Exciting news!!!!

Hi all, I am so sorry for leaving you in the dark for the last few

Canberra Royal 2010

Hi everyone! What a successful weekend!!!!!My boys had some fantastic runs at the canberra royal this weekend and I must say I am very very proud of them both! Especially because this was an all heights trial so pepe had to compete against dogs of all sizes including borders etc, I have videos and photos but will take a little while to process them so for now, here are the results....

Pepe-

• TOP DOG SHOOT OUT WINNER (trophy + $100, run off against all dogs that qualified on the day, he beat borders, kelpies etc.!!!)
• ADM title!!! finally!!!! Now we can really go for our championship!
• winner of masters gamblers
• 3rd open agility
• 4th masters pairs

Nossi -

• NOVICE JUMPING TITLE!!! after only 3 trials (the other 2 of which were fairly small night trials) with a 1st and a 3rd place!!!
• 2nd place in novice pairs, first run in this ever
• 3rd place non qualifying in novice gamblers

So proud of my boys, and for once I actually left a trial slightly richer rather than much poorer!!!!!

Sorry and update

Hi guys,

Sorry for being so quiet over the past few weeks but I am extremely busy with the start of uni coming up next week and hopefully moving house in the next week also, I have applied for a property on 1 acre of grass and will find out whether or not i get it today!!!! Fingers crossed because it would be an awesome place to set up some agility equipment.
The canberra royal is this weekend and both the boys are entered so again fingers crossed there, I think Nossi will be a little slow as he usually doesn't enjoy the heat, but we'll see, hopefully I also remember to get some video.
I took the dogs for a walk in the bush in bringelly last week and they came home very very itchy, I figured it was grass ticks and treated them accordingly but not luck, after a trip to the vet yesterday it turns out they have mange, most likely transferred from wombats. Poor babies, they are on lots of medication now and should be good by this weekend.
I will keep you updated.

Dusk to Dawn Trial

Hi Guys,
I know I promised videos but it was raining so heavily throughout the whole thing I didn't get a chance!
It was a great night of trialling and I had a lot of fun seeing everyone again. Here are the results from my runs...

Pepperoni
Masters Gamblers - clear round, 36 points, FIRST PLACE!
RQH - DQ (took a wrong obstacle)
open jumping - were doing so well but took the wrong entry into the tunnel -DQ
open agility - again doing great and then during the last 4 obstacles (the distance) I goot lazy and dropped my arm so he came out of the distance - 1 fault
masters jumping - my foot got stuck in the mud (by this time the whole course was a giant puddle) and pepe pulled back into me over the wrong jump because I wasn't moving - DQ
Masters agility - very nice run, I got lazy and didn't call early enough so he took a wrong obstacle - DQ

Cabanossi

Novice gamblers - going very nicely untill he saw the judge (who suddenly moved into his line of vision) and was very intrigued and went to say hi - time faults

Novice Jumping CLEAR ROUND AND FIRST PLACE!!! such a nice run, very flowy and smooth and he seemed very confident :) so proud of my baby

All in all a great night!

I learnt how to make tug toys

Hi guys,
I found out how to make tug toys for the dogs using 4 strands of polar fleece, they are hardy and very soft on the dogs teeth, plus they are a bit stretchy so they're lots of fun to tug with!! I can make them in up to 4 different colours, here's an example of a pink, blue and white one I made for my dogs

 

The reason I originally started making them was as prizes for my agility club (I have made them in club colours!). After some outside interest I have decided to also offer them for sale, The large tugs are $5 each and smaller ones (for small dogs and puppies) are $2.50. I can also make extra large ones or wider ones on request, POA. Prices do not include postage (which can be combined). 

Please email me at niki@vandersmagt.com.au if you would like to buy one. 

Below is a photo of Pepe and Nossi enjoying their new favourite toy!   (this is a large size, reccommended for border collie size dogs)

DOL photo comp word - BLUE

Today's word is BLUE. Pepe is helping me with this one, playing with his favourite new blue tug toy that I braided yesterday. I have learnt how to make tug toys and leads and will be making a few for my club this week. Stay tuned for more photos of the toys.
Tonight we have agility training, if it doesn't get rained out that is. Hopefully we will get some time to prepare for this weekend!!!

BLUE

agility and more photos

Well, last night's Hawkesbury tuesday night agility trial didn't go exactly as planned, I will excuse pepe this time because it was his first run of the season, but he completely ignored my cues and made up his own course, he was flying around at 100 miles an hour and even did a spin on the seesaw whilst it was balanced flat (which the judge thought was pretty impressive, lol). He didn't perform his contact behaviour properly, instead just looking at me and leaping off halfway down! I swear he does this to spite me, hehe. But no, really he is just having the absolute time of his life being back in the ring, the smile on his face was unmistakable!

(un)fortunately I forgot to get anyone to video his run so you'll have to wait until this weekend when the dusk to dawn trial is on before any video footage comes your way. For anyone who hasn't heard of it, the dusk to dawn trial is an agility trial that starts at 5pm and finishes at 5am the following day. So basically you're running all night long! This year my boys are entered in 8 runs!!!!

Here are my entries for today's DOL photo competition word: WATER

pepe and nossi at colo river

My cattle dog x dotti with the ball