Vision for 2014

As it is the first day of the New Year, Mum and I have been thinking about what we would like to achieve in 2014.  My Mum envisions this:

By the end of 2014 we will enter the ring, focusing nicely on each other, I shall happily stay on the start line even though I am trembling with the excitement of taking the first obstacle.   During the year our weaves will be brilliant and I will be as good at waiting on the contacts (I am learning 2o2o) as I have become on the startline.  Mum will have improved her inconsistent handling so that I understand just where she wants me to go - she really needs to work on this one and not run me like I am Ponto as I go far faster than she ever did and need to know where I am going even if Mum isn't by my side.

Our goal is by the end of the year to be having clear rounds in agility, jumping, steeplechase and games at least 75% of the time.

So this month we will be playing the following games:

1. Amazing Stays from Susan Garrett's brilliant Ebook.
2. Doing our Critical Core Games, that is Crate Games, Collar Grab Games, One Call games, RZ games, Tug, sit, tug and take off and stand games every day.
3. Proofing my weaves and contacts.  

This first week we will:

1. Mum will read through Chapter 4 of Amazing Stays - Ten games to grow my confidence at home.
2. When it stops raining and the wind gives up a bit we'll play weaves in the garden.
3. We'll also practise our contacts, but those we can do inside on the steps and travel plank if it is too wet to go out.

And today:

1. Critical core games.
2. Tricks - we do these for my job visiting and doing shows for the elderly.  Today, trolley and weave backwards through Mum's legs. 
3. Have a lovely loose leash walk with my brother,Dylan and sisters, Percy and Ponto.

Hi there

Mum has decided that before we make our decisions for what we'd like to achieve in 2014 we should look back and consider how 2013 went.

1. On New Year's Day in 2013 Mum had finally decided that she was really fed up with me pulling, being a Houdini with regard to removing any form of gentle leader or headcollar and that she would just use my collar and lead and stop if I pulled so that I could learn that if I wanted to get where we were going - to the beach or the woods usually - I would need to walk nicely by her side.   We did this and a walk that now takes me ten minutes walking beside my Mum took us almost an hour that day!  So that is one success, I am about 95% there in not pulling when going somewhere really exciting.
2. Mum helped me learn to weave using Susan Garrett's two by two method.  In total we only spent about an hour training over the couple of months and look at the results: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veV-ss-8Yf4 
3. We continued going to Amy's for our agility training and in the summer I competed for the first time in the summer.  This is a video of my first competition (my sister Erin goes first I start at 0.30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BOPVZv6dyE
4. We went to the Isle of Wight for a fun show and I won my qualifying round and the Final for Best Trick, that is me taking the washing off the line.  I also won Best Trick and three other companion shows either with the washing line or jumping onto my mum's back.
5. At the UKA Nationals I competed again but still didn't have a clean run and got very distracted at times although we did some lovely distance work at times.
6. In August we went to the UKA Hawbridge and HADs shows just one day at each and now I was getting my act together and listening to Mum and paying attention to her body in the ring.  I won the Steeplechase twice and I qualified for the Ultimate Agility Beginners' Steeplechase Finals in December. I also now had 24 points so I am no longer in Beginners and have moved up to Novice in Steeplechase.  I won the jumping, but non-qualifying because I picked up 5 faults, however, I was the only one not eliminated and there was a wall and a long jump and I had not done either of these before so Mum was really pleased with me.
7. At Mapledurham in September I managed to win the Jumping Qualifying!  Mum was very pleased with my weaving.  However, I've not managed to go clear again in Steeplechase yet.
8. As well as playing agility I have learned even more new tricks and continue learning them. These I use to entertain the elderly at the Rest Home where I go to say hello to the residents.  This Christmas I did one show at my Rest Home along with Ponto and another at the Dementure Group - everyone loved the shows and you can see the videos of one of these here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lgLIFT8asU
9. We went to the UKA Finals in December.  This was exciting.  Mum and I stayed overnight in a hotel.  I'd never done this before and at first I thought I needed to guard our room from other people so I barked when I heard doors opening and shutting but Mum convinced me that this wasn't necessary.  The Finals were exciting, in a big Equestrian Arena, lots of dogs, lots of noise and I had my turn.  Unfortunately, I missed jump No. 3 and went through the tunnel so we were eliminated and then when I was half way round the course I thought it was the end and ran straight on, although I came back as soon as Mum called, but it was so much fun.  Not our best run and loads to learn, especially a start line wait, but if you want to see the run it is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhPZosB7rLU
10. But most of all in 2013 we had fun playing Recallers Games, Weaves, Contacts, and going for lots and lots of long hikes in the Forest and at the beach.

Mum has been lazy about keeping this page up to date recently, probably because we are so often out and about or playing games instead.  Since the UKA Nationals I have done a few more Steeplechases and qualified for the UKA Nationals Beginner's Steeplechase Final on 1st December.  However, my Mum and I know that although it is great winning things sometimes, it is all the fun we have playing and learning together that counts most.  Now Susan Garrett's Puppy Peaks is just what we need and below is a picture of our new folder.

Ready, steady, go!  My Mum has made our new Puppypeaks Filter Folder.  Now we're off out to play.

Hi

I've been a bit lazy keeping up to date with this.    I've now started doing Steeplechase at UKA shows and sometimes going in the nursery.  Mum and I are looking forward to September when I'll be old enough to do the Beginners' Jumping too as I love my weaves and they don't have them in nursery or steeplechase at UKA.

Tomorrow I'm going to have another go.  The best Mum and I have done so far is a round with 5 faults because I went past a jump - wasn't my fault, Mum got the same fault with Dylan in Casual - happens the Course was identical!  So guess who got her handling in a muddle LOL.

Here are two pictures of me from that show and one of Dylan doing his Casual Run where he went clear, he only jumps at Micro height nowadays but still loves playing agility just like I do.

Until next time.

Bob
p.s. I'm on Twitter Now @BobbyRocker2013

Perfectpals Show on the Isle of Wight

Hello!

Hey we had a great time on Sunday when we took a big boat called a ferry across to the Isle of Wight and went to a show there.   I did my first run at steeplechase in a real ring at a real show - made a few mistakes but really enjoyed it, and in the novelty classes I won both the qualifying round and the final for the best trick. I took the washing off the line and put it in the basket.  Here is a picture of me with my trophies.

and here is a video of my first run:

and this Sunday we are off to the UKA GT Show at Cheltenham where I get to try Nursery agility and another steeplechase run - can't wait.

Oh Mum is so excited because I can now do twelve weave poles!  We had our ups and downs, sometimes I was too excited to remember what I was doing, sometimes other dogs almost got in the way, and I still find it harder if Mum is at the other end of the poles and I have to go in from the left but we will be working on that. But just in case any of you have time on your hands (this video lasts 50 minutes) you can watch my weave training from Session One until I get to do the twelve poles.  Only four sessions were not videoed and these included two sessions when Mum and Amy put up two lots of six poles with a gap between them.  I hope you enjoy watching me and if your Mum or Dad is playing the 2x2 weave game with you, I might give you some inspiration by showing you how I got there, despite my mistakes here and there where Mum had to pay attention to what I was telling her and perhaps go back a step or two sometimes.

My Weave Training

Journey so far

Hi again

I've been a bit lax in keeping you up to date with my life recently.  I'm 15 months old now and have learned so many things.  I won two competitions for best trick.  At one I took the clothes of the washing line and put them in the basket and at the other I began by putting my four feet in a little bowl, then Mum turned the bowl upside down and I pivoted on it to the left and right.  Mum then sent me of to sit on my wobble cushion, about 20 feet away and wait there while she crouched down, then she called me and I ran up and jumped onto her back.   When she released me, I did a sit pretty and smiled at the Judge!

But the thing I have learned best just recently are the weaves. Mum thought that using Susan Garrett's 2x2 method would be best.  We started this on 11 April and here is a video of our first very short session.

Today I did six straight weave poles for the first time.  There were other people in the garden, so more distractions than usual.  But I am proud of this first attempt.

We have such fun playing together, me and my Mum.

Until next time.
Bob