Catch up.....

Firstly to run or not to run that is the question.........?

I've been really thinking hard as to whether running contacts are the right thing for Hex and myself, and the answer I came up with is I really don't know! Hex is and always will be a very strong dog, mentally and physically and therefore will always push it a step too far! But there is no denighing that running contacts will alwaysbe faster than a stop. My problem is or should i say are...1) I don't have a garden, therefore can not train at home. So Hex gets his running contact training twice a week. He gets maybe 4 to 5 repetitions each class, as opposed to 20 to 30 a day that it probably realistically needs to train a proper running contact, And there lies the next issue..
2) I love training my dogs, BUT I would not want to, or really could be arsed to (if honest) do it that much. Hex loves it as it is a treat, and i wouldn't like for that to change.

So here is where I am at......
Dogwalk- I am plugging away with the running contacts, have changed my approach slightly as Hex has a naturally HUGE stride (especially for his size), so doesn't naturally run through the contact, so I am having to teach himto target the area instead, I'm not sure this will produce the ideal runnning contact ie No break of stride, but at the moment (for the few rep's his done really)I am pleased.

A-Frame and See-Saw- Both of these have progressed to a stop at the moment....
The See-Saw was always going to be a stop, but the A-frame was running, the problem I was having was that hewas jumping from contact to contact!!!!! Yes, this is super quick, but extremly bad for him and my nerves, so for nowhe is learning some control, and does understand the difference if I tell him just to run instead of stop.

So there you are all obsticals in Hex's training so far, well you can watch the video and come to your own conclusions (sorry about the videoing, Jay looks like he had been on the beer all day!!!)





Here are some Videos of the Champ class at Thames that I never got round to uploading!

Sharon and Chip



Herbie and Me



Other stuff

What a great weekend Anju agility had.........

Nancy and Niamh for qualifying for Olympia semi
Mac and Spud for qualifying for Olympia semi and Power and speed final
Jason and Shy for qualifying for the Connect final
Jan and Cally for qualifying for Olympia semi and winning 6 agility!!! (and loads of great places with Teazel)
Jason and Stihl for coming 16th in the Olympia qualifier (one of her first grade 6 runs)
Louise and Shady for three great clears and a good place
Gill and Rosie for a really nice clear round and a place
Linda and Yanny for a great clear round
Chaz for a win with Gracie and multiple places with both Gracie and Clyve
Me and Herbie for qualifying for Olympia semi and the Power and Speed final

and any others I may have forgotten or do not yet know about (sorry! )

Also well done my freinds who did well.....
Elaine and Pi on more good results
Sharon and Chip for qualifying for the Power and Speed final
Karen and Todd for a few wins and other places
David and Rusty for winning grade 7 jumping
Amanda and twix for more wins
Kevin and Casper (the Many Tears pup) for their first clear round!
Elsbeth and jack for winning the power and speed and qualifying for the final!

So an amazing weekend really!

And onto this week.........

On Tuesday we are off to Ant's to do some EO training, then I have Olympia semi finals on Friday and Sunday........Fingers crossed x

A mixed weekend

A really weird weekend.....
Starting Friday at the Rescue dog of the year finals.

Herbie was his normal brilliant self, not only working really well, but also winning the grade 6-7 Rescue Agility Dog of the Year!!! Yippee. Below is a video of our run...



Sat (Newton Heath)

We had a Champ here. Firstly being my normal self, I didn't read the schedule, so didn't realise it all kicked off at 8.15am, so merrily walked down to the rings at 8.10am only to be faced with the hardest Champ jumping I have ever done!!!! Anyway walked it quickly, studied it a bit and then ran. I ran 45 (i think) and a went clear, and at that time was the only person to go clear inside the 35 sec time! At the end of the class I ended up in 4th place. I was really pleased as sooooo many people had been E'd. Next came the agility, again really tough, the main issue being off the A-Frame, over a wall (with very large pillars, which I don't think the dogs could differentiate where the wall went, many dogs mis-jumping it!) so you had to push them out and then try and get them through a gap it on a tunnel under the dog walk! We got round with only 5 faults, which we got as Herbie wanted to go back up the dog walk and not into the tunnel!!!! Any way at the end it transpired only 8 dogs out of 80 odd got round without being E'd, so we made the final!

We ran 7th out of 8 and at that point only 1 clear, so went out to get a nice round from him (which he did really well!), BUT stupid me slipped as he went to the weaves and pulled him past the first weave! I am so gutted, I really feel we had a good chance. Needless to say I will be investing in some decent running shoes!

Here is the video of the agility round and Final (jay forgot to tape the jumping ooooppps!!!)



After this Jay had his ABC Semi finals, sadly he got given 5 faults on the A-Frame (not sure this was correct?!) so didn't get through.

Sunday

Sunday was a better day, Herbie and I came 4th in the Crufts singles, so got a couple more points.

Back to real life now.
Kittens are off to their homes next week, but Nugget still needs a home so she will keep attending agility shows with us. I will feel really lost without them! x

More pics....

I felt bad that there were only pictures of Delila, so here are some quick shots of Nugget and Sebastian......

Left to Right.... Sebastian, Nugget and Delila (who wont sit still!)

Herb and the kit's.....

Sebastian

Nugget

Photo's....

Here are some great photo's that Dennis kindly took....

Delila (aka Cuddles, for Karen)

And a couple of Herbie......

Oh and in my "proud" state I forgot to add that Herbie has also just got through confirmation of Two Semi's days and the pairs final with Mac and Spud! What a great boy!!!!!!

So nearly there.....

Chaffords Herbal Illusion-Reserve Champion, Nottingham 2008

Herbie was such a star, coming reserve in the Champ final at Nottingham. I am so proud, he has already achieved so much this year!