There is no training this week (week commencing Monday 14th May).
There is no training this week (week commencing Monday 14th May).
I was hugely impressed by the way some of you who went to Fair City were handling, and how consistent you were being in the ring. Really enjoyed watching you guys run, and am looking forward to seeing your hard work start to pay off soon.
A special congratulations must go to Liz Daniel and the fabulous Leo. After a huge amount of hard work, Liz and Leo had a very well deserved win out of Grade 1 at Fair City this weekend. I'm so pleased I saw your winning run, Liz. Well done, and onwards to even better things to come...
I don't know if Liz will let me upload her run here... please, Liz?! here for now is one of Ivy's runs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcLHHCTX1sQ
My internet is really not playing the game at the moment. I’m struggling to get it to work for longer than a few minutes at a time. So, although I had downloaded lots of schedules to email as attachments to those of you who compete, I am just going to highlight the names and dates of the schedules here. All of the schedules can be found and downloaded on the “show diary/schedules” page on www.agilitynet.co.uk
East Lothian show – 7, 8 July
Bearded Collie Club show – 14. 15 July
Granite City show – 21, 22 July
Clyde Valley show – 30 June, 1 July
My little dog, Ivy, won out of Grade 4 at Woodside show this weekend, taking her to Grade 5. As well as her agility win, she also had a good jumping run too. Here it is - http://youtu.be/7lxQErZzN5M
Good luck to everyone going to Fair City next weekend, and see you all there! Remember that there is a pay-on-the-day ring available at this show which is invaluably useful! Take your rewards in this ring (toys will be allowed but food may not be - so check with the person running the ring) and practise and reward little sections... I know I will be. Make a little list before you go in of what you will be doing so that you use the time efficiently. For example - I will train my wait by leaving my dog in its wait position while I walk past those 3 jumps, then reward it; I will train my dog walk with a 2 second stop while I run past it, then release to my reward; I will train my weave by bringing my dog to it from that jump, then I will reward immediately after the weave...
> For the Kennel Club article on the event, see http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/4274/23/5/3
This weekend, Hayly and I travelled to Lincoln to try out for the Great Britain team for the European Opens. The qualifiers for this event are held over three rounds and a final. Hayly was on form as usual - putting 100 percent in and giving me everything she's got.
Hayly and I were lucky enough to succeed in finishing in the top 8 large dogs and handlers, and so make the team :-). Therefore, in July we will be travelling to Sweden as part of team GB, to compete at the European Opens.
I was very fortunate to have had Kirsty Moyes come along as our groom, and she will be coming to Sweden also. Thanks so much, Kirsty, for putting up with me.
I am really, really grateful to all the lovely people who have congratulated and supported Hayly and I. It means so much to me.
> If you want to read more about the European Opens - http://www.eo2012.com/
My young dog, Ivy, did her first outdoor agility show at the weekend, and with her first clear round won out of grade 3 and into grade 4. You can watch her run here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmnrhmXCvpA
(Ivy is trained a running dog walk and a-frame, and a 2-on, 2-off see saw).
Scottish Dog Training tops are now available to order, personalised with your dogs’ names.
The photos shown here feature the women's hooded top, A), with my competing dogs’ kennel club names on them, in blue, loveheart font.
To order, e-mail scottishdogtraining@hotmail.co.uk with the following…
1. Choice of Garment and Choice of Size
A) Black, lightweight, long-sleeved, slim-fit women's top with hood, by American Apparel.
Available in Small, Medium or Large. 
B) Black, cosy, long-sleeved, unisex, zip-up top with hood and pockets, by American Apparel.
Available in Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large or Extra Large.
2. The exact details of the name(s) you would like on the top. You may wish to have the pet name of your dog put on, or their kennel club name…you may even wish to include your own name. (Note that the names are printed in lower-case on the rear of the top; the front is blank. Also note that all tops will also be printed with “Scottish Dog Training” on the rear of the top in upper-case white.)
3. Choice of font for the names... Loveheart, Script or Comic-sans.
4. Choice of colour for the names... Silver, Gold, Pink, Red or Blue.
5. Payment can be made by cash or cheque. It is:
A) £32 per women's long-sleeved hooded top
B) £42 per unisex, zipped, hooded top
This solely covers the cost of the garment and personalisation.
Well done to those of you who competed at Dundee show this weekend, especially:
Katrina & Ruby
Jeri & Burns & Thor
Ray & Keo
Fiona & Suzy & Rio
Liz & Leo (several rosettes, including second place!)
Jackie & Woody (a cheeky first place!)
It was a pleasure to see some of you get clear rounds and places. And lovely too to see lots of you being very consistent in the ring - including holding stop contacts and ensuring you got good startline waits.
A new, evening agility class will shortly be starting. It is open to handlers with competition experience who wish to improve on their handling ability, and on the skills they have trained their dogs. Drop an e-mail to scottishdogtraining@hotmail.co.uk to be informed of further details.
Please note this is not for dogs or handlers who are new to agility.
For those of you who currently train with me... I try to send out reminders about localish competitions that are upcoming so that you can enter them. I sent out a reminder about some more shows today. If you don't get these reminders, but would like to, please drop me an e-mail. (Comprehensive lists of schedules are on www.agilitynet.co.uk.)
Staffordshire Rescue Scotland is hosting the following evening in Perthshire...
FIRST AID FOR DOGS
Harvey Carruthers BVMS MRCVS; Author of “THE GUNDOG VETERINARY BIBLE”
An evening of talks and demonstrations on emergency treatments which COULD SAVE YOUR DOG’S LIFE!
At The Birnam Hotel, Friday 27th April, 7.30pm
TICKETS £7.50 AVAILABLE @THE BIRNAM HOTEL
For more details please phone 07743180228
Remember to worm your dog regularly using a wormer recommended by, and purchased from, your vet. Commercially available wormers (from places like supermarkets and pet stores) rarely offer as much protection to your dog as those your vet can provide.
In particular, cases of lungworm are reported to be on the rise. Lungworm can be fatal, but is preventable with a regular, good wormer. http://www.lungworm.co.uk/
Some agility from Crufts 2012...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6fRA861Y1c - The Singles Final
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGuyJja-rj8 - The International Final
I currently have some slots available for one to one training. One to one training is a great way to quickly improve you and your dog's agility ability, as each session is specifically focused on your individual needs. Need some help training independent weaves? Have problems with pole-knocking? Want your dog to understand the contact behaviour better? Can't get a wait? E-mail scottishdogtraining@hotmail.co.uk
This year's no-training dates are:
In April... Thursday 5th April to Monday 9th April (inclusive)
In May... Wednesday 23rd May to Monday 28th May (inclusive)
In June... Monday 18th June to Friday 22nd June (inclusive)
In July... Monday 16th July to Friday 27th July (inclusive)
In August... Thursday 9th August to Friday 17th August (inclusive)
There have been more cases of parvovirus reported recently in Aberdeenshire. This is a horrible and life-threatening disease, and it's contagious. By keeping your dog's vaccinations up to date you can significantly reduce the risk of your dog suffering from parvo. Remember, most vets ask you to have your dog vaccinated twice as a puppy and then for your dog to receive boosters annually.
If anyone had entered Avon's show this weekend, please note that I have been informed that this has been cancelled. This is as a result of storm damage to the indoor school in which the show was scheduled to take place.
For those of you who have asked about upcoming measuring dates in Scotland...
1. There will be measuring at the February Gleniffer show and at Avon small/medium show.
2. There will be measuring at Dundee show on Sat 31st March at 11am with Tricia Elms & Margaret Butchart.
There was a hard frost and the ground was frozen today, which meant training was cancelled. The forecast for the next few days isn't great so please keep an eye on the blog before classes...
I know it can be hard to envisage the behaviour that I describe we are training your dogs for their stopped see saw performances. So I've made a little video to demonstrate more clearly.
Remember that to achieve in agility you need to practise your skills in between training classes.
In the last few months I have personally spoken to two separate people whose dogs were diagnosed with cancer and advised that parts of their dog's bodies should be amputated... and in both cases this was then found to be incorrect.
1. In the first instance, the lady owner took her year old labrador to the vet as it had a lump on its ear. The vet diagnosed cancer and advised immediate amputation of the entire ear. The owner declined the operation be perfomed straight away. Further tests were then carried out to prove the existence of cancer to the owner. The lump was found to be benign and no evidence of cancer at all was in fact found in the dog, which is now back to full health.
2. In the second instance, a couple took their two year old collie to the vet after finding a small lump on its leg. They were told by the vet - who xrayed the leg - that this was bone cancer and that the leg should be removed immediately. They declined and sought a second opinion. A few days later, at a more specialist vet, further tests were done and the dog was found to be suffering from a very treatable disease, requiring no amputation.
These cases took place at different vets.
I would strongly advise you to ensure that as much confirmation as possible is done to confirm any suspected serious illnesses such as cancer in your dog before any serious operation is undertaken. Don't be afraid to seek a second opinion if you are not 100% comfortable with a diagnosis.
Unfortunately, the agility at Olympia Horse of the Year show is not really covered on TV. However, here via videos on youtube are just a few of the runs from the last few days of agility there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFHb6zebOb0&sns=fb
The ground is completely frozen - rock-solid and icy.
Your dog's safety is my first concern, therefore no outdoors training will take place until further notice.
NB. (update on 16th Dec - There will now be no further classes until after New Year.)
I am training running contacts to my puppy, Ivy (KC name, Lightning Trail of Flames).
She has a running A-frame and Dog Walk and a stopped (2-on, 2-off) See Saw.
Here are a couple of videos of them at her first fun show and first KC show.
A 9 month old female kelpie x collie in Birmingham is urgently looking for a new home. Please contact me asap if you may be interested in her - scottishdogtraining@hotmail.co.uk
If people are asking what you want for Christmas, why not suggest they get you some agility equipment? It doesn't need to be expensive - and there are a whole range of places you can get hold of bits and pieces. I've included some links below. Remember that whatever level you are at - practising in between lessons will make a BIG difference to you and your dog's improvement.
1. Jesse Jumps - http://www.jessejump.co.uk/affordable_yet_versatile_hurdles.htm
2. Adams Agility - http://www.adamsagility.co.uk/
3. Jump 4 Joy - http://www.jump4joyagility.co.uk/
4. Premier - http://www.premier-agility.co.uk/
5. Jaycee Jumps - http://www.jayceejumps.co.uk/
6. Ebay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/
The Gleniffer (KC registered) show schedule is now out. Visit the below link...
Thank you to the various people who have stayed behind after private training or classes and stood around while I've run my puppy to get her used to having a judge in the ring. Thanks to you guys she now (touch wood) seems to be oblivious to judges :-)
Another FUN show - the Scottish Junior Dog Club fun show on 28th January. Open to all, not just juniors.
http://agilityforum.agilityaddicts.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=19522
Please find the schedule and entry form for Dundee FUN show in January here: http://agilityforum.agilityaddicts.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=19307
Please find the schedule and entry form for Dundee KC show on Sunday 12th February here: http://agilityforum.agilityaddicts.net/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=19288
I have the schedule for the Avon KC show in February (Sunday 5th). Note that this show is for SMALL and MEDIUM dogs. I've sent the schedule round to a few of you as it isn't uploading here; if anyone else needs a copy, just drop me an e-mail or text.
Woohoo! The floodlights are finally fully installed and are looking great. Keep an eye on your e-mails for some revised class times shortly.
Thought you might enjoy this - a bit of breed showing, a touch of agility, and a little heelwork-to-music...
Donview Vets (of Inverurie, Aberdeenshire) stated today: "We have had 2 cases of parvovirus confirmed at the practice last week, unfortunately the puppies both died. North East Scotland is now classed as high risk by CICADIA for dog and cat infectious diseases, please make sure your pets' vaccinations are up to date as the risk has not been higher since the 1980s"
For the next two weeks, there will be no class at 5.30pm on Monday, 5.15pm on Tuesday or 5.30pm on Wednesday.
The Monday 5.30 class will instead take place on Saturday 5th November, 9am and Sunday 13th November, 9am.
The Tuesday 5.15 class will instead take place on Saturday 5th November, 10am and Sunday 13th November, 10am.
The Wednesday 5.30 class will instead take place on Saturday 5th November, 11am and Sunday 13th November, 11am.
You should have received details in your e-mail inbox. If not, or if you have any questions, get in touch.
For outdoor training and competing at this time of year, the best footwear to opt for is generally football boots. These cope well with muddy, wet conditions and will help prevent you from slipping or falling. Check out your local sports shop...
Unluckily, for the second week in a row the Tuesday 5.15pm class is cancelled. I'm sure you can guess why - the flooding and gale force winds... I'm hoping we will be back to normal next week.
Today's 5.15pm class is cancelled due to the wind and rain.
From today, all agility classes which start at 6.30pm will be moving to the weekend until further notice. Other classes remain as normal. Please check your e-mail inbox for further details.
Huge congratulations to Kirsty and Gatsby, the Bernese Mountain Dog. The two of them took part in an agility competition in Birmingham last weekend - Gatsby won the beginner's round and finished 4th in the advanced round!
This evening's 5.30pm and 6.30pm classes are cancelled. Training should be back on from Thursday 22nd Sep am as normal.
Sad statistic of the day... One unwanted dog is put to sleep every hour.
Before you get a dog, ask yourself: Can you really afford a dog? Who will pay for its veterinary bills, especially if it needs a major operation? Will you seek training with your dog, if necessary? Can you afford, and do you have the willpower, to commit to a behaviourist's programme with your dog if things go wrong? Do you really know enough about dogs to take on the full responsibility of one - and, if not, will you make the effort to find out more? Will you always put your dog's health and happiness first?
If the anwer to each of those questions is not YES, do not get a dog.
Instead of e-mailing you them, from now on I am going to put competition schedules which might interest you on here. These are for those members of Scottish Dog Training who are at competition level (see me if you're not sure). Feel free to bring any of the schedules to training and ask me if you want help to clarify which clases to enter etc. Here is the first one - Woodside Christmas show.
A new dog walking service has just started up in Aberdeen, called Muddy Buddies. I have some of their fliers available if you would like one...
Muddy Buddies offers dog walking, pet taxi and pet home visits.
Visit www.muddy-buddies-aberdeen.co.uk
Call 07922 814 039
Email joanna@muddy-buddies-aberdeen.co.uk
This weekend was the ACTS show at Hazlehead Park in Aberdeen. For quite a few of the members who took part this was their first ever agility competition, and I would like to say a well done to all of you for going through with it - I know it is nerve-racking!
I also need to say a special well done to the following people for their rosettes (I hope I've remembered them all correctly)...
Katrina and Ruby - 3rd place and 5th place.
Nicky and Zoltin - 7th place and 4th place.
Liz and Leo - 3rd place and 1st place in a jumping class.
Jackie and Woody - 4th place, 3rd place, 2nd place and 1st place - now in grade 2 already!
Just a reminder that there is no training on Monday 29 August only, as I will be travelling back from a competition in England that day.
Tim is an 11 year old Cairn Terrier searching for his forever home through the Cairn Terrier Relief Fund. He is overweight at the moment and will need to remain on a very strict diet. He also has dry eyes and needs daily eye drops in them to stop them getting sore.
Tim is super friendly and likes being around people. He has no problems with other dogs at all, but as he is an older man he would prefer not to live with a very energetic, playful dog. Tim is no problem being left alone and is not noisy. At the moment, his exercise is restricted due to his weight, but he hopes to be able to walk more as he starts slimming down.
If you think you could be the perfect person to give Tim a home, please call his trustee, Jackie, on 01467 624 966.
From 2012 the Kennel Club regulations on weave poles are expected to change: the permitted distance in between poles will be increased to 600mm. The new spacing should make completing the weaves more comfortable for larger dogs, and is likely to be better for the physical health of most of our dogs.
I have just bought a full 12 pole set of competition weaves which match the new spacing guidelines. They will be with us by the beginning of September.
Scottish Dog Training has a new training venue. All current training members should receive exact details of the new training venue by e-mail over the next day or two. Any problems, contact me at scottishdogtraining@hotmail.co.uk or via 0798 515 4301. All classes and private training will take place at the new field from now on. There will be no further classes or private training held at the former training venue.
Just to remind you, there is no training on Monday 15th August. After that, training will be on as normal however the venue will be changing... details soon.