Newton Heath Ramblings - June 09

With mixed feelings we headed to Newton Heath, keen to go for a break and the glorious scenery. Tatton Park is is really pretty in the grand house tradition that GB is so known for. Great as a back drop to an agility show. Well, a tale in itself, Marc and Wings won grade six agility. Amazing really, our aspirations for Wings when we took her on, was for her to learn that humans actually are really useful and nice and that training is a hoot….. so anything else is a bonus, and blimey I have never seen them run so smooth and swift. And people’s reaction, will give you some idea, as they went “great, really what with Wings?”, and it caused many a chuckle. The reaction is not because she is not any good, but sometimes, she just never really lets rip, and some days she just has a flash of where she really loosens up, the rolling in the sheep ‘dos’ gave us a clue. And whilst the red ribbon and trophy, will mean nothing to her, to us it is a symbol of a journey well worth travelling, when taking on a dog that has more baggage than an airport luggage conveyor belt.

It gave us more time, to come to terms with Raz’s condition, however, Marc was much more cautious about running him in agility, and is uncertain, how much longer they will attempt to do agility. Whilst, yes he does have vision in one eye, that eye at times will have the ‘floaters’ increasing, until the same thing happens in the other eye. So far research shows that there is nothing that can be done that would have a useful outcome. So the tick-tock of time will be trundling on, bugger, but as long as he has a quality of life, we will try to do our best.

Rivi’ had some places this weekend, at each show I learn something new, her playing is becoming more for the fun of playing rather than a going through the motion of playing. A return to pre-hormonal Rivi, Yahoo :-) Which I am thrilled with, she is getting faster and as a consequence when walking a course, I am trying to plan several handling scenarios, as I cannot quite work out where she and I will be in relation to certain pivotal points of the course. She is still spooking at insects on the ground and I am learning how to help her best, when this happens. She is a funnyoli at times, for sure. The speed and the play……………….oh yeah…Superoli

The Zev, surpassed himself this weekend and sat on my lap, to watch the Medium Champ Agility in quiet mode!!!! But the side way glances he gave me, were worthy of on an oscar winning performance. They made me feel really, really guilty, but I persevered. You would have thought I had sat him on my lap and said “Zev, no more pig ears, sausages, digging, sleeping on the human bed or cool kongs - ever”. Boy, does he know how to press ‘my buttons’. Needless to say, his quietness was duly rewarded good and proper.

Big, he continues to grow his fan club, Marc, is really embracing Poodledom, and it is such a hoot.

Many congratulations to Lesley and Toot, Leah & Hex, Helen and Nellie-Bean, Alan & Jude and Kon & Rada, fabulous agility results. And to everyone else, otherwise I will be typing until midnight!