31 December 2008

I finally got round to putting up the A frame today for the first time since we moved. I think the dogs were pleased because as soon as I put the sides on the floor they all descended on to it and started running up and down and doing contacts. I had to shut them all in the house in the end as it is not possible to bolt an A frame together while 3 malinois are standing on it.















There is space to leave the A frame up her which is good as it means I can use it more often, but I had to work out a system of barricades since Saffy soon discovered she could race down the garden, bounce off the step, land halfway up the a frame and then stand on the top and bark at people going past, then jump off the top once they had gone! This had to be stopped very quickly as I can't afford more vets fees at the moment and I don't want her to form bad habits.

30 December 2008

Today was Larkholme Obedience show. I had entered Ruby and Saffy and Daisy came a long for a bit of socialisation.

when I got there the beginner class had been split as there were over 60 dogs entered. This was really good as it meant that I could take both dogs into stays on their own. Neither of them are reliable enough to take them into the ring together. Ruby's stays are usually fairly good at home but she hasn't done stays at a show for a long time as I tended to concentrate on Dora and Saffy and Saffy has only done stays at a show once before.
















Saffy worked first as we were drawn second. With both dogs I planned to work the rounds to see where we are up to. Saffy's heel on lead was very good, she was very attentive and did her turns well. She lost 3 marks. then we did her recall and retrieve. She got full marks for the recall and only lost 1/2 for her retrieve. Her heel off leed was ot quoite as good as she was distracted by someone playing with hteir dog just outside the ring and I struggled to get her attention back after that but overall I was very pleased with her.

Ruby's round was not marked by her judge but we still did the round pretty much as it was set. Her heelwork was much better than I expected it to be. Her position is a bit wide but is very consistent even on the turns. The judge said that there wasn't really much to mark at all. She did a lovely recall and retrieve then we finished with a bit of heel off lead. Whilst I stood talking to the judge Ruby kept going up to the steward to be stroked. Her performance was miles better than last time I had her in the ring working, and she is much more confdent around the judge and steward than she used to be. During her heelwork she kept her attention on me and didn't even glance back at the judge. People walking behind her really used to worry her.

I trained the stays for both dogs. The judges let me set them up by the entrance to the ring and I only went a step away from them and both dogs did the stays correctly so we are definitely making progress.

Daisy took the show in her stride. She loved meeting all the people and of course being so small got plenty of attention. Several people said I should try doing obedience with her too. She is certainly very toy motivated and learns very quickly so maybe I will. She played quite happily in the middle of the show whereas I struggle to get the Malinois to play in strange situations.

29 December 2008

Saffy's hip score came back today. It was 4:6. which is about the breed average. Saffy's face is much better now. She had the stitches out the other day and the swelling has gone now. She is back to her normal playful self now.

28 December 2008

Today was the Agility Addicts Christmas show. Ruby was entered and ran beautifully in all her classes getting a clear round in each one. Although I have to admit the only time she hasn't got a clear round in any of her classes is when I have got lost and gone the wrong way.

The final class was a pairs competion which I entered but hadn't got a partner. Luckily Di from our club offered to enter with me, We were both a bit unsure what we were doing but everything seemed to go right and we got a clear round. We came eight so we were both very pleased as we hadn't expected to come anywhere

25 december 2008

Christmas morning.The dogs had new squeaky toys and spent far too long wandering round squeaking them

Catherine came round bringing Pete and William. William loved his new toy and sat in it for ages. Daisy seemed to like it to as she kept running round his feet which made William laugh. She kept running out everytime I tried to video it.

24 December 2008

Christmas eve. and underneath the Christmas tree a little brown dog anxiously waits for father Christmas to arrive.
Ruby loves the little cave formed by the table top I put over her cage. I didn't think a Christmas tree would survive for more than a few minutes on the floor with daisy and Saffy racing about

17 December 2008

Saffy is feeling much better. Her face is still very sore and swollen but she is definitely on the mend.

16 December 2008

It was the Agility Club Christmas party tonight and as usual I forgot to take my camera. Robin came along with Daisy too.
As Saffy is still feeling a bit rough and her nose is very sore so I just brought Ruby along. We spent the evening having races over different jump courses. The jumps were set low so all the dogs could manage them and it was great fun.
the first race was a knockout relay race. there was a circle of jumps and two dogs started at opposite sides jumping in a circle and the last one to complete the circle was out. then the winners ran against each other until we found a winner. Amazingly Ruby came second, she was not as fast as some of the dogs but doesn't knock poles down and went exactly where I asked her to.

there were a few other races we didn't do so well in and then the final race was a pairs relay race and amazingly We won that paired up with Andrea and her groenendael.
We had a lovely time and Daisy did too. She loved meeting all the new people.

12 December 2008

We had a major disaster today. Dora and Saffy have had a couple of disagreements over the last few days. Not much but enough to worry me. This afternoon they had a really big fight, and obviously meant business. Dora had hold of Saffy by the face and wouldn't let go and then as I tried to get Saffy out of the room dora grabbed Saffy's leg and again wouldn't let go. I did eventually get Dora off Saffy and into the conservatory. it was really frightening to see them fighting. There was blood every where.

Once they were separated I could check to see how badly hurt they were. Dora had a lot of blood on her but I couldn't find any bites. She was limping though.
Saffy had a large cut across the bridge of her nose and another very deep cut on her lip and both cuts were bleeding badly.

I loaded both dogs int the van and went straight to the vets who thankfully could see me straight away.
Dora is obviously bruised and has strained her front leg but was otherwise unhurt. Saffy had to have an anesthetic and have her bites cleaned and stitched. She has 10 stitches in her face. Her leg has some deep puncture wounds but they don't need stitching.

The vets have done an excellent job of stitching her up. They have used very small sitiches and closed the wounds very well so the deep cut on her lips hardly shows. Although her face is very swollen, with the cuts closed she does look a lot better.














After the disagreements last week I had spoken to my daughter about the dogs and she offered to have Dora if we decided they wouldn't get on. Claire has wanted a dog for a while and Dora would be ideal for her. Dora has therefore gone to live with Claire as I couldn't risk them having any more fights.

I am really surprised that it was Dora who did all the damage to Saffy and so is everyone else i have spoken to. I thought that if the dogs had a fight then Dora would be the one to come off the worst.

10 December 2008

A friend gave me a small dog bed today as she thought it would be suitable for Daisy. Of course Daisy didn't want to go into it, but Casey thought it was just right.

07 December 2008

Claire came for a visit today. She brought an apple with her in case she felt like a snack. now she is pregnant she is trying to eat healthily. Unfortunately she dropped the apple and Daisy immediately grabbed it thinking it was a ball, and then of course she had to show Saffy her new toy.

06 December 2008

I went along to British Utility Breeds show today to look at the Boston Terriers. I met the owner of Daisy's father there and she asked me to send her some photos of Daisy so thought I would get some proper photos. I put her new show lead on and put her on the table for the first time. She wasn't keen to be up there and definitely didn't want to stand still, but we did get some good photos in the end.

















































































Then as Saffy kept trying to get in on the act we took some pictures of her too.



















Don't stick your tongue out when I am trying to take your picture.
















Thats better.

04 December 2008

Daisy And Saffy Playing!














Jan said Saffy was a pure bred Malinois but I think there is some Werewolf in there too!
















Friends again!

03 December 2008

They say things happen in threes and that is definitely true in our house today. All three Malinois have hurt their feet. Saffy has a cut on the bottom of her foot, Ruby has a split between her dewclaw and Casey has s a cut that has gone septic on his hock.

This morning I decided that it would be a good idea to cover the wounds before going for their walk so gathered up tape plastic bags, old socks and set to it. All three were not sure what I was doing but put up with it with good grace and I thought the end result looked pretty good.

Unfortunately they started shedding socks within few yards of home and by the end of the road there were no socks left on their feet and my pocket was full of muddy socks. Still I tried. Thankfully none of their cuts are too serious so I just washed of their feet when we got home and hopefully they will soon heal.