friday with all teeth still in tact and nice and clean :-) which was a big relief! Poor boy was knocked for six with the anaesthetic though - he spent all Friday night fidgeting and crying, which was not popular from my point of view! Made no difference if he was in bed with me or in his crate, so no sleep was really got that night by either of us!

He also had reflux - presumably caused by the tube irritating his esophagus, though at least he was still eating soft food - and was just not quite right, but by Sunday he seemed fairly ok in himself so I took him to a show I’d entered as it was close to home and I was going with Ria anyway. He was fine in the ring and won Best of Breed, it was a long day and although he was bouncing around and as normal in the breed and fine in the group to start with, by the end he’d had enough and made me feel suitably guilty! Also discovered on Sunday he had diarrhoea, his first poo since the anaesthetic so I'm sure that was down to that (and a temporarily different diet). When I went to bed that night he wasn’t quite right - wasn't sure whether to put that down to the anaesthetic or not, because then he jumped up on the bed and I noticed he was lame on a rear leg.

On Monday he was still on 3 legs and very miserable! On the plus side it seemed to take his mind of the anaesthetic effects? :-P He was sound again by Tuesday, and seemed much more himself so I took him to our ringcraft club's match just to watch (showing Ria) as I didn't really want to leave him at home on his own. He bounced around a bit saying hello to everyone, as is Elton :-P

Wednesday he was obviously really uncomfortable, in a way I would say comes from his back - stretching and bowing and often couldn't seem to get comfortable for any length of time when lying down. By Friday he was much better - that'd be cos I emailed the chiropractor for an appointment for him :-P - so hopefully he's fine now - though I will still get him an appointment.

In other news - as I say, went to a show last Sunday and Elton got BOB. Ria's class was the most farcical thing I've ever seen! They did AV before AVNSC, then told the winner of AV she could withdraw from AVNSC to remain unbeaten (you can't). Another person and I were standing in the ring for about 10 minutes whilst they debated this, then the judge said he wanted the dog back in the ring so she appeared - and we started the class. I completed Ria's triangle to find the judge deep in conversation with the show manager - nice to see he'd obviously been paying attention!! He hadn't watched at all. I'd had enough of the whole thing by then and Ria had 2nd out of 2! Arrrrgh.

More successful was the ringcraft match on Tuesday was a Supermatch Qualifier and Ria had Reserve Best Puppy in Match, so is the reserve if the winner can't make it for some reason!

Wednesday's agility was fun - though I need to do more work on my right. I've really tried with Ria and thought we were ok, but put into different contexts it was obvious that it's not! That was the last week of the initial foundation (6 weeks gone quickly!) so next week is the next block, in which apparently they will introduce more equipment which'll be interesting given Ria can't do most of it yet! I'm sure they'll make it age appropriate for her (I think she may actually be the only dog still under 12 months now)

Then back to Solei's on Thursday! Must say, I adore the stuff I'm doing with Ria - it's exactly what I wanted, and I wouldn't change a thing - but after having the whole of October off it was nice to be back on equipment running sequences! Considering Solei hadn't done anything in over a month he did very well, he kept flying off the dog walk to start with (we were coming round off a jump in a U, and I think he kept not turning enough and taking the dog walk at an angle so he sort of went over the contact on a diagonal rather than up it - if that makes sense!) but after two attempts when I realised what he was doing I brought him round in a slightly wider arc and that was fine. He also struggled going in one end of the tunnel, but that was me more than him - I suck at co-ordination :-( But overall - nice :-) and he was even playing with me in places! I've worked soo hard on that.

In a bid to get somewhere with the collapsible tunnel/chute I brought it home with me on Thursday for a week, but more about that next time.

Yesterday I went to a disasterous show :-P I almost didn't bother cos I had a feeling it'd not be a good day, but ever the optimist! Some people came who NEVER go to shows down there (they've been once in all the time they've been showing - and they won then too!) and Elton had a 4th out of 4 which he really didn't deserve. I know this is the perils of Phalenes at open shows but I hate him being knocked all the time, and people seeing him being knocked. Can't give them up though - I want his Show Certificate of Merit, he's halfway there and you can only get the points from open shows!

Ria was having a slightly off day - she moved quite well til the last side of her triangle which wasn't good - partly cos I did a sudden stop/change of direction as I almost ran her over a drain grid! - and then lost concentration, and most of the time I could NOT get her standing right. She had a 5th in a class of 7, all bar one were adults so could've been worse - but was beaten by another puppy. Another day, another show...

Went to an open show on the 15th. I'd borrowed a puppy for the day, so I had Bobby in the first Pap class and Elton in Open, then Ria in AVNSC Gundog Open (just the one AVNSC class today).

Both boys won their classes, but the judge absolutely fell in love with Bobby, thought he was stunning - so he had BP, BOB, Group 4 and won the Puppy Group! Meanwhile, Ria beat a mature English Setter and won Best AVNSC & BPAVNSC!

So it was a successful day, though rather stressful when Ria's class missed clashing with the toy group by a whisker - to the point I actually came out of the group to show Ria, then had to leave her with mum to dash back when it took slightly longer than anticipated! To mum's relief I got back just in time!

Nothing in either group for Ria, and nothing in BPIS for Bobby - but all in all not a bad day!

Went to agility on the 19th which was fun, did some shaping with cones and stools, some waits and releases and some one jump work.

Last weekend was South Western Gundog - Kooiker classes! Ria had 2nd of 3 - beaten by her big brother (older litter) and beating a nice, mature (if out of coat!) bitch - and BP. Judge gave her a good look in BPIS but nothing, and then she came 2nd in the Puppy Stakes :-) (same judge) That was her last show as a minor puppy - she was 9 months on Wednesday, where has that gone!

Took her to obedience on Monday for the first time in a while - a friends girl hadn't been happy the previous week but there was no-one there she could play with, so we wondered if having Ria there may help. I was actually very pleased with Ria, she was much better than last time - albeit it was hard work for me, as I had to keep her focus on me almost all the time. She did some lovely heelwork with food in my hand, despite having the big GSD behind her! It was all going so well...and then a whippet went for her :-( which ruined that! Compounded when we went out to find the Spinone that chased her in the summer! Arrrgh, always happens to her.

Agility on Wednesday was fun - besides the fact when the lurcher (who looks just a whippet) walked in she went into meltdown! We moved between various stations - rocker board, ladder, cones, jump bumps, part of the dog walk etc - and on the whole she was fab :-) Except she was a bit jumpy and reactive in certain areas, and when we were doing jump bumps and another dog suddenly erupted barking - she jumped out of her skin and lost the plot for a bit! At the end we did both tunnels, rigid one was fine, but as I thought she may she wasn't keen on the collapsible. When I take Solei back to agility in November (different club) I'm going to see if I can borrow it because he also finds it scary, and neither of them see it enough to really get used to it - so hopefully an intense week crash course will make progress!

Elton is having a dental today, so I hardly had any sleep last night and I can't wait for it to be over!

Had my first judging experience on Sunday! At the South Wales Papillon Club, judging Junior Handling. I was asked 4 months ago and said I'd think about it (cos I have trouble with the word no...), the next thing I knew I seemed to have agreed to it!

In the end it was ok, and I actually enjoyed myself. Most of the decisions were fairly obvious which was good, the thing that gave me the most trouble was splitting them for BJH.

I was also showing - and Solei got to come and play! Elton was chucked out of Limit Dog, which had 17 dogs entered...though I'd attended to his nails again on Saturday to see if I could get him more comfortable, and he was definitely standing better on that foot. Solei got a 3rd in Veteran Dog which was was delighted with, and a 4th in Phalene Dog - and more to the point, omg he enjoyed himself! He did not really show well, but who cares :-) He took off with me around the ring at 180mph with me trailing behind him going "slow dowwwwn...!" and he could hardly stand still in the line, I've never seen him like that before....was extra awesome <3

Then in the afternoon I showed the same little girl I'd shown on Friday - and this time won a large Minor Puppy Bitch class of 13, Reserve Best Puppy Bitch, Best Minor Puppy Bitch and Best Minor Puppy in Show! So it was rather a weird day really; that's the first time I've done really well with a dog of someone elses that hasn't been like mine - ie living with me and being treated as "mine"!

Wednesday was an interesting day....show I didn't really want to go to, but a load of friends were going who I haven't seen for ages and really wanted to see, so decided to go - even though I was fairly confident Ria would do absolutely nothing. I was right - 3rd of 3 :-P Her lowest place to date, yay.

However, it was worth it to see everyone and unbeknown to me a friend took some awesome photos of her in the ring!

On from there to week 3 of Foundation Agility - had a fab week this week, they were missing a trainer so put a load of stations (ladder, boxes, wobble boards, pole on floor...etc) and we moved from one to the other - but what was totally awesome was I got my own private trainer ;-) All went well til we started on one jump exercises, when I totally forgot what happens if you wind Ria up and then send her out for a toy.....and yeah, 5 minutes later she was done running around with her "prize" and came back to me. Oops. But this is the first time she's been comfortable enough to play there, so :-D

Tuesday was match night and I decided to take Ria. Am not taking Elton for the foreseeable future because he was so amazing last time (apart from the fact he won Best in Match - he just showed so well) that I want to remember that and not ruin it! It was Ria's first match as a "proper" (6-12mths) puppy - and she won Best Puppy! Very pleased with her, she's on a roll at the moment :-D Long may it continue!

Wednesday was her second foundation agility class. She coped much better than the previous week, wasn't nearly as jumpy and reactive. We did some circle work, walking along one part if the dog walk on the floor, and sending them to a cone - the latter everyone was amazed at, cos of course I've already taught Ria! So she was going to it at great distance - though I did have to refresh her memory cos it was a new venue with a very different cone. I really love this club, it's so depressing it's so difficult to get to :-( I like the people, from what I've seen so far I like the methods, and the trainer talks a heck of a lot of sense! My kind of person.

Common sense prevailed and I didn't book agility for Solei this month - I had a Friday show this week, and next week I have a Wednesday one after which I'm hoping to come home via Ria's class!

I need to get back to obedience, I have done nothing with Ria for around two months (been concentrating on other things!) and I gave up on the classes because it was doing neither of us any good - too many dogs in too small a space. As it gets colder and the nights draw in people tend to give up and start staying at home, so I'm hoping to get back to it soon when it'll be more constructive.

So now I'm typing this in the car on the way home from South Wales Kennel Association Championship Show. Elton had 3rds in both stakes and breed - in the breed he decided to jump over all the cracks in the floor :-P which meant half his movement was not good as everytime he did it it then took a couple of paces to get back into his stride - and it wasn't the largest of rings. Ah well, didn't expect much today. Ria won Junior Bitch & Best Puppy, so we had the absolutely terrifying experience of going into a championship show (puppy) group! The ringside was absolutely packed. The puppies had been pre-judged and then made to wait in the collecting ring for ages whilst they finished the group, so although she went well then (already knew she didn't stand a chance, he was too disinterested in going over her!) she was tired by the time we all went in to the main ring. Still, apart from the fact she kept trying to get her head down to start with, once I got her going she went well - fingers crossed she looked good!

I also had a 2nd showing a dog for S & T - who nearly won the class, judge came back and asked me and the dog he placed 1st to move again - so not a bad day all round, really.

Oops - time flies.

Been to three shows since my last post. At the first one Elton was just entered in the Kennel Club Junior Warrant qualifying heat - he went beautifully but judge didn't seem to like little dogs! Ria got Best Puppy AVNSC and Reserve Best AVNSC.

The second one I just had Ria entered (gundog only show) - she had Best of Breed and Best Puppy in Breed, went beautifully in BIS where I knew she didn't stand a chance, then completely lost the plot for BPIS! She was tired, she'd had enough, concentration completely vanished...disappointing, but ah well. She's still only a baby.

That said - Ria turned 8 months old on Monday! Scary; where did that little baby puppy go?!

The Monday before last I took her to obedience again - and yet again didn't actually get to do obedience, as we went walking :-P

Over the last couple of weeks I've been trying to take her out every day to areas where we may encounter other dogs, I met someone with a black Lab who I know is lovely (working Guide Dog), Ria did her usual...she was just calming down and getting it into proportion when the IDIOT dog wasn't looking where she was going and canonned straight into the mans legs (he was standing still) - which scared her so much she put her tail between her legs and charged off in complete blind panic. *Rolls eyes*.

Wednesday was her first week of foundation agility. I believe she's the youngest in the class, but not by much - it's almost all young dogs of around a year, think the next youngest are 10½ months old and there are a couple of around 12 months.

It started off with a bus journey which was ok except for a group of teenagers that were messing about at the back and suddenly squealed, that started her barking (not good on a bus - but I quietened her fairly quickly), then we walked to the venue.

Great atmosphere when we walked in, and looking at what was set up it looks like they do 2x2 weaves, which is fab as far as I'm conerned! Bit difficult to pass judgement on the class as it was very introductory, but so far so good :-) Also like the fact the trainer understands all dogs are not Border Collies :-P

Third show was today, another open show. I'd hoped the judge may like Elton, but he was standing quite badly in front (since he lost the nail - it is growing back now so am hoping he feels better for next weekend!) and (more to the point) didn't behave that well. He mated his first bitch a couple of weeks ago and this was his first show since, so not sure if it was cos of that or just Elton being Elton! but either way when we all went round together he was not good (or assessable!) and although his triangle was better he just wasn't going properly. So he got a 3rd.

Ria won her class, Best Puppy AVNSC and Best AVNSC! Bit unfortunate when as the judge was going over her some dogs erupted and she jumped out of her skin - but I think recovered. Nothing in the groups, but when it came to the puppy group, for the first time I felt like she may actually be in with a chance, rather than just making the numbers up! So fingers crossed for next time :-)

Afterwards she had a lovely run off lead and I had a tired puppy for a couple of hours :-P

Show ground was actually surprisingly good :-) Ria looked good - raw, but good! However, this involved attempting to clean her up at 10pm and then her managing to add a couple of grass stains to her previously clean coat 5 minutes before she went in the ring! Yay. Oh, and her noticing a friend before I did which involved rather a lot of blood (mine).

She was a little sod in the ring - found a piece of food that someone had dropped and then obviously there had to be tons more everywhere :-P I had such difficulty getting her head off the floor and her concentrating. But she was ok, I forget she's still only seven months old. 2nd in Junior Dog/Bitch, beaten by a dog so we got to go into the challenge for Best Bitch - nada, still far too raw - but she did get Best Puppy in Breed :-)

Hadn't entered any stakes or anything today, and there were no puppy groups.

Took Ria to obedience on Monday, but the class ended up being abandoned in favour of a walk haha. She ran around like a maniac so I had to keep enforcing breaks, as she's still only young...and I have discovered a hole in my socialization - around other dogs in close proximity off lead. I will make sure to give her as much exposure as I can now, and hopefully that'll soon be overcome.

Went to ringcraft for the first time in I can't remember how long on Tuesday! She went well, and the hall even emptied to the point I snuck in a bit of obedience at the end :-P

Took her out for a walk on Wednesday, combing it with a training session....the hole in my dogs is always that I don't do enough away from home - it's physically so difficult for me to get out, which is so frustrating. They can be superb at home and then it all falls apart (to a degree) when we get out and about. I know exactly why and what I need to do about it, just wish it was that easy! We've been doing sending to a blanket at home recently, which she's been doing beautifully - would she do it out? No, she had to lie NEXT to the blanket! So I've made it bigger for outdoors and we'll have to do some more practise ;-)

Took Solei to agility last night and left Ria at home, much to her disgust! Solei was great :-) Little sod with his start lines, but to be honest I find it hard to be firm about that - he's so sensitive, and it's great that he's enjoying himself that much! Though I will sort it before it becomes a habit ;-) He did the seesaw (not properly yet) without flattening himself to it! Which is a first :-) and did a sequence of 3 jumps, tunnel, 3 more jumps all that full height....hope for him yet :-D

Hmmm! Champ show with Ria on Sunday, mum was only just okish to drive so only just got there. I was hopeful, as we'd finally got away from the other older litter so it was Ria versus her sister.

She managed to lose to her sister - on maturity! Had to laugh really :-P Yes my baby is raw, but she's 7 months old...she's allowed to be! Or so you'd think - apparently not! Her sister wouldn't even let the judge go over her, they had to clear the steward's table so she could be put up there.

However, all was forgiven when she went in the ProPlan Pup of the Year Puppy Bitch Stakes (64 entered) and came 3rd and I am now £7 and a 3kg bag of food richer!

Ria was jumpier than I've seen her, but apparently it wasn't obvious to anyone except me and she recovered every time - it was the things she's always been sensitive to, like dogs barking in a more "menacing" way, or crates crashing.

Went to obedience for the first time in a few weeks on Monday. I now have no use for the Beginner class (the one Ria was in, now she has her Bronze at the level she is at it has nothing really to offer) and most of the next class up are taking their Silver on Saturday, which I can't do - so I didn't see the point of going to that, given they would be doing a last practise! So given the top class is outside and I much prefer the polo field to the hall, I decided to take both Solei and Elton up there. I did a bit with both of them, playing to their strengths as at the moment they both just need confidence building! You all know about my Solei Saga (and he hasn't been to club for over a year) and Elton has barely been ever, and never been to a class on the field. So all this meant they did one retrieve each (Elton didn't....Solei forgot what he was meant to be doing and then did :-P), Elton did some heelwork (bit unsettled, it was the first thing) and distant control (nice, though struggling with one transition - can't remember which), Solei did some send aways (nice) and stop the dog (he didn't!).

Afterwards I was going to let Ria off for a run, but they ended up all getting to join in! Before long I couldn't really see them lol (too dark) so decided that was the time to call it a night! If I've got the energy to go next week, I am so taking Ria - she is probably already more capable than either of the boys haha

This has been an interesting weekend - another championship show, only an hour from my mother's aunt and uncle (Chichester) whom we haven't seen for a long time, so we took the opportunity to combine! Which meant leaving early Friday morning, going to the show and showing Elton, going to Chichester afterwards (which ended up being later than intended as the judging took a long time! Think we arrived about 6pm.) Spending Saturday with them, then leaving on Sunday morning to go back to the show for Ria! Then home. I missed agility on Thursday cos of the preparation :-(

Friday was interesting - we got 10 minutes from home and mum thought she'd forgotten something, so that was a delay! Then we ended up in the wrong place, at which point I realised I'd put the wrong postcode in my directions (oops!) and it was just one thing after another. It was rather muddy, but the main part of the ground seemed to have more or less escaped. Ria and Solei stayed at Solei & Elton's breeders motorhome with mum, whilst I went into the show with Elton. Judging was interesting, and I think I may have said before that Limit Dog is really not the place you want to be at the moment...though today was smaller than it has been; "only" 12 entered. Elton had a 5th, which was perfectly respectable.

When we arrived at Chichester chaos ensued! Eventually we got organised and the three dogs had the most wonderful time charging round the garden. Ria enjoyed a pigs ear whilst we ate which was rather a talking point....I wasn't quite sure what to say when they asked what it was! I even managed a short training session for Ria's tea ;-)

Friday night was restless - for us rather than the dogs! Though Elton did ask to go out in the night; his tummy is very easily upset. On Saturday morning there was more of the same, charging round the garden! The ground was soaking, so I ended up with two very wet dogs, and a very wet muddy one that's meant to be showing the next day! Oh puppies :-)

I'm lying here typing this on Saturday evening. Ria is lying beside me fast asleep, and the boys are both asleep in their crates. They've all been for a walk, and just before lunch we had an incident in the garden which means I now have a puppy who is wet, muddy and covered in chicken fat! Yeah :-P Dogs were all out running around, sniffing and in the boys case peeing up stuff....when I noticed I'd "lost" Solei. He was standing in one part of the garden growling at anyone who dared to come near! My great aunt had cooked a roast dinner, and it turned out that without thinking, she had poured the chicken fat on to the garden. It must have gone on the plants too, which of course they had brushed past...and Ria (probably being bigger) of course had more on her than any of them! Not what you need the day before a show, given I'd bathed her before we came because I knew I wouldn't have the facilities (mud tends to dry and then just brush out) and of course grease is a pain to remove.

So, shortly I need to try and get Ria in show condition, and then hope for a better nights sleep! I dread to think what condition the ground will be in tomorrow, as it's now had two days and some more water to get churned up!

Very proud of my dogs :-) Took them all to a companion show with obedience on Sunday. Ria did the pedigree AV Puppy class amd there were only three obedience classes; all 3 did the easier class and Elton did the harder one too.

Ria had a 3rd in AV Puppy, and the obedience was very productive :-) The easier class was just heel on lead, recall and 30 second sit and down stays. Ria had an absolutely shocking about turn during her heelwork! Which was rather costly, but other than that was nice for a baby. I need to work on her presents, she does tend to throw herself at me then goes into a crooked sit.....

Solei I was thrilled with :-) He seemed to enjoy it and worked well! Including coming first time on both recalls (had a run off). Although he should've been more than capable of the second class, I didn't want to do any "damage" so just left it at that - end well in his comfort zone having done well.

And Elton...<3 his first (easier) class his turns were a little loose, and I had the foot plates on my chair at the wrong height so he came in slightly crooked, but apart from that he was lovely :-) However, by the second class he was warmed up! His heelwork was stunning, he is fab for such a little dog - he doesn't watch me, which is a bit disconcerting but he is well aware of where I am and it means he maintains a much better position because he can come closer and stay there better. The rest of the round was nice too, he did his stays and he didn't sit up when I went back to him at the end of the down stay! (Which is a new problem I haven't had time to work on yet) The only very frustrating bit was the retrieve - he ran out after his dumbbell, then came back without it.....got a little confused (we have done very little with retrieve over the last few months because it was one of the things he went off completely when all our problems started, and I don't want to push it) but then went back out for it and did the most beautiful retrieve he's ever done :-D

In the first class Solei, Elton and a third dog tied for 2nd which was quite entertaining (not the first time I've had a run off with my own dogs!), so we had to do a run off - which, as mentioned, was another recall. Elton was faultless :-) and I thought Solei had mucked it up cos he came in crooked, but apparently that was better than the third dog - so Elton was 2nd and Solei 3rd! Ria also had a run off, for 5th/6th - having lost just ¼ mark more than the boys. Puppy exuberance meant she lost that (the same throwing herself at me then crooked sit problem!), and unfortunately they were only placing to 5th - but there we go, it was a large class so I was still happy with that!

Then Elton was 2nd in the second class! Courtesy of the retrieve or he'd have won it :-( but I was still delighted with him, he's young and inexperienced - I've had him in the ring less than 6 months, and hardly done anything "serious" with him, mostly sticking to the very basic or fun classes.

Gutted that on Monday that I'd entered an obedience show where I would almost certainly have qualified one of the boys for Crufts, and I had no transport to get there :-(

Agility started back yesterday, so I've lost my equipment :-( Shame, it was good having it - but I can go back to working on other things now, and it's nice to have the classes back! Solei went very well, he even did a sequence of jump, dog walk, tunnel, jump, jump, jump at full height and didn't go under any of them!

Well it's been an interesting 10 days!

On the 17th we went to an open show. I'd entered Ria in Rare Breeds and AVNSC Gundog Junior and Elton in the Open Papillon class. Rare Breeds was on first and Ria was 2nd, so as I then ended up stewarding she didn't go in her AVNSC class. Elton won his class, Best of Breed and Group 4 :-D So very pleased with him! He actually didn't show too badly either...better in breed than group, but c'est la vie!

Two days later I'd entered a champ show with Elton, but mum slipped over at the previous show, badly bruised her arm and couldn't drive. So as I can't get a lift with anyone else, I couldn't go. I ummed about what to do with Elton and he ended up going with his breeder, as I couldn't think of a good reason not to! Nobody else has ever shown him but me, and we encounted a problem I hadn't thought of when she took him in the ring - he was worried about feet! He's gone for "normal" walks before, but as I say - never been in the ring with anyone else. A couple of people that know him commented that he wasn't that happy, so he obviously didn't show brilliantly. Nothing there. Then he came home on three legs! No idea what he'd done as he was fine when they arrived home - he must've twisted it playing in the 10 minutes they were all out together before he was brought home!

On Sunday dad drove us to a companion show, which was fab! Ria had a 2nd in AV Puppy (to a Great Dane!). They had a heelwork to music demonstration with Richard Curtis, and afterwards he did a quick masterclass which I participated in with Ria :-) They also had a proper size agility course (just jumps/tunnels) which Ria did with poles on floor!

I ran it like a normal course with her and she was fabulous! The only problem was the chute, which she's never seen before....very unfortunately she was quicker than they counted on and just as she got to the entrance the woman grabbed the end, it made a noise and scared her...she wouldn't go near it after that. Arrgh! Will have to see if I can borrow one at some point, the boys could use a lot of work on it too. Solei will do it as long as you hold it wide open but not if he has to push at all, and Elton has never seen one!

There were also two classes of obedience...I entered Solei in both classes and Ria in the easier class - leaving Elton out because although much improved I wasn't sure if he was totally sound. Ria's heelwork wasn't too bad except for as we were coming along the back side of the ring, where there were people sitting ring side on a straw bale eating burgers! She saw those and concentration was gone....sooo glad it was heel on lead! :-X Solei's heelwork wasn't bad, but he went into shut down on the recall again and refused to come! So that blew that.

As Elton seemed ok and Solei was evidently not, they let me substitute so Elton did the harder class (poor boy lol) in his place. He decided he'd do his flattening to the floor again at the beginning of HOL (fine for HF), but after that was very nice, it was a bit dodgy because the ground was on a slight slope and the new chair (which is meant to be so brilliant on that kind of ground :-P) hated it and literally stopped every time I tried to corner, which obviously messed up things a bit...and he sat up on return in the down stay (this is another problem we're having at the moment!). He was just out of the placings! Pity I hadn't entered him in the easier class because I think he'd have done very well there.

Then today Ria has been on a real adventure! Mum still can't drive, and I'd entered an open show...but this one was not far and I could get cheap train tickets, so we decided to take the train! I took Ria to the station on Thursday because I had no idea what she'd think (this is my baby that when she was younger wouldn't go within a few metres of a speaker system and was petrified of engines!). She seemed ok, but that's a bit different to travelling on one!

So this morning mum, Ria, Elton and I caught the train down, walked to the show and then Elton's breeders brought him home whilst we caught the bus back, a shorter walk and another train! I was sooo proud of Ria - she handled the whole thing with no problem, such a star :-) The show was sort of a disaster - Elton got binned in open, though I handled a puppy to 3rd in the graduate class. Ria got Best Puppy AVNSC, but she was the only puppy....not sure if she was an anti-puppy judge or if it was cos she didn't know what she was or didn't like her, but she didn't go over her as she did the others (it was an open class, Ria was the youngest by over two years!) and seemed to discount her from the beginning. So she was 4th of 4! Nothing in the puppy group.

And I think Ria has hit the awkward obnoxious stage :-( arrrrrrrrrragh!

Well this is going to have to be rather a potted account as it's been longer than I thought since my last update!

So, yes - Paignton - Elton & Solei. Solei I was actually pleasantly surprised with - he worked first and he started off really nicely, but it was already quite hot, the ground wasn't the best and the heelwork pattern was very long - so it went downhill rapidly! He really seemed to struggle, you could see him seem to find it more and more of an effort. But it was still an improvement on the previous year!

Elton showed sooo well :-) He wasn't moving quite as well as he should because he was too enthusiastic :lol: but I had the dog I showed in junior back :-D which was just amazing (he is coming back, slowly...and we were off grass too, which helped). He got a 5th in Limit Dog, which I was a bit disappointed with, but in Limit it's still a decent result.

The next day I finally managed to get the tunnel out in the garden! Had a short session with the boys (one at a time) and a couple with Ria - except that fun thing she did at 15 weeks, the first time she's seen a tunnel! It went really well, very, very pleased with her :-)

Then came National Gundog. Umm...what can I say :-P Ria didn't go quite as well as at Paignton, but only in a bouncy puppy sort of way - only the occasional moment! She had a 2nd in Puppy Bitch, and was beaten by a (much older) puppy that was so terrified it refused to be gone over! It was really, really bad - she shouldn't even have been placed, much less won the class. So that was...umm...interesting.

The next day we had another open show, toys were inside and gundogs outside. The weather was awful, it poured most of the morning, then stopped and it was actually very pleasant - but unfortunately just as Ria's class (AVNSC Puppy) went into the ring it started raining again. So the judge didn't really go over them, and I think wanted to get it done asap! Ria went well until he moved us again at the end, when she just wasn't as settled. He pulled us out "as we were" which given Ria was on the end was not good - should've had her first lol

Elton, on the other hand, had Best of Breed out of a Papillon entry of 11 :-) So very pleased with him!

Monday evening was my obedience club's fun night. They had an agility course set up, so having been practising at home, Ria got to try a new tunnel! Only the tunnel - wasn't time for anything else. Elton did the tunnel too, but with a jump. I was going to put Solei round the course, but he decided it was more fun to do jump, jump, tunnel, bugger off :-P

10th was another open show. Elton wasn't very settled, had a 3rd. Went really well in the Junior Warrant heat at the end of the day, he was so tired he actually curled up and went to sleep on my lap whilst we were waiting! (big class) But it did mean he was lovely and settled on the move and really moved out, rather than messing about. Was still thrown out though! Maybe we can find an in between state? haha

Ria went really well, I was so proud of her. She was in AVNSC Puppy again, there were 5 in the class and she was the baby. She had 2nd! Beaten by an English Springer Spaniel who turned a year old the next day (and the ESS also had Puppy Group 3).

Sunday popped up to a fun day/companion show. Ria had a 4th in AV Puppy and Solei did the obedience and I thought was appalling but the judge disagreed and he got 2nd haha. Was going to do it with Ria and Elton too but decided to skip it. They had a little area set up with have a go agility - just three jumps in a straight line, round to a tunnel and then six weave poles. Having done quite a lot with Ria in the garden over the last couple of weeks I wanted to see what she'd done, so we put the jumps on the ground and I left her in a wait at the first jump....walked on to the third jump, called her and she came flying over the jumps! Had to show her a couple of times that I wanted her to go into the tunnel, but she did it eventually - and then I sent her round again in the same way but this time she did the tunnel no problem. Very impressed!

Then yesterday we've been to Bournemouth Champ Show. Toys and Gundogs on different days with a day between them and it's too far to go twice, so I'd only entered Ria. She had yet another 2nd (that's three champ shows done and three 2nds - I'd like 1sts but I'm not complaining, better than 3rd or lower!) but I was very pleased that the judge came out of the ring to find me and said was a lovely puppy she was :-) and to keep showing her, that it was very close between 1st & 2nd but the other puppy was just more mature (I'd hope so, she was nearly 11 months!)

Another show tomorrow! Then on Friday, and then after that it calms down - I've never done so many in such a short space of time before.

Wow, what a week.

So - last Wednesday was Ria's open show debut. She was in Any Variety Not Separately Classified (AVNSC) Graduate. I was expecting a large class so didn't have too many expectations. Elton was entered too, in the Papillon Open class.

Not impressed with the Papillon judging. It had been so hot and dry the ground was very spiky, and a lot of the little dogs wouldn't walk properly on it. Elton went REALLY well - he moved well, and stood beautifully. There were only two others in the class and neither of them moved as well, one of them went completely on strike, decided he didn't like the grass, didn't like the heat and put his tail down whilst looking thoroughly miserably and fed up. The judge placed Elton last. I'm used to Elton being placed lower than he should because a Phalene and open shows generally aren't a good combination...but that really took the biscuit. I was incensed.

Ria was in a class of six which was a lot smaller than I was expecting, and she was actually the only puppy. When we entered the ring four of the other dogs didn't turn up, so it ended as a class of two - which she won :-D and Best Puppy. She was beaten for Best AVNSC by a mature Chesapeake, that went on to Group 2.

I was feeling too rough for agility the next day, but mum went and picked up a tunnel and two jumps for me that they said I could borrow over August :-) so looking forward to getting those out!

The weekend was a two day obedience show. On Saturday I'd entered the boys in the Special Pre-Beginner Stakes, and Ria in the Special ABC class.

Solei never actually worked (long story), Elton did a lovely round except for deciding he'd flatten himself to the ground a couple of paces into heelwork. I called him back to heel and he then did some beautiful heelwork, silly dog :-P I thought he'd done badly so went home, it turned out he was actually in a run off for 5th/6th - so he got 6th by default, as we weren't there to run off. He was faultless on everything else.

Ria...wow, what can I say about Ria. I'd only put her in the Special ABC (Anything But a Collie) class as I thought it would be a fantastic experience for her first show - there were no stays, and you could reward after every exercise. Her heelwork was lovely, we had a slight blip on the recall where she tried to come with me (fine after I put her right - because she's not used to doing a full obedience round and is lacking in experience when I put her in a sit at heel position and then started off she thought we were doing more heelwork...so I left her in the down, no problem!) and the recall over jump was more of a recall around jump :-) but her trick went well - I decided to send her around me.

Having thought I hadn't had the best day there, I decided to go on to a companion show. Ria had a 2nd in AV Puppy (after a very tough decision by the judge, who couldn't decide whether to give 1st to her or a Beauceron!) and then we did the obedience.

Ria & Elton both worked the lowest class and actually managed to tie for 4th/5th position. I opted not to run off as they were both my dogs, so not quite sure who got what! lol

Solei & Elton both worked the second class - Solei went completely to pieces and decided he wouldn't come on the recall then went down in the sit stay (he has NEVER broken a stay in his life until then!), Elton did his flattening again (rolls eyes...why he's started this I don't know! He even did it outside the ring when he knew I had food) followed by lovely heelwork and came 2nd :-)

Solei also worked the top class, but just lost the plot entirely (this was before he worked the second class, I think if I'd done them the other way round I may have got a decent performance out of him in the easier class). It was also very hot, which probably didn't help.

On Sunday we were back at the obedience show. This time Ria, Elton & Solei entered in YKC Starters, and Solei doing the YKC Elementary class too.

By the time I'd been there five minutes three people had come over and said I had a rosette! This resulted in me being very confused as they were talking about different classes - it eventually transpired that Elton had got a 6th in the Pre-Beginner Stakes, but Ria had come 6th in the ABC class!! Thus the confusion - they were both sixth places.

That win qualifies Ria for the ABC finals! At the grand old age of 6 months 4 days! And the rosette is enormous :-)

Ria did a respectable round in the Starters class - heelwork was a little loose in places, but it was respectable. Elton - as seems to be usual these days - started off his heelwork by flattening, then was ok. Recall was superb, I'd taken the new chair and he's developed a new technique - he comes and puts his front paws on the foot plates! He is close, straight and his bum is on the floor so they can't really mark him for it (no-one has yet, and he did it for every recall all weekend!) and it is very cute. Solei did the best heelwork of the three of them, then blew it in the recall - he wouldn't! I was calling, and calling, and calling and he would NOT move from the spot. That's what Solei does when he gets himself in a state, he seems to worry about coming cos it might not be safe!

Ria won the class, Elton was 2nd and Solei 3rd. Both Ria & Elton were in qualifying marks but only 1st can qualify, so Ria has now qualified for the YKC Starters Obedience at Crufts 2012!

Solei managed a 3rd in the Elementary class, his recall was better. So that was the weekend - what a weekend!

Monday was meant to be the last run through for Ria's Bronze Good Citizen award, but I was unable to make it having done obedience both days at the weekend and with a champ show coming up on Tuesday and Wednesday - so fingers crossed Ria is ok when it comes to the test!

Today I have been at Paignton with Ria, her very first championship show. I was very nervous as it was the first time Kooiker people had seen her since she was four months old and my first time in the ring with them! Thankfully Ria's class (Junior Dog or Bitch) only had three dogs in, one being owned by her breeder, so wasn't as scary as it could've been!

The judge was very heavy handed at her first show and when he got to her back end whatever he did made her go "oh sh!t" and she was quite unhappy, very very frustrating as she's always been SO good about being gone over - I was a bit concerned as a baby cos she would stand like a rock, it was too good for her age! lol

Apparently it has left a lasting impression - she wasn't atrocious, but not as solid as she had been. However, as she was so good prior to Wednesday hopefully she'll soon recover. She's still fine with people! The other exhibitors commented on how friendly and well socialized she was, which was lovely to hear.

She was rather lacking in maturity compared to the others (there is her at 6 months 7 days, the others were 12 months (only in puppy by the "first day of show" rule) and nearly 14 months!) but got a 2nd, and Best Puppy in Breed :-D Sooo pleased with her, she behaved really well except for the slight uncertainty about being gone over.

So by 6 months 7 days Ria has done her first show, won her class and BPAVNSC, qualified for the ABC finals, qualified for the obedience at Crufts, qualified for breed at Crufts and got BPIB at her first champ show! WOW.

Back again tomorrow - Elton's turn, and Solei in the obedience. Hoping there won't be a repeat of Solei in the obedience at Paignton last year, but after the weekend....arrrgh

Good grief, what a couple of weeks. Bit behind, so some details will be rather patchy! Did obedience on the 18th with Ria, can't remember it so it must've been fairly uneventful! Then the following day I had a phone call from S+T who were away with the caravan...they'd left a bitch with someone and she had vomiting/diarrhoea with blood and could I pick her up? It just got better from there! When I brought her home Solei threw himself on her, and before I could stop him stuck his nose underneath and licked...I shall leave it to your imagination what he licked :-P Anyway, he contracted it from that. Couple that with Elton having an upset tummy the previous couple of days cos of eating too much chicken at the show, and I ended up with sick dogs for a week and a half....which felt like ever such a lot longer!

So on that Wednesday I took Elton and Ria out into the garden for a bit of obedience practise (show in 10 days, Ria not been on grass, practise needed!) and then I took my life in my hands (after the last time when I vowed never again...) and took Elton to agility that evening! I was actually really pleased with him, he was nothing like the previous time and seemed to enjoy it :-) Put it this way - I'd try it again! The only hiccup was after we'd been doing the tunnel for a bit and I swapped to sending him in the other end, he tried to come out so someone stood in front of it...and not sure if they stood on him, but he cried out and then wouldn't have anything more to do with it. But that could also have been cos he wasn't sure what I wanted.

Bathed my visitng dog on Thursday cos she was covered :-( and had the two youngsters out in the garden again. I've actually had at least Ria out for some practise pretty much every day.

Had a weekend off - luckily it was planned anyway, as it was enforced due to poorly dogs!

Run through for Ria's Bronze Good Citizen Award on Monday, then in the bath on Tuesday (her 6 month birthday, what a present!) for her show debut on Wednesday!

More about that next time...

Ria still needs to build confidence with other dogs...although she's unrecognisable from the dog I first took to ringcraft at 9? weeks she still has issues with certain dogs - esp those that are black (or have a black head) or are large - or both!

At ringcraft last Tuesday an afghan turned up, now when she was little it came into the hall and...how do I describe young Afghans? Once met, never forgotten! They jump around all over the place and they're just very bouncy. This dog scared Ria, and she hasn't forgotten - she was a little better on Tuesday until she was doing a triangle and ended up a couple of metres away from the Afghan - that was that!

She also decided to bark at a black Lab in the distance - who she'd been playing with 10 minutes before! Never the less, on the whole she is coming along.

Solei was introduced to the see-saw for the first time since he last did agility a couple of years ago on Thursday...he still doesn't like it! I think it's going to take more work to get him over it than is worth putting in, but I'll see how he goes. He is, however, sequencing nicely - including jumps, tunnels (but not the chute! He still hasn't worked out he can push through the cloth and it won't hurt :-P), dog walk and a-frame.

Ria was much the same, though I was much "tougher" about her having to be on a loose lead to get anywhere...maybe eventually (though we did manage it most of the time)

Then this weekend...what can I say!

On Saturday we went to a local companion show. I only took Ria & Vale, Vale had nothing in veteran and a 4th in waggiest tail.

Buuuttt.....Ria won the Any Variety Puppy class and had Best Puppy in Show :-D :-D Sooo chuffed with her - especially as she's still not quite 6 months.

Yesterday I'd entered both boys in an open show - Solei doing his first veteran class, having celebrated his seventh birthday on Saturday! I was not impressed.

I got Elton into the ring, and he was good, showing quite well. Judge couldn't take her eyes off him...I got that feeling when you know the judge is looking hard and even as we started going round she just kept looking at him, I could "feel" it and she was looking everytime I looked up....but Elton was on the end behind this bitch...which apparently must have been in season. It was ok when we were standing, but as soon as we started going round he picked up the scent...he was "ok" but pulling forward rather, trying to jam his nose up her bum.

And it went downhill from there!

He wouldn't stand on the table because he wouldn't take her eyes off her....so I tried standing him the other way and he almost fell off trying to lean forward! He wouldn't move properly down the mat because he couldn't see her...and he wouldn't move properly back up the mat cos he was trying to get to her!

He wouldn't stand at the end because if I was between them he was trying to peer round me, if I let him face her he was trying to pull to get to her. He wouldn't eat anything, so bribery was out of the question.

And to add insult to injury, I think the judge really liked him! Even at the end after all that she still kept coming back to look. He got a 3rd (out of 5) in the end - which was pretty good given he must have been fairly unassessable!

In other slightly better news Solei went well, for Solei (he's never gonna be Elton :-P) and that dog still moves so well. He got a 2nd, which wasn't bad for his veteran debut!

Then they were doing a companion show after the open show which I didn't know about until we arrived. I would've just put Ria in and called her 6 months, but seeing as she was in the catalogue for the open show (not for competition) with her date of birth I thought I'd better check...so asked the man and he said "you didn't tell me that!" - so Ria did the companion show! She got a 4th out of 10+ puppies, all of whom were obviously older than her and had come from the open show - so very pleased with her, and she won a carrot toy!

I wasn't sure whether to put her in or not as it had been quite a long day and she'd had a couple of jumpy moments, but I decided it would be a fantastic experience to show in a "proper" show environment - especially as given the time of year - except for Exeter 3 weeks ago - so far all her show experiences have been outdoors. She handled it well - didn't like the Pointer (solid black head!) standing outside the ring, and had a couple of "oo er" moments at noises and a screaming Shiba, but apparently nothing that even showed from ringside :-) and I got her focused on me offering behaviours which worked a treat! She resisted showing her teeth (usually she doesn't bat an eyelid) but other than that she stood well to be gone over and moved fantastically.

We have a weekend at home next weekend, so that was her last show before the "real" thing! Arrrghhh! :-)

Mmm, interesting times!

Took Ria for a trip to a feed store on Wednesday to pick up some more dog food - which they didn't have! So will have to go elsewhere...but it was another new experience for her. I did a little obedience in the aisles, all good practise! Got to make the most of every opportunity haha :-)

Solei went back to agility on Thursday! After having the whole of June off, I was interested to see what he would do. Ria was very happy to see her friend (a young Bearded Collie) again, and apparently ate enough horse poo to give herself explosive diarrhoea and keep me up half the night. Yay puppy.

Solei...wow, bottle it kplzthx! He was actually interested in a toy as well as food so I was able to throw it for him and interchange them throughout the class which was awesome. His first sequence he was enjoying himself so much he ran past half the jumps, then came back and did them at lightning speed and then had to run a few circles XD He was completely out of control, but oh boy was he enjoying himself! After that he settled and was going really well. We'll see if it's worn off for next week, but this week we both had an awful lot of fun. Might be life in the old dog yet :-) But this is exactly what makes it so difficult to know what to do (or not) with him.

Spent the weekend at two companion shows - Saturday was really good, if Ria shows that well when it comes to the bigger shows I'll be happy :-) I thought she may have won but she was very much the baby (especially as they're meant to be 6 months and she isn't actually yet lol) and was beaten by a "mini adult" Border Terrier - still, 2nd to the BPIS we won't complain at!

Vale had 1st in Best Companion Dog, and there was also an obstacle course (which was actually a combination of rally and agility) which I did with Solei and Ria (adapting it to be age appropriate, obviously).

Ria decided the tire was really scary, and the yellow/white and red/white jumps were going to get her...but the blue/white ones weren't so bad :-P We had the honour of the slowest time on the course whilst I worked through her...umm..."issues"!

Solei on the other hand went really well :-) and completed the course with no penalties and in the 5th fastest time.

Sunday was rather a disaster - we got hopelessly lost to start with, and arrived late - the puppy class was already in the ring. I was actually surprised we hadn't missed it, but I got Ria into it by the skin of my teeth! She didn't show as well as Sunday, but the ground wasn't as good either - it has an even bigger impact on her that it does on the Paps, because I can't go as fast (the chair puts power into dealing with the bumps, so is physically unable to go as fast!) so we'll have to hope for a relatively smooth surface when she's showing outside! She had a 3rd, so still not bad.

Vale was 2nd in Golden Oldies (9+), Vale + Elton were actually binned in the Irish (most different) Brace - yeah, I mean a large yellow Labrador and a small black & white Phalene...I can see how you'd think they're too similar. They're even opposite ages (born 1999 & 2009) and genders! Solei & Elton faired slightly better in the regular brace, getting 3rd - I must get a proper brace lead for them.

Elton did some superb obedience in the car park on Saturday, and outside the ring on Sunday....then when I got him in the ring in the Irish Brace he locked on to a smell and I lost him again :-( I was just getting excited! But it's still progress, so as long as we get there in the end - before too long - I'll be happy.

I meant to try some lemon juice under his nose as two people have suggested it now, but forgot! So will have to try and remember to try that before his next important show. Don't want to try it for something important incase it distracts him.

Yesterday we got through another obedience class with no drama! Ria was fantastic, very proud of her...and Elton was very good too :-) He even held a 3 minute down stay! Then sat up as I went back :-P

Ringcraft tonight - and match night. I ummed and ahhed about Elton all day (he is such a little so and so at present) and eventually decided to take him.

Ria went quite well, we're getting there...judge liked her and said she moved well but she didn't know enough about them to want to put her up (this was after I'd told her what she was, not actually sure if she knew what she was when judging her....)

Elton...wow, I'm so glad I took him. He absolutely showed his socks off....he was the Elton I fell in love with that I haven't seen for at least six months (and the last time he showed this well was last year, no exaggeration). He was amazing :-) He's reduced me to tears so many times over the last few months, I've completely lost him in a sea of adolescence and hormones....I can't tell you what it meant to see the dog I fell in love with back :-D Hopefully it'll be onwards and upwards now and it wasn't just a one off.

So I was over the moon enough just with how he showed - but he went on to win through to the end (knock out system) and then went Best in Match :-D

Very tired, very happy and off to bed now!

Urgh, not a good day at Windsor Champ Show. We left early with all three dogs, as S+T were once again motorhoming. When we arrived I took Ria for a walk around the caravan site, then left her in a pen at the motorhome with mum (Solei had to be crated, as unless he's preoccupied (usually by a bitch!) he thinks pens are for jumping out of...) whilst I went off to the show with Elton.

Elton was in a very competitive Limit Dog class of 14, with all the big names :-( He was ok - fairly typical of the Elton that I have these days. He moved quite well when we all went around together, but his triangle/up & down wasn't as good. We got chucked :-( Again!

I had also entered him in the Stakes, which were in a ring right at the other end of the show ground (we were ring 22, they were ring 2!) with no time (great!) but after three breeds, so I kept going backwards and forwards to the ring to see what was happening. When I went down the last time they were on the bitches of the third breed, which only had 10-15 entered - so I asked the steward if they were going straight on with stakes afterwards (thinking they may be stopping for 10 minutes or so) and he said they were stopping for lunch and stakes wouldn't be before two. I checked with him three times to make absolutely sure, he confirmed 2pm.

Later that day I went to the secretary to find out what was happening as there was no-one in the ring, only to be told they'd done them at 12:50pm!! I was not happy, especially after Elton's breed class....so I went back to the motorhome, grabbed Ria and took her for a walk along by the Thames to clear my head!
It's so lovely down there, we had a lovely walk and met a gorgeous Corgi pup that was Sandringham-bred! Ria had a great time running around and her recall was superb. The only incident was when a couple came along with 5 Alaskan Malamutes (all on lead) and I called Ria back and was holding on to her collar feeding her (thought we may be ok as she's used to Malamutes from ringcraft, but wanted to make sure!) - she was ok, but one of the Malamutes started barking at her - which then set her off :-( She used to be awful with barking dogs - they'd really scare her - and although she's much better now she still really doesn't like it....so that undid a lot of my work with other dogs. Aragh - other people's dogs.

Obedience rolled around again yesterday and for once we actually managed to get through the evening with no major incidents! Although the GSD barked a couple of times it wasn't whilst Ria was doing anything, she didn't manage to pull any chairs over(!) and it was generally relatively uneventful :-D She behaved really well as well - she was starting to lose concentration by the end of the class, but it's a long time for a baby brain to concentrate for. She is actually one of  the better ones in the class at the moment, I'm so proud of my baby dog <3

Decided not to take Elton as the class looked quite big and I wasn't really in the right mood....did a bit with him outside before we left and he was fantastic - not sure if it was the surface, but when I did Distant Control he was kicking up from a down to a stand with his back legs so he didn't move forwards :-D which is great. His heelwork was lousy, but that's ok - I'm sacrificing accuracy for enthusiasm at the moment!

Last Saturday was Ria's first "proper" show experience....she's been to a few companion shows and one open show before, but it was part of an agricultural show (Bath & West) and so a completely different atmosphere.

I was actually very pleased with her. She was a bit nervous of some of the other dogs - especially large and/or black ones. Including a black Pekingese! - but on the whole I was very pleased with her, and she coped much better than I thought she might. I was actually very lucky because it was a beautiful day and a lot of the breeds were being judged outside and people had set up out there, so the building was a lot quieter and emptier than usual - but still busy enough. Perfect for a young pup at her first show :-)

She was admired by many and I even took her around the ring which was all good experience! I can't believe as I'm writing this it's less than four weeks until her first "real" show in which she's showing .

Took her to obedience on Monday, which of course couldn't be without drama! We were doing individual recalls and I was really pleased with her...she sat and waited whilst I walked across the room, I turned round and called her upon which she started towards me. Just as she arrived a dog behind her growled/barked which she jumped at but would've been ok - unfortunately that started a German Shepherd off! Poor Ria leapt out of her skin and ended up on the other side of the room. She came back to me when I called and we did eventually manage to repeat it successfully, but she was not happy for the rest of the class then. Had her ears pinned back and was very jumpy.

Then there was Elton! He was as last week outside the hall, so I took him in for the class - and although it wasn't the best selection of exercises (we spent half the class practising a "road walk" for the silver good citizen award) he was definitely more like the old Elton I love so much :-) So that was positive!

Ringcraft on Tuesday, outside again....what can I say except more practise needed lol. Badly needed, as her first shows will be on grass and we just haven't got it together yet. Too many interesting smells, anything that looks vaguely different to grass (a leaf..etc) has to be thoroughly investigated cos it may be edible :-P and I need to work on the angle she stands on to me, cos at the moment it's funny more often than not.

We went walking on Wednesday....I took her to a park that she's never been to before. Recall wasn't quite as good as usual but not bad, it wasn't helped by the fact there were some teenagers near by that were making me decidedly nervous!

Walking again on Thursday - I took her down the road to the vets and got her weighed (she's put on nearly 4lbs in a month!) and then walked home through the back so she could have a bit of a run. She took exception to a cut down tree! I have no idea why, but what was left of it (a very substantial trunk) was apparently very scary :-P

And walking yet again yesterday! Took her to a new area for both of us, so kept her on lead for safety as I didn't know what was ahead...we didn't go far, only about 15 minutes, she was not good! Too exciting, controlled walking was not particularly controlled.

I keep meaning to put fingers to keyboard for an update about my boys, but every time my brain has the energy to compose anything I seem to need to do a Ria catch up!

So - Solei. I've been doing a lot of thinking about him over the last couple of weeks....I really don't know what to do. We can't seem to fully get on top of whatever is going on with him, but some of the time he's really enjoying what he's doing and he's very good, some of the time he's just not there. If he was just not enjoying it then the decision would be easy....but when he's on form he seems to really enjoy it. He will have another chiropractor appointment in about 3 weeks, so I'll see what she says.

In particular I'm not sure about the agility....I think I'd be kidding myself to think he's ever going to get to competition level - though he may manage a UKA casual jumping class, eventually!

I was at the point of throwing in the towel, but I've decided to take him back this month and see what happens. I'll give him the rest of the year to see what happens with the obedience (which in reality is less than two months because of the "off season") and then I guess decisions will have to be made....

He has his seventh birthday in just over two weeks time so he's not a young dog, but in a breed like a Papillon (or Phalene!) where you wouldn't consider it unusual for a dog to make it to 15....

Then there is Elton! I posted in about March about the problems I've been having with him...well it hadn't got any better! Occasionally I got glimpses, but on the whole nothing had changed. So when we came home from the championship show just over three weeks ago I decided enough was enough....and my new strategy began! Since then Elton has been in Ria's puppy area - which has caused a few problems thanks to Solei and his obsession with her, but she's a fairly good puppy which is nice :-)

I've also got him eating consistantly by mixing a little egg with one meal, and a little tripe with the other.

I'm actually getting my Elton back before meal times :-D Ok I have to use high value stuff as he still won't eat kibble or naturediet, but the attitude is back :-D

Mum sat with him in the hall during Ria's obedience class last week and when I came out I tried to do a little obedience with him....have tried this a couple of weeks previously and he didn't want to know. I even tried a class a few weeks ago - disaster! Well tonight outside the class he was great :-D So I'll do the same next week, and if the same thing happens I'll take Elton in to the next class and see what happens :-)

He showed better than he has for a month today, but it was inside which probably helped.

So hopefully onwards and upwards as far as he is concerned....as long as next week goes to plan I'll be taking him back to obedience, in other things he'll continue showing and I'm umming about starting agility with him this autumn/winter. The big problem with agility is the floor at the place we train at...it literally dreadlocks the coat. It's bad enough with Solei, but Elton is nearer the ground and has more coat...I'm just not sure I want to deal with it, especially whilst I'm trying to keep him in show condition!

We were meant to be outside at obedience on Monday, but the evening arrived rather wet. After last week I ummed and ahhed about whether to go or not. Had we been outside I wouldn't have been so bothered, but the class is large at the moment and in the hall it's all a bit much. In the end I decided to go and see how many people turned up and then decide.

When I arrived the numbers were just ok, so I decided to take her in. It was definitely an improvement on last week :-) She is very sensitive, but then as a breed they are. She managed to loop her lead under a chair and almost pull the damn thing on top of herself! Luckily my reactions were actually present (for once) and I caught it before it landed. She was ok, but very jumpy for the rest of the evening - even something like her lead rubbing on top of the gate was scary!

We have some work to do now, because I've been offered the opportunity for her to take her Bronze Good Citizen Award in August. We need a bit more practise in the training environment, cos it's all so exciting and loose lead walking goes out of the window initially. I also need to do some more stay practise with her - she has very good stays, but I haven't asked for one the duration of a minute yet. Aragh, scary!

Ringcraft was inside again on Tuesday. Pup was rather all over the place! I cannot crack this moving...partly my fault, I need to do more practise....but either I give her head and she pulls too much and/or sniffs the floor, or I get her attention in which case she's looking up at me (often still moving ahead so she's looking back over her shoulder slightly) which throws her movement off. We only have a month to sort it now, which is five ringcraft sessions...not long! Though obviously we will practise away from ringcraft too.

The weather was nice yesterday afternoon, so I took Ria for a little walk....part on and part off lead. She had a lovely time charging round in circles when off lead, though I do wish she wouldn't insist on doing so on concrete....I try, but she's terrible for running around on surfaces I'd really rather she didn't and I'm concerned she may be doing damage. I took a cone, dumbbell and target with me....didn't use the target, tried sending her around the cone a couple of times which was fine....and discovered dumbbell needs more work! She wouldn't do a clean retrieve, though in hindsight I think the surface didn't help - the ground was quite long, and she was having trouble picking it up. We also practised some loose lead walking....might get there eventually! She has yet to learn the balance - she either pulls, or does competition style heelwork (well, it's far from that - her position is terrible lol - but in so far as constantly looking up at me....which is not only unsustainable, but not what I want!)

Today we visited the garden centre again! We wandered around - again attempting the lead practise! - and Ria encounted an African Grey in a cage which she wasn't at all sure of (and let us know!). In the clothing department we came across a full length mirror, which again she's never seen before. She couldn't quite work it out to start with! Was a bit unsure, then tried to get it to play, then checked behind it to see where the other dog was hiding...and gave up!

I took the opportunity to do some practise with some dropped items - there was a pair of gloves on the floor which I asked her to pick up for me, and she did :-) Likewise with a metal thing off a display (had a bit of trouble grabbing hold of it, but got there eventually! She's struggling with metal at the moment - will pick it up, but is having trouble getting hold of it properly) and a plastic bag :-) Very proud of how she's coming along.

She was admired by many, and I'm starting to wish she was a more common breed! Almost everyone asks what she is, and when I tell them you can see them thinking "what kind of designer breed is that?" or else that I'm making it up entirely! I suppose it doesn't help that is a strange name. I'm thinking of turning her into a Border Collie or BC cross :-P

She hasn't been to agility at all this month as I pay by the month (only way I can afford it :-P) and the first two Thursdays of the month clashed with shows, so as I wouldn't have been able to attend I've had to skip the whole month! As it's a five week month they're doing a clear round night next week (a month only covers four weeks, so in months with five weeks they run a pay on the night clear round night) but I don't think there's any point in me going, chances of Solei running one course and not going under the jumps are very slim...never mind 3 or 4 courses! And once he starts going under he won't go over unless you lower them so he can't. That's Solei - never put effort in when you don't have to! He was always the same to show, couldn't be bothered to keep his tail up.

But she is going to watch at her very first (not attached to any other event & indoor) open show tomorrow...that'll be interesting!

Took Ria to ringcraft on Tuesday, which was outside for the first time this year. Nice to get some practice on grass at this time of year! Especially as Ria will be doing her first show (outside) in just over 5 weeks (where has the time gone?!) and the only practice we'd done on grass was the companion show last Saturday.

She was very good as usual, though not so much on the move - we definitely need more practice on grass! Dropped treats and so many SMELLS! To say nothing of rabbit poo....

I've been feeling guilty about not getting her out enough....or rather not to enough different places. In recent weeks we've done little outside ringcraft, obedience or agility classes and maybe a show (which will usually be lots of different experiences as the types of shows I'm taking her to are often held alongside fetes or other attractions). I have a lot of issues with energy due to my condition, and it's been so chaotic lately all the energy I have - and some I don't! - has just gone.

So Wednesday I took her into town. I'm definitely making progress with her :-) I had plenty of treats, but she walked along the high street (first time she's ever done that, it was delayed because of her problems with engines after the motorbikes) which was fantastic :-D Then I sat outside the supermarket with her and we did a bit of practise at walking nicely on a lead (we're still working on the concept of the reinforcement zone, often not too successfully lol) and also at her picking up stuff for me :-)

I can't remember what I've posted here about my plans for Ria - I bought her for show, obedience and agility - but also to attempt to train as my service dog. We haven't got any further than picking things up for me (which is a work in progress - she's pretty good, but I still need to generalise the behaviour a bit more) but she's already making a difference :-) So often I drop things and she will (eventually) pick them up for me....quite funny as when we were outside the supermarket there was a cardboard fast food container, which she decided I obviously wanted - so she picked it up and gave it to me! haha <3

Yesterday saw us at another companion show. We pulled into the car park to be met by llamas! There was a look of horror on Ria's face (though not as much as the llamas :-)), as she barked and barked at them for all she was worth. However, once out of the crate she quickly calmed down and was merely curious at these funny creatures.

In the ring she showed very well, though the ground was horrendous so moving was interesting anyway. She caused great hilarity amongst those watching when whilst waiting for her turn she had one of her "moments" which involves shooting from one end of the lead to the other, throwing a few circles in the mix, and trying to get everyone and everything to play! There was a pug sitting outside the ring which she barked and backed off from at first, it's interesting how so many dogs don't like the brachycephalic breeds - to start with, anyway.

I was told by someone she doesn't look 6 months - funny that :-) I almost put my foot in it when I replied!

As far the others, Elton didn't show (he's overqualified for the pedigree classes), Solei had a 2nd (out of two :-P) in AV Toy - only put him in because there was an AV Toy. He moved well, but I could tell the moment I got him out of his crate he wasn't right...funny, because he'd been fine 15 minutes earlier! He may have jolted something jumping on my lap I suppose - and Vale had a 2nd in Best Veteran & nothing in waggiest tail.

Wow, what a busy weekend!

On Saturday we went to a companion show....you have to be six months to enter, and Ria won't be 6 months until next month, but we both really need the ring experience so...*cough* she became 6 months for the day!

Only took the girls - put Ria in Any Variety Puppy & Prettiest Bitch for extra ring exposure and Vale in Best Veteran. Ria had a 3rd in AV Puppy, nothing in the novelty class and nothing for Vale either (very odd way of doing the veteran class - she didn't move them at all, not even together)

I was very pleased with my pup :-D She was FANTASTIC....stood like an absolute rock when being gone over, didn't move a muscle. Judge even commented on how good she was (and that she could only just be 6 months....I said yes, first show! Don't think she believed she was 6 months lol but people don't worry too much at those shows). She has moved better, but then she's never shown on grass before. It was still perfectly respectable! Great practice for her.

Then Sunday was the Kooikerhondje Club of Great Britain's very first show, which they were also holding a fun day in conjunction with. Unfortunately it poured with rain all day which was such a shame as a village fete style fun day just couldn’t be done properly inside. Especially as club shows do tend to go on a bit....despite a small entry (well, large for Kooikers but you know what I mean!) it takes so long to sort out the photos and “stuff”, by the time they’d finished the show a lot of people had gone home. So they had an egg and spoon race with dog over a few jumps and through a tunnel (the dog not the human!) and a sausage race, but that was all that was left of the fun day.

The puppy parade they were meant to be doing before judging started never happened either, which was a shame :-(

Kooikers tend to be not very good with other dogs....I've never had a problem with Ria before, bit nervy and this barking at other dogs as of last week (in a worried way)....but she went for both her sisters whilst we were there. Oops. Though not every time she was near them...she's not done it to another dog before or since so hopefully it won't become a problem.

As far as her size - I wasn't particularly worried before we went after seeing her sister at the caravan, so I was hoping that I wouldn't be more worried after I'd seen her up against her sisters! I'm not :-) in fact I think she may even be a smidgen smaller than one of them. Though you wouldn't really know she was related! I haven't seen pup #4, but her two sisters are so like each other....and then there is Ria! Not that that's a bad thing, Ria is looking nice - and her breeder is "very pleased" with her.

Yesterday evening I took her to obedience, which wasn't very successful...she just wasn't enjoying it or being cooperative at all. I'm hoping she was just tired after a busy weekend, rather than this being the start of problems. Of course it had to be the day she showed me up in front of someone I really don't need to be shown up in front of! Who has never seen Ria in a class before either, so as far as she is concerned this is the norm.

Argh, onwards and upwards!