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!

Match night at ringcraft on Tuesday - Ria's first "official" one. Rather disappointing - judge didn't give the baby puppies a fair go (read - she didn't even go over them!). Ria didn't win, but she didn't move too badly. We'll get there eventually!

I also took Elton but there were other Papillons there and he wouldn't move properly...he was fine away from them, but the moment he got close he went all stupid and wanted to pull over and say hello! Judge got me to move him again but he did the same, so we lost that :-P Irritating cos I think she wanted to give it to him - but Elton will be Elton!

Talking of Elton...yesterday we went to Three Counties Ch Show. I was less than impressed to arrive and see Elton was in a class of 26 dogs XD

I employed a new strategy this time....stood by the ring with him on the floor during the previous class, then got him into his class early so he could sniff about. Good news is it worked! To a degree, anyway.

He's not moving so well at the moment - I can feel he's jumping about a bit, I think that's because the ground has been quite bumpy at the last couple of shows so the chair is all over the place and he is copying....though apparently he was jumping over the dirt patches yesterday!

Up shot was he wasn't the judges type and got binned, but I was encouraged that he showed better! So hopefully onwards and upwards....two and a half weeks off now, then (maybe) an open show, then his next big champ show on 3rd July.

Ria came because S+T are carvanning (well, motorhoming) and so she could stay at their motorhome :-) Although she wasn't allowed in the actual show it was a great experience for her...we've discovered we don't like Rottweilers, Bernese Mountain Dogs or Bullmastiffs :-P

Elton disgraced himself on Saturday! It was Southern Counties Championship Show.

I got him in the ring and he glued his nose to the floor. I tried to stand him, and he would NOT listen - he was obsessed with this spot on the floor. I pulled him away, he dragged me back...so I moved him off the spot, circled him, waved food in front of his nose....he eventually conceded to stand very badly with his tail half down looking thoroughly miserable for about a second before he went back to the ground! By this point the judge had finished looking at all the other dogs and was standing in front of me waiting....he stood there a while, eventually gave up because Elton would just not cooperate.

So he threw any chance of doing anything in that class away before we even started! To add insult to injury when we were all going around he then found another smell (had been going quite well) and decided to drop to the floor to attend to it....literally, just flattened himself. Whilst looking at me with a "you beat me" look!! Ground swallow me up now please.....

He does do that, but never in the ring before - he'll do it if he wants to poop (which he didn't, he'd been before we went in the ring) because he has to find the right "spot" (usually up against something) so he won't just go - has to be dramatic! - and he'll also do it on walks if he wants to stop for any reason, usually to sniff or pee (he doesn't get away with it :-P).

Luckily for him it wasn't a wasted journey as the people that have Katie, Ria's sister, were caravanning so I'd arranged to go over and see her :-) Can't believe how different they are! I was so nervous about seeing her in case Ria looked awful in comparison (comforted by the fact at least they wouldn't be seeing Ria so I would have time to "prepare"!), but I think it was positive...Katie probably has a slightly sounder temperament, but I'm working hard with Ria and she's not bad. The whole time I was there I was trying to gauge size in my head...find things to compare Katie to so that I could then do the same with Ria once we got home.

It was very difficult, not least because as I say they are so different....and Katie is very fat, Ria is leggy and rather lean at the moment. However, I'm not sure Ria is that much taller :-) So fingers crossed!

It's been bothering me that I haven't done nearly as much as I've wanted to with Ria over the last few weeks. She's done little besides attending ringcraft/obedience/agility and the occasional show. So yesterday I made myself get her out (so little energy, so much to do!) because I knew if I didn't do it then it wouldn't get done that week, too much else on!

We are "lucky" enough to have a motorway bridge not far from home - far enough that we don't hear it, but only a very short walk. So at lunch time Ria and I walked up there and sat on the bridge for a bit! I'd taken her lunch up with me so I could feed her as since the motorbike incident engines are not her strong point, esp revving/at speed or motorbikes! She was really good...I was pleasantly surprised. Even when a motorbike came past. Food helps :-D We walked back a different way where she could be off lead, she's growing in confidence and enjoyed that! She still doesn't go far from me but she was running circles and zig zags which was nice to see....recall was still very good :-)

Later that day I did something I may live to regret and invited her up on the bed for a "proper" cuddle for the first time! It was wonderful <3 We had such a nice time snuggling. Love that puppy.

Then this evening I took her to obedience again. Nothing much to report, it was a very large class (10 I think) because they've just finished a puppy course....it happens every 8 weeks! The puppy class finishes and they all come up to the next class, then after a week or two enthusiasm dies, most of them disappear and everything goes back to "normal"! Ria was very good, it's nice to have one or two younger puppies in the class with her; though she's still the youngest.

Ringcraft tomorrow and then another Ch show on Thursday....please let Elton behave :-P

I think Ria enjoyed her time at the obedience show on Sunday! She wasn't as worried about the trains as I thought she would be, and it was lovely to get her out and about around the show. We did a few little bits of obedience and she was fantastic for just 4 months <3

I spoke with Ria's breeder on Monday night, I've been slightly concerned about her size for a while...when I told her what she measured there was an exclamation followed by a deathly silence! Yeah, not good. She said she was perturbed!

On Tuesday morning she rang back and said she didn't like to ask the owners of her sister what she measured because she didn't want to draw attention to her height, but she'd found out what her sister weighed - 7kg! Massive - this is a breed that should only be 9-11kg as an adult. They are experienced and hadn't said they were concerned about her size, I've since found out she is very overweight so that explains that. But anyway!

Ria hadn't been weighed in 6 weeks, so on Tuesday afternoon I took her to be weighed - the first place we went to I know the scales aren't always 100% and I didn't believe them! So off we went to a second place....and she weighed 4.5kg :-) She is a little on the lean side so I'm making it 5kg to (hopefully) be safe....which isn't out of the way for a Kooiker puppy of her age, so please cross your fingers she's done most of her growing early and she won't grow much taller now.

I looked online and found two formulas for working out adult weight....one said double their weight at 4 months - so makes her 9-10kg, which would be spot on and the other said take their weight at 14 weeks, double it and then add half again....now I had to guess what she weighed at 14 weeks, but at 12 weeks she was 3.5kg and she's been putting on an average of about 0.3kg every two weeks, so I was (hopefully) slightly generous and assumed she was 4kg at 14 weeks. 4 + 4 + 2 = 10kg So hopefully it's a good sign that two different formulas come to the about same weight, which is also about what I'd expect a "normal" Kooiker bitch to be. Fingers crossed!

Yesterday was the Bath & West show, so that was another new experience for Ria! She met some of my dog friends for the first time, and got to experience the show atmosphere. It amuses me, in the time I've had her I already have 4 people on a waiting list for puppies - and they're serious! Not that there is a waiting list yet :-) Don't even know for sure she'll be bred from - but they've all said to me to put their names down!

In other news, poor girl has lost almost all her teeth! A week ago she had them all, then on Friday evening when we came home from Bath I gave Ria a treat and she takes with teeth - doesn't snatch, but uses her teeth rather than just her tongue - and I thought "you feel a bit gummy!". Looked in her mouth and her top two front teeth had disappeared!

Since then I can't believe how quickly the rest are following suit.

This was Ria's mouth on Wednesday morning! Top two front are the adult teeth coming through. At least one more came out on Thursday, I haven't looked in the last couple of days because I didn't want to keep bothering her as her mouth must be sore.