Youngsters progress.

Such a lot happened in a week. Cove & Twiggy are well into training now and last Friday we had a workshop with Dave Munnings. Last time I tried to take Twiggy in it was a bit much. I ended up just playing with her next to the group as she really wasn't comfortable trying to work in a new environment with a lot of strange dogs. This time I was slightly more confident, as she has been changing her attitude a lot recently and her confidence is growing hugely! I was thrilled as she coped well this time, in fact not just coped but did the whole 2 hours and although still showing inexperience in some of the exercises, she also showed cheekiness, and enthusiasm for every task set. She was by no means the worse of the group. I was on a high. Cove was hilarious and although I felt sorry for Fern who is so proud of him and was so sure he would be impressing people, it was funny how naughty and dopey he was. He just wanted to play with Dave a lot of the time and forgot how to jump :-) However it was also his first time in the training ring at Newhall for months, so it was only a blip.
We also had Lily & Olli in the later group and as they have had a month off agility, they were very hyped up. Both of them proved how wonderful they are, such a talented and lovely pair of dogs, and both worked brilliantly, even Olli getting his hard left hand weave entries perfectly. Thoroughly enjoyed the day with all the dogs.
This week Cove has remembered what to do again, and is now jumping a sequence at full height. He has such a natural shape and style over the jumps he looks beautiful and Fern and him have a perfect partnership. Twiggy has just realised that agility is so much fun, and in the last few days has started on channel weaves, is jumping various sequences with ease and speed. Completely different style to Cove, she is more mad and maybe less controllable but my god can she move. Her funny action, pointy toes and scurrying stride certainly dont impede her and today we have been bouncing grids of 3 jumps, and learning deceleration on a pin wheel, all at full height and she floats over them. Very surprised how easily she bounces. My only problem is going to be keeping up!!! Still can't believe she is mine and what a gorgeous girl she is. 

This Sunday we are off to Cornwall for a competition and Cove & Twiggy will be making their first public appearances. Twiggy I will be training in the ring but Cove may have a proper run, depending how Fern feels and Cove reacts to the day. Its an exciting year ahead. :-)