Can't believe it was 2012 when I last posted on here. Oh well fashions come and go and I suppose this is out of fashion now. Anyway Marley is now 3 years old and regularly competing. He has qualified 3 times for National finals and this year we are actually going to go to one. He is still in G3 but this year will be his first proper season although looking at my calendar he is still doing mostly UKA. He has progressed to Senior Steeplechase & Novice Performance at UKA so not doing too badly.
Dylan is now running at Champ level for Performance and Steeplechase and is now G7 at KC (never thought that would happen but just goes to show what a great dog he is) He has competed in the Masters at UKA Grand Finals and in the Split Pairs -I just love running him, he is soo much fun.
Taz is now doing mainly anysize/casual.  He has gone lame several times so perhaps it is time for him to slow up and also I struggle to run 3 dogs at a competition,  you are being called here there and everywhere, I get myself in a flap and that does no - one any good.
I will try to keep this a little more up to date as it helps me to keep a little diary of how we are doing throughout the season.
Speak to you soon.

Such a long time since I last posted and such a lot has happened. This season has been very strange and I feel that I have hardly been to any shows. The weather has been appalling, with torrential rain for days on end. There has been flooding everywhere and many shows cancelled due to waterlogged ground. I have only stayed in my caravan twice so far this year - it almost seems hardly worth having it ( but I do love my little caravan).  Anyway the sun is shining today and according to the weather forecast will do so for the next few days - Summer had eventually arrived but for how long. Perhaps we can get a few shows in.
We have had some results from the shows we have attended this year. Taz has been steadily improving and seems (seems) to be getting his weaves now. We have been here before only for it all to fall apart - I don't think I will ever take it for granted that he will get his weaves. His pole knocking also seems to be improving and in fact this weekend he only knocked 1 pole in 3 rounds. That is outstanding for him. He has had 2 x 2nd placings at UKA so I am really pleased.
Dylan is still doing well and has progressed to Champ level at UKA. This meant that we were able to compete in a Master's Class. Oh what fun that was. A complete disaster on my part, it really helps to remember where you are going. Dyl did some lovely work for me and if only I could run faster I'm sure we could better, but he doesn't know that it all went wrong. To be honest I think I get a little star struck. Greg Derrett was next in the queue behind me and to say that I felt a bit out of my depth is an understatement. Still this was my first one and things can only get better as I get more experience. We redeemed ourselves at out next show which was a k/c open. In the G5 jumping, I watched a beautiful, tight and fast round and entered the ring for our turn thinking that everyone was now running for 2nd. Dylan went really wide on a turn so I even thought we may have blown our chances at getting 2nd. Imagine my surprise and delight when I was called out in 1st. Then came our agility run, and once again Dylan managed a clear. It seemed a long wait for the results but we won that class as well. So in total Dyl has had 3 jumping wins and an agility win, well and truly putting him in grade 6.
Then it was off on holiday for me for nearly 2.5 weeks of glorious sunshine and lovely warm sea.
Our first show, after my return was at the new grade 6 and I was a bit nervous about it. Jumping was up first and we manged to get around the course although we had faults then came agility. When I walked the course my heart sank, you needed to layer the dog walk and although I allow layering in my handling system it's not something that I've had to do. Oh well in for a penny, in for a pound I had to give it a go. Dylan never even questioned it, he looked like it was something we had practised and practised and to my surprise and delight he went clear. I watched some more people run and thought what good runs they had had and that Dyl was moving down the placings each time., but I didn't care as all I'd wanted was that we could get round the course.  When it came time for the prize giving they called out the clear rounds and I was sure that I'd be in amongst them but I didn't know his number, so would collect his clear round rosette once the placings had been given. THEY CALLED OUT MY NAME IN FIRST PLACE!! I was soooooooo shocked and still am. He had won by 0.5sec which is quite a good margin. So first Grade 6 show and we have our first G6 agility win. 3 more wins to go (one of which must be agility) and we can be G7 - now that really would be a miracle!


I have more news. I have a puppy that we have named Marley.
(I have a Bob's Dylan so it seemed only right to have a Bob's Marley). When he arrived he was very laid back and quiet, he is now 6 months old and quite frankly a complete pain in the arse. It has not been love at first sight like it was with the other two but the bond between us is still growing. I think a lot of the trouble is that I keep comparing him to Dylan and Dyl is a very special dog, who is quick and keen to learn. Marley seems to learn OK but does things soooooo slowly. Oh well - he'll be what he'll be and at the moment that is a challenge. I will keep you updated on his progress (if any) so watch this space!!! He is blooming cute though isn't he?

Looking Back & Forward

What a year it has been. Dylan has had amazing results and I have had to pinch myself to believe that it is true. Not only did he make it into Grade 5 but he came second in the Agility Club's Anual Awards, meaning we were presented with some beautiful crystal. He also has 2 jumping wins at grade 5 under his belt and has 2 x 3rd places in agility and more placings besides. With results like this I am beginning to think that he possibly may go Grade 6 this season - now that really is scarey. We will have to work hard on trying to tighten up his turns and his dog walk also still leaves a lot to be desired; but I am hoping that with lots of chicken, sausage and general bribery we can improve it a bit.
Taz has had mixed results; oh I do so love this little dog. Even when things go terribly wrong for us in the ring I only have to look at him and I can't help but smile. Taz is one of those dogs that shows exactly how he is feeling. When he is on an agility course, you can see by the expression on his face that he is having a ball, and if he is happy then I am happy. The amount of people who have said to me as we leave the ring ' He really enjoyed that' just goes to show that it is plain to see.  He has won 2 classes this season, Grade 2 jumping and then a Grade 3 jumping class. He has been unlucky in the agility ring; twice having 1 pole down but the fastest time. Weaves are less of an issue now but sometimes we still have a problem, although with the new spacings I am hopeful this will help him. It would be wonderful to get him out of Grade 3, and at least now it is a possibility (no matter how small -a possibility)
The new season will soon be upon us and I look forward to it with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.  Grade 6 beckoning for Dylan - scarey, Grade 4 for Taz - exciting. Bring it on!

We've done it!!!

When talking about grades and which grade we would like to be, I always said I would like to be grade 5. Grade 6 and 7 seemed impossible but the dizzy heights of grade 5 seemed just right. Well we've done it, Dyl managed to win a Grade 4-5c agility class at the weekend which makes him the illusive Grade 5 dog that I always wanted. We have achieved my all time goal, so I'm going to have to set myself another one now. Grade 6!! Now that really is quite frightening. But having said that if he'd been in G5 this weekend he would have won into 6 so I must realise that it is not an impossibility. I will have to be careful; because to be honest I'm not sure that either of us are ready for it just yet.
It was rather a successful weekend for Dylan. He had four runs and was placed in every one. He managed to get 2 x 1st and 2 x 2nd. Astounding! I think this is the most successful weekend I have every had.
Taz was also very good. He had beautiful contacts and got all his weaves. He just knocked a pole or two in each of his runs but I was very pleased with him. He is an absolute pleasure to run. Even when he decides that his course is better than the one the judge has set, or he decides he can't stop to do the weaves; the look of sheer pleasure on his face is priceless. I love this little dog and we have great fun. You just never know what is going to happen in the ring.

And now for Grade 4

This weekend will be our first Grade 4 show and although it is a smaller show, I am feeling quite nervous about it again. Smaller shows mean you can't hide - mistakes are remembered. I shouldn't feel like this because Dylan is so ready. In the past few weeks he has had several more placings at grade 3 - with another win and a 3rd at agility and 2 wins and a 2nd in jumping. I know he is ready he is showing this with his results but am I ready? I am so worried that I will let him down.

We have had a small taste of the higher grades this past weekend at Wye Valley, where one of his agility classes was a 3-5 combined class. I managed to get him round and not too badly - just a bit messy on one part where I overhandled a pull through and then struggled to turn him out of it to take the next jump. We got round clear though and finished up being 7th which I was over the moon with. They placed to 28th position which means there was somewhere around 280 dogs in the class. We did a little better in the 1-7 combinded jumping, where despite almost stalling at a jump we managed a 3rd place. Once again a huge grin on my face.

This little dog just astounds me and I have been told by someone that we will go all the way - meaning we are likely to reach grade 7. I don't think so!!! Dylan is very capable of this giddy height but not me - I make far too many mistakes and I don't think my nerves would hold out either.

As for this weekend........our first G4, well panic has set in already. The running orders arrived and both dogs were still entered in G2! After a 'OMG they are in the wrong grade and I won't be able to run at all' moment I phoned the show secretary and all is now ok. I need to remember to stay calm and believe that my dog is there because he is capable of it. I must also realise that he hasn't got there on his own - we are a team (well sometimes) and that must surely mean that I am capable of it as well............doesn't it?

When will it end..........all too soon I expect

I can't quite believe what is happening at the moment. We have just had our first grade 3 show and I must admit to being quite nervous about it. When I watch Pat with her 2 dogs and Dan with Magic I find it hard to think that Dyl is anywhere near as good as they are but he continues to prove me wrong. He only went and won the agility putting us into grade 4 - and he did it at his first grade 3 show!!! I know I said that I wasn't going to stay in grade 3 (as I was quite prepared to move up on points if necessary) but I didn't think it would be this brief. This is of course the icing on the cake but there is more which is leaving me gobsmacked!!! Taz is improving no end. He is not knocking so many poles and weaves are now sometimes a possibility for him. In fact this weekend I stuck him in the weaves and went off in the opposite direction. His weaves were perfection and totally independant, I am really enjoying him again. Perhaps there is a slight possiblity that even he may progress to the next grade one day, but do you know what? I don't really care, I am having such fun with him and that's all that really matters.
This weekend: great dogs, great company, great result - what more could I ask for - THANK YOU xxxxx

Good View from Up Here

I am on cloud nine and will probably stay here for sometime. Don't really care what happens over the next few days as I am going to milk this for all it's worth. What are you milking? you might be thinking...........well I have just had the most amazing agility weekend. Dylan won the Omnipro starters cup qualifier, which also moves us up into grade 3. Even though the final is when I should be holiday, Peter has agreed (well actually suggested) that I move my flight back a day and compete.
Not only did Dylan win the agility but he also won the jumping and came 2nd in the agility on Sunday. But that is not all, the icing on the cake was when Taz won the grade 2 jumping on Sunday. Over the weekend he has weaved on several occasions and kept most of the poles up!!! When he was called in 1st place I could hardly believe it and it was really hard not to cry. I must admit that when walking back to the caravan and being congratulated by some of my friends; the tears of joy did come!
I know it's me Tazzie and that I put too much pressure on you, I will try harder next time to relax and what will be will be.
Thank you to my two wonderful dogs for making my weekend complete.