News Page 2007
The tables below contains archive information about events in 2007.
| Date | Event / News | |
| 30th Dec | Merry barkmas everybody!!!!!!! I am sitting here surrounded by dog pressies and happy dogs…. I think that between the 4 of them, they have more pressies than I have had for the last 3 xmass. We have got squeaky balls, pigs, aliens and other strange looking creatures… there are tennis balls all over the stairs… wrapping paper all over the carpet and rubber bones and chews hidden under the settee… Keifer was really impressed and wanted to play with every toy that Rippy picked up… poor Rippy….. Gabby enjoyed opening everybody’s present, including the chocs and biscuits…. Vee had to have a snooze half way though but then ended up collecting the toys that she most liked, arranging them into a pile, then lying on them all and grisling if Keifer went too close… What fun We got so many toys that most have been put away for later…… lots of lovely healthy chews too… Of course, they did have to have a xmas dinner too……… beef, spuds and veg…. not spoilt of course!!!! But every one has to have a nice dinner We will be sorting out the shows for next year soon,, it will be great to plan out Ripleys agility classes for the year. I am sure that he will be very happy. | 
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| 8th Dec | WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Ripley did his first ever competition today at Dog Vegas at the UK Arena……. The day went something like this…. Arrived at the venue… Ripley started barking. Got the running orders and had a look at the agility course before going back to the van… Ripley started barking again…… Queued for the class, (Ripley was running in the grade 0 classes for 15months – 18 months of age) Ripley started barking the second he got in the queue. We did our first run….. slightly wide on jump 8 and got 5 faults… Rippy did stop barking enough to run. Did our 2nd run after more barking and apart from a 3 second descent on the A frame, it was faultless…. Back to the van while Gabby, Vee and Kiefer went for walkies…… Back into the arena for our tunnel vision class. after lots of barking we got to the front of the queue and set off…… Rippy ran really well, very fast and with absolutely no mistakes again……. Out of the ring with lots of barking and almost straight round to the jumping ring…… Still more barking in the queue but then we were off……lovely course and Ripley wasn’t even running at full belt……. Lovely clear, then straight round for our 2nd run and again clear and faster…… Lots more barking and by this time I was nearly deaf, as well as everyone in a mile radius………. Results wise…… well, I couldn’t be happier…. 3rd in the agility (plus a Vegas prize of £3) 1st in the tunnels (by nearly 4 seconds) And a lovely glass trophy….. 2nd in the jumping Absolutely fantastic…….. I am so proud of my little bark machine…… What a fab start to his agility career……… We are going to EMDAC tomorrow with Gabriel and Vee running in the veteran classes. | 
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| Nov | Well the weather is turning cool. We even had snow in Scotland for our annual hollys. The dogs loved it, all were playing in the white stuff. It was a great experience for the new kid on the block too……… my little Kiefer. It was a good journey for him too…. The week before, he had travelled down from Dundee, now he was going back up to north Scotland. He really is a lovely, confident, laid back little boy. His dad is an Irish working champ and his mom is the top farm worker. He and Ripley get on so well, they love to play fight and chase each other around the garden. You can see Kiefer watching Rippy when he is training, I am sure that he will be just as willing to work, if not so noisy…………….. The hydrotherapy pool is almost ready for the first clients….. (probably Rippy, as once he sees it he will be barking mad to dive in) It will be great to work the massage and swimming in the same place. The dogs really do benefit so much from both therapies. On the human massage front, I will be ready to treat injuries by the start of the spring shows. I already have a long client list. Still… at least I don’t have to chase humans round the room on the first massage……….. | 
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| 3rd Sept |
Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday dear Ripley Happy Birthday to you Or should that be Barkday!! Ripley is one year old today!!!!!!!!! He had a great time, lots of swimming, running, eating and barking. So much fun that in fact he is now asleep at my feet which is unusual for him as he is normally still awake until bedtime. Bless him!!!! So cute looking. His hormones have at last calmed down a little and he isn’t trying to sniff everyone’s crotch as much. In fact, we came across a bitch in heat at the park the other day and he ignored her….. maybe he likes the boys more …ha ha. Got lots of work on till the next show which is Derbyshire’s at Melton. I am also contemplating going the whole hog and getting my own pool to be able to combine the benefits of hydrotherapy and massage together. It will mean that dogs could then receive massage, manipulation, hydrotherapy, physical therapy and other therapies all in the same place on the same session if needed. If any one knows of any industrial units to rent, or similar, where I could put the pool, please let me know email me. Right, I had better wake the ripples up for his evening walk. Have fun and enjoy the rest of the warm weather… |
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| 28th August | Its been a while since I updated the news page but we have had problems with the PC…..dont you just love computers???!!!!!! Dog Vegus show was on over the last weekend and it proved to be a very good show, excellent weather, fantastic dogs and very friendly owners.. Gabby and Vee didn’t have a run as there was no ANY SIZE classes but they enjoyed the few days holiday anyway. Ripley thought (as usual) that it was great fun to bark at all the dogs and he had a whale of a time. Big big thanks to my sister Ally who came over for a couple of days to help out. She will be coming to the shows more often next year and she is also a qualified sports massage therapist and personal trainer and chef. So she can give you lots of advice for how to strap up those wobbly ankles before your first run… to warm up and cool down routines to improve you own fitness so you CAN keep up with your dog….. Ripley also had a go on one of the courses in the evenings, just a couple of jumps but he loved it. His first show (in December) will come round so fast. I assessed lots of dogs over the 3 days and had lots of interest in the workshops (25th Sept and 23rd Oct) I may not run a workshop through November so keep checking the news page for updates. I have a couple of places left on the September one, so if you are interested…. Get in touch email me | 
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| 3rd August | New workshop dates have been sorted out at last for the 25th September and the 23rd October, both are Tuesdays. All welcome, just email me for more information. The weather has at last picked up, just for the last few outdoor shows so I will be able to get to Dog Vegas and North Derbyshire with the massage stand. I will also be at most of the Dog Vegas winter series and the EMDAC ones. Ripley’s first comp will be the Dec Dog Vegas in the grade 0 class. Look out for us there, I will be the very pale one and he will be the very barky one……….. He is doing very well, despite the shortage of training time. I will start bringing in the weaves now he is nearly a year old, and putting the jumps up, although given half a chance he will jump anything no matter what the height is. Lefts and rights are 90%, the only problem is when he is barking too much to hear my directions……and of course…when the handler gets it wrong……….its amazing how confusing it is when the dog is coming back towards you and you are trying to work out which way left is… luckily I can use his white face to help…. Left is towards the black side and right to the white….easy huh! | 
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| 23rd July | The weather is taking with it so many shows and events. Empingham was cancelled at the last minute due to the bad weather. Derbyshire show has moved venues to the Ashby showground site, but we are still waiting to find out if the ground is safe enough for the dogs to compete on. It’s never ending and it would make a change to be able to take the dogs out for a walk without having to dry them all when we get back in. | 
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| July 17th | Ripley has had another session on the agility equipment. He knew just as soon as we got to the field where we where and started squeaking and barking with excitement. he did very well again. He really is working so confidently away from me that distance work is very easy. The only problem occurs when he gets just a little too excited and stops listening to the directions. but that aside, he is fantastic. Its only a short time until March when he will be 18 months and ready to compete but I still am adamant that I am not going to over train him. I think that once a fortnight is plenty, especially as he is so bright. I dont want him to lose the love and eagerness that he has for working, by being over trained and over worked. I think that fitness and good health is so very important, especially in the competition dog. After all, he is more than just a sports accessory, he is my little boy and I want him to have the best possible life. | 
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| July 13th | The lovely Lucy has had another scan and the pups are well and moving around happily. Here she is with a rather big belly. Its all very exciting and the pups could be born from friday onwards. Fingers crossed for a happy and healthy mum and litter very soon. Another really good weekend at East Midlands Dog Agility Club Show. The weather held well with only a little bit of rain. there was lots of interest in the massage (for both dogs and their owners) I also did some sessions explaining pre and post event massage and the handlers involved were very impressed with their dogs performance afterwards. Venus got a 4th place in the veterans snakes and ladders class which was brill. Gabby just wanted to run around and have fun in his run, so good to see him playing for the crowd. The July workshop for pre and post is now fully booked, there are still some places on the August 19th one and I will arrange a date for a September one as soon as I can verify the venue is available. | 
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| July 12th | The workshop in July is now fully booked, there are still some places on the 19th August and I will arrange another one for September shortly. With the amount of rain that we have been having there is no wonder that some shows have had to cancel due to the danger of dogs slipping and becoming injured. One show that went ahead on the 8th of July was an event in Sheffield run by Stella Parker. Stella is trying to start up a new agility club in Fullwood. The show went really well despite the soggy field. We all wish Stella well in her new club and that she helps many new owners into this great sport. Ripley has had another lesson and really has come on well. He will now happily go round the outer edge of the field and take all the jumps in a kind of easy helter skelter way. He will also turn either way at the end of a line of jumps, both sending away and recalling…. Clever little boy!!! | 
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| July 6th | Another wet day. We went for a long walk and stopped off at our favourite café on the way home. The Bus café is run by Arthur and Rita and they provide the warmest welcome and the best sausage sarnies in Derbyshire, if not the country. Ripley had another training session in the evening and loved it, even though it was a bit soggy in the field. He has really got to grips with the channel/v weaves and will now happily charge through either on recall or send away. Once he gets to 12 months I will start straightening the poles so he has to bend a little but for now I am happy with him to run through and enjoy it. I can already send him on an angle from about 10 metres away and he goes straight in every time. I’m not sure about the face he pulls as he gets to the end though!!! Crazy puppy!!! I also got him to go on over 5 jumps (mini height) from various angles and send aways. He really enjoyed this and although sometimes he got a little too excited and started to go around the jump wings instead of over the pole, he did brill. A little too brill though because as we were leaving the field I let him have a run round to cool down and he decided that little jumps were a bit too easy and took off over the full heights that were at the other side of the field. Not the best thing for a 10 month old pup to do but he thought it was fantastic. It amazes me how quick he learns new things, he really is a bright boy, and still so well behaved. 10 months old with the run of the house and still he has only chewed the covers of a couple of paperbacks that were left on the floor. Certainly a lot better behaved that Gab and Vee who decided to eat a settee when they were pups. Other news, the lovely Lucy is doing well and will be going for another scan soon to see how many babies she has got. Exciting times for all… | 
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| June 30th | What a soggy time we are having with all this rain. My gang seem to be permanently wet (and smelly…) They do love running about in the puddles though. I have changed the venue for the workshops for July and August. They will be held at Tomlinsons Canine Centre in Markfield, Leics. It’s a really good venue, lots to see and a great café. I will be adding more dates for September so keep checking here for further details. The first couple have already filled up fast so I think they are going to be very popular. | 
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| June 23rd | EMDAC show this weekend and a very soggy one too. Still, the wet weather never dampens the enthusiasm of agility for the owners or the dogs (well, most of them) The dates for the workshops are filling up so if you want to learn about pre and post massage please get in touch for more details. Everyone seems to be looking forward to it and I know that it will be very useful to all the competitors and their dogs. | 
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| June 22nd | The lovely Lucy (Lucy Lastic) owned by Sue Wyatt has been scanned and has been found to be in pup to Aled Owens World CH BOB. This is fantastic news and was well worth the wait. So Ripley is going to be an uncle. I bet he can’t wait to tell all his little nephews and nieces how to be a good boy and what fun agility and working is. Check out more about Lucy and Sues other great dogs on her web site www.bailstails.co.uk or you can access it from the links page. |  |
| June 21st | Well I have been asked so many times about whether I do “human” massage as well as dogs that I have decided to go back and study for another level of human remedial/ sports massage. I had to study and take an exam in basic human massage before I could take the canine massage so it will give me chance to follow up on what I learnt originally. Ripley had his first agility training session today and he did brill. He loves the contact equipment and had no fear at all of it. Even running straight on to the see saw and waiting at the tip point. He got the hang of two on/two off straight away so all the practise on the front step has paid off. In fact all of his foundation work meant that I could stop, turn left, turn right and send away really well and he didn’t get confused or worried in the least. Roll on next march when he can compete for the first time. |
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| June 10th | North Derbyshire Another good day at a very nice friendly show, Ripley had a great time, he just wanted to get into the rings with the other dogs. he is really going to love his agility training Apple and Crumble had good runs too. Lots of interest in the massage therapy and I was kept busy with assessments, which was very enjoyable as always | |
| June 3rd | PADS agility show at Elvaston Castle, very hot day but very enjoyable. Gabby and Vee had a clear round each and both had a great time. Saw lots of friends and people and helped with some doggy issues. Our friends Georgie and Crumble came 9th in the jumping - well done. | 
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| May 29th | Got the cages in the van at last, they are very good and the dogs have taken to then with no problems. Ripley loves his “top level apartment” as he can now see out of the rear windows as I drive along. Click here for details about the van cages. | 
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| May 28th | Dogs went for a swim, Vee wasn't bothered, gabby enjoyed it as usual and Rippy had a great time. | 
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| May 27th | Nottingham show on Sunday…. What a wet and soggy day. Still…… it’s always a good day when you are with your best mates (dog and human ones of course) Ripley knew as soon as I got the agility bag out of the cupboard that we were going to a show. He started bouncing around and barking at me to hurry up, you wouldn’t think that he was only 9 months old. Venus did her lovely steady runs but unfortunately no rosette today as she slipped off the dog walk on the agility and had a barking fit on the helter shelter. Bless her, she loves it. She will never be the fastest dog on the course but she really does enjoy herself and usually comes home with a clear round pretty. Gabby had a run in the any size jumping; he pulled me all the way to the ring and then stood with tail wagging until it was time for our run. When it was our go he took off from the start line like a nutter and I just couldn’t keep up with him. It was a lovely flowing “gabby” course and he whizzed all round it. I was so happy to see him run after all he has been through. He was grinning, wagging and loving it. It just doesn’t matter about the rain when I can see my babes so happy. It was raining when we left but we still stopped off for a walk before heading home for big dinner and a few glasses of wine. | 
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