Last blog was meant to be about Twiggy, but Lily was so awesome she had to take centre stage. This one is meant to be Twiggys, and please don't get me wrong, she is my princess and has changed such a lot recently I could bore you all with her antics every day, but she has to share this with Dave.
2 weeks ago we had booked on a training day with Sian Illingworth, and for the first time ever, Fern had decided to run Dave in the 3-4 group.We were both nervous on just how he would cope in a group, especially as due to the wintry British weather it was indoors in the barn, and he really doesn't like being enclosed. Fern warned Sian that he was unpredictable and we really didn't know how it would go, and I gave everyone there, our permission to use whatever means necessary to protect their dogs if he went off...............(God he sounds like a fire bomb!!!!) In between working him, Fern put him in a crate at the side of the barn so he could acclimatise to the sounds in there, see what everyone was doing but felt safe.
Ferns first go, and some people chose to move just outside the barn door, in fact I think a couple actually moved out of the County! but Dave sat on the start line, focused. GO! He shot off around the sequence like the pocket rocket he is and was amazing! As the 2 hours ensued, he worked like a demon, beautiful, fast and so focused on Fern I was thrilled. He had one slight "off focus" moment so Fern picked him up and put him straight back in his crate for time out. If he isn't 100% you don't work him. Then as he ran 1 course, he spotted a dog in his line and took a few strides towards her and made the best decision of his life so far. He paused, thought, and turned back to Fern and completed the course! He chose agility and working with his Mum over confrontation. It was a moment I will never forget, and if he continues to think like that he really does have a future. Bless the little Ginger swine, he is finally growing up, and 3 years of hard work and determination have paid off for Fern :-)
In the afternoon we had G5-7 group with Twiggy & Cove. Twiggy was a so much fun. Off lead for the whole 2 hours, bouncing at my side, playing tuggy furiously and even laying down and chilling at one point, while dogs around her barked and worked! So much more relaxed. Every exercise she tackled full on. Enthusiastic and happy, she and Cove were the only 2 dogs to go clear first time on the last sequence of the day, with a tricky tunnel entry and independent dogwalk, she was great! She is a very responsive dog, and my timing will be tried to its limits, as she will pull off anything in a heartbeat, which has both advantages and disadvantages, but I love running her. The best thing is she loves working with me, and no longer worries what is going on around her. She is 1 in a million and I am so glad she came to live with us. :-)
So who will be next I have no idea, but maybe George :-) I have had my lovely toe operation, and spent a few days with my feet up, bored to tears but very well looked after by Rog & Fern, and am now fighting fit and training every weekend with one or all of my crew. Dave has his next group coming up with Anthony Clarke, so onwards and upwards for our little man.
