Lucy's Report

The weather was so much better than last year as soon as I saw the predicted weather I was full with hopes anyway as hours went on it was the next day, it was the big day but strangely I didn’t feel as nervous as last time I was excited. It appeared that there were more people this year I thought more competition than last year probably because of the great weather we had, there was a little bit of rain but eventually the rain held off. It was lovely to see more new faces older, younger even new wet noses and wagging tails.
I wore my new blue provided t-shirt with pride. Even though I just got there I was enjoying my self, it was just the smell that I hadn’t smelt for a year it felt like home for me, it was just the comfort of the dogs around, and the level of love. I liked the atmosphere later on in the day was crazy I must tell you. Jiffi, as you might of heard of last year is black, copper and has a shade of brown, she loved it as much as me. It all started underway quite quickly. I enjoyed getting back into the training I was extremely impressed with Jiffi’s behaviour she stood very well and worked as expected no pulling for me. She obviously was excited at the start like most dogs would be but then it sank into her that she has got to be good for me and Pam so we could try our best. About 20 minutes into the day I think she made a very good example to the judges for how Jiffy works!!!

  Breed survey

  I really didn’t want to let Pam down in the breed survey she was hoping for a Grade 1 and because of that I was determined to get a Grade 1. I was asked to perform various tasks like demands to your dog I was just holding my hopes up when I was putting Jiffi in a stand which lasted for about 3 minutes. After the 3 minutes when Nikki was still marking her she moved and sat down I thought this is it now Nikki thinks she won’t stand very long like some dogs do. But then I caught her eye and she smiled I thought I passed that part ok. Then she said lets try the gun test and I didn’t think Jiffi had heard anything like a gun going off before. I felt nervous, suddenly the guns went off and I glared at Jiffi she didn’t really take any notice. I was relieved; Nikki was ready to give me my results. I was confident I might have got a Grade 1 and I did start to relax again. You could see Pam’s face was just bubbling with excitement when it was confirmed that she had got a Grade 1. After that I got a break I was just living the moment looking around then that’s when I realised how cool it was to have a dog show just for children…

Judging

Judging was all about looking at other peoples dogs. Charity was one of them, she was strutting her stuff when she moved second to last to second place out of six places. Nikki told us how a dog is perfect and how a dog has something partly wrong with it. She told us how to show that the croup is crooked or how there hock is too small or too big. Anyway after she shown us how to do that we had to do it our self’s. so we had to get into two’s and tell which part of the dog is perfect or ok then which part the dog can improve on or what is partly wrong. She gave us a booklet to show what parts are on a dog. A while later Nikki told us to get a pen and write on the back of our booklet telling her what order we think the dogs should be in. so we did that and as quick enough it was finished to do the agility course…

To the agility course

 The agility course was quite good for me because unfortunately I went under over and through more things that Jiffi. But it was fun for me so I didn’t mind. Jiffi did go on most things but the two things she really hated was going under the little dog tunnel also going on top of the dog climbing frame.
She did try the rest but was better on some things than others.

Obedience test
 
  Around came the obedience test but the most surprising thing was I wasn’t nervous I tried really hard on that test and succeeded in coming second place. First Mo told us to line up in the ring with our dogs then one by one she asked for you to walk away and back in a special way with your dogs head in line with ourr knee after she is satisfied with what she has seen she asked you a question saying how many teeth does a grown up dog have? I answered correctly saying 42. Next we were told to run in the ring with our dogs and then she would put us in order she thought was the best I was 4th then into third then finally into second and that is were I stayed.

Lucy Mathers

My day ended when I received my second place trophy. Roll on next year.