Tournaments, training and other stuff

First of all, we had our own tournament in July in which Storm raced in starters on Saturday and Sunday, with both teams taking 2nd place. Monty raced on the Saturday but his team didn't do so well and only managed 5th place.
The weekend after was just a training day focussing mainly on box work. Monty did a couple of runs but then did something to a back leg and ran out of the hurdles on the way back which he never does. He was tried again and again he ran out on the way back. It was obvious he'd done something as he never runs out so back in the van he went with no more training that day. Storm did a lot better but wasn't as confident as usual on the box, only getting 3 paws on, due to the rather wet conditions (he's going to have to get used to running on wet grass). As you can see from the pics below, a couple of slats in front of the box got that 4th paw on.

The weekend just gone saw us over on the Wirral for the Dolphins tournament. Storm was running in starters and Monty on his open team. The starter team did really well, having a dog from the Tyne Tailwaggers joining us, and managed to take 2nd place. Montys team ran extremely well and won every race meaning a 1st place. The last race got a bit hairy where we lost the plot slightly and gave the opposing team a 2 peg head start. Fortunately we got it together again and won the next 3 legs and ultimately, the race.

On a non flyball note, I noticed a small scab on the back of Storms neck a couple of weeks ago but just put some Savlon on it and thought no more of it. A few days later I noticed Monty paying particular interest in Storms neck and upon checking discovered an area all sore and scabby. He went to the vets first thing the next morning where he was diagnosed with a skin infection. The vet said it most likely started after a small trauma such as a nick from a thorn or something while out walking, infection set in and started spreading. He had to have the hair on the back of his neck shaved off, the area washed with Hibi-scrub twice daily and was on a course of antibiotics for a week. It has all cleared up now and we're just waiting for the hair to grow back again. Below is a pic of the infected area.

We have training this coming weekend then its off down to the BFA Summer Champs the weekend after.

Huge Catch up

I've been so lazy with my blogs as of late and haven't made one in quite some time. Storm came back into normal exercise after his issues and it continuing to do well. We had a weekend off from flyball back in May so we took the dogs to Rother Valley Country Park (photos below). Storm ran in another starters comp at our own tournament in June in which his team came 2nd. He ran over full height at training recently for the first time since the stiffness was discovered in his back end. We went to the Dogs Unleashed event at Newark showground last weekend where a flyball tournament was being held. Storm wasn't running at this one but he had a go on the 'have-a-go agility' course and did quite well at it. He knew when he'd done and was really pleased with himself. Monty raced on the Sunday but unfortunately didn't do too well as he kept getting lights meaning I was stuffing up and losing the races for the rest of the team. Monty also had a go on the agility and did really well once he figured that he had to jump the poles and not the wings and other imaginary jumps lol. He also had a go at retrieving toys from a paddling pool to which he did well once he twigged that he had to bring them out rather than just play with them in the water. He won himself a biscuit bone which he carried back to the van and ate in his cage.

Latest goings on

Not much really. Storm came back into training after cutting his paw and having more time off due to his stiff leg. He's only running over 7" hurdles for now while he builds fitness & condition. He won't be in open until September so there's no rush to get him back on full height. Below is a photo of Monty on the box. Its quite horrendous how he's 'not turning' properly. He will 4 paw turn at home and with the board in front of the box but reverts back to 'this' when in competition and training away from home without the board in. More work is needed methinks. We now have a van to transport them around in. They went for their first ride in it today. They both have their own cage now which will be loads easier than them sharing one. Monty had no problem with it but Storm wasn't so sure about it and was a bit uneasy about the side & back doors being opened and closed. He'll be used to it after a few trips out in it.

Quick Storm update

As I mentioned in my last blog Storm had been checked by Katherine and was found to be a bit stiff in his back legs. He had to have restricted exercise for a few days and plenty of rest. I got him checked again yesterday and his left hind is better now but he's still a bit sore/tight in his right hind. It is most likely due to him holding it up and not using it much while he had the stitches in his foot. So he's been prescribed another week of restricted exercise with on lead walking only and will be checked again at the weekend. He's also on the Arnica to help with the healing.

And then there were two.

Monty & Storm to be precise as Holly has gone back to Hannah & Al. Unfortunately it wasn't working for her here and we reckoned she'd be better in a one to one home with no other dogs as distractions and where she wouldn't have to share the attention. Hannah & Al decided to take her back and keep her themselves as they didn't want her being passed from home to home which wouldn't have been fair on her. Its a shame really but she just couldn't handle me giving Monty & Storm any attention and would go crazy. I had to do what I felt was best for her.

On the Storm front, he went lame a fortnight ago but came sound after a couple of days and so was able to compete in a starters competition at Markfield. Our team doesn't have enough starter dogs so we joined with Kaos Krew to make a team. All the dogs ran brilliantly and won all the races and the division. Wonder if Storm can make a hat trick as he has competed twice so far and come 1st in both.
I got him checked out by Katherine on Sunday and he has tweaked a back leg and was a little stiff so is taking it easy for a while. This means no training at the weekend but then the weather forecast for Saturday isn't looking good anyway. I mean't to ask if it was the back leg that had been doing all the work while he had the stitches in the other foot and was going along on 3 legs. Fortunately he seems to have stopped going along on 3 legs now and is using the foot as normal.

Storm back in training

Stormy is back in training after slicing through his toepad. Here are a few pics that were taken. You can see the black sky in the background of the first pics and shortly after they were taken the heavens opened and we had a right downpour which mean't further training had to be abandoned.

Here he is doing changeovers with Spike.

And doing the hurdles.

Some pics of Holly

This is the new girl Holly. Not much is known about her past, just that she was rescued from a pound by someone who a week later decided they couldn't keep her because they had a 2yr old child! Some friends of mine took her in rather than her going back to the pound while they found her a new home. She's a bit thin on hair round her back end and tail as she had huge matts in her coat that had to be cut out. She wouldn't let anyone touch her backend and couldn't run properly and when seen by a spinal therapist was discovered to have 7 vertebrae out resulting in numerous trapped nerves. She made a complete recovery after just one treatment and is doing great now.