sorry, just because he is on the lead!

"sorry, it's because he is on the lead", do you find this statement familiar?

I was taking the boys out for a walk yesterday morning. Just as we came out from our front garden into the pavement, I saw a big black dog dragging his owner on the lead, they were about three doors up the road, so I pulled the boys back and make them sit and wait while waiting for this strong dog to get pass us. While my boys patiently sitting there waiting to be released, this dog came and saw us, he decided he will lunge and jump ontop of my boys. I was taken aback and hopefully the owner will control her dog but she wasn't, she just said to me: sorry, it's because he is on the lead!

I am very much believe in training. Before I have Sing, I tried to read about this breed and go to shows to find out more about shelties, also trying to look for some puppy training schools where I can take him to and started reading books about training and how to become a good dog citizen etc.

You can say I am very lucky as all my dogs are well behaved, whether they are on the lead or off the lead. They have never done any silly things or being aggressive towards other dogs/human. They are also very good with joggers/cyclist, it didn't appear to them that they should chase a jogger or a cyclist, so I have no problem walking the boys.

In many occassions, we met dogs were aggressive, whether mine are on the lead or off the lead, the aggressive dog tried to EAT my dogs, the owner always told me: just because he is on the lead! I think this is such an irresponsible statement and sometimes it make me feel angry.

I remembered when Sing was young, we did a lot of training together, one of them is to walk pass a dog without looking at any distractions, make sure your dog is with you and give you his full attention; we also train to have two handlers stand still talking but our dogs are still paying attention to us instead of looking at the other dog ... etc. Paddy is a great behaviourist, she help me a lot throughout the years when I have all my shelties. It is a shamed that Paddy moved to Lincoln when I have my 2nd sheltie but I always remembered her way of training and I tried to keep training all my dogs that way.

girls' activities

Girls just wanna have fun!

the girls are exploring the DW I've made for them, it is very funny to see Porsche is on top of the plank watching her two sisters trying to get underneath the small gap to get to each other!

The girls are getting more active now and I am getting very busy again. Every morning, after dropping Colin off at the station, I take each girl out separately to stand by the roadside for 5 minutes to watch the busy traffic. They are more alert as well, each time I walk into the room, they will quickly jump up from their sleep and if I don't let them out from the pen, they will SCREAM! Oh yes! They've learned their sheltie scream. They love to get out from their pen to explore the house, my office, the kitchen and they love to go outdoor. Little Porsche always stand by the french window asking to go out! How cute is that? Also, the girls are too clever, they have learned to open the door too. I normally put the top latch on the door and leave the bottom one open but I was shocked to find they got loose yesterday afternoon! Shelties are too clever!! Never underestimate them, even just a pup!!!

And, I never seem to stop clean up after their poo, I thought I have clean them but when I turn around, more poo again. These girls will eat for England and poo for England too! I feed them Burns mini-bite soak in warm water + a little bit of Nature Diet puppy meat. In the afternoon, I will leave some Burns mini-bite biscuits out for them and I like to see them crunching away.

is this a good way to practise rear legs awareness?

wobble meal

I have the little skate board out today, none of the girls has any hesitation, the went straight into it to see what it was. Mercedes was the first one to put her paws up there, follow by Porsche. Ferrari is a little lazier. She just lie there watching her sisters deal with the skate board.

some new toy to chew?

skate board meeting?

I am not lazy! I can put my paws on the skate board and fetching the ball at the same time!

tunnel fight!

The girls are very good with tuggy, Mercedes is a strong and great tugger, when she tugs, she makes the "grrrrrrrrr" noises; Porsche is beginning to tug as well, she also makes the "grrrrrrrr" noises but not as loud as Mercedes! Ferrari probably is the strongest tugger, when she gets hold of the tuggy, she will not let go, she is up for the challenge!

Porsche learning to tug

Mercedes like to shake the toy as well as tug

Ferrari likes to chase a toy

Again, Sizzle is the best playmate to the girls. He is very good with the puppies. He likes to tease the girls to chase him when they are out in the garden. He wasn't keen to play with them when they are indoor, I guess it get very crowded in the lounge and I notice day by day my lounge is getting smaller when I started to add more stuff.

Sizzle is the best playmate to all my puppies! He is so gentle with everyone of them.

please play with me, uncle Sizz?

catch me if you can

he always start with the lie down position to get the girls to chase him

girls in the garden

gotta zoommmmmmmmmmm (sorry, picture is blur but I just like it)

daddy's girls - 5 weeks today

The girls are 5 weeks old today!

Mercedes

Porsche

Ferrari

The way to get a group photo of these active girls is to wait until they are tired, so don't be surprised that Porsche and Ferrari look sleepy in the picture!!

The weather has been superb (sunny and dry) for the girls to go outdoor today. I have taken quite a few photos but the internet connection is extra slow today, so I will try to post more photos tomorrow or when the internet is faster!

Letchworth agility show

We were away again this pass weekend at Huntingdon Racecourse for another very nice long weekend agility show. It has been very windy on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Thursday and Friday were the worst two days. We were camping with my friend Marion and her family, we arrived around mid-day on Thursday and we struglled to put the awning up. On Friday, the wind was so strong that it blown many large dogs off the Dog Walk, at the end, some judges have to change the courses by removing the Dog Walk and See-Saw. In one of Saturn's agility class, the judge has already started the class a few hours and have no choice to take out the DW & SS and replaced by two A Frames, this meant, he has to run the class all over again! We were the last class of the ring, so we didn't finished till 6pm!

I really enjoyed Letchworth, it is a very nice show, they have 10-11 rings! Quite a big class in Sing's and I have to say I really like all my Grade 6-7 courses. They all needed handling and they were very tricky. I didn't managed a clear round with Sing in all his agility classes this weekend but we did all the difficult bits perfectly and got him faulted/eliminated on the easy bit. I think I need to concentrate till the end of the course! I am very pleased with Sing, he did some lovely rounds though. Unfortunately he got injured on Sunday. Our first class was a Jumping course, he didn't look fast nor too slow, so I didn't take it seriously until we were running in the Agility, it was a handling course, so no fast start, when he was up on the DW, he basically walk over the plank, that is not like Sing and I was aware that something might be wrong but he carried on and he ran up the A Frame slowly, I knew there must be something very wrong with him. When he came out from the ring, a few people told me he didn't look right so I quickly took him over to Ray Tant on site. Ray said the joints between his neck and shoulder are out so he did a few flickers to put him right for me. Thank God! That is such a worried. I can see after Ray treated him, he feels so comfortable that he wants to run again! Poor boy, he just wanted to work all the time!

Saturn again was a very good boy, he was very happy and running in a good speed. We still have the contacts problem but nevermind that, we have the whole winter to sort that out (I hope!), we have a couple more shows to finish off this season, I just wanted him to be happy and enjoys his run. In the pairs, he was very enthusiastics and keen to go. I know whenever I hold him back (2nd to go in the pairs), he always get so excited and just powered! We managed a 2nd in the Jumping this weekend; 13th in the Eukanuba pairs with Brax and 6th in the Small/Medium Jumping pairs with Brax again on Sunday.

I have also noticed that his weave is getting better as well, last weekend, he popped out a lot but this weekend he has not put a foot wrong on the weave, he got all his entries and weave in style. WooHoo, I feel really good and we didn't get eliminated at all.

The other thing that I need to work on him is the start line wait, he was a little naughty on that for the last few shows, he released himself before I released him so that gave me a silly start most of the time!

I only picked a few clips from the weekend, at the end of the vidoe is a little blooper from me and Saturn, I thought he looks so naughty on the contacts, it made me laugh whenever I watch the clip, so I am going to share with you. Luckily the judge was very kind to allow me to put him back on the DW:

daddy's girls - nearly 5 weeks!

These cute little girls will be 5 weeks old tomorrow, where all the times gone?

We have been away for another agility show and the girls have been well look after by my nephews and Ling. The girls are looking wonderful, they are lively and confident, they love their toys and they are not shy to meet people! They are very happy to see us back again and this morning, they got to see their daddy and uncles.

the girls interact with their sisters a lot, here is Mercedes trying her pouncing skill on Ferrari

this is their favourite toy, it was a cat toy but I cut off the plastic bit and left the fluffy bit, all the girls like it and most of the time two girl are pulling at each end, very cute!

just like this!

Porsche lives up to her name, she is one posh little girl and I think she is most prettiest!

don't you think so?

she is also the cheekiest, she likes to zoommmmmmm around the room in speed!

then fell over just like this

the girls like this tyre box I made for them, as you can see, they are quite agile already!

Mercedes is a great tugger, she reminds me so much of Zap when she tugs

such a cutie!

but soon get very tired playing

Ferrari is famous for her paw antic

playing is a very tiring game!

she is still the fattest!!

from this

to this!

I must include this photo, I think Saturn is so cute. When the girls are out from their plan running around the house, he always go and lie in the pen to have a bit of sun.

and the girls are eating well with their solid food!

Poor Little Fool!

Colin took two days off work so he can come with me to the Summer Open Agility Show at Ely. It was a three long days agility show located in a nice flat field. We left home very early to avoid the traffic but we were not allow in too early, so have to hang about in the service station on the motorway.

The weather wasn't too kind to us on Thursday and Friday. It was stormy, rainy and feel like hurricane inside the caravan! There is a rubber waste factory nearby the venue on fire as well. It has been on fire nearly a week before the show but for some reasons, they didn't put it off. When the wind blows towards the venue, the smell was unberable, otherwise is ok.

Sing was a good little boy. He ran mostly clear in all his class, other than a jumping class that he refused to go around one jump. It is very werid act from him, he nevers ring shy since I competed with him. He is an outgoing boy, nothing should freak him but I cannot understand why he would not go around the jump! Only then I found out there were dogs fighting outside the ring and the jump was set next to the rope, so it could be it? We only have one graded class for Sing on Friday, eventhough he went clear but no places for him. I never thought we will managed any place for Saturday and Sunday as they are all combined 6-7 classes but how wrong was I? He surprised me with a 2nd in the Combined 6-7 Agility on Saturday, and his time was very close to the winner. I cannot believe we got a place so I missed the presentation! Again, on Sunday, he got a 3d in the Combined 6-7 Agility and I missed the presentation again. I never dream we will get a place until someone told me my name have been called for prizes! This is our thrid Grade 6 show and I am really happy with our results. I started to think the challenging 6-7 courses suit him well.

Well, poor little fool Saturn is getting better and faster, unfortunately I let him down again and again this weekend. He was so close to win out of Grade 5 TWICE but I did something stupid to get an elimination and a fault but he has the fastest time of all, so I am really pleased with that. On Friday, it was the Graded Agility, there were no clear round in our Grade, Saturn were the 3rd from last to go. We were queing but the sky turned really grey and dark, just at we were on the start line, it pours! It really pours! My plan was to put him on a wait but definitely not on this condition, so we set off together. Due to the heavy rain, he actually got caught in the cloth tunnel so I could catch him and send him to the correct tunnel (as most dogs got eliminated from the tunnel). It was a fast start, so either way, the handler has to be behind the cloth tunnel and when the dog came out from the cloth tunnel, they saw the right hand side of the tunnel but the dog needs to take the left tunnel. Due to the heavy rain, Colin cannot use the camera, so no video to explain the course. Anyway, we did really well on that part, he listened to me and we did all the other bits beautifully. Also, due to the strong wind, there is no DW in the course, so I only have A Frame and See-Saw to worry about. He did the SS and A Frame beautifully and as we did the last two jumps, I pulled him too early and he back jump it, so we got eliminated!! Arrrrggghhhh ... I really want to kill myself! Then, on Sunday, at the Combined 4-5 Agility, he works beautifully, I cannot complain about the speed and the way he ran the course but I wish I have hold on a second longer on the DW, we would have gone clear! Eventhough we were faulted but he has the fastest time. Again, I am very please with him. I think he is coming back from his old confidence self. We need to train harder on the contacts in the winter.

We have two Eukanuba mini/mixi pairs heat this weekend, Friday and Sunday. The Friday course was a fast flowy one, I never thought we could squueze in a place as we saw so many top hanlders and their fast dogs on the line. Saturn and Brax managed a 10th, that is a great surprised to me and Matt. We were really pleased with our dogs. On the Sunday heat, the course was a little tricky, for the big dog section, there is a jump set in an off angle, I never thought we would have problem with that but apparently many dogs got caught in that jump. It was the small dog to start first in this run, Brax wasn't with Matt to start with, so they got a 5 for refusal on the tunnel. They then carried on and finished the course perfectly. I never thought with a 5 faults could get us a place so I didn't run with my full power and Saturn got caught in the off angle jump and I wasn't fast enough to change my handling so he back jump the jump to get elimination. I have to say a big sorry to Matthew and Bracken for my bad attitude, I should have work harder. It turned out to be, only 5 clear rounds and with the 5 faults Brax got, we should been placed if Saturn didn't get eliminated. Bad me!!

Our video camera is not working well this weekend. It got rain on last year at KC Festival, it has been very good that it is kinda still working for a year since the rain but not this weekened, so not many videos and not good quality. Colin cannot see the image sometimes so he has to point the camera the direction we ran, hopefully he still captured the run.

here are a couple of our runs:

daddy's girls - 4 weeks

I still having this terrible computer problem. The new desktop arrived last week but the box was open before the deliveryman handed it to me, so I wasn't happy. The worst thing was when I gently placed the desktop on my table, the front cover came off, so I was on the phone to the company I bought it from. They were very kind and helpful and agreed to exchange another unit for me. The new one arrived the next day but I was away at Ely doing a long weekend agility, so no time to set up the new desktop. I thought I managed to get the new desktop up and running on Monday but we had more problems yesterday so my oldest nephew spent yesterday rebuild the whole system for me! This new pc is looking good and seems working brilliantly, hopefully it stays this way. I think I am getting VERY old for this technical stuff. I have whole lots of new softwares installed as well, guess what? I prefer the old versions!! I do not know how to use the new updated softwares!! Too complicated for me!!

The girls turned 4 weeks old yesterday. I can see changes everyday, all three girls developing nicely, one maybe slow last week but catch up this week. Their personality starts to show as well. All three girls started to set their eyes on toys and they all love tuggy, which is good. Porsche likes to pick up a toy and run away with it and the toys normally are much bigger than her, so she trip and fell alot!!

Ferrari is a real poser!

Porsche was the sleeping beauty last week but this week, she spends a lot of time awake playing and exploring

Mercedes still the cuddliest!

the girls playing

they now started interacting with their sisters a lot

more photos to come once I know how to use my new softwares

agility news to follow ...

daddy's girls - first outing!

We were away at Ely doing some agility over the weekend. My nephews are doing a great job raising the puppies for me. They were well fed and man handled. We came home last night to find all of them has grown bigger, so much bigger, especially Ferrari. She was the tiniest but is now the fattest and biggest of all. We now call her FAT GIRL!

Samber and the pups were pleased to see us, little Mercedes greetest us with her bark! Yes, she found her voice, the sheltie voice. Very cute little bark! Then, joined by Porsche! Oh dear! Can you imagine when all of them started barking?

It is such a lovely day today, I've got the girls out on the patio for 10 minutes. They were very good little girls. They weren't frightened of new places, they were busy exploring and Ferrari ran up the little Tikes tunnel and slide down, woohoo! Happy little soul! Of course, Porsche and Mercedes decided to have fun on that too. It was so funny to watch as Ferrari is too fat and the tunnel is quite slippery for them. I don't think they have the good grip on their feet yet but they really like to run around then fell over! Funny puppies!

the girls first outing

that smells good?

cute sisters on the slide

Mercedes prefers my tyre box!!

more photos and more news about agility tomorrow ...

daddy's girls - 3 weeks

The girls are three weeks old today! They are getting cuter each day and the hardwork slowly begin ... I tried to sort out my times with the big boys (take them out walking and playing), as well as dedicated my times to each puppy when they awake.

I started my weaning program with them, this gives Samber a break from feeding but she is such a good mama to the girls. I soak Burns mini-bite in warm water, mesh them up and feed them. Porsche enjoys her food very much, basically she has the whole plate to herself. Mercedes also find the food interesting but not little Ferrari. I hand feed her and she is licking my finger, I suppose I will give her a bit of time to adjust herself.

the girls at three weeks old

first solid meal, can you see the mess they are making?

first born Mercedes, 3 weeks old

she is always the one that comes up to me for cuddles and then fell alseep in my arm

and she is the first one to show me her trick ... SHY!

second born, Porsche, 3 weeks of age

she is always a posh girlie

she looks so cute stretching herself out

third born, Ferrari, 3 weeks of age

she is such a cutie, very alert, response to noise very well at this age

... and the most playful one!!