Training Days etc

Well, all has been quite quiet on the agility front. Baby has kinda taken over for now.

HOAX

I have however managed to do a little with Hoaxey and we have had ups and downs.

I had been feeling quite down with her lately as I just found some of her behaviours difficult to understand. Her agility was going ok, but she was doing some things a lot more slowly then I know she can and I found myself feeling frustrated which I know must have rubbed off on her as she is sensitive.

After one trainer (Ian Smith) mentioned a few things to me it really boosted my confidence. He commented on how willing she was and how much she wanted to get it right for me. I realised that her working something more steady is her way of trying to get it right. Hoaxey tends to do things fast first time, then if she gets it wrong and i take her back, she works steady until she is sure she has got it right then steps up again. I used to always reward, regardless of if she was correct as long as she was fast and I am going back to that again. Also i must remember to be less fussy about things with her, if I want speed on the contacts and I am pushing that then I need to be less pedantic about her FP and reward the speed.

Tuesday evening at MAD she was great, really quick and still neat and most importantly...
CONFIDENT! Her weaves are lovely now and she feels quite quick through them, still a lot to work on independance and entries but Boos were PANTS at her age so I can't complain really.

Anyway, I am starting to enjoy her again now, and although we may never set the world alight as I just dont have the time to put into her anymore, we will hopefully enjoy ourselves and maybe pick up a few rossies on the way!

Oh, and I am so xcited- we have a team to run in next year! We are running with SBCC, Me and Hoax, Toni & Minx, Jo & Ginny and Kathy & her merlie! Thats a team of women and merlie collies! What fun!!! :) Only thing is they are al G7 in fact 2 of them are Ag Ch... we will definately be the cr&pest in the team! LOL

BOO

Well of course, he is my angel as always, I LOVE working this dog, he is fluid and quick and VERY enthusiastic. I forget, when I havent run him for a while how much FUN he is! Sadly I know that with Ethan around now we will never make it to the dizzy heights of the World Champs or AG CH status. I probably won't run any Champ classes next year a I don't see the point of spending all that money unless you can win, so unless there are no other runs for him I think we will pull out of them. Still deciding if I will do the IFCS stuff, I am genuinly note sure if we are good enough or if we really have the time needed to commit if you are running for your country, I guess I will see how things are at the beginning of next year and decide then, It's very tough...

Boos puppies continue to do really well, his daughter 'Lottie' got BOB in a 'posh' dog show, his agility puppies are doing great. Missie from his first litter looks amazing and really raised some eyebrows at DD when she swept the Novice board! Torro, Tigger, Bojay, Java, Mac, Chase, Bob, Diesel, Cody, Jig, Bailey, Queeva and Rudhi are all puppies I had a chance to watch this year, they are all honest, quick and biddable which is just what I hoped. I am so proud of how fantastically they have turned out. There are more puppies from Boo & Jasmine and Boo and Meg who will be out and about next season and I can't wait to see them. Also his recent litter to Zeph will be seen around I hope- I know Alison with Tigger has had one (two Boo babies- madness)! So I will hopefully get to meet her lots. I have been so busy that I havent even updated my site with photos of the latest litter but soon I will! They are just scrummy!

Anyway, bye bye for now- I have another training day with Toni next Fri- will try to report back- see ya! xxx

Linx' issues

Well, we have finally got organised and contacted the vet. Linx has the signs of HD (Hip Dysplasia), although he was scored as a youngster at 6:4 which was pretty good! It does mean that his agility career will be shortlived, but short term it isn't all doom and gloom. We will start treating Linx with Glucosamine and Chrondrotin. The vet stressed to us that at the moment it is imperative to keep Linx lean and muscled. She doesn't think that his agility career should be stopped now- just kept low impact and not too intensive if possible. We know as he gets older the joint will deteriorate but we want to do our best to support him for now and then.

Broken Linx?

Well Linx went to see Peter the vet today who really is fab. He thinks that the stiffness and jumping issues may be caused by a thickening in Linx' left knee.

We have booked him in for XRays on Tuesday so we can see if there are any bone/ joint issues there or anywhere else and then move on from that.

Not much else to say. hoaxey is still in full flooded season and Boo is at singing point now- constant whining and not eating is tough for poor Boo. Hoax is STILL a huge tart. I think we areon about day 11 now so this is the worst part. I suspect it will all be over in four or five days and hopefully we will have a short return to normality before Toto arrives.

Agility Club Show

Well it was totally lovely to see so many of you and so many smiles x

I went seperately from Nic and arrived at around 8.30am and had a lovely natter with the Curtis clan who so kindly let me park next to them :)

I then went to watch Nic run Boo in the teams. Nic was running third and the previous two dogs had good fast clears... Boo shot of like a bullet and in Nics own words he was just 'trying to hang on' he managed to keep it together but at the seesaw I knew Boo hit it too fast to stop and just slid the whole thing. He did attempt to break a bit but not enough to save being faulted 5 for the seesaw. The last dog in the team went clear aswell so it was just Nics 5 for the team. Sadly it wasnt good enough and they finished 3rd earning Nic his first trophy for the year!

I then hung around to watch Nic run Linx in teams and his Olympia qualifier. Linx ran the teams with a knocked pole but he didn't look too bad. I thought maybe our concerns about his soundness were incorrect. He had a good rest before Nic took him over to run his Olympia qualifier. As soon as he set off I knew he wasn't right. I had also asked Greg and Laura Derrett to hang around and watch him as they know Linx and various Withersfarm 'issues'. Linx desperately tried to pull himself around the course but visably struggled with the jumps. He just isn't right so Nic withdrew him from competition. We will now retire him from Agility totally until we figure out what the issue is. It would be terribly sad to have to retire a dog that isn't even five yet but Linx health an welfare is paramount to us so we will see what the vets say.

It was lovely to see you agility lot at the show even though I only stayed for a bit. I was just way to hot and the lure of our swimming pool at home was too much to resist! I was disappointed I didn't get the chance to chat to more of you. I especially wanted to natter to Helen about the EO and find out how Pop is etc but the only time I saw her I was busy being updated about some great EO gossip... Everyone commented on how big I am now- you are all correct I feel fab but HUGE and can't wait to meet our baby!

Nic went off to he show again this morning (Sun) just to do Boos Crufts team run. I warned him that being cheeky yesterday meant Boo would probably take the mickey on his contacts now! Boo however, didn't let us down and ran a lovely clear for Nic, even with Nic almost falling over halfway round! Sadly not all the team went clear but Nic didnt mind at all :)

The best thing for me this weekend is Nic finally getting it together with being able to run Mr Boo. It means that he finally feels what I feel when I run him. I think Nic was surprised at how fun and exciting it is to run such a fantastic lad. He said it was fantastic to run a dog that you felt if you got it right then the dog just wouldnt let you down. He loved the buzz he got from competing and I haven't seen Nic smile like that after a run since Kaos was winning! My boys finally see the appeal in each other- Yay! :) :) :)

That was our last show we are booked for now until after Toto is due. We have one day booked at Prestbury Park in September and UKA Scrambles then Saturday at UKA Waverunners. Fingers crossed that all goes well with Toto baby we may see you at one of those!

Keep your fingers crossed that we all get through this and have a healthy baba at the other end xxx

Thanks again to you all for being so sweet

ps. Mand - Dunno what was making you grrr at Ag Club on Sat but I know your luck will change and you will be kicking everyones butts with both dogs before you can blink xxx

Hussy Hoaxey

Well it's all kicking off in the Hanekom House!

Hoax has come into season much earlier than expected. She started it at the beginning of this week and has already turned into a wanton tart. After much consideration we have decided to hold of breeding from her until at least her next season and possibly even the one after that. We had always planned on mating her this winter but considering the baby isn't even here yet we decided not to push it. I think if we already had the baby we would have a much better idea of if and how we will be able to dedicate time to everything. I think it would just be stupid to throw ourselves blindly at our first baby AND first litter at exactly the same time.

When we do breed I plan on having lots of interaction with the puppies, socialisation, trips and car journeys, basic training and TONS of play. I really don't suspect that I would want to give the pups the attention they deserve with a eight or nine week old baby here aswell.

So apologies to anyone STILL waiting for a Boo x Hoaxey pup. I promise it will happen sometime be it the beginning of next year or end of the year. The only think I don't want to do is compromise too much on Hoxeys Agility career so if she comes in at the beginning of the 2009 Agility season, sorry but we will wait till the season after that! The pups WILL be worth waiting for though x

Anyway, I cannot belive what a tart Hoax is. I have never had a bitch so willing to procreate. Boo (having been used for stud last week) is very randy and would follow Hoax anywhere understandably. However I expected Hoax to show a little more resiliance, no way! IF she happens to get in the same room/ garden as Boo she is prancing round him with her tail and ears stuck high, it then takes her about three seconds to 'stand' for him even though she is only on about day 4 and is no way ready. Tart!

We went to MADs training last night and Nic worked Boo and Linx while I watched. Boo was sooooo happy and barking all the time. He worked really well for Nic so fingers crossed he will be a good boy running teams for Nic this weekend at Agility Club. I am hoping to go along aswell to watch and have a natter with all you lot I havent seen for ages!

Gosh what a long post! Sorry all and BFN x

ps small warning- my belly is HUGE now :)