ness

Nawww poor Lara - having to put up with being called Blaize. Ness actually isn't to bad with the cues but she has a turning circle like a truck compared with Kenz . At least as far as had signals go I didn't mind the ones I had with Ness so Kenz has learned those as well.

Lovely work RubyStar and Ruby - gotta love that cheer squad .

I changed my footwork RV because Kenz is actually trained .

TSD - yes that was part of my decision to retire Ness. I couldn't seem to keep my head around handling two different dogs both of whom had different footwork and I was seriously messing them both up. Figured since there was probably no chance of a UD with Ness at this stage that I might as well save it and stop messing up Kenz by trying to keep working them both. Is very sad though because I nearly died when I realized Ness would be eligible to compete in not Veterans at our club trial in October but Vintage . Ok I don't think of her as that old yet ;) .

Way to go TerraNik and Jedi - and here you were worrying about remembering the course earlier. All the best for the next one and well done on the placing .

I did ok this last weekend JulesP but boy do I feel sorry for Kenz at the last trial before the ones last weekend - she is a little super trooper though and just kept heeling her black and white socks off despite her mum who was VERY nerve effected. I actually can't remember a time when I have worked Ness as badly in recent times never mind Kenz .

Ptolomy - some of us can walk like we are on a mission but the dog still makes it appear connected - think Kenz should get brownie points for that performance . Certainly not my best effort in the ring this year that is for sure. Lucky I got my act together this past weekend else I might have had to come to the Ptolomy boot camp and get whipped into shape again (or at least not hear the end of it until I had it together again) . Think I have lost track at the number of videos where I have been crucified for walking like I am on a mission and Ness has just been tagging along for the ride. I promised Kenz would not have to suffer similar. I am proud to say though after all these years I think my ability to walk in straight lines has progressed - wonder what they are going to do at training for the next few weeks when I am not there - they now count on me to set the rings up because I am the only one that can set them up nice and square.

Ptolomy I was going to make the same comment re the length of the retrieve. Yep agree Lottie would love a nice decent length retrieve . The heelwork looked great though .

Yes I didn't mind the look of his pattern either caffy - maybe I should just say its some of the judges here we aren't so keen on .

Topic of discussion as I have been watching videos and this one occurred to me - do people prefer heel patterns with more heelwork and less positions or more positions and less heelwork. I think I prefer (and Kenz) prefers heel patterns that actually contain some heelwork rather than patterns which are 2-3 paces sit, 2-3 paces drop, 2-3 paces stand. Just wondered what others felt.

Nice work RubyStar and Ruby she was a very good girl. Kenz says we are coming to WA play we much prefer the look of your heel patterns compared to the zillion position heel patterns we get with not much heelwork in between.

Way to go RubyStar, Millie and Ruby - fantastic work and sounds like those remaining passes won't be to far away and then just think you will have two dogs trialling in UD .

Well done Ptolomy - wondered when you would surface . Soggy is very special and so is dear Scoota - glad the cones are finally worked out - touch wood.

Well done xena98. Yeah unfortunately my little midget dog worked a lovely Novice Round and was sitting on a 190 but her shoulder again got the better of her in sit stays and she couldn't hold it. Ah well she worked very nicely and hopefully a few months off to rehab it properly will see her come back firing on all cylinders. This isn't really a brag but I have also made the hard decision to retire the old girl and figured I might as well post it here. Ness you have taught me a huge amount in all your years and seen my first venture into the competitive dog sport world and suffered through being retrained a number of times. Despite my novice handling ability you attained your CD (under the old rules with double heel patterns) and your CDX in straight trials. We also finally managed to polish off all the standard agility titles. You saw me head off interstate and meet a number of wonderful people some of whom are now great friends. While the closest you ever came to a UD pass was a 169 last year you have taught me lots and I am sure your little midget sister will come through and finish off the title you could never manage one day. May you enjoy your retirement and live out your remaining years enjoying what you like best - scabbing treats for doing as little as possible . Thanks Ness for teaching me so much about the world of trialling.

TSD - likely an original muscle tear or strain somewhere and now its just mostly soft tissue stuff but if it doesn't resolve then it will be x-rays to rule out any joint related issues. As the physio said last week its not a case that is screaming joint related at the moment but if its soft tissue injury then it could take a while to settle down and she could be intermittently sore for as much as 6 months. Its not bothering her in a daily sense - its certainly not interferring with her enthusiasm or attitude for work and most of the time if you blinked or didn't see her when she firsts get up it would be easy to turn a blind eye to the problem.

Yep xena - the long and the short of it is more rest - well nothing that is agility or herding or any serious obedience training because that all involves tugging. She is allowed walks and thats about it. But to her a walk = training so its been a little trying to say the least.

Thanks xena - yeah she has done well - 4 trials now - 1 CCD and 3 Novice and she has been on a pass in her ring work all 4 times. She is managing to cope with SFEs under strange judges which is something this time last year I never thought she could learn to cope with. Just need some injury free training time to get on top of the heelwork as its a little messy. Feel really sorry for her as its not been an easy few months being injured - she hates not being able to train and so what few opportunities she gets she is just nuts.

Well done xena98 glad they both worked well for you today and good luck tomorrow. I got a Novice round bursting with attitude out of my little mad midget dog but her shoulder is still bothering her and couldn't manage to get through stays. Ah well she has come a long way from the scared timid little girl she once was and is working with the enthusiasm that should see as right come open and utility just have to get through this injury round and then it will be ok. Good luck tomorrow.

Cassie these are the details that appeared in an add for Black Hawk in the recent DogsSA canine journal: Available in 5kg bags and 20kg bags for more information contact Rod and Marilyn Thorn email address: [email protected]. There is also a contact phone number provided and I'll PM that to you.

Everybody must be out looking for wealthy partners :D .

Ok why is it my 10.5 year old SCREAMS the car down if I leave her in there to train and go and train the youngster but the youngster is good as gold (well mostly she started barking the last month or so because she is fed up with not getting a turn because her shoulder is injured). At home if I am using food to train I have both dogs trying to get in the way but if I train using a tug then my older one just wanders around the garden ignoring what we are doing.

Best bit of advice I can give you LuvLottie is RELAX there are no sheep stations involved just go out and have fun and treasure every moment you have in the ring. Pass or Fail you always take the best dog in the world home again .

RV my two "wimps" coped being on a plane. Even Ness who as Ptolomy will attest does not do crating or being seperated from me without huge protest. Hmmm lets just say she successfully cleared the fences at Ptolomy's old place when we stayed there and she was left behind when we went to go puppy visiting. Ness has been on a plane three times and seems to come out the other end ok. Even my worrywart Kenz coped with a trip to Sydney in the plane.

But Ptolomy we did appreciate you coming to the Royal those 2 years it was great fun catching up and you even did well in Adelaide both years . I am sure Sydney will go just as well or be just as enjoyable. Although Adelaide has far better wine and chocolate .

Just out of interest my experience with Virgin in Adelaide is that they don't really want the dogs 90 minutes before and seem happy to have them dropped off closer to the flight time but its worth ringing and asking before you fly out as it can depend on who is on. I have gone there and been told to bring the dog back in half an hour or so. They don't seem to want them sitting around for any longer then absolutely necessary.