We have another swim star!

I know Sing is an exceptional sheltie, he is such a great swimmer and likes to retrieve in the water. Everytime he jumps in the water to fetch something, the others will bark their head off and yet they only stay at the bank watching him swim away and come back with a stick or a ball in his mouth and try to help him to bring the ball/stick closer to me.

I took Skye for a swimming lesson some weeks ago at Greyfriars Hydrotherapy pool in Guilford but he wasn't keen of the idea (he was very frigthened!). I was very surprised because he is the one that show most interested in water and fetch something out of it.

I thought I will give everyone a chance so yesterday I took Saturn in for his first swim. Obviously he does not like the tiny little jacket. The staff tried to put a SMALL jacket on him and poor Saturn was so tiny under his thick coat, so he can only fit in the EXTRA SMALL jacket! It was very funny to see him wearing such a tiny jacket (chihuahua size).

When the staff tried to take him into the water, he was a bit worried so I have to swim away to recall him from the other end of the pool. I knew he would come to me as he is very attach to me and never like to leave my side at all. The staff lift him into the water and he straightaway paddle naturally and swim towards me. The staff tried to help him to turn when he comes nearer to me just in case his paw will scratch me when he paddles. It was good fun and happy to see another one of my shelties can swim. It didn't take him long to realise he can swim and retrieve. After 2 rounds with assistant, he then started to jump into the water on his own and swim towards me and I help him to turn around and chuck a ball for him to retrieve. I didn't think he would fetch the ball as normally the first swim is very stressful for a dog but I was wrong, very wrong, he swim towards the ball and fetch it in his mouth and didn't let go until I released him.

What a clever Saturn! This is going to amaze his daddy, he thought he would never swim! The staff told me he is such a strong swimmer, I guess she is right. He swam so fast and trying very hard to pleased me.

Here is a video clip of Sing swimming in Mitcham Common:

The pups and the cat

I found this interesting video clip in my old files!

Flyball

I was talking to someone about flyballing yesterday and this reminded me the good fun times I have with Sing in 2005. He was such a great flyballer and we missed all the good fun together! I found a video clip of him doing his last flyball round in Maidstone:

size matters!

I've got both planets measured yesterday at Bagshot Lea.

Saturn is a MEDIUM

and Titan is a SMALL

snowy mood ... my favourite shots

I've been browsing on the Internet and saw many people post their pets in the snow photos, here are some of my favourite shots:

I like the snow fall on this picture and Sing's expression, my best shot of him in the snow!

I tried to capture some action photos of the boys and it is never an easy job!

I don't know why but this photo reminded me of the Japnese Sakura (their national flower).

I like this photo for no reason!

This photo reminded me the snowy storm when we were out there walking

playing in the snow

After the castration, Seagull becomes more open. He like to play with Titan whenever we go out walking ... here are some photos taken yesterday when they were chasing each other in the snowy wonderland.




Seagull teases Titan ...

and the game is about to begin ...






Here we go ...

Titan: I am ready!

Titan: haha... I've got you! (my favourite picture of them)

Seagull: I'm up, let's get me!


Off they go again ...






Titan: I nearly got you!

Seagull: ne ne ne ne ne ne ne ...

6 inches of snow?

Well behaved boys

I was told that we are going to have 6 inches of snow today. Will it? Really? That would be exciting ... we can built a snowman!

Sing loves the snow

There is no squirrel in the snow

I woke up about 4:30am and looked out the window, no snow! I thought we are not going to have any as the weatherman seems to be wrong all the time. It wasn't cloudy yesterday, so maybe no snow. I wasn't feeling too great since yesterday so I soon fell asleep again until Colin's alarm went off. He woke up and peered through the window and said: "Blimey! You gonna like this!", I asked him: "Is there snow?". He replied: "Look like we are having 6 inches of snow afterall." ...

Deep thought: do you think mummy is a bit crazy?

Saturn: I totally agreed with you, why is she snowball fight with Sing?

Unfortunately, there was a bad news for Colin, there is NO Northern Line, so he has to catch a bus into work and this took him nearly 2.5 hours to get into his Office. No wonder he hates snow! Can't blame him, can I?

I am always the lucky one, no need to go to work, my work is to look after the dogs, train the dogs, play with the dogs ... anything to do with the dogs!

Skye: Do you think I should join in the snowball fight, that looks a bit scarry!

We are out in the Common since 8am this morning, it was still snowing when we were out in the Common. The boys enjoying the snow, they have been running, chasing each other and experienced the snow fall. I too enjoyed myself with the boys, unfortunately there is no one to take a photo of me running like a mad woman!!!

BTW, we didn't get home till 10:30am, not until the batteries ran out!!

Seagull: Whatever you do, it didn't bother me at all, I just want to look pretty

Titan time

It is a lovely winter morning, I took the boys out for their 2 hours winter walk in the Common and they enjoyed the frosty ground and the frozen pond! After an hour rest, I thought I can't spend the beautiful winter indoor so I decided to do a bit of training with Titan.

Here is my boy on the See-Saw. I started him on the See-Saw with 2 tables at each end when he was 6 months old and I have to stop training him for a while. He was attacked by a nasty Border Terrier pup in his puppy class 3 times and he was off the agility training for 8 months!! He is a very strong dog and he has no fear of the equipment. He is quite happy to go up the See-Saw in his full speed and let it drop.

We are taking the Weaves very slowly, he mastered it very fast but I spent too much time with Saturn to make sure he has a perfect weaves before the agility season begin. I knew I am being bad so I have to catch up with little Titan. He is doing very well in his V Weaves, he is dragging me through to the pot at the end of the weaves.

He is also very fast on the A Frame but his target is not very good yet, we are practising the target on the ground and he was fine but I need to get his 2 on 2 off. I need more time spending on the A Frame!

Titan is quite a small sheltie, really tiny. I think he is about 12.5". He does not mind the jumps but accossionally he will go underneath it. I need to make sure he jumps every jump, so I always lob a piece of liver over the jump and make sure he jump over it and get the treat. We are going to work hard on jumping too!

Beside Sing, Titan is another of my shelties that like tennis ball. I've been wanted to train him in flyball as well as agility. I started rolling a ball for him to chase when he was 7 weeks old and he loves it. He likes to retrieve the ball for me everytime I roll it away. Here, you can see the picture above, he has a tennis ball in his mouth and jump over the jump, part of the flyball training.

Finally, reward time, play, play, play and play ...

Don't worry ... be HAPPY

I am glad the sun is out so I can do a little practice in the garden with my boys ...

He is such a confident young man, why should I worry?

His weaving is getting better and better each day ...

He is a born jumper

Don't worry boy, is just a see-saw.

I need a good sleep tonight!

my handsome BIG boy

I have not been sleeping well since Sunday and I desperate need a good night sleep tonight! I've planned to leave home around 6am, wanted to get there nice and early so I have plenty of time to do a little work with Saturn, basically I just want him to pay his full attention to me. I think it is very important for your dog to focus on you.

Saturn is always been a sweetheart, very attach. I don't think I will have a lot of trouble for him to be with me but you never know. The place will be all new to him, all the scent and the people and other dogs around ...