Preparing to say goodbye..

It's going to be a long day tomorrow as we say goodbye to the majority of Ella & Tigger's puppies who are being collected by their new owners. Ryley (Red), Beep (Lightening), Jet (new name TBC!), Oberon/Obi (Spot) and Ruby (Seven) will be heading out into the world to start the next chapter in their lives.

I can't begin to explain what an experience the whole process has been, from making the decision to breed, choosing the stud dog, the mating, the birth, the puppies themselves - a roller coaster, and one I wouldn't have missed for anything in the world. I loved each of my dogs from the moment they entered my life, and with Ella in particular I've shared many special moments in her agility career as we've moved up the grades. But I think this has to top them all as being her midwife of choice and assisting her first little boy into the world and then being there as one by one the rest joined him - it's an experience I will treasure my whole life.

As they've been socialised in various places, I've often been asked the question 'Are you selling them?' or 'Have they all got homes?', only to be greeted with surprise when I explain the waiting list we had before they were even conceived! That's a good feeling, to know that these puppies were loved and wanted before they were even born - just as their mother is treasured every day of her life.

I expect a few tears will be shed tomorrow, but I want it known that they will be happy ones. There are some good people welcoming these young dogs into their lives and I know that they'll be safe and well within their care. And whilst it's goodbye tomorrow, it's not as if I won't ever see any of them again - with each going to agility homes, I look forward to meeting (and hopefully beating ;)) them as their careers develop. And I'm assured of regular updates as their proud new parents have promised to keep in touch with special news. Plus I take comfort from the fact that as these new puppies fly the nest, my darling Ella puppy will be all mine again and she, Kai & Diva will be able to have more of the attention that they undoubtedly deserve. As a family we've all played our part in these puppies early days, but now's a good time to say farewell. 

Except as I should probably mention, for one particular puppy who seems to have worked her way into my affections - unbeknown to me until just this last week. The dark chocolate puppy we named Galaxy who is so like her mother, but instead a rich, chocolately brown. Sensibility finally deserted me and the heart won out - Borderspirit Temptation is here to stay. We're now a household of 4 dogs - oops! ;)

Today I'm grateful for the wonderful homes awaiting Ella & Tigger's precious puppies - we've done all that we can do, now we're going trust their new owners to do what we know they can do :)

Prestbury Park 4th September 2010

I can honestly say I didn't expect much from competing today. My poor little Callum started a temperature yesterday and didn't sleep very well at all. Despite Mike being a wonderful husband and getting up to care for him, it was still a restless night as his cries cut straight through his mother's sleep. When the morning came I wondered aloud what God's plan for me was - I'm feeling under such pressure in all areas of my life, and sleep deprivation doesn't help! Mike convinced me that he'd manage, and sort out a doctor's appointment etc. So feeling very dubious about it all, I set off for the show which is up near Cirencester.

My sat-nav has been playing up for a little while, but really earnt its self retirement today by taking me to the middle of the Gloucestershire countryside, but no-where near the venue. At this point I'm thinking that this might be a sign to head home! However my wonderful instructor Martin Tait is also very good with directions, and he re-directed me to the venue. So we arrive a little late, a little flustered, but there! Missed walking my first course which left me a little wayward in the middle of it, but Ella worked well and was really listening to the somewhat garbled and late directions she was receiving ;-)

Fortunately that was just a Helter Skelter, so I treated that as a warm up and soon headed to the G6 Agility ring to walk that course. Much more straight forward than most of the ones we've seen this season, and bar an obstacle discrimination of tunnel/A-frame, I was feeling pretty confident about getting round.

On my way to get her for the run, I got thinking about what God's plan for me might include. My sons immediately sprung to mind, and I started to think about what they might be learning from watching their mother compete like I do. I realised that I would want them to learn that putting themselves out there to compete is an exciting and worthwhile thing to do. I would like them to know that even if they don't get it right first time, every mistake they make is an opportunity for them to develop and get better. Most of all, I hope they would know that all I ever expect from them is their best, and that their best will always be just fine by me. That made me remember that my parents and those that love me, only want the same for me.

So I entered the ring in a good frame of mind. You'll see from the video clip that Ella has been allowed to get very barky as we enter a ring, something which I'm trying not to let bother me. I'm not mad keen on barking, I find it very distracting and annoying! I console myself with the fact that when she's asked for her startline position she immediately quits barking, and the work switch clicks into place.

Ella demonstrating her cool poise on the startline :)

As I look back at her I'm always blown away by her focus and self-control, and I thank the heavens for such an amazing agility partner. Not everyone gets an Ella in their lifetime, and I still question how she ever made it into mine. The answer to that is in the series of events after Kai's accident and she's another important thing I have to thank him for, he's another truly amazing dog. I don't know how anyone could put together a case for their dog of a lifetime - each that has come into my life could argue a strong case for being the special one! Diva is already shaping my life, pushing me to become a better trainer, to explore new methods to better help her learn, and just generally being a bit of a lovebug :)

Today had some really good bits, and some mistakes to allow for more improvement :) My favourite has to be winning the G6 Agility class, and having Sue there to celebrate with. Must convince her to enter some more agility shows next year! Anyway, I'll leave you with some video clips from the day. I'm off for a glass of champagne to celebrate... ;)

Today I'm grateful for Ella :)

UKA Staverton & Dog Vegas

What a long weekend! Thank goodness it's a Bank Holiday otherwise I don't know how we'd have done it, we didn't get home until midnight last night after being stuck in traffic on the motorway back from Scunthorpe. However I'm still glad we went all that way, there's something special about the first final with your dog, even when things don't go to plan!

Anyway, Staverton first on the Saturday - not a great day as I was very wound up about what was to come on the Sunday, and could have done much better than I did. A last minute 'E' in the Gamblers was disappointing, but it was miles better than the last one I tried to do so I'm definitely going to enter more of those - it was quite good fun. Jumping was next and just turned off a fraction too early and brought Ella inside a jump wing, so another 'E', but heartened by a lovely 12 weaves later in the course - can't now imagine what her coming out of the last 2 poles looks like which is fabulous! Picked myself up after that and gave myself bit of a shake - thanks to Sue James for listening to my woes and reminding me how much I love my sport and really how good Ella & I are at it. So went into our Steeplechase course properly and did a cracking clear - 1st place and 6 points off Senior, happy days! Agility was right at the end of the day, but worth waiting for as it was a nice course to run. Sadly missing lunch earlier in the day had left me a little light-headed and I gave Ella's weave command far, far too late - 5 for skipping the 2nd pole but beautiful for the rest of the 12 poles after that.

Dog Vegas started well - I had strict instructions from Martin Tait about holding contacts as now Ella's won out of Grade 3 there's no need to push them. Lovely clear with 6 weaves out of a tunnel and no worries on her entry, plus me crossing behind which was great. The lovely blue & silver 8th place rosette was nice too :-)) In the next agility round Ella was high as a kite (I later found she needed to go to the toilet - good reminder before Final!) and I thought I would test her dog walk contact by quick releasing on the A-frame that came before. As expected she released herself so I was able to correct her, and she then was more careful to remember her criteria on the see-saw, and finished the round with a fast entry into 6 weaves. G3-5 Jumping was next and what I would describe as our first 'grown up' course, although nothing that Martin wouldn't set me as a quick warm up! Clear till the weaves where I think I ended up in her way and 5 for skipping the 2nd pole. She went back in beautifully to complete the 12 poles, so I was very pleased.

The Final course was a nice course which I felt would really suit Ella, and I'm really pleased with how I stayed calm & focused leading up to the start of it. I walked it straight after the judge had finished setting it and decided what I would need to do. I planned to be brave and let her pick up the see-saw out of the tunnel by herself and layer the jump off of it for a front cross. When I walked it the tunnel should have shot them out straight so that picking it up would have been no problem - sadly after I'd walked it the angle was changed slightly, so I ended up with a very eager Ella running directly to me instead!



Looking back (and esp. from this camera angle) I'm not sure if:

a) My original handling decision would have been correct
b) Did I tell her her command for see-saw early enough (or at all!)?
c) As I wasn't moving as she entered the tunnel would she have still come out looking for me anyway?
d) Would it have worked but I wasn't on the correct line I needed to be on?

Whilst I'm disappointed, I'm not going to jump off a bridge anytime soon - mistakes are opportunities to learn, and this isn't Ella's last final. Does my dog know or care frankly (!) that we didn't win? She had her enthusiastic game of tuggy at the end of her job as she always does, and she did everything I asked of her so she had no complaints from me about anything she did. I learnt that I can cope with the pressure of a final and still run my dog as I should, and that I'm brave about the handling choices I make - albeit it for the worse in this instance! Next time I think I'll probably opt for the safe option rather than the spectacular, unless I have a 2nd opinion on it from Martin Tait first! :-))

Today I'm grateful for having a wonderful dog to compete with, a great big snuggly one to welcome me when I return to the van, my dog agility van itself, Jan Sage & Lexi winning G1 Agility whilst we were up at Dog Vegas and going G2!, my parents for looking after my darling children whilst we were away, and last but by no means least, my loving, supportive husband for going all that way with me - and for always being right by my side whenever I need him.

UKA Nationals week

Not much to report as I only went up on Thursday for the day and did the majority of the runs as NFC (not for competition). The reason for this was to proof Ella's weaves in the ring - I'm delighted to say she had 2 successes straight off, and was most surprised to find her toy in front of her as her reward :-) What I did find though was repeating them made her a bit cross! I realised afterwards that I only repeat the weaves in competition when she's gone wrong. Something to bear in mind in the future - in our 2nd round I should have just done a couple and then carried on. As a result of carrying on we had a few failures, which were down to her getting frustrated. Still, not a major concern and she managed 3rd in the Novice steeplechase later on. She wasn't really going for it which I think may have been to do with wanting to get it right as she felt like she'd been wrong earlier. She's such a teacher's pet :-))

Tonight I'm grateful for my parents for having the boys overnight last night which allowed Mike & I to go out to the cinema and have a lazy lie in this morning. Bliss :-))