AgileCavs

The next one

2011-05-17T10:51:00.000+09:30

The time has come to get another dog to keep Ricky company. No, I'm not getting another puppy just yet, I'm going to get an older dog. Heidi is a year older than Ricky, and she is coming to live with Ricky & myself, probably in a few months time. Here she is pictured with her latest litter of pups. She had 4 boys and 3 girls, and they were born on 28 April 2011.

Much as I'd love another puppy, I don't think I'm ready to subject myself to another one just yet. After all, Ricky is still a puppy at heart ... and I'm still waiting for his 'brain' to kick in!

New game

2011-03-14T18:40:00.000+10:30

The boy truly is a freak. Because he has so much energy, Dad created a new game with Ricky to burn off some of the excess. Tie a toy to a long rope and then stand in one spot and try to keep it out of Ricky's reach. Dad re-created the game so that I could see it on a recent visit. Watch the video to see what happens.

I said he was a freak :) Oh, and it does wear a little bit of energy off.

Ring in

2010-11-27T14:29:00.000+10:30

OK, so she's not one of mine, but this is me and Cleo aka Cavandra Sweet Cleo AD JD GD, and I had the pleasure of running her at the NSW Cavalier Trial in September 2010. Cleo's Mum was unable to run her, having just given birth to her first child several days before the trial.

While we didn't come away with any quallies, we had a couple of good runs together. Pity, about no quallies, as all Cleo needed was one more ADX pass and one more JDX pass for those titles. Talk about pressure! She was going beautifully in her ADX run, then we got to those dreaded weave poles that we all know that Cleo hates. She went in OK, did a couple then plonked herself down in the middle of them and gave me an "F" you look. No amount of pleading or cajooling worked to get her to complete them properly. After sitting there and glaring at me for a couple of seconds, she then got up and completed the last 3 obstacles of the course beautifully on her own! She was under time as well. The joys of trialling a cavalier! Cleo dropped a bar in her JDX run. Again, she would have been under time. I really think she just doesn't want those titles because she knows she is going to be retired after she gets them.

We didn't come away empty handed though. There is a coveted award amongst the competitors at this trial called the Chester Trophy. It is awarded to the most entertaining run of the evening. After years of trying to win this trophy, Cleo now finally has her name on it. It took 6 years, but she finally did it! And her agility run definitely made her a worthy contender. I can still picture the look on her face, sitting there in the middle of the weave poles - it was absolutely priceless. What really cracked me up though was that she finished the course correctly on her own without me.

Thanks to Cleo's Mum, Linda Hennessy for letting me run the little "angel". It was definitely an experience I will never forget, and I'm glad to have been able to help to finally get Cleo's name on that trophy.

The golden child

2010-08-15T20:36:00.001+09:30

Well, haven't I been through the wringer - emotionally and financially.

Less than a month after losing Rusty, I nearly lost Ricky.

What was originally diagnosed as tonsillitis turned out to be acute kidney failure. How you could confuse the two is beyond me.

Ricky managed to drop from 7.7kg on Saturday, 19 June, down to 6.4kg on Wednesday, 23 June. He then spent 16 days in the specialst vet centre on a drip and managed to lose another 400g because he wouldn't eat. When he was discharged from the centre on Friday, 9 July, he was up to 6.1kg, but definitely nowhere near his pre-sickness weight.

Once he was home he eventually started to eat and drink again, and at last weigh in he was up to 6.8kg. He's on monthly blood tests, and his last one (nearly a month ago now) everything had almost returned to normal. He's due for another blood test this week when hopefully we will get the all clear.

I thank my lucky stars every day that I still have him. The little bugger is pushing the boundaries again though, so there's obviously nothing wrong with him. He has also returned to his pre-sickness energy levels, which is a really good sign. And while he's driving me crazy again, I suppose that's a good sign too.

Farewell my little man

2010-07-17T16:21:00.000+09:30

Rusty (pedigree unknown)
27 July 1999 to 29 April 2010
10 years, 9 months

Rusty was my first cavalier and my introduction to the breed. He was purchased from a pet store, but he never made it to the window having been flown in from Melbourne several hours before I picked him up. Rusty was supposed to be a Blenheim female, and I was presented with a ruby male. I'd never heard of the rubies before, let alone seen one, and I actually wasn't too sure about him on first sight. However, all it took was for someone who was in the store at the time to say "ooh, he's cute - he wasn't in the window - if you don't want him, I'll have him" for me to decide that he was coming home with me.

Rusty had a lot of little quirks, and outside of his own four walls he didn't have what I would call a true cavalier temperament, but at home he was an absolute joy to own and was definitely king of his castle.

Rusty was extremely timid and didn't like other dogs. In fact, so bad was his fear when he was younger that it took 3 attempts to pass basic obedience. He dug his little paws in and wouldn't move if there were other dogs around. Needless to say we didn't go any further than basic.

Rusty's confidence did improve as he got older though, and I'm sure it was due to Amber coming to live with us when he was just short of 2 years old. Amber, being the outgoing girl that she was gave him a new found confidence and he continued to blossom over the years. I'm sure the time he spent with Amber over the years helped enormously when I introduced Ricky as a puppy in June 2009. In fact, I couldn't believe how incredibly patient he was with Ricky, especially as Ricky kept jumping on Rusty and pulling on his ears. Rusty put up with a lot, but he did rule with an iron paw.

In his youth, Rusty was my fetch monster. He'd play 24/7 if you let him. I look back and laugh to think that I was worried initially that he wouldn't play fetch with me. Even in later years, Rusty loved a game of fetch, although the sessions weren't as quick and didn't last as long. In fact, even in his last hours, Rusty decided a game of fetch was in order. The photo above was our very last game together, and I also have a wonderful little video of it that I will cherish forever.

Rusty was healthy for most of his life. He went deaf when he was about 8 years old, and he was still heart clear on his passing, just short of 11 years. Unfortunately, he suffered from arthritis and it was because of the pain associated with this that I made the decision to end his suffering and have him put to sleep. It was a heart-wrenching decision, but I know it was the right one. Rusty had given me so much over the years - he was a faithful companion and was always there for me, wanting nothing but a cuddle and a game of fetch. Ending his suffering was the least I could do for him.

On Rusty's last day he had all the things he liked, and as much as he wanted for breakfast. There were no portion sizes to worry about. I was sent home early from work so that I could spend some time with him, and we sat having cuddles, shared an ice cream and had that very important game of fetch. The look on his face when I bought out that little ball for him was one of absolute joy, so I know he passed on a very happy boy.

I stayed with Rusty until the very end. Making the decision to end his suffering and letting him go while he still had some dignity is the most humane thing I could have done for my little man. I was amazed at how quick and incredibly peaceful the process was.

Run free little man. Chase as many balls as you want and be an absolute noodle. You are now with your little buddy Amber again and free of pain. Ricky and I miss you, but we'll never forget you. Until we meet again.

Massage and fetch games

2010-03-25T22:48:00.000+10:30

Rusty has been having massages to help with 'the ageing process' and also to help alleviate the Ricky factor. He had his first massage back in July 2009, which was his 10th birthday present, and has been having at least monthly massages since. His massage on Wednesday this week came at a very opportune time. I'm not sure what he did on Tuesday night, but he was in quite a bit of pain and wouldn't settle down to sleep. Anyway, massage yesterday and today he's bouncing around, not a care in the world again. Rusty is pictured here with Griselda from Doggy Bliss. I really think he enjoys these sessions. I love sitting and watching Rusty while Griselda works on him. You can actually seem him relaxing.

When he was younger, and before the arthritis set in, Rusty was a fetch monster. I had to cut back our sessions a few years ago, and since Ricky's been around, well, let's just say Rusty doesn't have the speed to get to the ball before Ricky does so he hasn't played for quite some time.

The other week when I was cleaning out the laundry cupboard I found a Chuck-It stick that takes small size tennis balls. Rox gave it to me when she came over and stayed for the Nationals in 2007. Figured it was time to drag it out and see what Ricky made of it. Once again, the boy is an absolute freak. I had to move it out of the laundry cupboard because he's worked out how to open the door and can get to it. When I bring it out he goes CRAZY. He spins, talks and dances on his back legs.

During one of our sessions last week, I had both boys in the front yard with me. Rusty was standing there patiently, and I could see that he was just itching to play. So, after I thought Ricky had had enough (does he ever have enough?) I took him back inside and got Rusty's favourite little ball and had a game with just him. Ricky was not happy about being left inside and practically screamed the neighbourhood down! Rusty, on the other hand, was oblivious to the noise and had a wonderful time!

I have since come up with a solution that keeps both boys happy and they can play together. I chuck Ricky's ball in one direction, then while he's off scampering I throw Rusty's ball a short distance in another direction. They both come back at the same time despite Ricky having more than twice as much ground to cover. That's youth for you.

The games of fetch have also had a flow on effect for Rusty - he's lost a little bit of weight and is able to cover a little more ground on our walks. I still have to be careful not to overdo things, but the look of joy on his little face now that he's playing fetch again is just priceless.

It's been a while

2010-02-21T21:34:00.001+10:30

Thought I'd better post an update, because it's been a while. Back at the beginning of January we had a "photo shoot" to try to get some photos of Ricky to use in the NSW year book. Ha! That was fun. Rusty came along for the ride, and some snaps were taken of him too. I now have the most gorgeous professionally taken photo of Rusty. We did eventually get some of Ricky, but it was hard work. I'm sure he is the energiser bunny in disguise.

This particular photo was taken over at Mum & Dad's place a couple of weeks ago. Rusty is doing what he does best - sleep, and Ricky is actually sitting still for once. Trust me when I say it's a rare occurrence. I think he was watching a bird. He just loves little birdies, which may prove a challenge for training, but we'll see.

Ricky is growing and is as crazy as ever. He's 10 months old at the moment. What can I say? The boy is a freak and loves his greens. Whenever I open the fridge, he's there, waiting to see what he can get. The other day I'd cut up some celery and put it in a container, but it didn't all fit, so left one piece sitting on top of the container on the bottom shelf of the fridge, ready for juicing the next morning. It didn't make it to the juicer. Ricky decided it was his for the taking. And he's so damn quick, he had his head in there and it was gone before you could say liver treats.

Celery isn't his only penchant. He likes beans (green and broad), asparagus, cucumber, peas and even zuchini. Doesn't like fruit though. Amber used to love fruit and spit out any vegetables I tried to feed her. Ricky likes the vegetables. Rusty isn't a big fan of either, although of late he has decided he likes cooked green beans too. I've really can't belive how much Ricky likes vegetables though.

We've had a very hot summer, and it's not over yet. Unfortunately, the hot weather and Rusty's arthritis don't get along. He wasn't too good this week, so I popped him back on the Previcox again for a bit of relief. Rusty chooses not to jump on the sofa these days, although I know he can still do it when he wants to or feels like he can do it.

This morning I was sitting outside eating my breakfast and reading a magazine. The boys had already eaten the crusts from my toast (as they normally do). Anyway, I'm sitting there reading the magazine and I look up to have a drink of my coffee and there's Rusty on the table in front of me, helping himself to the crumbs I'd left on my plate! Here's me, worrying about him not being able to jump, and he's managed to get himself on the table. Admittedly it was cooler today, so he was probably feeling better than he's felt all week.

I've got an old sofa outside under the veranda and he'd jumped on there, climbed over the arm and onto the small table next to the sofa, which is right next to the table of the outdoor setting. OK, so they're in a row, but the small table is a bit wobbly. Ricky is generally Rusty's shadow and follows him everywhere, so I was expecting him to join him on the table. Thankfully, Ricky didn't see Rusty get up, so didn't think to follow. I am really glad for small mercies :-) The last thing I need is for Ricky to realise he can get on the table when I'm not there.

The pair of them keep me on my toes, that's for sure.

Christmas doggies

2010-01-02T13:52:00.000+10:30

Here are a couple of photos of my boys, taken on Christmas morning 2009. This was Ricky's first Christmas, and even though he may be sitting still in this picture with the hat on, let me assure you that the hat did not last very long, and he hardly sat still all day.
Rusty has been through quite a few Christmases to date, and he was quite happy to sit atop my new show trolley and pose for a photo. Unlike Ricky, Rusty's hat stayed on until I took it off.

Trip to the beach

2009-10-21T14:02:00.001+10:30

I took the boys to the beach last weekend. It was the second time I've been since I lost Amber, and it was also Ricky's second visit. I was a bit hesitant, as he doesn't have a proper recall yet, but as there wasn't anyone else on the beach at the time I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and let go of his lead. There was no way I was taking that lead off because the little bugger is so fast, it's the only way I can catch him if he doesn't want to be caught.

Ricky had a great time. Geez that boy loves to run. He went off exploring, and once he got to the end of his comfort zone (which was a fair distance), he turned around and came back to me. Was pretty happy with that. Rusty just trots along at his own pace, sniffing and peeing on whatever he deems appropriate at the time. He's never far behind me.

Funniest thing for the trip was Ricky chasing seagulls (just like Amber used to). Seagull took off over water ... Ricky followed in hot pursuit. Oh dear ... what the? What do I do now? True to his "big dog" persona, he worked out that to get out of the water he needed to jump over the waves. He then promptly shook himself off and rolled in the sand!

Home improvements?

2009-10-12T22:16:00.000+10:30

I don't think so ... but Ricky does. Little bugger has ripped a great big chunk out of my lino. Not happy! This is the second spot that he's decided to "improve". The other spot is much, much smaller than this and is easily hidden with the toy box.
I did have plans to replace the lino, but it seems that he wants me to do it sooner than I had planned.

Heart clear at 10 and a bit

2009-10-11T17:26:00.002+10:30

I'm a very happy mother today. I took Rusty to the SA Cavalier Club Heart Clinic, and Rusty has been pronounced heart clear again, at the age of 10 years and 2 and a half months.
At the age of 6 months, the Rickster didn't need to go, but when we were at the vet a couple of weeks ago, he said that Ricky's heart sounded good.
The picture of Rusty was taken this afternoon after we got home from the heart clinic.

The places you need to go to escape

2009-10-04T17:28:00.003+10:30

Now, this is a sight I thought I'd never see - Rusty in a crate of his own voilition.
Rusty has never been comfortable in a crate. He hated being in them at agility trials with Amber, but was a lot happier once I got the puppy pen. He didn't feel as constricted I suppose.
Imagine my surprise when I found him asleep in the crate! I suppose you have to resort to these things when you need some time out and just want to escape from the puppy.

Let me out!

2009-10-04T17:19:00.002+10:30

Aw, come on ... let me out ... I'll be a good boy, I promise (snicker).

Because of the Ricky factor and Rusty's arthritis, I've had to resort to canine massage for Rusty. He was getting acupuncture for the arthritis, but because Ricky keeps jumping on his neck, the acupuncture wasn't effective any more because the location of his pain didn't have a corresponding acupuncture point. Anyway, to keep the ratbag out of the way to allow the therapist to do her stuff, Ricky has to go in the puppy pen. Ricky's not a fan of the puppy pen, especially when there's fun and interesting stuff happening on the other side of it. Rusty says "deal with it little dude".

It's cold and I just want to keep warm

2009-10-04T17:15:00.003+10:30

I don't like this cold weather. It's no good for my arthritis. That, combined with having to put up with a puppy jumping over me, well, it's just no good for this old boy's bones. But I'm very toasty and warm here at the moment. Mum's got the electric blanket on, and she's covered me with the blankets and doona. Ahhh, beautiful! Don't know about the pink though - it isn't very manly.

Blue dog

2009-10-04T17:10:00.002+10:30

Ricky really does love this little blue dog. He takes him everywhere. Quite frequently he can be seen (and heard) running up and down the hallway, Ringo (that's the blue dog's name) in his mouth, shaking the crap out of it and having a lovely time. Out of all the toys he has ... and trust me when I say that's quite a few ... Ringo is the one he plays with the most.

Cuddles without moving

2009-10-04T17:01:00.003+10:30

This is a good sign. Ricky was on the bed first (at the other end) and then Rusty decided to climb up on it too. He even stayed there when Ricky came down to where he was lying for a cuddle. It makes a Mummy very happy when she can see her boys are getting on well together.
This photo is taken in my computer room. The puppy pen in the background is there to protect the curtains from little teeth that like to swing from them. The pen is also long enough to stretch around my desk so that inquisitive puppies can't get to cords. In effect, I can pen myself in so that I can do what I need to do :-)

Settling in well

2009-10-04T16:43:00.003+10:30

Ricky is settling in well. He loves his toys and loves to play. He still hasn't convinced Rusty that playing is a good idea, but it's not for want of trying. At least Rusty isn't running away anymore. I can't believe how patient Rusty is with Ricky.
Poor Rusty, he should be enjoying his twilight years in peace, and I've gone and got him a Ricky. Ricky jumps all over him, pulling his ears and hanging off every bit of available fur on poor Rusty's body. The funny thing is that Rusty puts up with it. There is no way I would have ever picked Rusty as being such a tolerant dog. When I've looked after friends dogs in the past, Rusty has been particularly nasty, and I haven't really liked his behaviour. It was also one of the reasons I wanted a female, as I didn't think he'd cope with another male. Boy, was I wrong. It's almost like Rusty knows that this little whipper snapper isn't going away any time soon, so he puts up with it. He does give Ricky a telling off when he needs it though.
Here's a picture of Ricky enjoying some 'special time' with his favourite toy, Ringo, the little blue Rogz dog.

New brother

2009-10-04T16:09:00.003+10:30

Ricky arrived at his new home on 13 June 2009. If I said Rusty was happy to have a new little brother, I would be lying. Rusty wasn't sure what hit him. He stayed still and next to Ricky just long enough for me to take the photo and he was off. In fact, the next photo in the sequence is Rusty hopping off the pillow.
Ricky did all the right things when they met - the little play bow, rolled over onto his back exposing his belly, that kind of stuff. Rusty wasn't having anything to do with him, and literally ran away each time Ricky came anywhere near him. Admittedly, Ricky is what can only be described as "full on". There are only two speeds with this pup - flat out, and stop.

Puppy picking trip

2009-10-04T15:47:00.004+10:30

For my next puppy, I was looking at getting another female. I had the pick of 2 girls in the litter - Gidget (tricolour) and Flo (blenheim). Linda had been sending updates of the girls, and she'd also uploaded a couple of videos on You Tube. It was when I was looking at these videos that another puppy took my eye ... and it wasn't a girl. When I mentioned that I was interested in "Mack", Linda suggested that perhaps I should get on a plane and come for a visit. The puppies were now 6 weeks old. So, I wangled a day off work and jumped on a plane to visit. Wasn't actually in the budget, but it was the best thing that I did.
As a result of the visit, while they are incredibly cute, I decided that Gidget and Flo weren't really right for me, but Mack seemed like a good future agility prospect. He is outgoing, happy to play on his own, happy to play with others and is keen to explore and try things. While I liked the name, I wasn't 100% sure about it. I've always wanted a dog called Sam, so I asked him if he'd like to be called Sam. Well, let's just say because of the reaction I got from him he's not called Sam. So it was back to the drawing board.
Back to Adelaide I came, armed with photos of puppy to show friends. Lots of suggestions from people, but nothing really seemed to suit him. It wasn't until I was watching TV one night just after the visit that it came to me.
I'd been watching an episode of Lost, and there's a character I like called Richard. I then watched a program called Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections (Richard Hammond is one of the Top Gear hosts). The following night I was watching Castle, and the main character is Rick Castle. Hmmm. I'm getting a theme here. Ritchie ... no, don't quite like that. How about Ricky? Bingo!! Ricky he shall be.
The photo here is me holding Ricky and he's 6 weeks old.

Only child again

2009-10-04T15:36:00.002+10:30

In his own way, I think Rusty enjoyed being an only child again. It wasn't until I lost Amber that I realised Rusty really had been living in Amber's shadow. I'm sure Rusty loved all the extra attention he was getting, but I did notice that he was a little subdued. Rusty and Amber never really played all that much together, but they were obviously wonderful company for each other. Rusty has been deaf for a while now (probably since early 2008), and I think he used to rely on Amber to be his "ears". Now that she has gone, I think he's feeling a little lost.
I had been telling Amber that she was going to get a new little sister to boss around, and she'd probably be coming home in the middle of June. I think when push came to shove, Amber didn't want to have to share me with anyone else, so she decided to move on.
Rusty has 5 weeks to enjoy being an only child, then he'll have to deal with puppy mahem.

Farewell to a princess

2009-10-04T15:22:00.007+10:30

Montal Amber Dallas ADX JDX SDX SPDX GD

(Amber)

26 October 1999 to 8 May 2009

Career highlights:

3rd place Open Agility, 2005 NSW Cavalier Club Agility & Jumping Trial;
2nd place (Excellent Jumping) and two 3rd places (Excellent Agility and Excellent Jumping), Pedigree Autumn International Festival, Adelaide, 12 March 2006;
4 x 1st places in one day against all height categories, Noarlunga City Obedience Dog Club Agility & Jumping Trial, 18 March 2006;
In 2006, Amber was the first cavalier in South Australia to obtain both Agility Dog Excellent (ADX) and Jumping Dog Excellent (JDX) titles;
3rd place Master Agility and 3rd place Master Jumping, 2006 NSW Cavalier Club Agility & Jumping Trial;
2nd place Master Jumping, 2007 NSW Cavalier Club Agility & Jumping Trial;
2nd place Open Agility and 2nd Place Master Agility, Papillon Club of Victoria Restricted to Height Agility & Jumping Trial, 16 February 2008;
2nd place Master Agility, 2008 NSW Cavalier Club Agility & Jumping Trial;
Amber obtained her last title, Strategic Pairs Dog Excellent (SPDX) on 13 December 2008 at the tender age of 9 years, 1 and a half months.

Gone, but never forgotten
Run free little one - there are no weavers in heaven.
[Photo by After FX Productions]

The night before

2009-10-04T14:57:00.003+10:30

This is one of the last photos I took of Amber. It was taken the night before she died. She was beautiful and loyal to the end. She passed away peacefully in her sleep, several hours after this photo was taken, saving me anguish of ever having to make that one decision all pet owners dread.

Biscuits at Nanna's

2009-10-04T14:50:00.002+10:30

Amber and Rusty like visiting Nanna because she always gives them a home made doggy biscuit. And being the good doggies they are they always take the biscuits and sit on the lawn to eat them.
This photo was taken less than a week before Amber passed away.

Come on, let's play fetch

2009-10-04T13:46:00.003+10:30

Rusty has always been my fetch monster. When he was younger, he would play fetch 24/7 if you'd let him.
In years gone by, if ever I got down on my knees (like to do some gardening) this was obviously an invitation on my part for me to play fetch with Rusty. No sooner had I dropped to my knees and there would be a ball there for me to throw. Not necessarily conducive to getting work done, but there you have it.
Where in the past it was a bit of a chore to throw the ball all the time, in his later years it's nice to see him still want to play on occasions. It's definitely on Rusty's terms though. As he's got older, arthritis has set in, and he doesn't tend to want to play as much any more, and play sessions are definitely shorter. I actually treasure these little play sessions now. Sometimes, he'll act like a 2 year old ... and then he remembers that he isn't. He went through a period of not playing at all, and then I discovered the small tennis balls. Because he also doesn't have his full complement of teeth, I think he may have been struggling a bit with the bigger toys. Since I've got smaller ones for him, he's been having a great time!

Not to be outdone

2009-10-04T13:43:00.002+10:30

Rusty is also good with the toy rats. He's just not as proficient at skinning them as what Amber is. But he'll still have a crack.

How to skin a rat

2009-10-04T13:33:00.003+10:30

A toy rat, that is. I've lost count of the number of toy rats that Amber has skun over the years. She could be sitting demurely on the couch and you could squeak a rat, her ears would prick up and she'd go crazy until you gave it to her. She would then guard it for ages, giving it lots of attention in the process and removing it's fur. This picture shows the best job she ever made of one. She's actually removed all the fur and the plastic carcass is sitting in the front of the pic. She didn't want to give up that bit of fur between her paws though.

Watching and waiting

2009-10-04T13:24:00.002+10:30

Amber always fancied herself as a hunter. She would spend many nights outside, just sitting ... watching the top of the fence line. Those damn pesky rats would run across the fence and torment her - they knew she couldn't reach them. When she saw one, she would bark like crazy, which isn't always a good thing at 2am. The little minx would come inside when I called her to go to bed, but she'd sneak back out again.

Please

2009-10-04T13:20:00.001+10:30

... let me come out and do agility. I've been a good girl, I've had a rest and a sleep and I'd really like to play again. How about I give you sad puppy eyes? Will that work?

Leave me alone

2009-10-04T13:13:00.002+10:30

... I'm trying to sleep. Rusty has always been one to find the comfy spots, although I'm not sure that this spot was as comfy as some of the ones he usually finds. He'd disappeared and I couldn't find him, and when I finally did he was lying behind the lounge with his back against the wall under the curtains. Strange little fellow.

Sydney 2008

2009-10-03T20:24:00.002+09:30

In September 2008 the NSW Cavalier Club changed it's trial to be held in the evening, rather than during the day. Amber and I weren't going to go this year, but with the change to an evening trial, we decided to give it one last shot. It was a beautiful balmy evening, and the trial was even more relaxed than it has been in the past. Same story as previous years though - no quallies. This year we came 2nd in Masters Agility. Was really happy with this because at nearly 9 years of age and a heart murmur, this is a stirling effort. I'm glad we made the trip and Amber got to see all her friends for one final time.

Another Nationals

2009-10-03T20:15:00.004+09:30

No photos this time, but August 2008 saw Amber and I head back to Melbourne for the 2008 Agility Nationals. The Friday was Games, and this is where I held out hope for passes for the weekend. Unfortunately, for one reason or another things didn't work out that way. For the rest of the weekend we had some wonderful runs, but we were either over time or disqualified. In fact, some of our best runs in Masters Agility were those we were DQ'd on. It was just fabulous to be able to attend an event like this and not have to organise it!

I may not have many teeth ...

2009-10-03T20:07:00.004+09:30

... but I can still kill a tennis ball. Rusty has always loved tennis balls. Only problem is that he could destroy one in under a couple of minutes. These days, with 10 less teeth than he should have, he can still manage to decimate them ... it just takes him a little longer. He's pictured here after one such destruction attempt, amongst the carnage.

Full contingent

2009-10-03T19:55:00.002+09:30

May 2008 saw the 3 of us head to the Riverland for their inaugural agility trial. Rusty had to come away with us as the usual doggy sitters were visiting little sis. Rusty is happiest in his own 4 walls, but he coped remarkably well on his trip away from home in the tent. I have come to the conclusion that Amber works best when Rusty's not around though. We were DQ'd in all of our runs. Never mind - it was a lovely weekend.

Melbourne - February 2008

2009-10-03T19:41:00.004+09:30

February saw Amber and I head off to Melbourne for the first time. The main purpose of the trip was the Papillon Club of Victoria's restricted to height agility trial. The K9 Agility Club also held an agility and games trial in the evening. The Saturday was a HUGE day for Amber. At the Papillon trial, we came 2nd in Masters Agility on an NQ run, but the highlight of the morning would have been the qualification and 2nd place we got in Open Agility. Open isn't Amber's strong point, as she doesn't necessarily like working at a distance, but with the right course she can do it. This was one of those courses.
After a little down time in the middle of the day we headed back for the evening trial. The highlight for the evening was that Amber got her Excellent Snooker title (SDX). We crashed and burned in everything else that evening, but I can't say I blame Amber. It had been a long day. The picture shows Amber having a well deserved rest late in the evening. I think at the time I took the picture she still had one more run left. Needless to say it wasn't a good one as she was very sleepy. Definitely a good trip and one worth making.

Chief cheer squad member

2009-10-03T19:34:00.001+09:30

So, what does the chief cheer squad member do when he comes along to an agility trial with us? Sleep of course! Here's Rusty doing what he does best in most of the photos I have of him ... sleeping.

Sydney 2007

2009-10-03T19:26:00.003+09:30

September 2007 saw Amber and I head off to Sydney again for the NSW Cavalier agility & jumping trial. Even though we haven't got any quallies in the past, I've been pleased with the way that Amber has performed because I don't think travelling is the easiest thing for her to cope with. Anyway, this year, we were disqualified in our first 3 runs - Master Agility, Open Agility and Open Jumping. I was a tad despondent, as Amber always does well in agility as it seems to be her forte. She's not the fastest cavalier, but I was pleasantly surprised that we came 2nd in Masters Jumping this year. So we got to bring home silver. Woo hoo! Amber was also pleased as she got a new ratty to play with, and she can be seen with her "prize" in her mouth above.

2007 Nationals

2009-10-03T19:17:00.002+09:30

The first day of the Nationals, which was Games, was our best day. We managed to get our Novice Strategic Pairs Dog title (SPD) and also our first pass in Excellent Snooker. We crashed and burned in Gamblers, but it was a fun day. Unfortunately, we weren't as successful for the rest of the weekend, getting disqualified in 4 of our runs, and being over time and/or having faults in the other 3. We didn't even win anything out of the losers box, but we did win one of the raffles. I was pretty excited to win my very own set of weave poles, although Amber wasn't too happy about it.

Nationals cavalier contingent (minus one)

2009-10-03T19:10:00.002+09:30

Eight cavaliers competed at the 2007 Agility Nationals in SA in May 2007, and 7 of them are pictured here. It was a great weekend, albeit a hectic one. All the blood, sweat and tears that went into it on my part was definitely worth it. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Would I do it again? Never.

Ruby, ruby, ruby

2009-10-03T19:00:00.002+09:30

2007 was a busy year for us as I was the chairperson for the 2007 Agility Nationals held in SA in May. Our abode hosted several cavalier agility enthusiasts over the weekend of the Nationals. At one stage there were 4 owners and 8 dogs in all 4 colours, and I'm pleased to say that all dogs got along famously. Here's a photo of the ruby contingent - Amber, Henry and Rusty.

Ruby to Tri?

2009-10-03T18:50:00.002+09:30

Ever wondered what a ruby cavalier would look like as a tricolour? Well here's a photo of Rusty, looking particularly fetching as a tri. It was cold, and he was keeping warm :-)

I'm a hunter, and I'm clever

2009-10-03T17:57:00.002+09:30

Amber fancied herself as a hunter, and on occasions she managed to catch something. Here she is with a bird that she managed to catch. She caught a few birds in her time, but those pesky rats that ran along the fence always managed to elude her.

Sydney 2006

2009-10-03T17:52:00.003+09:30

September 2006 saw Amber and I head off to Sydney again for the NSW Cavalier Club agility & jumping trial. Again, no quallies this year, but we came home with 3rd place in Masters Agility and 3rd place in Masters Jumping. Amber is again wearing her bronze medallions and displaying her sashes. She's pictured here with Riley.

ADX & JDX

2009-10-03T17:33:00.002+09:30

Amber was the first cavalier in South Australia to get an ADX and a JDX. The day she got her ADX was particularly special, and I will always remember it. It was 18th March 2006. We were sitting on 3 passes with another 2 needed to get an ADX, while we needed another 3 to get a JDX. Not only did she get the 2 required passes for her ADX that day, but she came 1st and was the only qualifier in each class. To top it all off, she also got 2 jumping passes and came 1st in each of those as well. And in one of those she was also the only qualifier. So, a very special day for me and my princess - 4 first places in one day, 3 of them being the only qualifier, and a title to boot. I was on cloud 9 for a very long time after that. Amber's JDX came at the next trial. She can be seen in the picture celebrating in style ... enjoying cheesecake. That was memorable in itself. Her nose went down into the bowl and she didn't bother coming up for air until it was all finished!

Sydney 2005

2009-10-03T17:14:00.000+09:30

September 2005 saw Amber and I on our first trip to Sydney. We had a bit of a holiday together, while Rusty stayed with Nanna & Trevsey at home. We were there for a week and 2 weekends. The first weekend we stayed with Linda & Nick. We entered the Festival of Agility and had a run in Open Agility and got our 2nd pass. Quite funny really. Travel all the way to NSW to get a pass under a South Australian judge. Crashed and burned in jumping, and Amber & I also had a run in strategic pairs with Linda & Cleo, which was a bit of fun, with both girls doing what they needed to do ... just not quick enough. During the week we went down to Berry and stayed in a lovey little cottage, then we came back to Sydney and stayed with Marilyn, Duncan & Riley. This weekend was the NSW Cavalier Club's inaugural agility & jumping trial, the whole purpose of our visit. We didn't come home with any passes, but we did come home with 3rd place in Open Agility. The picture shows Amber wearing her little bronze medallion. She is pictured with Duncan (Blenheim) and Riley (B&T).

More parties

2009-10-03T16:58:00.001+09:30

OK, birthday party for Rusty as a 6 year old this time. And no, they don't usually eat at the table. Rusty looks absolutely manic and as if he's possessed in the first photo. Amby was being very polite for the photo and sitting back to allow Rusty to finish, but she had already had her fair share of cake.

First pass!

2009-09-28T22:03:00.000+09:30

This photo was taken the day that Amber and I got our first pass in novice agility. I was really excited, because we'd been trialling in jumping for longer. The standard course time was 48 seconds and we finished in 39.05 seconds, coming 5th out of 26 dogs.
Our first jumping pass came at the next trial where we came 6th out of 22 dogs.
Amber got her AD on 29 August 2004, and her JD a week later on 4 September 2004.
[Photo by Batae]

Our first jumping trial

2009-09-08T22:18:00.000+09:30

This is Amber and I at our first jumping trial at Munno Para in March 2004. I love the first photo of us standing on the sidelines. I'm running through the course in my head and Amber only has eyes for me. It was a pretty good first run. Amber stayed with me, and we finished the course with only time faults. We were placed 8th, but we beat my agility instructor, which was pretty neat. The photos aren't very clear, but they're a record of our first run together and the start of a wonderful partnership that blossomed over the years.

A girl of many talents

2009-09-08T22:06:00.000+09:30

Amby was a girl of many talents. Here we are taking part in a doggy fashion parade in 2004. She was a big hit with the crowd, and looked really cute in her bright green hoodie. Yes, I'm a dag for colour coordinating our outfits, but it gave the compare something to talk about.

Agility star in the making?

2009-09-08T21:53:00.000+09:30

This is Amber, who was supposed to be jumping over my makeshift back yard practice jump, made from bricks and a broom. And what is she doing? Well, I think there was a tiny morsel of food lurking on the top brick, and well, why would you bother practising jumping when there's a bit of food to be had?
This photo was taken in 2003, which was the year we started our agility training. Our first trial was in March 2004.

He's always been a character

2009-09-08T21:40:00.000+09:30

I've never been able to walk away and leave the chairs out from the table as Rusty has a bit of penchant for ending up where he shouldn't be ... on top of it! So if you want to keep your food safe, chairs in please. On this particular occasion there was no food ... only a very big glass of red wine (hic!). Luckily Rusty decided he didn't like the smell of it, so it was safe.
Amazing what you find when you go back through old photos. Did I really have a mobile phone that big???

You can't stop at one cavalier

2009-09-07T20:50:00.000+09:30

And then there was Amber. She came to live with Rusty and me when she was 20 months old in June 2001. She had a funny little flat face that I initially didn't like, but it grew on you, and so did Amber. She loved life, and loved everybody, both human and canine, that she came in contact with.

Dogs have birthday parties too, don't they?

2009-09-07T20:28:00.000+09:30

Well, this one did, complete with sponge cake made by Nanna. He even got birthday presents. Kids need to get spoiled every now and then ... only problem is it's an ongoing thing :-) Oh, in case you were wondering, the photo was taken in July 2000.

In the beginning

2009-09-07T20:01:00.000+09:30

... there was Rusty, a bundle of red fluff purchased from a pet shop (aargh!) in October 1999. Here he is pictured wedged into pillows beside my bed, oblivious to the grief he was causing me at the time. I'd been on the phone making an appointment to take him to the vet for a check up. I'd searched every room of the house, couldn't find him, so went into a mass panic because I thought he'd got out under the fence. Checked every room again, and there he was, in the last room I looked in again (of course). He's always been able to find the comfy spots, and still finds them to this day.