Time for Contacts

So for a while now Granny has been talking about retraining my contacts and I have to say I've no real idea what that meant but over the last two days because we've been at home I think I've found out!

The other day she was busy making something but I wasn't sure what it was, but now I've been introduced to it and scary as it looked its actually good fun.

The thing with contacts is they get in the way of running fast, it seems a shame to spoil a good run with having to stop on the end of a plank of wood.  So generally I get about half way down and jump off cos then I can go faster, but Granny tries to make me hit the bit at the end so the safest thing to do is make sure I come down slowly.  But when I do this although shes pleased she doesn't seem really happy.

Apparently this new technique will teach me how to run down the contacts as fast as I like without missing the bit at the bottom.  If I do that Granny says everyone will be happy.  Seems easy to me. So whats it all about.

First thing is to get used to the new bit of training equipment.  Its a mix between a square made out of PVC pipe and a contact hoop made out of a pipe insulator.  The thinking behind this is that the hoop stops the jumping and the square gets my feet right.  As time goes on you can then change the hoop to clear tube or take it away and just leave the square. We have also lowered the A frame and dog walk so I can run across them without to much effort.

So here's the first video which is just getting the hang of it and seeing what works and what doesn't.  The main thing is I can't get it wrong.  Granny and Mikey always struggled to make sure they rewarded me when I got it right, with this I don't get it wrong.  What it does mean is that by moving the hoop to different places I can perfect exactly whats right, and I can do it as fast as I can.

So the real question is will it work, I guess the answer is only time will tell.  It will take time so Granny says she doesn't expect to see any real results until next year

Its been a long time since my last confession!

Having said I was going to start writting again I've quickly fallen down.  Anyway whats happened since I last wrote, well loads.  There have been several shows some good some not so good but generally speaking its been a pretty good season so far.  Last weekend saw me winning out of grade 3 which is great, Billy Widdle Grade 4 like that.  So now its a 25 day wait to run at that grade but I should still get 2 or 3 shows in at grade 4 before the end of the season.

So to date I've got 6 wins, 4 placings and about 7 clear rounds, not bad for a little chap.  I'm still driving everyone mad with the contacts.  I know what I should be doing but they seem such a waste of time, much quicker if you jump off even though thats not the game (good game to me he he). So there are plans a foot to do some retraining.  Not sure what that means but I guess I'm going to find out.  Theres a very strange thing that grannys made that fits on the end of the contact.  We've played with it and its fun to run through but what happens from there I'm not sure.  I'll get her to take some pictures so that you can see it in action.

Off to the Kennel Club Festival on Friday See if I can qualify to go to Crufts, how cool would that be.  Theres going to be loads of dogs there so unless I can link it all together I don't suppose I standf much of a chance but you never know, got to be in it to win it I guess, paws crossed

Woopeeee Billy goes Grade 3

That right I've made it to the next grade, it was a couple of weekends ago at Nottingham.  The Saturday didn't go quiet according to plan.  My first run was really good I was well in the running completly clear and quick until I missed the last jump oops I blame Granny.  Its funny she said lots of naughty words all in one go but she still gave me my sausage and said I was a good boy.  After that things went a little bit to pot, how was I supposed to know she wanted me to go in the tunnel, she should have stood next to it and said tunnel, ok well she did, several times, but there was something really interesting going on next door!

So Sunday was another day and a nother Agility run.  Wasn't the best of runs, nearly messed it up by running the A frame instead of the weaves but Granny shouted me just in time and we got back on track and although it wasn't the fastest we made it to the end and I managedthe last jump.  So that was it I don't it Billy Widdle Grade 3.  Sounds good, Billy Widdle Grade 4 sounds better but I think I will need luck on my side as everyone seems to be getting better.  The afternoon saw another win in the Jumping.  It was a really good course some real twisty tricky bit much more fun then those straight up and down courses.  Not really sure how I won thought as I knocked 2 poles and missed the last jump again (although it was a tricky one this time not straight on!).  Granny was really surprised in fact she was sat having a cup of tea at the time and just heard my name over the tanoy.

So it was a really good weekend, we're at Scunthorpe this weekend, then RVA, then after that its all systems go and I'm not sure when I get a weekend off,but I don't mind its fun.

Unfortunatly as seems to be the case I didn't get my winning round filmed but there is some film but Granny hasn't got round to editing it yet,  I'll put it up when she does.

Dog Vegas Easter Weekend

Well the good news is I've had a full weekend of competition and I feel fine.  Its a real relief as I was beginning to think Granny wasn't going to let me play again!  she kept saying 'put your leg down, then you can go a play' don't have a clue what she meant but anyway seems I can play again now.

Friday was a bit of an odd day, everything seemed to be ok but I just couldn't get the jumps in the right place and kept knocking poles off.  Oh and I went for a couple of runs around the ring, but Granny didn't seem to mind she just seemed pleased to be outside (or maybe just to be outside with me).  I did get all the contacts though not fast but right down to the bottom just like Granny likes.

Saturday didn't prove and better and boy was it hot, they kept pouring cold water over my head.  Who do they think they are I don't like being wet (although I do like being hot either, so I didn't really mind that much).  Again it was just the odd pole keeping me out of the winners enclosure.  If I'd have left one pole up I would have won by 10 seconds!

Sunday was my day off but we were back again on the Monday.  Thinks were beginning to fall back into place.  I missed out on winning the Agility by a pole that no one even saw fall, how unlucky was that.  But then last run of the day a jumping course came my way and I won by a whisker.  So we waited for the presentation, by this time it was freezing.  When they announced the winner it wasn't me.  But the lady they announced was very kind and we sorted it out.  So I took home a rosette and a trophy.

All in all it was a good weekend, Granny seemed really pleased and I was getting my mojo back.  Going to knuckle down to some hard training and fitness as I was really tied by the end of each day. 

Then bring on the next one.

Really getting fed up now

This legs starting to really get on my wick now, apart from the swimming everything seems to be off limits. Chasing the cat, jumping up at the fence, beating granny's car down the drive, and I've not done any agility for ever and ever. Granny now says I'm not well enough to play at the weekend, its getting beyond a joke. It is getting better though Anne said there was no sign of it when I was swimming last time, but my best friend Lucy was there and I wanted to show her what a good swimmer I was. Wasn't going to give in to a stupid leg. I'm going to see Christine tonight see if she can work some magic.

Granny says although I can't run at the weekend I can go for a day out so I should be able to catch up with all my friends I don't seem to have seen anyone for ages, it been 4 weeks this week since I've been to training I wonder how everyone is.

But to add insult to injury Mikey my camera man said I was getting fat at the weekend! how dare he, not as if he's a skinny. He wants to watch it I can still nip an ankle or too bad leg or not. Better still when I'm up to full speed I'll go that fast him and his silly camera will be mile behind then granny will moan at him and I can sit smug in my bed. I'll give you fat mate.

Anyway time to go back to sleep again, there are some perks. See you all at Lincoln.

I've found something almost as much fun as running

...........Swimming. I had my first swimming session at Dogwise Hydrotherapy on Saturday and it was awesome. It only took me a few minutes to decide that the best place was the water especially when they put someone elses toy in the pool. Once I got in there was no stopping me, although my poorly leg meant I kept needing a bit of a rest now and again. But not much!! Anne the nice lady who showed me where I could get in and out of the water kept telling me I had to have a rest. Nah rests for sissies, even with a bad leg I was still faster then her, but she'll soon learn to keep up. I was in the pool for quiet a long time but eventually I had to get out, and I had to have a wash with some soap that made me smell like a girl! but I guess everything that's good has to have a down side (like rolling in fox poo always ends in a bath, but its always worth it).

The best news is I get to go again on Wednesday I can't wait, and although I was a bit stiff I think it will help my leg get better as I can swim without it hurting.

So at the minute (base on injury factor) my favourite past times are

a) running, even if it hurts

b) swimming

c) agility

d) sleeping on grannys bed.

oh and playing with my new mousey toy

Time to get my typing paws out

At last managed to get granny off the laptop, I bet you all thought I'd disappeared into a rabbit hole. Well I'm still here and as the season is about to begin I thought I'd better brush up on my typing skills.

So what have I been up to? Through the winter I've been keeping up with training, sleeping, playing in the snow and all those important doggy things and everything was going great until two weeks ago. I was running around the exercise field at Dog Vegas when all of a sudden my back leg started hurting, so now I'm on the subs bench, Billy Beckham Mikey calls me. I've been pulled and prodded and they made me sleepy to take pictures of me. They gave me some horrible tasting sweeties that granny tries to hide in some yummy meat, but I know they are there! but the meat is just so good........ mmmm meat. Sorry got a bit distracted. Anyway good news is nothing was broken and I'm starting to feel back to normal. But its really played havoc with my ability to run. Granny took me for a walk down the field Tuesday night and I just couldn't stop myself I hadn't run for what seemed like a life time and it just felt like someone was squashing a spring, all of a sudden my legs just exploded and I ran as fast as I could, then faster and faster, round and round, and it felt great. Nothing hurt and I could still walk on all 4 legs afterwards so I think I'm well on the mend. You should have seen Granny's face though she didn't know whether to laugh or cry, guess she thought I'd be back to square one.

So hopefully back on track I might be able to do a bit of training next week. I'm going for a swim for the first time on Saturday, I like swimming and Granny says the waters warm not like those cold rivers she normally throws me in!

My first show is in a couple of weeks, and despite the silly vet saying I'd be at least 6 weeks out of action I'm sure I'm going to be up for it, or at least up for going for a run round!!