A couple more clear rounds

And a win! We won G2 agility and came 6th in C1-3 agility at Scunthorpe. So we now go to grade 3. It does not make a huge difference, but at some shows we will be in 3,4,5 or similar rather than 1,2. Should be interesting.

Spike gets some clear rounds

Well actually we got 5th in agility C1-3, 4th in G1,2 jumping and 3rd and 7th in some C1-3 jumping classes. All this with being a bit rushed due to helping when I should have been preparing myself and dogs. We didn't walk the J C 1-3 that we came third in! The agility 5th was with held contacts, so next time I may let rip and see what he can do!

Not bad for my grade 2 boy who has until now been a bit random at shows.

Ben walking separately

I am now taking the puppy out separately. Doing so I realised why trying to take them all is so stressful; I only got about 1/10 th of the way with Ben as with the other when walking properly without allowing him to pull. He is continuing to be very freindly and is trying very hard to do it all right! He was lovely over the weekend at JDA agility show.

Ben has been fine, but I let him off lead with sparky lst night and he started being cautious with his leg again. he is still using it, just a bit gingerly. The vet has given me anti inflams for 2 weeks, now at only 1/2 a pill per dose. He also had to give me anti-biotics because Willow has bitten him again. He is wary of Willow again, but still bold and friendly with anyone else.

Spike has had more medication for his eyes, which are still a bit pink.

We continue to have minor problems, all of which come in under the £50 that triggers he insurance. I do wonder if saving up money each month would be a better way to do this, and then I hear about the dog with HD where they either pay £7k per leg or have it PTS...

hopping Ben

Ben wouldn't put his hind right paw down on Friday. It being Friday and he being a pup I got him to the vets quickly. He had a jab, and some anti-inflam pills. He's putting it down now and looks fine, but not going out on walks or doing anything exciting. He is in his crate and havig lead visits to the garden. He is taking it quite well.

Spooky spike, not so spooky

Looks like if I don't bring Ben with me Spike is much happier to run about. Ben reacts to movement, and Spike moves alot, so perhaps not a great combination whilst Ben is a pup.

Splogy eye

Spike has a splogy eye, and has to have eye drops for a couple of weeks. Not sure what the problem is, but I think Ben had it for a while and has shaken it off.

gala

We have some sort of gala thing in our village annually. A plant stall and bouncy castle and cakes for sale. I took Ben and socialised him a bit, he was bomb-proof. He didn't even give the silver band more than a curious glance and we were sat right under the bandstand.

good training

More good training last night. If we learn by our mistakes, then we are learning loads!

Ben is not very settled in his cage whilst watching. I got him to be quiet and gave him treats for it, but he makes the most noise when uncle spike is running. He does not want to be left out and finds the cage frustrating. Was better with a jumper over the activity side. Oh, and I left the cage there and had to go back for it (doh).

Spike unspooky

No ball, no naughty puppy. Just me, Willow and Spike. He seems much happier. I did trim his front paw hair, but I suspect that was not the problem. I wonder if he has picked up the wrong (inconsistent) message from our woods games? "No" sounds a lot like "go" sometimes, and I said no to him yesterday when he was harrassing Willow and he went flat as a pancake for a couple of hundred yard, maybe more.

obedience

Ben was good at obedience. You can get his attention quite quickly. He played nicely (though in kelpie style). He will be a star at this, and I might try to take him further in obedience as well as the agility.

Been out without the ball and without Ben. Spike was much better. He even got quite animated when we went in a bit of the woods where we don't often go. Maybe there is something about our regular route?

Spooky Spike

He's still spooky. If anything it's got worse.

Proper playing

Spike and Ben have just had 15 minutes of proper playing in the living room whilst I was on lunch. They looked like they were having real fun. Willow thought it looked a bit scary, but stayed in the room.

Spooky Spike

I phoned my mum last Wednesday while out for a walk. She said something so annoying I argued and shouted down the phone. When I got off the phone Spike had disappeared, I called him and he had sat down back down the track. He was a bit spooked for the whole walk, but ok everywhere else. Problem is he is scared of our walk now, and sits or lies down rather than running about fetching his ball like he normally does. I have just realised that I am getting frustrated with him about it, which is making it worse. I'm going to have to be patient. Oh, and he does it to my other half too, she even reckons he looked at the ball wanger a bit warily.

North Derbyshire

They did very well to run the show and keep people's spirits up. It was pretty wet.

Willow go 3rd in agility and 6th in jumping. I had not walked the jumping, so that was not bad. Shows the advantage of a steady dog. Spike did well in the jumping which I ran with him first, but I could not keep cool enough to give good directions with not having walked it. Spike's other runs were wrong courses, but not too much trouble with the contacts (all excellent in fact). Weaves was another story, and I think I might have to get some proper weaves for the garden. Or do I just need more practice with them in courses?

I helped on Saturday. I was down to help Sunday, but had not entered!

Benny boy has had his second jab. He will be allowed out next tuesday evening. In the meantime, he is going to agility training tonight for more socialisation, and he can be touched by people, so the vet says. He also had a chip installed, and has wormer/flea treatment for 4 months.

He barely fits in the cat crate we got him in, and had put on about 25% of his weight since 2 weeks ago!

The three of them are mixing much better now. I'm sure we will continue to have our moments, especially as he gets bigger and stronger. He follows Spike about like a long lost uncle, which is quite sweet.

Any house training issues at present are purely my fault, and the long nights. I think it is better to have him go in his wee tray than to give in to a middle of the night expedition; he might come to expect it.

The previous photos already seem to have a much smaller puppy in them than the one I have now! I took him to agility to watch last night, he seems to be fine with that. Was telling everyone they can't touch him, which they didn't all take well, but it seems to me that people putting thier fingers in his mouth is one of the riskiest things. I'll be glad when everyone can play with him though, he needs the socialisation. They said he could come training pretty much once his jabs are done. He needs his little noddle occupying, because he is already bored.

Grrrrr!