flyingduster

Well good on you angelsun! I think it took a while to catch on here too, but all of a sudden it is roaring away with a life of it's own, with a whole heap of people now with their RN titles and more wanting to join in! The rally seems to have bought a lot of people BACK to classes and clubs, those that were jaded by the strict obedience world, and it's also seeming to interest new people who don't want the strict obedience, nor run flat-tack around agility but can see the chance to compete in something at their level. Keep at it, I know it can be an uphill battle at times, but the success of it overseas, including down here, shows that once it DOES start catching on, it's great!!!

I can't decide today.... And then there's the humorous photo of one cat attacking the other (cos the 'other' was biting her tail...) and THEN there's the bone... that got nabbed while trying to get pics of it:

ohh, can I post another one from the other day too? I know I've already done one, but ya just don't *see* irish water spaniels much!

yesterdays pics (day 19) Today i am totally uninspired, so snapped a photo of the shiba inu puppy cam that I'm hooked on right now... lol!

ohhh, I do keep meaning to get a whistle to get a solid emergancy recall down too... well done!!! Me and Paris got our very first official title this weekend; Rally Novice! woooot!

I've been away this weekend (getting our first Rally title! wooooot!) but I took pics every day still!!! sat 16th (waiting between classes, in classic lab style!): 17th; I love this one, I just wish the background wasn't so busy! and today was boring, but I'm tired from the weekend and feeling uninspired!

I got it!!! Paris is now officially got the "RN" - Rally Novice - title on her name! WOOOT! A whole heap of people got their RN titles this weekend, to add to the three others in the country who already have theirs, and ONE person in NZ now has their advanced title (RA) tooo!!! All photos are here: http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j162/fly...C%20Jan%202010/ they are mainly of me & Paris, and a friend; Jack and his poodle Saffy (he made one silly mistake that meant he didn't quite get his RA title this weekend too, but he only needs one more qualifying certificate to get it!) there are also prize-giving photos of most of the classes too. LOTS of fun!!! I'm SO chuffed to have our first ever title, and to be part of this fun new sport in NZ! Keep pushing for Rally in oz, it's worth it!!!

aha! I did it! NOT a photo of animals! Instead, I found thread on my desk, and plonked some onto a handy white envelope that was also on my desk... I use the manual mode on my camera (not a DSLR though) and there'd no editing done (I really should download lightroom and see what it does...)

Personally I don't offer to teach the laymen pet owner how to clip their dog. I WILL teach them how to maintain their dog between grooms (correct brushing mainly) but I'm seriously shooting myself in the foot to teach people how to clip their own dogs! lol In saying that, you can always ring around and see I guess... Otherwise, check out youtube, there's a gazillion clips on there about grooming dogs, some are terrible, but watch enough and you'll get a good overview anyway. And in the end, hair grows back!!! Yes they might look funny sometimes when you've been experimenting, but in a few weeks it'll be looking fine again, and you can have another go next time! The best way to learn is to get in there and do it. And I *love* Shirlees book. It is my poodle grooming bible!! lol

it looks like the thread has slowed down a little?? I'm still doing a photo a day, but I need to branch out and do something other than animals still!! lol. Tonight the girls were doing tricks for hubby at the back of the section: Riki running back and Paris BOUNCING back

todays pic, 13th Jan; a poodle racing around the back yard!

another client pic today, a nearly-5 month old airedale pup getting his very first 'big boy' trim! not a good pic, but just cute cos it's the 'before' look!

lol, most people see my girl and comment on "the big poodle", and many many people say "Is she really actually poodle? I didn't know poodles got that big!" but the clincher was one guy who insisted that you DON'T get poodles that big, you only get little poodles, so she's not a poodle. Umm, k? Actually I think he went off mumbling something about a labradoodle, though I have no idea where he thinks the size of labradoodles comes from if all poodles are little! lol! I have studied breeds far too much so there's not been many I haven't guessed, and I love going to shows and seeing all the breeds!! I have to know all the NZ breed standards for my grooming exams too, so that helps. lol! Huntaways aren't recognised by NZKC as a breed, they're a working dog not a 'purebreed' and therefore their type (body structure) and coats vary a lot!!! They generally look like a GSD x or something... click here to see pics Mita, that's a tibbie?? Tibetan spaniel. Love those lil critters.

LOVING the photos!!! I love that soggy poodle redangel, those eyes just sink into your soul in such sadness! lol I love the tongue Snap! Two Spirit, yup it's a lil street sweeper, those brushes on the front give it away My pic today was just a client, it's the first time I've groomed him and I had to fix him up a bit as the last few groomers they've tried tended to didn't know a decent trim and instead make him look like a schnauzer!! lol. It's so nice to have a nice lil WH foxy to do though, I simply don't get many in and the few I do are pretty poor examples so nothing makes them look very good! lol!

I recall my girl from harassing anyone for anything unless they are freely giving it to her (ie cuddles and pats, if they're giving them then she's going to hang around as long as she's getting them!) but if they're NOT freely giving her what she's trying to harass them for (food or attention) then she gets recalled; I don't like dogs insistently asking me for anything, so i don't expect Paris to do that to others either. But yes, another reason why I also don't frequent dog parks!!

I just counted up the dogs on my schedule - there's 35 dogs entered in novice (16 in A, 19 in B) and because it's a triple show, there's potential for all those dogs to get their RN title in one weekend!!! There are only three in the advanced class, as they are the only ones with their RN title already! If you didn't know, to get our RN title in NZ, you need three separate scores of 90 or more under at least two different judges. We got our first qualifying score on our first attempt at entering the class (for a 'bit of fun'!) so having got one, we decided we'd better try for the other two!! lol. Fingers crossed for this weekend to perhaps do that!

Rally is pretty new in NZ, and I believe it is the same on Oz too...? So far only a few people have actually gotten their RN title under the southern region rules (the one that NZKC endorse) and only a handful more have gotten it under the NZARO rules! Paris has gotten her first leg towards our RN title, and we have a triple rally show this coming weekend that in theory we have a chance of getting a 90+ score in 2 of the 3 shows and getting our title too!! I'm excited to be getting into it, I have seen it and looked at stuff online, but only entered the one show so far, so it's neat to be in on the sport when it's at such infancy in NZ! I look forward to one day being able to look back on these first trials and seeing how far the sport has grown!!! Who else does rally?? I will get some photos this weekend to share when we get home. Does anyone have particular tips or anything?? FD

ohh, can I post more that I got just now? It's been raining and cold ehre today, so the heater is on and I was playing with the cats on the living room floor infront of the heat...

crates are a wonderful thing. lol! Our girls are crate trained, and because they're used to accepting being locked away in their crates if need be, they're also totally fine with being told to 'go back to bed' if we've got visitors or whatever, and they'll simply go back to their beds in the bedroom and sleep.

jan 10th now, and I'm lacking inspiration... but the kitties were cute earlier: top 'n' tail! Jaz close ups

Which beach is that flyingduster? St Clair beach (at some point along it, it changes to St Kilda, and Lawyers Head is in the distance), Dunedin NZ.

it's only 9am here on the 9th, but I have a photo to share (and we'll see if I get more/better ones later too!) I took this photo because at the moment I am starting a running program (c25k). On the 1st of Dec, a little over a month ago now, I could hardly cope with running for 60 seconds, I'd be puffing and panting, and struggling along and nearly fall down after. This morning I ran for 20 mins straight, for the first time in my life. I'm sooo stoked and was feeling ontop of the world (I still don't quite believe I can run for 20 mins! lol), so had to go back to the car and grab my camera to snap a photo of the beach I run on.

Jan 8th, I did a few of my rats today... My 'big boy' Finch: and his little (runt of the litter) one-eyed (born that way) sister Sparrow (yes, the whole litter were named after birds!): and their mamma, Ceara: I might try for some decent pics of my wee (ie big) half-wild guy too, but he wasn't in a co-operative mood today, and when he's on those moods there's nothing I can do to convince him otherwise! If anyone tries to say temperament isn't massively genetic, then you can come convince him to get out of his hammock today! lol

ROFL lmao, we had grass, she tried catching it, and she's cross eyed, so doesn't do very well at it.... lol! The pics are of two seperate cats too, the pea-on-the-face one is seperate (sister) to the drunk one. lol! Oh, and tlc, yes her ears are pink. They were purple for xmas, but fade to pink pretty quickly. ;)

from this: to this: takes about 45 mins to this: takes another hour or two, depending how picky I'm being (hand scissored)