Training With Janita Leinonen - A great day :)

Last year, Marc had the opportunity to train with Janita Leinonen and Jaakko Suoknuuti and this year we were really lucky to get the opportunity to train with them again as Nic Jones organised a training day. Janita and Jaakko are phenomenal agility handlers and we admire the style in terms of how they
communicate the course to the dog and enables the handler to move around the course - with fluidity, swiftness and clarity.

For me as with my own particular things that I need to minimise or strengthen it suits me particularly well, I have to work at the movement but once I get it, it feels natural and fluid in terms of movement. I remember the day after Marc did the training last year and his handling just went up a whole level. Really exciting and gives me even more to look forward to when Bear will start his training.

To start Janita gave us the opportunity to practice particular moves that we need to learn so that we will be able to teach ourselves and our dogs. That was a good workout and means that the dogs were happy as they had done decent work before we had our individual sessions.

As an individual we got 22 minutes and this was timed. This is great as it means your free to relax, watch, prepare and cool down whilst it is not your turn. It also means that it is very fair, you all get the same amount of time and can work on specific elements that are personel to you. This approach really suits us.

Janita as a guide to their style of handling was clear,  supportive and encouraging. It was a great day :)

Mister Bigs and Zev @ Crufts 2013

What a brilliant event this is. And this year the excitement was built as Marc and Big had qualified for British Open, Singles, Team and Championship. They were gonna be busy for sure. Then Zev and Me achieved my dream of being in the Agility Championship at Crufts. It was also extra special as it was Zev's mommas retirement Crufts and what a fabulous sheltie she is not just talented but a super nice sheltie too. To me the Championship event is the one to qualify for, whereas Marc would say all of them are. In fact Marc has already given me instructions to qualify for more events ;) We had a brilliant time and Sunday being Championship day was a new thing for me and Marc both in the same event albeit different height categories. Mentally we handled that aspect pretty darn well.

The links are to Bigs Jumping Win in the British Open, The Beacon Small Team Win and The Champ Finals as Marc and Bigs made it through.

The Kennel Club and Crufts so great with the videos to share with all. Incredible to us Mister Bigs Jumping Win has already had 14,000 views. He is becoming famous methinks, as a poodle should be. Next month the work begins to qualify for Crufts 2014.