What a bad blogger I've become. We went to China to visit a friend who is working there and had the holiday of a lifetime. We crammed so much into so little time and got back with so many happy memories - making a snow Buddah in the Summer Palace; a snow fight and a bottle of Great Wall Wine on the Wall and running round the Olympic Stadium. Photos of our holiday are on Danielle's picsa site. Coming home was a real downer as there was so much to deal with in our life back home as some of you know. My thanks to all of you who have supported us over the past few months and continue to do so.
Well I've been tagged. I'm not going to tag others as all bloggers I know have been tagged several times. When I went to my 5th folder and photo it was a bit emotional....the arrival of Rupert. This is Rupert's first breakfast at our house. We had picked him up from a game keeper in Loughborough on a detour on our way home to Surrey after our holiday in Dorset. He was 12 weeks and had been living out in kennels and ahd never been in a house before. After one night the bond between Jordan and Rupert was there and Rup cried whenever Jordan left him. Just looking at the kitchen I think how much our lives have changed. The floor is muddy, the cat eats on the work surface where she can stare down, goddess like, at the dogs. The only thing that hasn't changed is that bond between J and Rup.
Well, we got back from China and after a week dealing with problems and work etc. Magic was measured at BATS. He's medium but his long legs put him at the top end. No more growing for him!!!
We went to C Side this weekend and it was like taking 3 naughty children to a finals. J was nervous and in a silly 8 year old mood. Rupert was likewise - they are a pair. Magic was his usual kid out a fun day self. We arrived and there was this awful stink in the car park which wasn't Magic breaking wind. It was worse... I let the dogs out and within seconds Magic had raced off and rolled in some urghhhh slime stuff. He stank. I ran him off under the tap in the yard but the stink stuck. It was all over me too.
J and Rup were a right pair in the starters agility. Rup pretended he didn't know what weaves were and shot off into a nearby tunnel. J got disheartened and it was a disaster. I told Jordan off for not rewarding Rupert and for getting so down hearted in the ring. So we had tears. (But I did hit home a life lesson.) They had a stonker in in the starters jumping until J made a mistake and didn't pull through and ran on and Rup back jumped on the 3rd to last fence. J was disappointed by rewarded Rup and seems to have learnt that lesson.
Next was Magic's fun run. A nice helter skelter. I decided to do the 45 cm height. I got him stinking from the car and felt really nauseous. We played attention games in the queue and as soon as he realised he was going in the ring he became so excited. Pulling to go in with his upper lip curled in excitement. I decided this was going to be fun. Cockers are like kids and I decided a fun childhood experience was what we needed. I got a very short wait and he bambied, like some magical beast, over the first jumps at great speed and was going so fast he went under the 4th jump and shot into the tunnel. He ran by the box (he has never done a box combination before) but immediately came back and did a lovely box and back in the tunnel. (A joy to handle) I decided not to correct him when he went under another jump, just to encourage the speed and the go, go go, factor and reward the coming back and attentiveness. He did a fantastic gallop down the final jumps and Liz was standing to catch him at the exit but he didn't do his lap of honour just turned and looked at me with his ear jauntily turned over his head and upper lip curled saying "Can I do this again!!!" He's a fantastic little dog and his long strides and speed will really suit Jordan. He is going to be an accurate little dog as he is so anxious to do what you want him to. His next "outing" is at UKA Waverunners at the end of the month in the nursery and steeplechase.
Next was the C Side final. And the 1-7 jumping. Ahhhhh!!!! I walked the finals course with Jordan and it had the weaves in the very same place with a right hand entry into them and the tempting tunnel beyond in sight. Otherwise a nice course. J was very nervous. I popped Rup over the 1-7 jumping not having walked the course and it was one of Pete Heffer's puzzles. We got a clear but it was slower as I had to find 13 to 14 and we were 6th!!!!! Back to the C Side final., J got cockered in the weaves. He went far too fast off the dog walk and the corner jump going into the weaves and Rup shot past the weaves; then pretended he didn't know what a weave entry was and got bored in the weaves and shot into the tunnel. J was firm with him and thy finished E'd but respectable. J immediately bought Rup a treat at the shop for being in teh finals.
I decided to handle Rup in the 1-7 agility as it was a horrid start and I knew he wouldn't wait for Jordan and the weaves were still in front of the tunnel!!!! Firm handling of the cocker was required!!! The *********** cocker couldn't wait, wouldn't wait and I lost seconds getting him back and sharp right into the course. He then accelerated and... shot past the weaves.... I got him back and he sulked his way through them and missed one but I decided to keep him going through them. The rest of the course was a blinder of speed, fast handling and accurate run contacts. People watching were very complimentary.
I've now made a resolution that I will always have some say into my dog's names and KC affixes as both mine live up to them and I'm now supersticious about them. Rupert does agility courses like his namesake, Rupert of the Rhine executed Calvary charges - fast and furious but not always accurate and often without waiting for the right moment. Magic is simply "magic" (even when he stinks)........ (3 baths later - one at 3am - he is still smelling!) No, I'm not going as far as to call our next dog "I will always wait for you" or "weave well, wait well" or "smelling of roses". Storm and Jedhi were 2 names that Magic nearly got but we kept his affix in his name and I'm glad we did.
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