*Searches memory banks to try and remember what she last posted about....*
Had a pretty quiet week this week, not really doing much out of the ordinary. Everything is going good and nothing to report really! Thank goodness for the dogs, otherwise i'd have absolutely nothing to say *vbg*!
Lets see - Leo this week has had it pretty quiet. We had agility on Tue/ Wed and he wasn't up to his usual 'speed' but I think that is because we were working on 'distance' - which isn't our Forte! We have a trial on Sat coming, so we'll see how we go, but to be frank, I haven't done much training of any sort as it is just too darn hard to get motivated when no matter what it is either raining, dark or *something* happens to cancel your training plans! Usually now I do a bit of obedience on Tuesdays in between our agility runs and do some 'at home' stuff either Mon or Thur (rarely both days) which includes some shaping etc..... *sometimes* we train on the weekends (in daylight) but usually we are just too busy so it is very short sessions. As a result, heelwork needs 'work' but with our lack of work I *am* pretty happy with how both dogs are progressing. In fact - except for a few nigglies, Leo is looking quite good for open at the moment. A lot of the practice I can do from home - again - thanks to Sarah for donating her 'broad jumps' to me! LOL! Now all I need is an idea for our retrieve over the jump....
Leo and I are still working on our d/b. He is more enthusiastic and he seems to be slowly improving. Took the d/b to the park the other day and while good, still needs work. I think the key at the moment is to take it to 'exciting places' etc,etc. We'll get there - he doesn't *hate* it, just sees no fun in it if it is 'dead'! Super yummy treats and lots of 'revving' at the moment.
Kinta - lets see... she started agility on Wed night and to say I was impressed would be an understatement! She is uber focused and just got tonnes of drive and energy! She had a BLAST! Downside - she did bark a lot and it just so happened that our instructor was 'teaching' the newbies how to use a clicker and every time K sat and 'barked' a clicker sounded - I told her it *wasn't* mine - but for the rest of the lesson, every time I asked for a sit, she thought she might try the barking! LOL. So keep posted as to how we'll go from here!
Had shows all weekend and the weather was simply NOT geared up for it.... raining all the time - so try keeping an active dog quiet and clean was *hard*. With the lack of the hair dryer - I took her to a coin hydrobath on Friday and that worked well - she was soo fluffy on Friday night, but it didn't last till the next day :(. At least she was dry ;). We got nothing but Reserve Challenges over the weekend. Although I certainly don't begrudge the judges decisions, it is still a little disappointing as classes were small and she *could* have pulled off the challenge - Sunday she behaved well etc,etc and she did look good IMO ;). But, although the judges liked her, they didn't like her enough ;). Both days the judges were flitting between the girls - always K and another bitch and ended up putting the other bitch up ;). Ah well - at least I know we are going the right way if she is making the decision harder ;). I'm sure we'll get there in the end! Currently i'm toying with some 'handling' classes as perhaps I am letting her down - They have some on Thur nights at KCC - so will see how we go - maybe that is all I need?!
It is interesting looking back over pics though as she is now very 'fine boned' by comparison to other Aussies. It's sorta a trade off isn't it - she is built perfectly for agility/ obedience, yet probably not that great for showing (bonier dogs getting awarded). Certainly don't regret my decision, but it does seem interesting none-the-less. But when it comes to the crunch, my real love lies in obedience/ agility..... and boy does K fit that bill! I still enjoy showing though, and I guess she is just taking longer to mature... who knows ;). Fingers crossed she starts to bulk out a bit though....
Nothing much else to post, but ya know what - I think I might be changing breeds for my next dog (way, waay in the future).... lol - I think i'll have about 4 dogs at some stage - 2 retired and 2 'trialling'.... but ever since I was a kid, I've wanted a Goldie - so i'm starting to have a squiz at the different lines as I want a really nice looking, rich gold good working Goldie that it is going to take me AGES to find one ;).... lol!
I'm also toying more with the idea of 'moving out' - I still don't want to rent, but am hoping I can move out as soon as I rake up enough money for a deposit and be able to pay off the mortgage.... so at the moment - it will be looking as though i'll be moving out with a 'housemate' which would certainly help!!!! So i'm madly saving my pennies from now on in!
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Hey you're still getting in more practice than I have with my hooligans! LOL
Let me know if you're going to the KCC handling classes. I'm thinking of it for more experience with Hope in that setting rather than using the shows as training grounds but didn't have the contact details.
Glad Kinta is having such a blast at this agility thing! If I recall Cade and Sierra had a point like that in early classes where she went a bit dizzy with other people's clickers but they figure it out eventually! Hope was just born savy. LOL
Reserve isn't so bad, she's still a young girl and maturing as you say! (This is my mantra with Hope's chest dropping!) I know "lotsa bone and a bit more" (and coat, which adds to the illusion) is a bit of an in thing atm but fads and fashions come and go yk? It's more benefit to the breed to show and breed for dogs to the Standard (which is for a moderate, balanced dog who is agile, fast and efficient with great endurance) rather than breed/show to the fad. The other thing is this is a breed that has historically had many different styles since many of the bloodlines developed seperately and in relative isolation, so even within the standard I think you see different "looks" so to speak which boil down to personal preference/intrepretation. Every dog has room for improvement too - so even if for the sake of arguement she ends up too fine boned, then it's simply part of what you look for and take into account when you breed... much as we think they're perfect the rest of the time, when it comes to a breeding program we have to be unsentimental about their strengths and weakness if we hope to improve them yk?
But switching breeds... *gasps* you TRAITOR! ;-p ;-p ;-p ;-p
Oh and you're welcome over here anytime! If you know where Ben & Ana are, we're a 2 minute drive from them. Be forwarned though, I'll wrangle you into helping with socializing!!! For Leo and Kinta's sakes though, if they want to come along, you may want to wait until she's out of heat... otherwise they're likely to be engaged in the group-lovefests going on here. :rolls eyes:
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