crazy puppy's silly first show

Well, I have been nervously and secretly excited waiting for this day to come ... crazy puppy Sonic and his sister Brooke turned 16 months last week (19th July); this mean they are old enough to run at UKA's Beginners Steeplechase and Nursery classes. This weekend is the first time they are allow to compete legally at UKA. 

I so wanted to go on Saturday but we got a viewer appointment. Unfortunately, selling the house took over my Agility at the moment. I am highly stressed, selling and moving is the last thing I want to deal with. I want to MOVE and SETTLE, so that I can continue with my training and competing. At the moment, I am sitting here being stupid, waiting for people to come and view the house, try to keep the house tidy all the time is mission impossible! If I want to practice in the garden, I have to set the equipment up and put them away and make sure I don't tamper the lawn/grass. Arrrggghhh ...

We went to UKA Nationals yesterday. The weather wasn't the best. Partly sunny and mostly cloudy and rain! I've entered Sonic in the Nursery, so he gets to do the contacts he love and two Beginners Steeplechase classes. All NFC (Nor For Competition). He is so NOT READY for the the game yet. He hasn't got the training that Sizzle has at the same age. Sizzle was in a class where Sonic isn't really. His puppy class has a break because our trainer was on maternity leave, so he hasn't train since June. Poor puppy! Due to the weather and the limited space I have in the garden, we have no chance doing a proper sequence. And now with people coming to view the house and bad weather, we hardly do anything for a long time. 

Sonic's first class was the Nursery. Although I have entered as NFC but I decided not to take his ball in the ring with me, I have a feeling that he might spend all his time biting me wanting his ball instead of paying attention on the obstacle. The Nursery course wasn't an easy peasy one that I expect but I enjoyed the challenge. I think Sonic did rather well for a baby. I was worried that he won't be able to do the double tunnels as knowing him prefer anything else than tunnel. There were two "flick away" (rear across) jumps in the course. I have not done this for a while with him, so I practice with him with the available practice jump outside the ring to remind him. Crazy puppy can easily do it with just one jump but he struggled to turn away after the A Frame but I was so pleased with the "2nd jump" with me turning him left, he did that so naturally. I think we just need to practice a lot more. 

Sonic's Nursery:

I nearly missed his 2nd run of the Beginners Steeplechase I. It was a busy morning. I've entered Sizzle so I have to walk and run his course; then got Sonic measured as well and I totally missed walking Sonic's course. I have to stand by the ring side to watch others before us. It wasn't a particularly easy course for Beginners but it's a nice flowy course. As I didn't walk the course, so I don't know the proper set up of the jumps and tunnels. Sonic did well. It wasn't very smooth but for a baby like him but I am very happy. Although I have his favourite ball in my hand, he was focused and wanted to do the job. From the video, I can see there are plenty of rooms to improve but I am really proud of how he ran. His time was great too :) a good few seconds ahead of the winner.

Sonic's Beginners Steeplechase I:

Then, we have to wait for a long time for his Beginners Steeplechase II. That's at the end of the day. This time, I decided to bring the ball in and have a game. I've noticed that we keep having ONE same problem in the Nursery and Beginners Steeplechase I ... if there is a fan or star sequence (3 jumps), he was reluctant to take the middle jump. We keep having this problem at training as well. He still would not "go away" from me, no matter how I train, he just like his daddy Sing, likes to glue to my leg! I was prepare to throw the ball if he takes the jump but he failed and we did tried a couple of times :)

Sonic's Beginners Steeplechase II:

Sonic is very cheeky and challenging to train. I think he will be a "hard work" but he is so toy motivated that makes training a lot of fun. 

Well, Sizzle wasn't as lucky as Sonic that ran all his class in the dry weather. Apart from the Champ Jumping where we weren't gel at first, my handling was rusty and cue/command was terrible. The weave entry was very tricky. The entire day, regardless what level you are running, the course was set up pretty much the same with the weave in between two tunnels. I have not seen many dogs ran clear, as to whichever way you stand, the dog just pick up the tunnel instead of the weave. If I can confidently handling the pull through, I will be up close to the tunnel and point at the weave but I can't! 

Sizzle's Champ Jumping:

After that, poor Sizzle has to run in the heavy shower! When we were called to run, it wasn't pouring down! It was only a drizzle and as we stand on the start line, the heaven open! My good Sizzle tried so very hard and he didn't even slow down to run. I was so afraid that he will slip, I didn't want to cue to early for him to turn so he was turning wide. I love UKA, their rubber contacts supplied by First Contact are always safe to run on this kind of weather. Oh yes, Sizzle did win the Champ Agility :)

Sizzle's Champ Agility:

Soon after that, we were called for our Senior Steeplechase. Yes, we are still in Senior :) We just need a couple more points to go Champ. I have been trying for the last few shows but eveytime I told myself to run clear, what do I get? Fault or elimination! Hahaha ... Sizzle is pretty happy to stay Senior :)

Sizzle's Senior Steeplechase: 

One not so good news, Sonic was lifting his back right leg again after his last run. I took him to see the vet this morning. The good news is, his knee is absolutely fine, so no cruciate ligament or patella or any knee damage. Phew! In fact, the vet said his leg movement is very nice, she cannot find anything wrong in that leg. I did question about his lower back but there is nothing that the vet can diagnose apart from "soft tissue" injury, so he is on anti-inflammatory and rest for two weeks! Bad news is no training, no show for at least 2 weeks or longer. 

Oh, I just want to say "Hi" to Gill :)