and a Happy New Year..

Happy 2014.. we have had a quiet-ish start to the year with the dogs having a rest from agility since mid-Dec. We have our 1st trial of the year this week, which I have all 3 dogs entered. I will have to see about Ink though, I had my hopes up for her as when I brought her back in she seemed very happy, and to have picked up speed. However it wasn't to last and she has, yet again, pulled up 'not quite right'. Not lame as such, but not moving quite right and seeming a little subdued in herself. Not surprisingly, she also has almost no skills at all given she has had such little training, so I don't know what I am going to do with her. Not having an actual diagnosis is frustrating, to say the least.

Shim, on the other hand, seems great! Happy and *sound*, ready to train and play. I am looking forward to having her back in the ring shortly, even if she is a little lacking in the skills department as well (mainly with the ability to turn..although I am going to see if some strong european-type handling/cueing will help her to turn a little better. Of course this does mean I have to get there on course however.. )
Love my Big Dog. Her skin is more-or-less under control, thanks to managing to get her on the extended clinical trial of Apoquel, hopefully until it is available on the market.

As for the bustle boy... *sigh*. Don't think I will ever take a dog of his age again and probably would not take one on trust of someone I have never met (esp as she doesn't even do agility). He is a sweet boy, a lovely pet. At this stage he doesn't really want to do agility though. He will play with me inside, but not outside. Occasionally he will deign to do a couple of obstacles before running off to go and chew a stick or various plant-matter. Biddability.. what's that? A very different kettle of fish to the border collies that is for sure. I will be giving him another 12 months to mature and decide what he wants to do. Won't be doing agility with a dog that doesn't want to do it though, life is too short for that!

I win the cute prize though, don't I?? 

I have my Terra-Bear with me at the moment, and yesterday I managed to convince Mike to do a photo shoot with her (and of course the others had to join in... or were forced to in the case of 2 black and white dogs..) I wanted to get a nice pic of her and I to frame, and I also wanted to 'try' and get a pic of her with some of her big trophies for posterity.. that was harder than expected.
Love my Terra-Bear

Red-Dog isn't in this post because she wasn't here for the photo shoot. However, she is *very* happy to be back at training and I am really looking forward to trialling her again. For all those people who have been asking me who I am breeding her to, I am still waiting to hear from my first choice. I will let everyone know when I do.