He did it!

The boy won pre-beginners!

Arrived 8.45 and entertained the world trying to erect the tent (thanks again to Richard for resolving things and to Pam: remember top joints first!!!!).

Bit of a warm up around the place at about 10am, then into beginner stays at 10.30am. Was pleased with them - though he did have a bit of a sniff in the down stay.

Headed down to the pre-beginners ring, which was quiet, so we went straight in (Ros told me off afterwards for failing to warm him up!). Took him into the ring where he contemplated a bit of naughtiness so I told him stern mummy was in charge! Heel on lead was pretty good, he waited in his recall, front present was decent then a bounce for finish, heel free was great. It felt very bizarre to be going round with my strict voice on rather than my excited voice - but it seemed to work. Judge reminded me not to miss stays which I took as a good sign. There were no scores to be seen at this stage.

Pre-beginner stays at 11.10 - where he decided a scratch was required in his sit at 45 seconds - luckily he remained sitting. Steward called time, but judge had seen it too. We lost 0.5 for a slight shift in position. Down stay was accompanied by some sniffing.

Chatted to the pre-beginner judge just before lunch - I was in first position with two dogs to go. He had liked Huxley's attitude and enthusiasm. He'd spoken to K too and told her that he'd liked Hux.

Went across to beginners ring just before 2 - there were 3 dogs waiting before me, so we found a cool spot. Did some warming up - hands on and one step; left turns and walk backwards; right turns and sidesteps as instructed! Into the ring, stern mummy again. Pretty decent heel on lead. Managed recall again - it was diagonal but short. Heel free was great - Huxley at his best. Set him up for retrieve - he went out, picked up the dumbbell and lay down with it - aggghhhhhh (especially as he was smirking at me!). I called again and he eventually came in, presented at an angle then did a bouncy finish. Scores on the doors - heel on lead 1, recall 1, heel free 1, retrieve 4 - which put us out of the places. But Pauline and the lovely Oscar won (on 3 3/4), with Janet and Jasper in second (on 4) and Roy in fourth so it wasn't all bad.

Over to pre-beginners - where Pam checked for me and we had won. Lost 4 altogether. Yay for my clever boy! Not only a rosette but a trophy too.

Learning:
1. stern mummy works
2. need to remember stern mummy in retrieve too
3. need to work on formal retrieve at shows, especially if he's been playing at the beach the previous day
4. a bit of warming up does help his heel work
5. need to practice stays in the garden where there is grass to tempt him to sniff
6. oh and I didn't turn round in waits so maybe that helps too.

Decided to give today a miss as it is wet and due to stay that way for much of the day, we're drawn first in pre-bs with Hux, and, I think he is tired after a full day at a show.

British Summer!

Ah the joys of preparing for a show in the British summer - so far I have packed wellies, raincoat, waterproof hat, change of jeans .... and I must remember the suncream too (just in case!). Sunday's planned show looks likely to be a washout - I don't much see the point in driving for an hour to stand around in a stay ring in the rain!

Fledglings 2-0 Hux/Zoods

Well the fledgling saga continues ....
Tuesday morning I am tootling around in the garden without my attachment (Fred's nickname for Huxley) when I spy a flapping thing. After a couple of attempts, I manage to catch a small blue tit and put it over the wall into the safety of next doors dog-free garden. Yay - result.
Tuesday evening Hux disappears into a shrub and emerges holding a large blackbird fledgling. I tell him to leave it, which he does and take him away. The fledgling is left lying upside down with it's feet in the air so I assume it is a hopeless case. Zadie walks past it, has a sniff and declares it uninteresting, thus confirming my opinion. I pop over to check and it is definitely breathing so I put the dogs inside and observe from the house. Dad appears and chirrups - but no further movement from fledgling which is still upside down. A few minutes later I look outside - and it has disappeared. Neither dog has reappeared with it so I think fledgling had playing dead off to a tee :)

Judges comments

Here are the comments from my pre-b's judge on Saturday:
"4th aro Susan- SAMPSFORD MARLOWE GR
Oh boy what a stunner he will be - took his time from pacing to really getting the stride right but when he did he flowed and showed flashes of perfection of what he can do! A shame he overshot the runway in the Recall could have been challenging further up the line-up. A brilliant Huxley - keep up the good work! A pleasure to watch and judge!"

I think that picks out most of our known faults - just need to add boinging in finish and fidgeting in stays! Plenty to keep me occupied in training!!!!!

Culverstone Sunday

I had more or less decided to train both rounds after the broken waits on Saturday - then I had a chance to scoreboard, so that helped me stick to my decision. Scoreboarding was interesting - it was a B class and a bit manic at times, plus needed to learn a different judges scoreboarding system - but I got there in the end (with an occasional blip with the pink pen!!!!).

Beginners - drawn fifth so headed over at 9.30 to find I was second booked in. Told the score boarder I was just dashing back for Hux. Arrived back and another person had booked in, so not quite so manic. Asked to train my waits only (on H's advice as I had planned to do heel work too but it was suggested I focus on my issue!). Managed a couple of successful practice training waits which I rewarded by returning to him. Then a straight across ring wait followed by a recall. Then I did a little bit of heel work as a reward for us both! Steward observed that I didn't turn my head to remind command him when I actually did the exercise - so I do need to decide my tactics.

Pre-beginners - had to head in before lunch as class was small. Asked to do waits again. Judge and steward were fab. Steward said I could do exactly what I wanted. So I asked to do the actual recall line (as it was diagonal across the ring) with full commands - but to return to him a couple of times. I managed to do silly bounces without him breaking and to get halfway across the ring. So I asked to do one more, go slightly further and to recall if he held it together. I left hand circled him into wait, left him and went slightly further - as I turned to face the dog in the ring corner just behind Huxley finished it's recall and had a huge, loud lead tug with it's owner - and I was so relieved that Huxley held his wait. I called him in to front present which was OK and refrained from a finish as I was chuffed with what he had done. Tiddly bit of heel work, then thanked all for their time. Steward observed that I don't walk away with confidence when I leave him in the wait - so I need to work on pretending I'm confident!

Later in the day when I headed for judges/stewards/scoreboarders tea & cake, one of the weekends judges came up to me and said we'd made their day as it had been lovely to see Huxley and I working - what a great moment :)

Things to focus on from the weekend:
wait - duration, distance & distractions
finish - without boing
stays - outside

Culverstone Saturday

Summary - scratched Zoods from pre; Hux managed 4th in pre and to break his wait on his recall in beginners.

Zadie was drawn first in pre-beginners so, on the basis of her performance at Brentwood and Plantation Park, I made the decision to scratch her.

Pre-beginners - began with stays at 10.30. I was stood in the ring and suddenly looked down at my number - only to realise I had Zadie's ring number on not Huxleys - ooops. Quick sort out with the stay steward and all was well. Set up for sit was fine and he didn't move. Down a little more challenging as he had the fidgets, ate some grass, had a scratch etc, then the beagle next to him decided to have a major woof. But he just about held it together and we were clear.
Headed down to do my round at about 12 - only for the score boarder to say there was about to be a tannoy call for me as I was last to work - ooooops! So in I went. Heel on lead was bouncy but decent. Recall was straight across ring - he waited to be called but then boinged towards the ring ropes - a loud "oi" brought him back on track. Heel free was better than heel on lead.
As I was last in, I waited around and was in a run off for 3rd/4th which I did more or less straight away - oh joy another recall. He broke this time so I asked to put him back so as he didn't get away with it.
Happy with my green 4th place rosette!

Beginners - stays were at 11.50. Remembered my number this time! Similar to pre's but even more fidgety! He rolled into an alert down so I was worried he would break - but we managed clear. Judge announced there weren't many more to work but that she was happy if anybody wanted to work after lunch.
I headed in straight after lunch at 2. We had to wait a while so I had Huxley in a upside down chilled settle outside the ring - when the steward came for me they said I could have a few minutes to hype him up, which I declined! Heel on lead was bouncy but good. Diagonal recall - set him up in down wait on Kim's advice - and he broke. So asked to set him up again and he broke. Third time he did it - yay, so I didn't call him. Heel free was good and I was very chuffed with retrieve. Judge said she thought I was the winner till he broke his wait.
So a good day generally but confirms the advice to work more on my sets as these are undoubtedly our downfall currently.

Plantation Park photos

The boy done good - trying to eat his rosette before the judge had handed it over.

Oh go on Mum - let me have it

We were VERY pleased indeed

In the line up - beaten into second by the lovely Roy.