Hinckley

Last post, last week I think I had mentioned Rodney had fallen/ got blown off of the dog walk twice (one after another.) Didnt think too much about it after checking him over and walking and trotting him up on Monday. He looked totally fine. However when I next trained him which was on Wednesday with the Cook's, he started off fine, must of done about 8 dog walks (we were timing different ways around 3 jumps onto the dog walk to see which was the fastest.) Then all of a sudden I ran him at it and he wouldn't go up... was really strange. The only difference was before we were running him around a couple of jumps then doing the dog walk, where this time it was jump then dog walk, so he was looking at it before going up. We of course didn't continue, he could be tired or worried, who knows. Then next day, I went up my field and decided to do a couple to see what he was like. Of course double checked him all over to start with, he was fine. First one, he went up and off of it perfect. Went back around, he ran at it then just stopped. We ran at it again, once again he stopped. I decided to leave it, just encase he had gone up it had hurt due to an injury so he didn't want to continue. Phoned the chiropractor and got her booked for Friday evening. She came out Friday, not a sausage, couldn't find anything wrong with him.

So of course with nothing wrong with him and the dog walk I presume being all in his head, I ran him this weekend at Hinckley show. I had no idea if he was going to go up the dog walk or not. I got into the ring in the Champ Agility (first run of the weekend) since not doing a dog walk since Thursday when he wouldn't go up.... Brilliant. I decided to give him one shot, he either runs up it or he just does jumping runs for the weekend. I ran him at it confidently and he went straight up, not very fast and a little worried, but who cares he went up. He managed to do the rest of the run ok too and managed a clear, think he was 7th. Next up we had Cruft Singles Agility, again wasn't too sure if he was going to go up the dog walk, due to him going up both Weds and Thurs then bottling out after. I ran him at it confidently and again he went up, still a bit slow, but he went up. Due to me thinking about his dog walk, I really messed the rest of this run up. I mean really messed it up. We also had Champ Jumping, I was worried about the weave entry like most people for some reason, due to the tunnel facing the dogs as we are asking them to go into the weaves. Rod picked the weaves up perfect, didn't even look at the tunnel. Then straight after that, 2 jumps later, on prob the easiest part of the course, I somehow sent Rod around the back of a jump and got us E'd... what a muppet.

Phoebe also managed a clear in the Champ agility, E in the Crufts and then she ran straight into the tunnel instead of the weaves in the Champ jumping lol. On the Sunday, Phoebe was clear in the 1-7 jumping, then I forgot about her agility whoops.

Rodney on the Sunday, did a nice ish sort of run in the Chum (KC Olympia Qualifier) but got marked on his dog walk. His time would of put him 5th. Nice run in grade 7 agility, trained his see-saw (two on two off) even with that stop he came 6th. Then in the grade 7 jumping, he did a nice clear. Rodney was 1.5 secs behind the winner. Lee Windeatt pointed out the places I needed to improve upon to get a better time. So much to work on still *sigh.*

Ok so once again not one of my best weekends of results, but who cares.... always next week. Rodneys not injured after the dog walk the week before, hes now not scared to go up the dog walk and like I keep saying, lets face it, hes still only a pup really (2 and a half next month.)

This evening I have just got back from training with the Cooks, we worked on handling from behind.... I hate it, but has to be done :(.I have been teaching them how Lee does it and how I try to do it. They seem to be picking it up very well and can see the improvements in the turns of their dogs and how much time it saves them across the course. I love it when things actually work :D.

Once again no pictures or videos due to Lucy not being at the show :(. Luckily I have good news. Lucy will be at Thames this weekend, so will hopefully have some videos for next week... well if they are not all E's lol. Thames is about 20/30 mins from my house, I would love to propose all shows were at the Newbury showground, wow that would make my life easier.

xoxo

Ps. Forgot to say Linda Hutchinson and Kizzy did a fab run in the large Champ to win their first ticket, another young dog, think she is only 3 :) very impressive.