Rugby Agility Show

Rum's first run was in the jumping, he had a fantastic round I was plesantly surprised we got round as far as we did without getting Eliminated! However three from the end I got in his way and he backjumped, so we were E'd. Then the agility he had the second pole down which was fair enough as it was ever so close to the dogwalk and if he had jumped it normally he would have landed on the dogwalk and hurt himself so I am glad he had the pole down. Otherwise again he worked lovely and his contacts were nice, just gave his stop command to early on the see-saw.

Cas, well she was on another planet today! She ran round the wall several times in the jumping even though she has seen one several times before and never had an issue, after that I kind of lost heart with the round. In the agility we were Eliminated at jump three as she insisted on carrying on instead of listening to me and turning. But I think I have lost heart in running Cas as I don't have anything to aim for, her contacts aren't great and there aren't any jumping qualifiers or anything similar for grade 6, they're all combined with grade 7 and she just doesn't have the speed to catch the 7s.

Newton Heath Agility Show

First grade 4 classes for Rum today. Our first run was in Graded 4-5 Jumping. I hadn't had chance to walk it and it looked a tricky course for him but he ran it really well, I was so pleased with him, we just had 5 faults for a dropped pole which was my fault as I commanded him while he was over it. I was glad he knocked the pole though as he saw his lead before the finish and we had a massive wide turn as he almost went to it! Next was Graded 4-5 Agility, I knew I couldn't get him past the start - it was a really tight pull through and he had landed miles past it, however I did get him through and was so shocked I didn't get him back over the jump lol and we were Eliminated. Gave me a chance to really push and reinforce his contacts and he was fab! We won't mention Time Fault & Out!!

First grade 6 classes for Cas today. Our first run was in Graded 6-7 Jumping, well what can I say? I don't think we did anything right and looked like we had never done agility before! Hee hee, I think I was handling her too much like Rum and we got Eliminated several times. Graded 6-7 Agility was next and I thought what a nice easy course it was but Cas had other ideas and ran round the A-frame instead of over it! Shame as she did her contacts lovely. Finished the day on a good note with Combined 6-7 Time, Fault & Out and we put in a lovely run, got to number 20 before the time ran out and looking at the results they were mainly grade 7s that got to 21.

A little bit disheatened as I was so rusty with Cas but it was nice to finish on a good note with her and Rum is coming on nicely.

AC Agility Unaf. Show

Rum had a lovely run in the jumping but I just moved away from the end of the weaves too soon and he came out of the last weave. Otherwise he went nicely and did the rest perfectly. In the helter skelter I didn’t call him enough and so right turn to him was the tunnel, I need a ‘right’ then a ‘here’ otherwise again he really powered on round the course. The agility was a tough course with a couple of big spreads, we ran a rather messy clear (there weren’t many!) – he was working ahead of me a lot so I struggled to get to a pull and we almost got a refusal, then again I struggled to get to another pull through and we were a bit messy. He ended up 3rd though so I was really pleased. He was running so nicely he really felt right, it was the first time he had done anything since the chiropractor, think it must have helped! All classes were combined 1-7.

Cas had a couple of poles down in the jumping as it was quite slippy first thing and it was just her slipping that caused them to fall, we had a messy bit anyway as I tried to handle her too much like Rum! In the helter skelter she had a lovely run which I handled from a distance and came 3rd. We won’t mention the agility – she missed her A-frame so I put her back over and it just got worse from then on!!

Agility Addicts

Rum is working so nicely I am dead chuffed with him, in the agility runs he just missed one jump which I couldn’t figure out how to handle – the rest was so nice and his contacts were stunning. In the Jump N Gamble he had a nice round, though he had a twizzle at one point as I didn’t collect and send him enough, but we went clear and so I attempted the Super Gamble (staying behind a line sending over a jump, into a tunnel and calling through the weaves) – he did it perfectly and ended up 4th. In his Novice Jumping runs the first time I didn’t call him early enough and the second time I was nagging him while he was over a jump and he dropped the pole – if he hadn’t he would have won it. He has run so lovely today.

Cas flew her see-saw in Senior Agility so the second round I made sure she got it and she had a messy clear but came 3rd! In the Jump N Gamble she just had a pole down so we didn’t get any further. Finally in Senior Jumping she just didn’t feel right and we were totally messing up – she was really clingy and not working away so am going to get her into the chiropractor as there was something not right.

Lune Valley

First run of the day was combined 1-3 Jumping, Rum had the first pole down, I think because he was too close and broke his wait. It was a shame as he worked the rest lovely and powered down the end straight. He really struggled in the Graded 1-4 jumping as the spacings were so tight (first indoor show he has done) and he took about 5 poles out which is extremely unlike him! He had a lovely run in the Combined 1-3 Agility and finished 2nd. Last run was Graded 1-4 Agility and I think we had the nicest run we have ever done, he took the pole out before the dogwalk on a tight turn, which was a real shame!

Cas (don’t ask!) I got a bit lost in Combined 4-5 Jumping and she came to me, in Graded 5-7 Agility she flew off her dogwalk into the tunnel (naughty dog!) so I put her back on and continued. In Graded 5-7 Jumping she ran lovely but again I was a bit unsure, hesitated and we had a refusal, in the final Combined 4-5 Agility she flew her A-frame but did the rest lovely.

Dashin Dogs Agility Show

Rum and I didn't seem to get it together particularly well this weekend. He had a few if only runs - missed his dogwalk in the agility (I don't think I commanded him clear enough), then in the other agility I didn't go far enough with him and he pulled away from a jump and in his jumping run he had a pole down as I had said tunnel while he was over the jump! On Sunday he had a lovely agility run with just a pole down, his jumping was messy (kept coming out of the last weave to the tunnel trap) but then he pulled out all the stops on a tricky Grade 3 Jumping and won it!! So pleased as I did want a jumping win as well.

Cas was naughty in her agility just missing her a-frame otherwise ran lovely, she then had a fab run on a tricky Combined 4-5 Jumping course and won it which now takes her to Grade 6! Her last jumping run we had a bit of a detour and she came 10th. On Sunday she had a lovely run in agility (got all her contacts!) but the first jump was a tyre and she got stuck in it, so I checked her over before I carried on, she was fine - good job it was only a soft tyre! In the other agility she was very naughty and didn't listen on her contacts at all, in her final jumping run she just had a pole as I said 'tunnel' (again!!)

Ember (I don't normally mention as she rarely gets anywhere near clear rounds lol!) actually had a clear and won Combined 1-7 Jumping! I nearly died of a heart attack!! I had taken her on the exercise field and totally worn her out so she wasn't twizzling at all, had a messy weave entry but hey!

Am so shocked, amazed, chuffed that each of my dogs won a class this weekend. Both Cas and Rum will start in grade 6 and 4 respectively at Newton Heath - don't do things by halves do I!!

Paws In The Park - Agility & HTM

Rum and I started off the weekend with a really messy round in combined 3-5 Jumping - a few poles down, I don't think we really worked together in that! Followed up by a lovely clear in Combined 3-5 Agility, I pushed his contacts to see how he would fair against the 4s and 5s and he came 4th!!! So pleased with that. Last run was Combined 1-4 Helter Skelter, there were some tight spacings so I put in some steadies (after his 1st run!) and he had a nice clear and came 4th in that too! So am confident he is ready for Grade 4.
Sunday started with pairs, I went first and he had a lovely clear, went round like a rocket but hesitated at the last jump as I couldn't keep up!! My mum ran Cas and she went clear as well but had the same hesitation. Combined 1-3 Agility was next and he went a long way around a jump as he hesitated - I didn't go far enough with him, then he missed his A-frame but I think that is my fault as I was really pushing him yesterday so I need to start holding them again. Last run was Combined 1-3 Jumping and he had a nice round with just a pole down. He also performed his Starters HTM routine today and performed the best he has ever done, came 2nd which now moves him up to Novice. He has been a real star this weekend. Here is a video of his runs:

And a video of his htm routine:

Cas – don’t ask!! Had a fab Elimination in combined 3-5 Jumping but she did the rest lovely at a distance. Naughty girl missed her A-frame in agility, as shame as she had done the rest lovely. Her HTM didn’t go brilliantly but we had a 6th and qualified us for the Crufts semis, we were then asked to perform the routine in Richard Curtis arena. She qualified for the Weave Challenge Knockout in the main ring, with weaves which had a right angle in the middle! And she won it! My little weave demon J Sunday was again a bit pants, she had a pole down in the jumping and then in the agility I had lost heart a bit and we made a right mess of the course. So the only clear she had all weekend was when my mum ran her in pairs and she has never run an agility dog before or done any training with Cas! Here's the Weave Challenge Video:

And a video of her freestyle routine:

Bromsgrove Agility Show

Rum's first run was combined 1-3 agility, it was a real blast of a course and I decided I would really push him round and push his contacts (give my best shot at winning!) and he had a lovely round, his contacts were nice and fast and his turns were tight. And…….we won it!! So pleased as was quite warming to the idea of being in grade 4 next year. We ran combined 1-7 agility after that and I reinforced his contacts having just blasted him round, he did a lovely run but unfortunately had two poles down on a tight corner as he just didn’t seem to be able to get his stride right. Grade 3 jumping was our last run and the less I say about that the better lol! We got E’d after the third jump as Rum struggles with going round a box when there’s a jump close by, having such a long stride he is hard work to turn! After that it all went to pot!

On Sunday our first run was grade 3 agility and I was so pleased, he ran it sooo nicely but similar to his jumping yesterday he didn’t come round the box and got E’d over another jump – this is something we have never really done in training so I need to set this sequence up in the garden and practice it as we have come across it three times at the last 3 shows. We really struggled round 3-5 jumping as it was very tight and I just couldn’t get there in time, he had a nice 1-7 jumping round but was a similar thing and took another jump instead of coming through a bit of a box. There seem to have been a lot of pull offs this weekend which we haven’t really done as I have wanted him really confident to go on etc. but now he has the confidence I am going to do some work on pull offs!!

Cas had a lovely Grade 5 Jumping run and came 2nd. In both her agility classes she just missed the dogwalk – aargh! On Sunday she ran the agility and missed A-frame and See-saw then when the agility was re-run she just missed the see-saw – a real shame as it was a lovely run. Both her jumping classes I made a mess of!

Wigan Agility Show

He hadn't been training for over a week so I was a little unsure how today would go. Anyway he had a beautiful run in graded 1-3 Jumping but I told him to 'weave' while he was over a jump and he knocked it, sack the handler! His turns were lovely and tight and I was so pleased with the run. The second graded 1-3 Jumping class we went clear, not quite as neat as the previous class but was still a lovely run and he ended up 2nd! Last run of the day was graded 1-3 Agility and he went clear again! I held his contacts for a second then released, they were so much better and he didn't creep down slowly, we had a little wobble at the end but ended up 6th! He has worked so well today am really proud. A video of his 3 runs:


Cas really flew the see-saw in her agility so I picked her up and took her out of the ring – naughty girl!! Then in the Adams Derby she was on the dogwalk, walked off I asked her to wait and she stepped back onto the contact!! In the jumping she was E’d as missed out a jump!

Fylde HTM Show

We arrived early so I could do some practice in the ring before the show started, he was working lovely until they turned the microphone on and he decided to freak out! Couldn't get him to do a thing so I spent all the time up to his running order getting him used to the sound of the music and microphone (he has never been like this before). When we entered the ring he started to switch off a bit but I managed to really encourage him and he came 2nd which I was sooooo pleased with!

Cas was off her head for her routine as she had been waiting since 8am and it was almost 6pm by the time we performed! She was very messy.

Dordale Agility Show

Rum started the day off with a run in combined 1-4 Agility, it was tunnel weaves and Rum ran through so quick he just couldn't brake in time to get his entry. He worked his contacts lovely and I held them. He then did a lovely run in Grade 3 Agility but got E'd, I therefore tested him a bit and worked it while he was away from me so was pleased with that. Followed that by a lovely clear in Combined 1-7 Circular Jumping, he was unplaced exactly 1 second behind Cas. The last run was Grade 3 Jumping, which I really pushed him round, he ran it nicely but had a pole down! Next day his Grade 3 Agility was first and he was a bit manic, ran past a jump and came out of the tunnel, but his weaves and contacts were nice. 1-4 Jumping was a tough course and I just couldn't get him tight enough round the box and we were E'd. In Grade 3 Jumping he had a lovely tight clear, not mega fast and he finished 5th.

Cas had a lovely jumping run just dropping a pole, I really pushed her round the circular jumping and she came 3rd and then in the agility she missed her A-frame so I took her out of the ring. On Sunday we messed up in the 5-7 jumping, I expected her to pick up the weaves (as she is a weave demon) but she didn’t and got E’d. She had a lovely run round the grade 5 jumping, just knocking a pole again!

Pembroke Agility Show

We ran combined 1-3 Jumping first, the jumps were very tight and Rum didn't cope very well and had 3 poles down!! Totally unlike him but he just couldn't seem to even bounce them they were so close. In Combined 1-3 Agility he had a lovely round but got E'd going up the dogwalk instead of the A-frame, sometimes I forget how long striding he is! He had a nice clear in Grade 3 Agility and I was really chuffed with his weave entry as he went in at an angle, his dogwalk was very slow as he was a little unsure (his first agility class he will be really quick but always the 2nd one he seems unsure). Anyway he ended up 2nd so was really pleased, he was leading right till about the last 10 dogs - so close!

Cas had a nice run in the 4-7 Agility but just missed her dog walk, she had a nice run in the 4-7 Jumping and came 7th.

KC International Agility Festival

This weekend we didn't seem to be working very well together, I think because I got it right with Cas and so therefore lost it a bit with Rum. Unfortunately he was drawn in the two Novice Cup parts judged by the two foreign judges and they were hard for young inexperienced dogs so we took our own line and had some fun on them. Saturday Rum had a lovely round in the 1-3 agility but just had a refusal, worked the rest superbly. He had a messy clear in grade 3 agility and was a bit unsure on his contacts. He had a pole down in the grade 3 jumping but worked that nicely too. On Sunday I was too far ahead of his weaves and he missed the entry and he missed his entry again in the jumping - I must be doing something differently?? He had a messy clear in the 1-3 jumping and came 6th, we're struggling a bit to get in tune again.

Cas – If onlys! She had a lovely run in Novice Cup Jumping with just a pole down, also a lovely run in Novice Cup Agility just missing her dogwalk contact!!! Aargh! She had a fab run in grade 5 jumping and ended up winning it – just one more to go now! Had a nice clear in combined 3-4 jumping and came 11th – had a bit of a wide turn before the weaves. In her agility I thought she missed her dogwalk (but she didn’t) so I put her back on it. On the Sunday she had a pole down in the combined 4-5 agility and a very messy clear in grade 5 jumping where she ended up 3rd?!?!? She has worked well this weekend.

Dashin Dogs Agility Show

First run of the day was 1-7 combined agility which I wasn't particularly fussed about, he worked lovely and went round clear, we had one twizzle just before the last jump as I hung back thinking he missed the see-saw contact, his time was the same as Lee and Che (who also had a twizzle) so I was pleased we weren't in the placings otherwise it would have been a run off! Really pleased with the way I and he ran it. Grade 3 agility with dreaded 6 weaves, which surprise surprise he came out at the end! I pushed him across his A-frame and held him there while I ran ahead so was chuffed with that, then he did lovely bounce jumps down the line of jumps. He rushed his see-saw and fell off then did the same with the dogwalk, so I don't know what went on there! He was a bit hesitant after that. In Grade 3 Jumping he was a naughty boy and I took him out which I would never do in a jumping especially a young dog, but he decided to do some weird things - I put it down to the fact we had to run all 3 in a row with no break in between. Just wish he had gone clear in Grade 3 not 1-7!!

Cas had a nice steady clear in grade 5 jumping and came 9th. Missed her dogwalk in the 1-7 agility and then got E’d in grade 5 agility so I reinforced her contacts. In the pairs final we got through to the 2nd round with a double clear, we again had a double clear but the other pair just beat us!

Tuffley Agility Show

Rum worked so well this weekend I couldn't have been happier. He only had two agility runs, one we made a silly mistake and the other was quite tough for a big long striding dog so we totally messed that run up but his contacts were sooooo much better! He was confident in running to the end and stopping wherever I was (thank you Lee!) and so much quicker too. We have not really got it together in jumping but this weekend it clicked and he had a clear on a real blast of a course and came 4th (Combined 1-4), so was really chuffed with that. He had some other lovely runs, a couple with just a pole down where I commanded him over a jump and they were fairly tricky courses too. His waits were great too, I think he broke one all weekend. Here's his video, one of my favs, just love the ending.

PNM HTM Show

I almost didn't go today as I did a bit with him yesterday and he wasn't really switched on, as well as the fact I haven't done any training with him since April! But I thought I would give him a go and if needs be turn into a training round. Well I was really pleased as he was so switched on and really paid attention, he was a little bit OTT and mouthy but better that than switched off as I want him to enjoy his ring experience at the moment. I will now work on the accuracy a bit more. He came 6th in a Starters HTM class which was quite a high standard.

Cas worked her ‘In The Mood’ routine nicely, we made a mess at one stage but otherwise she worked well and we came 2nd, so now she has enough points to go up to advanced.

RVA Agility Show

We didn't get it right at all this weekend, first weekend coming home without a single result so a little bit disheartened. However the reason why was because he decided to step up a gear and I couldn't control him at all! I have always been with him as he has never been mega fast but this weekend he was like a bat out of hell and was going on miles ahead of me and I just couldn't get there at all. He was naughty in his one agility class and missed his dogwalk!!! So I put him back on, I have said it needed speeding up, well now it is but too quick! It's going to be difficult as he has never been that quick in training so am going to have to really work on his distance control. There's just no way on a straight line I can keep up! He had some horrible courses and sometimes he just got a bit confused about being nagged all the time, so a lot of work needed in the next couple of weeks, we haven't got an agility show until Tuffley.

It was Cassie's turn this weekend, she was amazing. Her contacts were so nice, she had a 3rd in combined 5-6 Agility and it was quite messy, she had a 2nd in combined 5-6 jumping with a lovely run and a 6th in combined 3-5 jumping. She excelled herself in the Genesis Jumping Final and came 2nd!!

Wyre Agility Show

Started off on Saturday with a messy clear in a lovely, fast straightforward graded 3-5 agility. Which he ended up 6th in grade 3, was really pleased as we lost quite a lot of time in that but he ran lovely. He had a lovely run in the trios, just dropping a pole when I said ‘tunnel.’ He struggled in graded 3-5 jumping as it was a tricky course for a baby dog so I gave him lots of praise at the end. He had a beautiful run in the combined 3-5 jumping but just dropped the second to last pole as I was flapping I think!
Sunday started off with a lovely clear in graded 3-5 agility with just one twizzle, there were 7 weaves in this class and he worked them perfectly, he ended up 2nd in grade 3 – hooray, I told him he needed a boy colour rosette today as yesterday’s was far too girly! Graded 3-5 jumping was tricky again and we got past the first tricky bit which he did nicely, I took my eye off him for a split second and he popped over a jump behind me, so I missed the next tricky bit out and gave him a blast to the finish, which he loved! In combined 3-5 jumping there were two lots of flick flacks which he has only just really learnt, he did them really nicely and had a cracking round, just dropping the last pole!! Must keep working him right to the end. His last run was combined 3-5 agility, I cut away from a box and he came with me as I had just run Cas and needed to be with him more, it was a nice run otherwise. Really pleased with his progress this weekend, he is coming on a treat, must work him right to the end though!

Cas had a clear in Grade 5 Agility, it was a blast of a course and I was so pleased with her contacts, she came 6th.

PADS Agility Show

Our first day went to pot, he thought that he could skip ever other weave when there were six of them but otherwise he did some nice runs and I held his contacts. So the second day I knew I needed to steady him before the weaves, our first run of the day was combined 3-4 agility and we went clear! I was so pleased, made sure he got his contacts and steadied him before his weaves and give him early commands. We ended up 6th! He had a lovely run in the other agility class but I flapped while he was over a jump and knocked a pole! He also had a beautiful round in the jumping which wasn't easy, just missed his weave entry as it was at an angle and I wasn't up with him. I felt by the end of the second day he had really improved.

Cas had a 2nd in Grade 5 Jumping on the Sunday and also qualified for the Knockout Pairs Final with Carol & Calca (a shame as they both had poles down in the final run).

Agility Addicts Unaf Agility Show

FIRST SHOW! I was so nervous on the first run, I just wanted to reinforce his contact position and for him to enjoy himself. I forgot to call him early and he back jumped - have to get used to his long stride and get my commands in! He had a lovely clear in his Elementary Jumping but just waited for me and twizzled before the last jump, he came 2nd though. The next day was pouring down with rain and was so scared he was going to slip on his contacts I took him very steady and held him on them and he went clear and came 5th. The final day he was a lot more confident and his contacts had really sped up, he had a lovely run in jumping but just ran past the tunnel. He had qualified for the Elementary Final and had a nice round but slipped off his see-saw. Here's his first agility video!

Cas was a little star, she won a novice agility class on the Saturday and then on the Monday won a novice agility and the Open Connector. We qualified for the Novice Final but she missed her see-saw which was 3rd to last obstacle!! Her contacts had been fab all weekend. Here's a video of my little star

Westglen HTM Show

FIRST SHOW!! I went to this show with a view to doing a training round with Rum as we had put a simple routine together for Starters HTM and I wasn't sure whether he would pay attention all the way through. I thought I would start the routine and if it went pear shape I had his ball on the side and was going to train the round. We walked in though and he had great fun, he perhaps lost attention once and missed a few cues towards the end, but otherwise he worked a really good round for a baby, I just wanted him to enjoy his ring experience. When the results were read out I was so pleased we had come 4th! Here's Rum's routine:

Cas was amazing, she didn't bark once!! Did a lovely routine but for some reason I couldn't get her to stay on my back too well, she ended up 4th in Intermediate Freestyle. Here's Cassie's routine: