Becketts Farm

Wow, what a weekend for the Ballistics - we finished the weekend winning Div 1 with Ballistics, winning Div 2 with Rockets, coming 2nd in Div 2 with Extraset and all 3 teams getting new best ever times - Ballistics 16.85, Rockets 18.16, Extraset 19.62!!!!

It was a very hectic day having Rockets & Extraset in the same division and I didn't feel I gave both my dogs as much as I should have. This was for three reasons, one because we were rushed having to keep swapping dogs, two because I was knackered running them both so close together (I would like to say this is because I need to work on my fitness post my ankle break but its not, I needed to work on my fitness before then too-I best get on to it!!), the third reason was that the ground was quite uneven and there was a big dip in the run back area I was very conscious of falling down!!

We made a conscious effort this weekend to write down times for dogs so we can start getting a proper idea of whether or not they are in the right teams. I was highly disappointed with Elliot's times - he was running 4.7-4.8 in the morning, with some over 5s times (partly due to late changes, but not completely!), he did redeem himself slightly in the afternoon by getting a couple of 4.52s when my changeovers were bang on. I do think that because I have not been giving him balls on walks to try and dampen down his obsession I have consequently not been working him as hard and so his fitness has really dropped - this has now changed!!! Also, because I don't have to worry about him not staying in our lane I didn't call him all the way back as I was saving my energy for shouting Jem up and back!! His tugging was loads better this weekend, I had to do a front cross on him and run off to the side, but by doing this he tugged every time (bar once I think), so just need to work on him doing it as he comes in - another job for the next few weeks :)

Jem was running consistently 4.6s which is about right for her, although she can do 4.5 (4.4 if she looks where she is going) but she had had the week before off because of her foot and again I have not been working her as hard lately. Luckily though she ran fine despite her mishap last weekend which was good :)

So a good weekend in all but definitely an eye opener for me - both the dogs' and my fitness (with in my ankle's limitations) will be seriously worked on over the next two weeks till our next competition (and afterwards hopefully!!!)

Farnham Park

Jem was in extraset this weekend and Elliot in rockets which meant I got to run them both :)

Extraset were first on and won their first race :) They won their first leg in the second race but then in the second leg the start dog from the other team ran across onto our lane when Jem was at the box. With Jem in flyball mode she was not impressed by this and decided to tell the dog off for getting in her way, unfortunately for Jem the other dog didn't back down and Jem ended up coming off worst with a puncture wound in her foot. Sadly we only had 4 dogs in extraset this weekend and so we lost the rest of our races (Perry, Smartie and Jamie still ran though so we didn't loose our points from the morning), we did however still manage to finish 3rd as 3 teams won 2 races and we had the fastest time!!!! :) I also managed to see that Jem ran a 4.5 :)

Rockets did really well and won their division with a new best time of 18.30 :) Elliot refused to play tuggy this weekend as well and so I have come to the conclusion that it is in fact just that he is back racing every weekend and having access to tennis balls more frequently - he hasn't had them at home for ages but I think being back at flyball with all the excitement the value for the ball far outweighs the value for the tuggy! At least he is giving me a job for the winter :)

I also managed to do pretty well with my handling this weekend, with some pretty good starts with Jem and I ended up getting my eye in much better with Elliot and his changeovers :)

I am keeping my fingers crossed Jem is better by next weekend but either way I will get to run Elliot again as they are in separate teams :)

Flyball at Alton

Last weekend was Jem and my first competition for the year and it felt good to be back! :) Sadly we only had the three teams in so I didn't get to run Elliot, I do however get that pleasure next weekend, and maybe even the weekend after if I am lucky :)

First race of the day was in red lane and I didn't get time to warm Jem up so we decided it wasn't worth the risk of running her in that lane (especially as she was completely off her rocker!) and so she sat out for that race. She then ran really well over the 12" (her first time at this height in competition) and my starts with her got better, I got a couple of 0.0somethings  - it can be difficult to get her starts good because it always depends how much attention she decides to pay to the other lane on her way to the gate! By the last race of the day she had tired quite dramatically and so only ran one leg - she had been sick a couple of times early in the week before and has had a few weeks of light exercise due to my exams. But hopefully she should be back on form this weekend as I have upped her exercise in the week and she is 110% in herself again!!!

I can't really say much for how Elliot ran, apart from the fact that I did notice that he basically didn't spit his ball out at all for the tuggy, Nat did however admit (not that she has on her blog :p) that she kept getting quite into racing and so didn't have 100% of her attention on him when he came back - now who knows if this affected him or not, it shall be interesting to see how I get on with him this weekend!!

Both dogs box turns were pretty shocking to be honest - Jems I think may have been because she was running over the 12" rather than 9" and so her striding wasn't quite right, as for Elliot's, who knows!!

The team as a whole did well though finishing 2nd with a best time of 19.16 and I am really looking forward to doing it all again this weekend :)

Flyball for Mr E!

Last weekend Elliot was "stolen" by Nat to go to a flyball competition whilst I was stuck at home revising :( For full details on the days racing go to Nat's blog (link on the right), but basically he was a good boy for her and even dropped his ball for his tuggy (not all the time but some of the time, which is a start, the more tired he gets the less he does it so I shall be working even more on his fitness!!)!! :) He also had a great time in her car - he loves the fact he can see and it is really difficult to get him out of it!!!

Jem had a fun-ish weekend too, I took her to the woods near me (Elliot is really naughty here and likes to explore a little bit too much!) which she loved and we had lots of cuddles, so I think she enjoyed having a weekend without the hooligan around!!