How do you know?

How do you know to get back into the groove? Is there a best way or is it trust your instincts?

The weekend after the tryouts, we had another show. Do we go, yes. The weather forecast was for light rain. Well gosh knows that the forecasters version of heavy rain is as it was raining so hard and so windy. To me it was torrential. Thank goodness for waterproofs for humans and dogs. Apart from our extremeties we stayed dry and snuck. Its madness I thought but actually it was OK.

The first two runs with Rivi, well we were like bottles of shaken fizzy pop. Rather ironic since I have given up fizzy drinks except as a treat at the weekend. The excitment was in her eyes. But bugger, still poles down. Should I run her in the 3rd and 4th runs? Much debate, should I run her, she was totally sound - the issue was getting back into the groove. We are just rusty, so we decide to press on,  and all the poles stayed up.  Which means the last two shows we have done, we have had placements. But most important, the jumping skill she has is coming back.

Then last night at training, the rustyoli had gone and smootholi is back, no poles down, her speed is back both over the ground and her contacts are the fastest they have been. Plus she is a very very happy doggy :-) Yipee that is a win-win situation. I do like the guys to be happy.

As a friend said. "Bring on the season and the wins-oli :-)"

I luv how friends are getting Rivi's endearment names and making them up too.

A sign of relief from me, as we are this week back to training twice a week and that means the guys are entertained.

I've told a fib..............

I told a fib in my previous posting, oh horror....not like me at all. But I thought about Rivioli and why did I not notice that she was going up a gear and realised actually it had been brewing for a couple of weeks. That totally reminded me of a seminar I went to by Dr. Ian Dunbar - years ago, and one of the points made that I remember is dogs always give information it is about how we interpret it and indeed if we interpret it at all? So I mulled a little more and thought back to Easter and training and yep the 'indications' were there, I was just so busy being so darn positive.  I had cheerfully disregarded them rather than be positive and solution driven? Big 'whoopsie oops' on my part and therein the tale of......."I've told a fib"


Dogs invariably tell us, we just have to be prepared to interpret!

Naff photo - but sums it up... :-)

Another great weekend at Wallingford, weather, company and agility all great. Rivi, Zev and Big all achieved wins with us as their co-pilots. But for Zev and Big they are on freebies, so their wins don't count. With the Rivoli,  the win counts to her progression. So one more to go and we will be in Grade 7 and eligible for champ classes. Blimey, this season we are so ahead of aspirations, its incredible. The photo whilst naff i.e shadows, the glamour of wearing crocks, fleeces etc.,. clearly gives the other side of  why I enjoy camping at agility shows in great weather. It is just chilling with the guys. And this naff photo demonstrates it perfectly...thanks to Marc :-)

My Cleveroli :-)

Cleveroli... Well Rivi said "enough of Zev and Bigs it is her time to blog again". And what a day she had on Saturday. Rivi went to collect an award at The Agility Club, as she had come second in the large grade 3 category. Its her first big bit of crystal. The photo is really naff, but Rivi is a bit like me, not comfortable posing for the camera indoors and acutally not outdoors either. Zev and Mister Big have yet to pass on their all round posing skills. Also her pale eyes mean with our current photo taking skills she all ways end up with 'glowing' eyes. I tried the 'eye fix' to touch up and that was even worse.

Its weird but some think trophies are all about winning and in a way they are, but for me when I look at it I see a a reminder of the journey, the fun and the sheer joy of running a course with my Rivioli.

She was very well behaved at the event and funny as she was the only dog to notice a large mirror where the photos were being taken and she just could not stop staring at the reflections. Well that is my Rivioli very aware of the environment ;-)