A few weeks ago I saw that Hurtta wanted tester's for their "Special Designer's Sample Edition Life Vest's" I really liked the colors (Hot Pink & Lime Green/Lime Green & Hot Pink) and wondered for a few day if I should post and tell them about Wilson (they wanted people who did water sports to post a bit about their dog, their location and a photo of their dog) anyway eventually I decided to enter. Then a week or so later, they announced the testers and we were on of them! I sent on our full address and then it arrived in the post, and it fitted perfectly. I've been waiting for an opportunity to take Wilson somewhere to swim for a while and today we went to the river,We go to the forest to walk the dogs most days and there are several different routes we can take, one of them has a small river just off the path.
I actually forgot the life-vest today but we let him have a paddle anyway to see if he would (he's been in the river for paddles a few times before) and he did - in fact he was desperate to get in the water! Which I was delighted about, he went in pretty deep although not quite to the point where he had to swim.
I brought my GoPro with me and got an awesome clip of Wilson in the river and I then put it in the water and the footage was very clear!
Last Sunday we went to the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Ireland Championship Show. We make an effort to go each year as my family have 3 Bernese, Amber, Cody & Zara, they belong to my sister. We brought Amber & Zara, who were being shown (well Amber was Zara is too young). This year there was a Agility Try out being held in conjunction with the Show. I decided it would be fun to bring Wilson along and a good opportunity to have a go on a "proper" course before the competition in July. I had done lot's of training to be sure to be ready, so far we have 4 Jump's and a set of Weaves for our course. We have a children's play tunnel to practice tunnels and I also set up a long jump using bit's off wood/fencing we have around. I made a A-frame x Dogwalk with a crate, ramp and length of wood, which I checked was totally safe before I let Wilson use it. It was only 1/3 of the size of a real A-fram and 1/4 of the size of a Dogwalk. I also made a "see-saw" although we hadn't gotten very far with training on that.
Anyway, we left early at 9am and arrived in Chloran at 11am. We then got the dog's out and met up with Gilbert (a puppy from Amber's litter), then we found the Agility ring and bought 1 ticket for a run on the course. I had brought my GoPro which I got for my Birthday with us and gave it so my sister and instructed her to stand in the corner of the ring and film him. Then we waited in the queue for our turn. We were allowed treats for the run which I was grateful about as we've not got to the stage where you leave a toy with the person at the end. When it was our turn I ducked under the tape and lined him up for the start. I asked him to Wait and clipped off his leash. I then stepped around the jump and asked him to go, we jumped the first 3 jumps and I then approached the tunnel, I pointed to it as we'd done in training but he wouldn't do it, so we skipped that and moved onto the Hoop, he jumped it but back-to-front but we kept going, then we did some more jumps and he did well on those, then there was another tunnel and we tried and failed to do it - oop's! Then aware our time was running out we raced over the long jump and then several "normal" jumps to where the A-frame was, he ran up it very well, and then ran out of the ring! I fetched him and a lady organizing the Agiltiy said she'd help me with the tunnel, She held him at one end and I went to the other too call him through, but it wasn't working. Then we decided to just leave it and I had another go on the A-frame (there was no See-saw or Dogwalk set up at that point.) He did a fabulous 2o2o for me! We then finished up and left the ring.
We then went back to watch the Bernese, and we did some lovely Sit-Stay's (we'd planned to do an Obedience try-out at the show but never did it) then we had lunch and headed back to the Agility ring in hope of having a second turn, but it was getting late and there was a massive queue - massive! I was quite disappointed as they had by that stage added the Dogwalk and See-saw and made the jumps higher (to Wilson's height) and lengthened the long-jump. However we had had a lovely day with one good run.
Beth + Wilson Xx
A video of our Agility try-out - If the video doesn't work click here to go to the video on YouTube
Welcome to my Blog! My name is Beth Roche (14). I have a 2 year old Blenheim Cavalier King Charles Spaniel called, Wilson. He's the best dog I could ask for, Small, Fast, Crazy, Happy, Friendly, Adorable, Amazing, Speedy, Adventurous, Loving, Sweet, Beautiful, Clever, Handsome & Gorgeous.
This year we started Agility training, which is great fun! I hope to compete with him and I have him entered for his first competition in July. I also want to get into Obedience and he's doing well with his training, his recall is much improved!I have entered him in "Junior Handling" in August, I've never done it before but I've a good idea what it's like as I've watched a DVD about it and watched the Junior Handling at shows, my sister also did it with her Bernese Amber, and I've done a bit of Breed/Group Handling. We also do lot's of trick training, most trick's appear in my video's. I love training him new tricks, it's really fun!
I also recently started making videos, I'd liked the idea for a while, and just before Christmas I finally filmed Wilson doing some tricks then I got an movie editing program in March and made "Wilson - 2 Year's - Brighter than the Sun" in time for Wilson's 2nd Birthday on 3rd March. I now have made eight video's in total and I have plan's for many more, I'll be sharing all about my video's on here. I'll also share load's of photo's of Wilson on here as I enjoy photography.
Beth and Wilson Xx I have previously made two blog's of Wilson, one recorded the first year with me, and another from last February to now, please check them out! I also appreciate every Like, Comment, Share, View & SUBSCRIBE on my video's and YouTube account, check out my videos I've made of Wilson and Amber's puppies. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9WR62fOoeAyd0ExD4Qk1QA
