Thought I would let you kno whow Dermott and me got on at our second ever Agility Show.

When we arrived after we got lost, Dermott got to have a job about in the excersise pen, which was a small field with a splash pool which of course Dermott had to lie down in.

We walked the Jumping course, and we got in the queue in some of the first dogs, I think Dermott was about 5th in the queue. I have found that Dermott's first run is often his best, as he gets very worked up and focused on me, I think I now know that I am going to have to do my best to get him worked up before his other runs too. Dermott did great, he was flying over those jumps and sprinting, he popped out of the weaves, (arghh! We had done so much practice!) but I think he was a little over excited, but he still got the entrance, I can't wait for him to do twelve poles. He has only done a maximum of eight, as we only have six at home, the club only uses eight, and the starter agility classes in competitions only have six, usually, but our new club uses twelve, which is great because Dermott won't swim or two-step his weaves, but he gets faster as he goes, so I have high hopes!

The Judge also said he had a cracking stride!

The agility was good but not as good, and he ran out of the ring in the Steeplechase, but that was my fault, I was in the wrong place, not looking at where I was going, he got distracted, but he came back and we completed the rest of the course clean!

So Proud.

Our car broke down because my dad had run the battery out, and the AA came! Hahaha,

Ahhh, wet Wales.

So off to Wales we went for Saturday to Tuesday. It was lovely for Dermott, the dog really enjoyed himself, although, he is impervious to wet weather. We humans on the other hand, not so much. So we got there, it didn't rain (yes!) but we hardly had any time for walking because it took 5 hours to drive there, so the day was gone.

Then next day, we went for a waterfall walk, which was lovely, yeah, really pretty. But by the end of it, it was raining and it rained for the rest of the day, with not much to do. Also turned out, I had forgot pyjamas. Dermott also thought that waking me up at 3:30 to go for a walk is super fun, but I forced him to wait until 6:00 am. Poor dog. :-P

The next days we were there, it also rained, and rained and rained, and the place we were staying, had no T.V and I soon ran out of things to do, I had read my book and I had no WiFi. The dog was asleep and so was the father.

So, Dog loved it, me, kind of.

Will post some pictures soon.

Take the Plunge

Ok, so we took the plunge. We went to the Malthouse Dog Agility Club in Pyecombe. Oooooh!

Firstly we got lost going there and there was a little swearing from my mother but obviously, we arrived. Scary. Prior, on the phone I talked to a VERY intimidating old women (don't tell her I called her that) who said there were three gates to enter, and you had to see which one was open on the day. We took the wrong one and got shouted at down the phone from an old lady but we got there. After saying hi, I offered to take the jumps and cups and set up. I did it. People arrived. Scary but everyone was unbelievably nice. We walked the course. I got my dog, at which point my mum asked me if I wanted to leave because she also found this lady very scary. I said I would stay.

Dermott, in the first course ran back alot at which point they shut the door to the centre so he couldn't escape! But it was messy and was his first time so I think I will leave it.

Second course he was better.

Third and fourth course we ran in pairs and I went with a lovely lady with a cream merle slightly over weight collie. We ran at Medium even though he is large. We had the rules of, time limit 2 minutes. The course must be ran twice and attempted by both dogs, if the dog (YOU!) made any mistake Carol (scary old women) would shout 'sausages' and the dog would have to go back to the start and the other pair would have to run to where they stopped and run the rest of the course. 'Sausages' was called as I said Dermott would freak out if the whistle was blown. It was my first time and I was already changing the course!! Maisey didn't make a mistake so we took off once she was finished, he ran all the course clear, ran off at the same point in both courses, but came back, we went clear and overall won. YES! Thats my boy. 1.23 minutes.

I have a thing about Dermott's speed but boy was he running fast! I had to tell him to slow down!!!

We are so going again.

I have just realized that, I am yet to introduce myself, and have skipped to pictures and showing off really, how rude. I be Dermott, a collie x setter x flattie kinda thing as they say, but I don't really know what the hell I am, oh well. I be dog.

I am quite a sporty dog, agility is my main hobby, but they also come in the form of Heel Work to Music Tricks and tricks, for my movie star carrier way ahead in my future (well, maybe not, that muffler is scary!) Swimming and Running around like a lunactic. Actually let me change that, I think running around like a lunatic is my main hobby, I like flies and footballs too, but I am told I hog the ball, but all the best players cheat don't they?

I am very good at agility I am told, my mum says I would be better if I wouldn't go and see where my her dad is, I have a competition soon. My mum says she hopes I don't have to see dad then, she has been very nice and got me doggy energy food for my trials, so I don't get tired. This show is nice, it is very small and fun and relaxed, my kinda show. I have only been to a show once, I went passed the dog walk, but then got on it and missed a contact, and missed a jump and I flew of the see-saw, I was flying, flying is good. My mum said I was a good dog for not running off, I ran off during the jumping though. I wanted to see her dad. My mum laughed.

My mummy also wants me to try Dash n Splash and flyball. I am going to try it at Paws in the Park (YESSS!) where we get to camp. My mum says I don't have to compete at agility there because it is our first time and she wants me to have the most fun ever and not get worried about having to compete. Good mummy, nice mummy.

Everynow and again I like tennis balls and frisbees and tugging and sleeping, but sleeping as little as possible, too much running too do, I don't look this gorgeous without working!

I am a rescue dog from the Mayhew Animal Home in London, but i'm actually an irish boy ast heart, and come from the county of Lietrim. Sometimes I wonder what my mum looked like, I can remember how she smelt a little, but the memories are blurry. When I was around 6 weeks old I was beaten, and me and my litter were going to be thrown in a lake. I don't like men, because men hit dogs, hitting dogs is bad, it hurts. I am very sensitive and sudden movements and loud noises scare me, and make me what to run home and hide under the bed. Sometimes when my human mum makes sudden movements by accident when she's around me, I think she might hit me and I am scared and my ears go down and I cower, she has never hit me, and screamed and cried when my dad hit me once, but I am scared, and I am sorry I am scared but my mum tells me not to worry and she would never ever hurt me, I listen.

I live in Brighton with Ned and Bumpy, Ned is long with short legs and Bumpy is fluffy but he is ment to have long dreaded hair, haha, he looks like a teddy. Don't tell him, he will be grumpy. I like Ned, he lets me put his whole head in my mouth when we play, buut don't worry, he sits on my head too. Bumpy is silly, he won't play with us, he thinks we are annoying but secretly he wants to!!

I am going to Wales on a dog walking holiday (YESSS!) soon, where I get to be taken for 7 walks a day, and get to swim and roll in mud, and have lots of pictures taken of me. I have never been to Wales before. Wales is not like the New Forest where I have been twice, less wet and less horse. We'll see.

I will see you soon. Dermott. xxxx

A few from Dermott's repertoire!

'STRETCH' (would have been 'Bow' but he thought I was saying 'Down')

'Weave' (through legs)

'Give Paw' (he is actually waving but we keep it as the same command, whether he is giving paw to my foot, hand or nothing)

'Down' and 'Cross' (he also does cross during a 'Stretch' aswell)

And of course 'Over'. Whatever it is, bench or hedge, he's jumping it! There is a fence around a part of Withdean Park near where we live in Brighton, and he just jumps over it and gives me the look of 'Well if I can jump over it, i'm obviously not ment to stay inside it!!

Just thought as a little taster, we would show you a few from Dermott's over thirty list of tricks! (Not to brag....) He is such a bright boy!