Activities we do!

Okay, so I've told you all our Frisbee & Junior Handling plans (we're not doing either for the minute) but I haven't actually told you what we are going to do, well not properly anyway.

                     Agility...

... is currently our main focus. We're going to finish Silvia Trkmans Agility Foundations online course ( Here's the link to her Website, I definatly reccomend her DVD's and Foundations Class: http://www.lolabuland.com/ ) at the end of the week, so the next 6 days will be spent trying to perfect everything we've learnt, and trying to master pushes, threadles, serpentines & weaves! And after that training till the spring when we can start training rounds, and then depending on how we get on hopefully compete next Summer!

                 Video Making & Photography

...will continue of course, after our Graduation video (which should be done 22nd November!) just our Christmas video for 2015. I have big plans for 3rd Birthday video! And lot's of photography too!

                        Trick Training ... 

... lot's of this planned, but, unfortunately there aren't really trick contests or freestyle contests here so we'll be training for our videos, online trick challenges and contests and of course FUN!

                       Obedience ...

... is something I'm really considering doing competitively. We're training heeling (a very important skill for obedience) with Silvia Trkmans Heeling DVD, are working on improving recall all the time (which is mostly good, but seagulls are sooo much fun!) and I'm hoping to teach a fetch as a trick, (you need a fetch for Obedience) and if Wilson really enjoy's it we can play it as a game too!

                     Holly...

I'm also planning on continuing Holly's agility training, like Wilson we'll see how we get on in training rounds in the spring before competitions. I'm also going to keep training her new tricks, and maybe in the future try trick contests or a bit of frisbee!

Fun, Fun, Fun ...

... and of course lot's of playing, walking, cuddles & grooming like normal :-) And we'll also as part of our Agility training keep working on toy motivation, which is improving a lot!

I think that's everything! Thanks for stopping by, as this is a new blog I have few followers so all views, comments & follows are appreciated!

Beth + Wilson Xx

Trick Tutorials?

I'm considering doing some trick tutorials on my blog. A trick I'm working on at the moment is a "Hand Rebound" and whilst there are lot's of videos with this trick in, I haven't found any tutorials. Despite that we're progressing well with this trick but it gave me the idea.

I'd probably do them "Unlisted" and simply on the blog, although I'm still unsyre. It probably wouldn't be till after our Agility Foundations Graduation Video, but any thoughts or suggestions on this would be great. It could either be a photo tutorial or video, or both.

Beth + Wilson Xx

Last week of Online Course (Lolabuland, Agility)

We are now approching our final week of our online course "Agility Foundations" we're focusing on Serpentines and Channel Weaves, and the Serpentine's are really progressing! We're almost in a straight line!!! Channel is a bit slower, but hopefully he'll be Weaving by the end of the class. I want a good fast weave, so no rushing!
Of course we still have to work on everything else expecially 2o2o, Sequences & Multi-wraps. We're now using primarily a toy with food in for training which is working really well, it's a good compromise, I get my toy and he get's his food! And he still plays with just toy's, expecially inside :-)

I'm editing our graduation video at the minute, which is getting there, although the majority of the filming I'd like to do next week once we've learnt most things. Beacause the Serpentines are going so well I'm hoping to start on Pushes and Threadles and maybe have mastered them by the end of the course ...

We may re-do the class next year, and I may join her RC class with Wilson, once we have a DW :-)

Here's our latest submission. As I've said before, beacause I have 20+ Foundation Videos, most are set to "Unlisted" simply not to "clutter" my Channel, the most recent are still avalible to watch, like this one. And I'll probrably oost the links here at some point, so my blog followers can see them. If they "disappear" it may be that in the future they are removed or set the "Private" if you'd like to see one of my later FF videos, feel free to ask and if I can I'll share the link, all comments apreciated :-)

Anyway, enjoy our latest video, I'm so proud of my Jazzie-Boy, look at those Serpentines and him Chasing that toy!

Beth + Wilson

When I first met Wilson ... till Now

I'll start from the begging shall I? This is going to be one long, post, cuteness-photo-overload of Will's baby photo's to follow ...

Okay, we started looking for a puppy, Holly was only approx 4mths old at this stage! And I'd just convinced my parents to get me a dog. First off we were getting a Rottweiler, but then we decided a little dog would suit us better at that time. So we decided, like Holly, to get a Cavalier cross. So we started searching online puppy sites (for anyone considering getting a puppy BAD IDEA!!! We've been incredibly luck with both Holly's health and temparment, and we will never get a puppy from that sort of breeder again.) We decided a "Pugalier" or "Cavachon" (Again BAD IDEA!!!! There is NO SUCH THING as a good breeder of a "Pugalier", "Cockerpoo" or "Cavachon", if you want a cross-breed, GO TO A RESCUE CENTRE!) We rang hundreds of breeders and there were problems with everyone, one "breeder" didn't even know if the puppies were girls or boys!

In the end we decided, this is Silly, what we actually want is a Cavalier Just a pure Cavalier, from a good breeder (Anyone looking for a puppy, don't, don't look for a puppy, look for a good breeder and then wait for one of their puppies) So we researched breeders in Ireland, until we found Wilson's breeder, we asked when she was next expecting a litter, and she told us March. We sent her more info about us and our family, so she could see if we'd be suitable. Then, we went on Holiday (Crufts 2013) and one morning we got a text, the puppies were born! A few days later we went to visit them.

We'd originally thought a boy would suit Holly better but we were flexible, a boy or  girl would be perfect. We were greeted by 4 adult Cavaliers, all very friendly and then we met the puppies, the breeder held up each one in turn for us to see, and when I saw Wilson, Boy2, I wanted him, he was my favorite. It was several more weeks before we could see which pup would be ours (Many good breeders actually choose which pup goes to which home, not the owner) and then after weeks of seeing photo's of the puppies, I recognized Wilson in all the photos, he was the darkest of the litter, we got an email, we could choose between Frankie (that was his litter-nickname) and Pinky. We discussed it, although from the second I saw the email, I knew we'd tell them Frankie.

Then once the puppies were 8weeks old we visited them, I instantly picked out Wilson, and when I was asked if I wanted to hold him I was soooo happy! I held him for the most of the visit, but there was a problem Wilson had a sensitive stomach, and they didn't know if they should keep him or not, they decided to think about it and we left, but I was upset I soooo wanted Wilson! Then a few days later they emailed, sending photo's of both Frankie and Pinky, basically suggesting we should have Pinky, and lovely, adorable, sweet and gorgeous as Pinky is, I wanted Wilson. I actually cried when I saw the photo of him I was so sad! So my dad called the vet the puppies had been seen by (for vaccinations) and the vet said she thought it'd be okay, we told the breeder we'd still like him, if that was okay with her.

Then a week or so later, we brought him home! I was sooo happy! We played with all the pup's for about an hour whilst my dad sorted paperwork (Good breeders always have contracts) I was too young to do any paperwork, even though he was to be mine. He was allowed to sit on my lap (just this once) and he was wrapped in his blanket, but he was panting a bit (which looked so cute) so we took it off which made him cooler!

That leaves one thing, what to name him, the shortlist was Wilson, Alfie, Archie, Frankie & Jazzie, We were discussing this (on his forst day home) when Wilson just randomly picked up a tennis ball, and when we looked we saw the words Wilson 4 on it so yup, that was that, Wilson Frankie Roche, nicknames Jazz, Jazzie, Jazzie-Boy, Lil' Growler, Cheeky Monkey .... 

And yep, that's the journey to get him, and in the last 2.5 Years, we've learnt basic behaviors, trick & have started Agility.

Thank you to Wilson's breeder for trusting me with my little Jazzie-Boy!

" Don't look for a puppy, look for a good breeder and then wait for one of their puppies."

Beth + Wilson Xx 

New Trainers!

I got new trainers ('cause I need good trainers for Agility) and Wilson had to see if he could do "Your feet on Mine" with them, and of course he could :-) 

 

Cop-Cop (Your feet on Mine)

Pink and Orange

With Silver Stripe :-)

A new walk ...

We went on a new walk today, my sister has drama class each week and this time I decided to go along, with Wilson, my other sister and her puppy. It wasn't the most exciting place just a small village, luckily it had floodlights 'cause it was already dark.
After a quick walk along the pavement we headed for a large patch of grass, and it was amazing that when your looking there are so many opportunities for practicing tricks! Like a low wall for Wilson the jump on and walk along. A massive plant pot, with only a small plant in the centre for Wilson to jump up and walk along the edge. A flight of steps to practice 2o2o or Back-up steps on. Lamp posts for practicing Cik&Cap or Hug-a-pole. Or even railings for "Paw's Up"!
We didn't get any photo's but we're probably going to go next week ...
Beth, Wilson + Zara Xxx

Junior Handling and Frisbee Plans

Rebound, a potential trick for Frisbee

Okay, I hope you all like the new lay-out of the blog! I've jsut realized I never shared why I decided to not pursue Junior Handling or Frisbee as a hobby for now, well here's why:

I decided to try out Junior Handling at a show this Summer, to see how we got on. Whilst it was fun, I realized it's not really for us at the minute, I prefer the speed and excitement of Agility to the slick and precise style of Junior Handling.

I also think, truthfully Wilson found it pretty boring. We may well return to it in the future but for now Tricks and Agility is what we're working on.

Frisbee is another thing we were considering trying, I just think that beacuseat the minute I don't play frisbee with Wilson, it's not something he loves. I also think it'd take a lot of training and I want to focus on Agility and Tricks, but we are training tricks that, in the future could contribute to frisbee performances, so you never know... I may try this sport with Holly, she's more of a natural at frisbee/catching toys, and she can flip! Also there arn't currently any frisbee competitions near us to compete at whereas there is Agility.

Here's some photo's ...

Stacking on the table

Standing in the "line up" 

A nice stack