a GOOD way to end the agility season

I started with a very rough week last week. I must have somehow caught a bad cold early of the week because when I went to train at Bernadette on Wednesday, I was puffing and panting running around the course. I don't think I was normally that bad but I can feel a temperature after the training. I was in bed all day on Thursday and have to miss my club training. I was wondering should I miss the Suffolk 5 Rivers show too! But, Saturn is going to pair with Leo for the first time and I do not like to let people down, so I have to pull myself together and set off on Friday to Suffolk.

Suffolk Showground is a lovely showground, I am definitely back next year. I saw there were many hook up points but I wasn't sure if we are allow to use it but we were happy with our battery for the weekend. The Showground is massive, there is always plenty of space to walk your dogs and there are a couple of fence up bits where they have some wild animals live in there. We went to explore and enjoyed the quiet beautiful place. The Suffolk 5 Rivers members are very friendly too, overall, a lovely friendly show.

I wasn't 100% fit, I felt rough especially in the morning, I was coughing, choking, craoky ... and poor Saturn was so confused when he heard my croaky voice. He was a good boy, he tried so hard but I was short of breath to catch up with him and he could not understand my croaky voice and he looked all confused!! He has a couple of clear round in Jumping but not fast enough to beat the Collies!

Suffolk 5 Rivers show is the first show that I have to run Sing and Saturn in different classes. Saturn's classes were in the morning and Sing's were in the afternoon, normally after lunch. When I took Saturn out, Sing has to be locked in the caravan with the others, so I wonder that actually help power him up (jealousy!!). Everytime, when Colin and I took Saturn out, I can hear him crying (very sad crying ... it actually broke my heart everytime I hear it).

Now, some good news ... Sing won out of Grade 4 by 7 seconds on Saturday! He was a real star this weekend, he also got a 2nd in Jumping. He continues to shine on Sunday, YES, he won the Jumping class. I was thrilled with his double win!! I was a bit upset about the Agiltiy on Sunday, it was another course that need a lots of handling and I knew we can win the class provided Sing will not leap off the Dog Walk. It wasn't a starightline after the Dog Walk, it was a sharp right turn which I have to be on the other side of the jump to switch 2 times. I pulled away too fast and too far and Sing ping the Dog Walk and we got fault on that! Beside this only fault, he was 10 seconds faster than the winner!! I am very pleased with my Sing, I set a target beginning of this year to make him a Grade 5 dog by the end of the year and it fulfilled. Isn't this is the GOOD way to end the agility season?

After this weekend, I need to work hard with Sing on Dog Walk turning left and right; and I also need to learn how to TRUST Saturn. My winter project!

Sorry, there is no video of the winning moment, Sing still run out to his daddy all the time and Colin would not want to risk it BUT I captured a very tired Sing after his run of the day!! This poor tired boy deserved a good sleep, I need to give up my bed for him. I have to sleep on the floor with the others!!

I am very glad to meet up with Linda and her three lovely shelties. Linda pop in with her hubby and shelties to keep us company. Isn't it nice to have friends around when you camp alone?

The handsome pair, Leo and Saturn. They have a similar face.

This is the beautiful merlie girlie Flowie

Leo is a football mad

This is Leo's circus trick

and this is Oscar

Crazy MAD House and Bromsgrove

Last week was a crazy week, my eldest nephew arrived from Malaysia with his girlfriend on Tuesday evening. I went to Heathrow to pick them up, they were landed around 5:30pm but didn't get through the custom until 8:30pm!! I then have to drive through Central London to drop the youngest nephew in Chiswick then drove into Liverpool Street to pick up Colin, by the time we got home, it was nearly 11pm!! The week passed by in blur as I have to help sorting the kids' universities ... etc.

We had a disaster starts on Friday going to Bromsgrove. First, the caravan jockey wheel played up, the caravan was hitting the ground hard and luckily I have a strong nephew to help lifting the caravan so we can hitch on the tow ball. When we were somewhere around M40, I've realised the lights weren't working properly so we pulled into the nearest service station and when I looked at what happened, I nearly fainted. Yes, the electric cable was drag on the Motorway and it has worn out, so we need to call the AA to come to rescue! Well, they didn't turn up until 2 hours later and took an hour to fix the problem.

By the time we got down to Bromsgrove, it was nearly 5pm (we aim to get there by 1pm)!! It was a lovely show, the only downside is the exercise area, the field is full of thistle!!

Bromsgrove was Sing's first Grade 4 show, he did pretty well to start his Grade 4 career, he got a 2nd in the Combined 1-4 Agility and another 2nd in the Combined 1-4 Jumping. He wasn't far behind the winner.

Saturn was a good boy too but my poor handling let him down again and again. He was so close to win 2 classes but we just couldn't get there!!

I need to work HARDER!

This is funny, I never know you will be awarded with a trophy if you are doing well at work but Colin does! Since April, he has brought home 3 trophies!! I need to work harder with the boys to keep up with him!!

Colin is a workaholic, he really work so hard to earn all these trophies!

These are my collection, I need to work harder to keep up with him!!

tracking

We didn't have any show this weekend but we have some exciting fun time! Our friend Jim & Joan are down in Childham caravanning, Jim rang on Saturday to tell us that he lost his Wedding ring in the field and he sounded very upset. We were busy entertaining my sister-in-law's family on Saturday so we could not go to visit them then but we brought our metal detectors on Sunday to help to find the lost ring!!

here is Colin checking the metal detector and Sing wonders what is the game ...

the search begins ... Sing & Saturn could not stop poking their noses in to help their dad

We bought Jim a new fancy metal detector (from Maplin) for his birthday (next Sunday), here Colin shows him how to detect a wedding ring!!

there he goes ... Sing is a very clever dog but he has not been taught to sniff rings!!

Result: CANNOT find the ring in such a big field!!

missing you

I've tried to tidy up my picture folder and found this picture of Scribble, it brought back a lot of tears. Look at the picture, you will know she will made such a brilliant agility dog! Thank you very much to Ann and The Hennessy Family for giving her such a lovely time.

She has gone for a week tomorrow but she will be remembered, always!

Happy Anniversary

Since we didn't go to Letchworth and Colin was on holiday, we took the boys out for some lovely walks for the last three days. Friday was our 6th Anniversary, we took the boys to Modern Hall Park where we got married 6 years ago. The boys enjoyed running around, playing ball and chasing squirrels!

I was very surprised to see the tree trunk is still there after 6 years!

Modern Hall Park is a gigantic park, we walked for hours and hours and the boys enjoyed running around

Colin is Ray Mear's Crazy, he found this lots of Acorn and cooked that for our anniversary lunch, is he a romantic husband? Certainly Not!

We found a lovely Rose Garden, all sort, all colours!!

I just like to climb a tree and the boys always trying hard to follow me up the tree

He is such a handsome merle

this is Sing at Seven Sisters Country Park, being in the sea all day!! He was a happy wet dog!

We didn't get home until 10pm from Brighton on Thursday evening and by the time we got home, all the dogs were straight in the bath, I don't think I like any salty dog on my bed!!

This is Sing looking so fluffy and clean!!

In the evening, we wanted to take the boys to Oaks Park but we were too tired, instead, they have another long walk in Mitcham Common, here is Colin chucking the ball for the boys.

Guess what we have for our anniversary dinner? No candle light dinner ... we ended up in McDonalds having Big Mac Meal!!

Here is the video iof Sing swimming in the sea, he looked so tired, he must have been swam for good half and hour fighting the strong wave!!

need a break from agility

I was too upset grieving for poor Scribble and would not want to tow the caravan to Letchworth, instead Colin took me and the boys to Seven Sisters Country Park to cheer me up. We used to go to Seven Sisters Country Park (http://www.sevensisters.org.uk/) a lot, it is a lovely walk to the beach and Sing cannot resist not to jump into the water!!

The boys enjoyed their walk and they were so happy to have a break from agility! We spent nearly 4 hours walking then pop in to Brigton to see my parents-in-law and have dinner with them. It is good to see them as we have not see them very often.

On the way to the beach

a happy Skye

are you ready ... steady ...

as usual, the agile Sing DIVE into the water to fetch the ball

a freezing cold sea water would not stop him from swimming!!

the handsome pair

Tears in Heaven

I have been uneasy all week and can't made up my mind if I would go to Letchworth today. It is so funny that for the first time I have doubt about going to a dog show, that is not like me! Last night, Ann rang at 10:30pm, I was so happy to hear from her, Scribble has bring us close together but she wasn't sound like the cheerful Ann I knew. She broke down and told me the saddest news ... they have LOST Scribble! Poor little thing was only 10 weeks old but she has been unwell for a while, her liver was not working properly and the Vet would not recommend a surgery because she was too young and there is no guarantee she will fully recover from the op, so Ann and her family very bravely decided that they should not let the poor little thing suffer, she was put to sleep at around 7:30 last night. For more news, please catch up on The Hennessy House.

I had quickly compiled some photos and videos of the little character, eventhough she has only been with us for a very short time but she has brought so much life with her and we are missing her terribly.

Video clips from BridgeHouse and Surrey DTC

Here is the compilation of BridgeHouse & Surrey show:

BridgeHouse & Surrey

After a good one week rest from KC Festival, I thought I have enough energy to work hard with my boys ... unfortunately NOT! We didn't do too well, mainly my handling problems!! Sing again tying so hard to pleased me and brought back a 3rd rosette and a little trophy from BridgeHouse on 1-3 Agility. His running Dog Walk was beautiful and I was very pleased with his performance. We didn't placed in the Jumping, his little legs are not fast enough compare to those leggy Poodles and fast BCs! Instead, Saturn surprised me with a 4th in the 1-3 Jumping. I didn't think we did well in that round as he was slow to start with, watching those fast dogs screaming around the course, I would not think we will be placed.

Toady at Surrey is definitely not my day! I love the 3-5 Jumping and Agility courses, they were very nice and need a bit of handling but I messed up the Jumping round with both boys. Saturn had his go first. He was doing well until we came to the tricky bit (the 2nd time around the long tube tunnel), I called him too early and he came out from the entrance, I have to send him back which we got 5 faults on that. Even with the fault, his time was pretty fast, he would have place 2nd if there is no mistake with the time he finished! Sing was a good boy but he messed up on the weave, he got the entry but with no reason, I called his name (stupid woman!!) and he looked at me and picked the 3rd pole but his tunnel bit was lovely.

Then, the boys both went clear on the 1-6 Helter Skelter, again Sing was not fast enough but Saturn got a 5th in that class.

At the end of the day, we have the 3-5 Agility. It was not a fast course, need a bit of handling, suit me and the dogs just right, unfortunately, Sing got marked on the Dog Walk!! He picked up his speed after the A Frame and surprisingly his weave was fast too! As for Saturn, he DID NOT freeze on top of the A Frame, that was a good sign (Hooray!!)!! I didn't want to stop him at the bottom for his target as I want him to GO for it, he didn't get mark on that though but he was marked on the Dog Walk but again, he didn't slow down on the Dog Walk, another good sign!! I am hoping to do a few up and down contacts to start with and hopefully to bring his confidence back then in the wimter, hope to shape his target! That's my aim!

Saturn: Look! I can do it without open my eyes!

I like these two photos of Sing, his turn is getting tighter! He is too slow to compete with those leggy dogs, a tight turn will always help to cut off some time!!

KC Festival Nation Cup Agility video clip

Thanks to Dennis, we've got another video clip of Sing at the KC International Agility Festival. This is the Nation Cup Agility round. Sing was with the Rest Of The World (ROW) 3 Team which consists of: Evelyne Thomas with Honeybeech Shepard Moon (Kaister) from Belgium; Lian Knight with Fenstyle Sing Mai (Sing) from Malaysia; and Johanna Allanach with OBay Singular Sensation (One) from Denmark. This team has been doing very well, both Sing & One went clear on the Agiltiy round with Kaister had 5 faults on the weaves and gave us the chance to beat the other teams and placed 2nd in the Agility! Well done to all my team mates!!

food and drinks

While everybody goes to Dogs In Need, I stay at home relaxing and spend time with family and friends and of course with my boys. I am busy competing with my boys in agility this year and couldn't find time to organise our annual BBQ. We have the very last minute BBQ arrangement after KC Festival, invited some close friends and I am glad most of them turned up and we have a good natter catching with each other.

Here are some of our guests today, front row from left to right:

Joan with Starry, Tilly, Daisy, Titan, Saturn, Sing, Skye, Colin, Tikka and Seagull.

Back row from left to right: Pip and Sooty (2 lovely boys belong to Chrissy)

Tomorrow, we've been invited by Jim & Joan to have a proper English dinner with them. What a wonderful weekend, full of food and drinks!!

Humpty Dumpty Saturn

I keep having problem with Saturn freeze ontop of the A Frame at shows, his daddy is disappointed and decided we should call him "Humpty Dumpty Satie" in future ! (Note: Satie is his nickname)

and here we go, this rhyme is for him:

Humpty Satie sat on the A Frame

Humpty Satie got the blame

All his mummy’s might and all his mummy’s strength

Couldn’t bring Satie off the Frame

Here are a couple of Saturn's Jumping rounds at the KC Festival:

KC International Agility Festival

The long weekend is over now and most of my mates are off to Dogs In Need for the week and I just want to SWITCH OFF and have a quiet peaceful week with no training!! It was an exhausting weekend for me, we didn't get home until 11pm last night but overall I had a brilliant weekend.

We left home Thursday morning and got to the showground nice an early at around 2:30pm (we did get lost for a little bit!), set up the caravan and garden for the dogs, then took them to explore the showground. This is my first year at the KC International Agility Festival, the showground was massive and grand and I am impress and of course more NERVOUS! Eventhough the show is big but not over crowded, people are from all over the world and all the people were friendly and made you feel comfortable.

Novice Cup
I've entered both Sing & Saturn in the Novice Cup, so our weekend long show started on Friday with the Novice Cup Challenge. The Agility and Jumping heat were set up by Jo Sermon, they were very nice courses with some handling involved. Sing did a beautiful round in the Agility and we came 3rd; he is not a fast dog so we only got a 17th in the Jumping but both his round were clear and he was placed 5th in the Qualifier. As for Saturn, he was so naughty this weekend, we didn't have many clear but he was trying hard to listen to me. He had a clear in the Agility and came 15th; he had fault in the weave entry in the Jumping, this put him in the 15th placed in the Qualifier. The top 15 dogs go into the Final on Saturday, Saturn was very unfortunate to be knocked out by Jenny & Stella who also placed in the 15th, Stella has a higher agility points (she came 4th) and she went into the Final.

Saturday was the worst day of the weekend. Due to the Final, I missed all my graded classes with both boys. I was planning to rest Sing and work Saturn on the graded classes but somehow all the classes crashes with my Final with Sing so poor Saturn has a rest day doing nothing!

The Final was an Agility course set up by a Belgian judge, Michel Liekens. I have to say that was an evil course, I am not around the agility for long and I am only a Grade 3 handler, so that was definitely too much for me to cope but I was trying my very best. I do like that challenge, I thought it was a good course and could benefit Sing as he is not a fast dog. I walked at least 10 times to register the course in my head then only be able to work out how I will handle Sing. I must have walked the course at least 25 times! Guess what? My Crufts dream didn't come true! We've got an e'd but Sing did a fantastic fast round and I was so proud of him, he did a very nice running dog walk, exactly bang on! Well, there were 30 Large dogs, 15 Medium dogs and 15 Small dogs in the Final and only 3 clear rounds, 2 in Large and 1 in Small! There is NO clear in the Medium! All the top handlers in the Medium got e'd, that made me feel better. I was extremely exhasuted after the Final.

The course involved both physical and mental! I was totally crashed out after the Final and of course I was so depressed for a while as I thought I could get around it with Sing, unfortunately he performed too well, he was so fast (not his usual self!) and I won't be able to control him the way I used to be.

Nation Cup

(Jumping Judge: Michel Liekens; Agility Judge: Mia Laamanen)

On Sunday, our graded classes will not start before 12noon so I treat myself with a lie-in. About 8am, I was still dozing in bed, I heard the tannoy saying they just put up a list of the Nation Cup, and asked all the foreign competitors to go and check if they are happy to run in the team. I have to quickly woke up and rush to the marquee (it was a good 5 minutes "run" away from where we camp). I was very surprised to see they put Sing and Saturn down for 2 different teams. Sing was in Rest Of the World 3 with Johannah & One from Denmark and Evelyn & Kaister (the cute Italian Greyhound) from Belgium. We had a good run in both Jumping and Agility, Sing went clear in both and he is definitely going strong each time, he didn't slow down and he did listen to me. We came 4th in Jumping; 2nd in Agility and 3rd in the Final! Well done to my team mates!

Saturn was in the Rest Of the World 1 with 2 Spanish team members, one with Poodle and one with Schnauzer. I was feeling very sorry for my Spanish team mates as their two dogs did brilliant rounds where Saturn is inexperienced and messed up in both Agility and Jumping. We came 3rd in in Jumping; 6th in Agility and 4th in the Final. Well done to my Spanish friends!

Sing is a little star this weekend, bless his little legs, he worked so hard and

how can I retire him?

Saturn needs some serious training, he was naughty on all the contacts!

I toroughly enjoyed my weekend, it was a very good experienced for me. I love all the difficult courses, it made me think all the times how to attack/handle the course with one experienced dog and one inexperienced dog. After these courses, I think our English courses are peanut but again I am still a Grade 3 handler. My boys are not fast agility dogs!

Here is the Novice Cup Final, the only video of Sing I have got for this weekend, kindly video by Andy (Thanks, Andy!).

Wish me LUCK!

We are off to KC International Agility Festival tomorrow. By looking at the name, you know it would be a BIG event. I've never been to one before and I thought I AM ready to try it this year. Ever since I have received the running order last week, I just couldn't help but being NERVOUS! I've entered both Sing and Saturn in the Novice Cup and I wanted to do well so we can get a chance to go and run on the green carpet.

These two boys have been very different lately, Sing is much better on his running Dog Walk, he has not has any fault on the Dog Walk for the last couple of shows and I hope he will stay like this. I am hoping to have 2 clear rounds (Agility & Jumping) on Friday with him if he is on form. Saturn has been a bit naughty recently, he kept stopping on top on the A Frame (main issue) and probably due to the heat, he is getting very tired easily. I am hoping Friday will not be too hot so we can have some good runs.

We plan to leave fairly early tomorrow to avoid the traffic but somehow I have realised the gas is very low and we haven't got a spare gas and spanner to change to a new gas, so I have to go out to search for a bottle of gas and a correct size spanner tomorrow morning!! This makes me more nervous!!

I probably need some Rescue Remedies to help me this weekend. Wish me luck, folks! I hope I will bring back some really good news!

Good news!

No! I am not having a Poodle ... there is nothing wrong with a poodle but I am shelties only!

After the miserable Sunday we had, Sue was so upset to come back with empty hand and I felt awful and terrible. She bought all the puppy toys/treats to welcome Bliss and she nevers come back with us. Yesterday about noon, Sue text me to say there is a toy poodle at my neighbourhood, could I go with her to look at the pup in the evening, of course I will! We went to visit NOAH and his sister and another toy/standard 8 weeks old bitch (honestly, I felt in love with RJ but I kept reminding myself, NO NO NO!). All the poodle pups have lovely outgoing temperament, esepcially the girls, the breeder is keeping Noah's litter sister called Angel (but she is no Angel!!). Eventhough they are from the show lines (with few champions in the blood) but I am sure they make good agility dogs too. They are all toy motivated, lively and not hand shy, Noah is a little laid back which Sue is looking for. He is fitting in very well with Sue's dogs. Please visit Sue's blog for more news!!

CHAZEY Trio

I like Agility season, this is the time where you get to meet your friends, new and old ... beside enjoying the sport you like with your dogs, you also have a good cups of tea catching up with friends, isn't agility wonderful? Photo below is Skye with his litter sister Megan (on the left) own by Sue and cousin Moss (on the right) own by Lin.

Lucky Escape

Today is the most stressful day in my life ... Sue and I went up to China Town to pick the pup(s). We always wanted to bring the two girls home. And we know whoever owns them, they guarantee to be loved and well trained. There were so many twist and turn in getting the puppies ... we managed to get Scribble at the end. We were terribly sorry to lost Bliss (yes, the white one will be called Bliss if she goes to Sue). It was extremely sad to separate the two sisters at this young age. We were told "Bliss" is going to some people in St Johns Wood, I hope she will settle in in her new family.

Scribble is the lucky girl. She IS going to a VERY good working home, she will be loved and well trained. When I got her back, she was so happy, she followed us straight into the garden, running around with the boys, chasing & playing with them, it was just like the old time, before she left for the first time. She went around the house, sniffing and I am sure she knew where she belongs!

Bless her! It was an awful HOT journey in the underground.

what can you do with this pair of appealing eyes!!

Going home

I spoke to mum this morning, AT LAST! I haven't been spoken to her for nearly 10 weeks now since the last time I upset her. She sounded very poorly and she suffered lots of ache and pain, cold and flu ... all sort. She wasn't very optimistic about visiting us in the next couple of months when my eldest nephew coming over to further study, her health is holding her back and I am feeling very sad and there is nothing much I can do to help. She fell off a step a year ago and she nevers recover properly. She wants me to promise we will go back to visit her sometimes and we WILL, we definitely will arrange the trip to Malaysia soon!

This photo was taken in 2002 when my mum (second from the left), my aunt (behind me) & my 2 nephews came to visit me for the first time and we had a lovely trip around Europe.

Saturn's Jumping round

We haven't got many good videos last weekend at Agiltiy Club, both Sing and Saturn took turn to slip their collars and Colin got a bit stressed ... here is one of Saturn's best round (eventhough we got 5 faults!), he was very fast but I was letting him down by not giving him enough room to do the jump 11!