I have had an urge need to update my blog for quite some time. Haven´t found an inspiration though until now.
In the meantime the whole summer has swished by and I already planned my journey to Spain in every detail.
It will be so nice to leave Sweden before it gets very unfriendly for people who like to spend their life outside.
Like me.
We have had a wonderful summer this year, as almost every summer here recently. For me and my dogs it was too hot most of the time so I didn´t train them as much as I would like to.
Instead we worked on basic condition of all four of us by swimming every day across our lake and back and walking in the forest. The rest of the time and energy was consumed by the work in the veggie garden and social life. And learning Spanish every day.
Both Prima and Ruda were spayed at the beginning of July so they needed also some time off to rest and heal afterwards. Both were very quick with recovery.
After last year bad experience I had no plans to compete with any of my dogs this year. I lost my motivation and did not believe I was good enough as a trainer. And then I had a long break when I was in Spain. But I did not give up my dream totally. I am a trainaholic after all!
So I started to teach Ruda and Prima some new exercises from the new class 3 program. And noticed it wasn´t so hard I thought it was. Soon there was only directed retrieve that Ruda had some troubles with. So I signed her for 3 competitions and, yes!!! on the last one she got her first excellent!
Oh how I needed this one!
Picture taken during competition by my friend Lotta
I was extremely proud of her and so happy because I almost lost my faith in us as a team! I had a feeling that despite all my efforts I couldn´t see any results when it was needed. She was getting much better on the training ground but somehow it wasn´t showing on the competitions.
Generally the program is getting more and more difficult and the judges are more and more demanding but I have never had an ambition to represent the country on World Obedience Championships! This level is only reachable for Border Collies and some very special ones.
I just wanted to get 3 excellent results to get a Swedish Champion title and I always believed we were able to get there!
Now, with our first excellent I still hope we can do it! Well, we are fighting against time as Ruda will be 9 next year but I hope she is going to maintain her good condition and will to perform. We will try again in the spring!
Little Brita has been approved in the lowest class obedience and may now compete in class 1. Not so many new things to teach when it comes to the exercises but she has some problems with speed.
Very intense in daily life, on her first competition she gained just enough points to pass because of being too slow. Which means I have to change a lot of my criteria and find a way to speed her up without her getting too excited. Not an easy task for me to find the exact level of activity and avoid any unwelcome sounds! But I have a plan!
And Prima? Yes, she is doing quite fine! I do not have any plans to compete with her any more as she reached the goal already but we train every day as usual and play a lot, which she loves.
After being castrated she has not shown any aggressive behaviour towards Ruda and I really, really hope that it will stay this way forever.
She is such an easy going dog and a happy soul, really the easiest dog I ever had! I don´t ever need to use a leash, she would never get in any troubles and always obeys every command. But, I suppose, nobody is perfect! She does not see other dogs, they are just like air to her, the only one she wants to wipe out from the world is Ruda, her best friend! I hope that now we put the end to it!
During the summer our family has been enriched with two puppies!
Both my daughter and my niece bought an Australian Cattle Dog / Kelpie mix, a female and a male from the same litter. Must say I am in love with these puppies as much as my dogs hate them. Especially my daughter´s Sheila. She is just a pure energy ball, always ready to explode! Always happy and very social! But she does not take a no for the answer! When she wants to play she doesn´t care how the others feel about it!
So when she comes in my dogs pretend they are not there!
Sheila with a constant smile on her face
Sheilas brother Buddy, a serious one
It´s too early to plan anything and I must say that the only breed I am really interested in is Laekenois but… With years passing by I am getting forced to admit that Belgian Shepherds are too demanding for my worn-out spine and my aching muscles. If I am to train dogs, and that´s what I`d love to do as long as I live, I have to change the breed. There are Border Collies, of course, that are much lighter that my dogs but somehow I would prefer a Kelpie! Perfect size and perfect working abilities, maybe a perfect choice for me?
We will see what the future offers! Right now I have enough to take care of!
