I was only joking My little Freckles can do no wrong. She charms the socks off everyone she meets - just like Allez! It's in the genes.
Mind you Belle does too, Hmmm ........ so does Ghillie, and Merlin, and Moss, and Topaz and ....................................... Maybe I should re-phrase that
All these damned Bretons charm the socks off everyone It is DEFINITELY in the genes _________________ Annie
Handle every situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away
Back to our Frolics.
Last night was 'off lead for the first time' night.
SCARY
Actually she was better off lead than on, AND I didn't get tripped up. We started with two jumps and the normal tunnel, not the squidged flat one - did that a couple of times on lead , then the leads were off - one at a time. One young GSP bitch decided freedom was there for the taking and did about 5 circuits of the riding school before being 'guided' back to her very embarrassed owner. Oh dear, I thought, Freckles will do the same. But no, she was only interested in the treats Sam had in his pocket and we BOTH had to run round with her. Eventually she got the message that I was her handler and started to follow the hard baked kidney I was offering.
Then we had to do the tunnel which Freckles sat and looked expectantly into instead of running straight through, as I had been throwing treats along our short home one. After a few practice runs over a few jumps set at different angles and the tunnel, we were given a tyre to tackle - I vaguely remember someone coining the phrase some years back - the only way to 'tire' a Brittany. Not true! It just encourages them to look for for more.
Anyway, the others had done a little on the weaving poles when we were 'indisposed' so I was glad Liz had given me her spare set last weekend. Freckles took to it like a duck to water - off the lead? no problem; run away from Mum? no way - she's got goodies in her pocket. At last, we managed to do four complete runs off lead watching the bit of kidney with only one or two missed jumps.
Sam is well known in doggie circles for his catch phrases and he came out with another couple last night. As we were trying to remember which jumps to go over then the tunnel, then the tyre, then more jumps, totally and utterly confusing for a number of us age challenged members of the group, he stopped us and said - Yer dogs ken the wye, they learnt in the first ten minutes what they hud tae dae, you'se tek a fortnight. If yes mak any mair mistakes it'll be a kick in the backside.' I'd better practice some more this week. _________________ Annie
Handle every situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away
As we were trying to remember which jumps to go over then the tunnel, then the tyre, then more jumps, totally and utterly confusing for a number of us age challenged members of the group, he stopped us and said - Yer dogs ken the wye, they learnt in the first ten minutes what they hud tae dae, you'se tek a fortnight. If yes mak any mair mistakes it'll be a kick in the backside.' I'd better practice some more this week.
I make sure I'm at the back of the queue and watch everybody else _________________ If a job's worth doing, it's worth paying somebody else to do it properly
When there are ten people all trying to get to the back of the queue it can be quite amusing! _________________ Annie
Handle every situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away
We've found that, when it comes to claiming your place at the back, the younger ones lack resolve and are easily bullied _________________ If a job's worth doing, it's worth paying somebody else to do it properly
Agility night again - Freckles seems to know as soon as I get my warmest fleece and neoprene lined boots on - equestrian centres are flippin cold draughty places!
We arrived early for once as I decided to take eat my tea on the hoof as they say - a couple of cheese filled Glasgow rolls and a bottle of diet Irn Brew - loverly grub . A 5.45 start is awkward as I have a 45 minute drive to get there.
As soon as we arrived, Sam greeted us with 'Hullo, wee Frecckles, how ur ye the nite' - not a word to me He knows all the dogs names - none of ours!
We were to start using the see saw this week and Sam had asked us to do some homework in preparation for this discipline - practising on the house steps! Sit on the top step and call the dog up. When it's front paws reach the step down from you, say wait, or steady, and pull and release the lead gently so they are rocking on front and back legs. Must have worked because Freckles did it fine the first time over - but I didn't Apparently I was leaning forward and over her as she reached the apex of the see saw in an attempt to stop her jumping/falling off. As always, Sam had yet another catch phrase in readiness for the situation "Staun up straight, wummin. Yer scarin me, nivver mine the dug"
We had the flat tunnel to contend with again this week, and Freckles isn't keen on this but she wasn't alone. Because the dog can't see light at the other end it doesn't know it is open. But Sam holding the lead and sending her in, with me opening the other end seemed to work OK. With most of the dogs (but not some of the owners) having mastered these after a few 'go's ', Sam decided to put us through our paces with a complete round - off lead! Another gem from Sam "Yeez aw ken yurr dugs, yez ken if they'r gaun tae run away. And it disnae metter sae lang as they cum back"
A single jump, then the A frame, two more jumps, change sides (SIDE SIDE SIDE yells Sam), through the flat tunnel, another jump, the see saw, two more jumps and finish with a full stop against the walls of the school.
"Over, Walk on, over, over, side, side, tunnel through, over, see saw, steady, over, over WHOAH!!!"
Some of the dogs are really fast - their owners just can't keep up with them. One collie barks all the way round, another lady loses track of where she is supposed to be going every time, Sam has to guide her round the course. I was watching youtube yesterday and saw one woman stand in the middle of the ring and send her dog round all of the obstacles purely on voice and hand signals - wonderful stuff - oh wait a minute - I'm doing this to help lose weight - maybe that isn't such a good idea. Ok Freckles just stay at that pace - I can just about keep up with you. _________________ Annie
Handle every situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away
Sorry, folks. Forgot to put on last week's post - tonight is the last one till after New Year.
Anyway, last week we were doing jumps and angles mostly - jumps were set out so we had to change direction each time and where to go next. 'The dugs will remember first time round so yez'd better let them dae it right' says Sam. Freckles did her usual trick of pulling me over to see Sam as soon as we arrived - for the sole purpose of checking what treats he had - 'Uv nane fur ye this week, wee Frecks' said Sam, laughing at her eager little face. The disappointment was total!
However, she decided the P Chum ones I had were better than nothing and off we went. (She doesn't know yet but she has liver being cooked for the next session) She is still watching me on the way round rather than watching the jumps and I think if she were off lead she'd be better but for some reason only the two collies that are going into competition were allowed off lead. And to be honest I don't think they are as good as a super little Staffy bitch called Lexy who just powers round the course. She is insecure and can snap so we have to keep a short distance between us - we always seem to be beside her. Freckles gets too close to the jumps before going over and on the lead she nearly pulls me over with her. First course was 8 jumps set at about 45% to each other in a sort of zigzag, four going away from the group then turn and come back over the other four, all with the dogs on the left. She did them fine - not displaced at all but they aren't very high as yet. Then we incorporated the tyre on the way back - no problems there either. Sam then changed the lay out and we had one set of weave poles to take in. Freckles likes these as we have a set at home (thanks to Jan and Liz - and Royal Canin) so we can practice. So it was four jumps out including the tyre, then weave, then three back with a turn in the middle to change sides. Last of all Sam set out a more difficult course of tyre, angle, two jumps, weave, two more jumps angled, another weave, two final jumps at an angle. Some handlers got a bit confused in the middle, trying to remember the direction, the side the dog should be at etc, but Freckles managed it all fine and off we trotted to the car, for a quick snack tea, and then off to Choir for Mummy.
Annie _________________ Annie
Handle every situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away
Tuesday was the last session before Christmas and after New Year we go onto the next level. I hadn't realised that agility training was so structured. Far more so than any other dog discipline to my knowledge - seems so anyway. Here's the KC structure. http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/2127/aggradingstructure07.pdf
A shock was in store for Freckles and me when we arrived. The whole arena was set out - every piece of equipment that we had tried so far was out there, set out in a proper agility course. As the others filtered in you could see the look on their faces - and the dogs' reactions. Dale the sooky Border Collie had a fright on the seesaw a couple of weeks ago so he hid behind his owner; Red, Twiggy and Cal, the other Collies, started a sing song as usual; the two staffies, Roxy and Charlie, were leaping about on the end of their leads itching to get going at the high rate they take the jumps; Boska the GSD sauntered in in her usual aloof fashion; and Freckles pulled me into the middle to speak to her favourite person, Sam
'Hullo wee Freckles, where's ma bestest wee Britbag then hun' Scrabble scrabble scrabble she went, to get closer, and wrapped herself round his face as she jumped up to meet his coming down to speak to her. Such loyalty, these Brits have, don't they?
'Yes are gawn tae have fun the night, folks, We'll huv a wee try on the seesaw then ye'll dae it aw. Jist like fur real'
So one by one we lined up for the off. 'Naw, your the lead dog the night, Freckles, dinnae hide, Annie'
Oh dear, can't get out of this I reckoned. So off we set - over a couple of jumps to warm up a bit, then walking up on to the seesaw. She crouched down and I reacted to protect her 'Staun up straight, yer scarin' her again'
Sam turns to the whole class and explains that leaning over the dog was causing her to be more frightened - she was picking up my vibes. So we tried again and this time she went up the ramp, stopped on the top, leaned forward till the other end hit the foam pad on the ground and walked off - to a wee cheer from the others @Right, yes huv aw seen how tae dae it so come on'
One or two were wary but in the main standing up straight beside the dogs as they reached the fulcrum seemed to do the trick. Nest we had to tackle the A-frame and the cat walk which we hadn't done for a couple of weeks, and also the blind tunnel. The weaving poles are easy. I glanced at my watch and found we only had 15 minutes left, Sam did the same and announced we would now do a complete agility round off lead. 'Freckles. tek yer Mammy round, Hun'
So off we went - two jumps, A-frame, tunnel, jump, catwalk, two jumps, seesaw, jump, poles, jump, catwalk, jump. So it was - Over, Over, Walk on, wait, wait, tunnel through, Over, walk on, wait, wait, over, over, seesaw, steady, good girl, over, WEAVE!, over, walk on, steady, STEADY, OVER - Good Girl - PHEW!!!
That was FUN!!!!! Roll on New Year, we're raring to go! _________________ Annie
Handle every situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away
And we're back again!!!! But no Sam this time. We have yet to find out our new trainer's name. He's nice but doesn't have the dewdrops of wisdom that Sam shared with us. Not yet anyway..............
We could choose off or on lead so I decided we had to go forward in 2009 and chose off lead. As far as possible Frecks will not be back on lead.
Anyway, we were just jumping. JUST jumping? Handlers in the middle of four jumps with the dogs being pointed to which ones to go over next, and figures of eight, T's, L's and all sorts. One lady just couldn't get the hang of it and just smiled sweetly saying "I'm ever so sorry, where do I go next?"
Freckles was really very good - she went where I told her every time - but sometimes she was jumping from a standing start if I'd forgotten which jump was next then suddenly remembered and called her over. 'It's no say easy, is it' said the anonymous one with a grin. Not half, said I!
Roxy and Charlie, the two Staffies, just adore jumping and both seem to just fly round, to and fro, up and down. Fortunately the little rescue Beardie has learned over the festive period not to run around barking all the while. The big GSD bitch just floats around the ring. There was one Staffy cross bitch that has a problem with other bitches and had minor 'go' at a couple of others as they went by. Just as well she didn't try it with Freckles as I think she would have stood up for herself. It's owner had a good tight hold though so all was well, and it's good for a dog like that to have exposure and be controlled as well as having something to channel its energies into like Agility.
All too soon the hour was up, but having set up the poles and tunnel in the front garden as well as one of Katie's big toys and the shed roof covering the pump, we now have our own agility course to practice on every morning before our walk.
_________________ Annie
Handle every situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away
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My little Freckles can do no wrong. 
It is DEFINITELY in the genes 
so I was glad Liz had given me her spare set last weekend. Freckles took to it like a duck to water - off the lead? no problem; run away from Mum? no way - she's got goodies in her pocket. At last, we managed to do four complete runs off lead watching the bit of kidney with only one or two missed jumps.
