Sheldray Shetland Sheepdogs

This weekend we have been at the Suffolk Five Rivers Agility Show at the Suffolk Showground.

This was Rockys biggest test yet, and despite not going clear in any of his runs, he is working very well, very fast, ahead of me and i am very happy with what he has been doing.

However, after 2 years of trying to win into Grade 3, rather than progress on points alone, Leo and I won  the Graded 1,2,3 Agility, not in in a fast time, but the fastest clear!

Im absolutely delighted, only a year ago i was going to stop doing agility with him as i had stopped enjoying it, and had become despondant at our lack of wins and placings.

Thanks to Jackie Woods of Ace Agility, i have found the confidence to train and run Rocky, and as a result have begun to enjoy agility again, and Leo has done me proud today.

Last weekend Betty, Harry and Misty went off to their new homes.  I have heard from their new families and they are all settling down well, and i hope to be able to add some pictures of them as they grow up  to the site. 

Blaze and Sox are not letting the fact that their brothers and sister have gone affect them at all, in fact if anything they are even noisier and naughtier than ever!

Tonight is the last night that Harry, Misty, Betty, Sox and Blaze will be all together.  This weekend 3 of the 5 are off to their new homes.

This is going to be a very sad time for me, i was there when they were born, and have loved and cared for them for 8 weeks, and handing them over and entrusting them to their new families is going to be very difficult.

We hope that they will keep in touch and send regular updates, and look forward to hearing news and seeing pictures of them growing up.

Rocky has had a slightly more subdued start to his agility career than his brother Smokie!  He has run in 2 classes at the Letchworth show  and despite a few errors (pilot!) he was a very good boy and stayed in the ring and didnt chase or nip anyone which was a concern of mine.

We have 2 more shows before the end of September and hope to improve on our 10 faults and maybe even get a clear round!

 Leo did well to come second in 2 classes, he was leading one until the last dog!  I thought that we had actually manage to "win out" but alas it was not to be, and we were beaten by 4 whole seconds, a fantastic time for the winning dog!

We have some lovely rosettes and trophies and are looking ahead to the Valley Farm Show, and also 5 Rivers.

Smokie (Sheldray Smoke on the Water) started his agility career with a bang at the KC festival, moving on to Dogs in need, Letchworth and a few others in between, and in less than 4 weeks since he started competing, has already reached his Agility Warrant Bronze (AWB).  We are so proud of him, and his handler Eleanor, and wish them more success in the future, and look forward to seeing them at Crufts one day!  Photos of Smokie to follow i hope.

My blue bitch Flowie had her second litter on the 22 July 2009.  She had 6 puppies, 3 tricolour boys, a blue boy, a blue girl and a tricolour girl.  Sadly the tricolour girl was stillborn, but the other 5 were strong and have got over their first couple of weeks without incident.  They have had their nails clipped regularly, they have been wormed and are now almost ready for their first sloppy meals.   They have already had their first visitors, young and old, and Leo and Rocky have been taking a keen interest in them, and can sometimes be seen actually washing them!  I have been leaving the radio on for them, and will be playing them some CDs with gunfire/plane/trains/fireworks noises on etc to get them used to sudden and strange noises. 

They have started to react to the sound of my voice, and are becoming very sociable already. They enjoy having their tummies tickled and being cuddled and kissed, and are giving kisses back!!!!

This week they will be coming downstairs and spending the daytimes in their puppy pen. 

Good news!  After 3 years of trying, Leo and I finally broke our run of bad luck at the Sheltie Agility Show,  In previous years we have had terrible luck, and despite long journeys and overnight stays, we have never won anything there or even been placed!

This year however was our year!  After a long rest over the winter of doing very little, Leo was "up for it" and did me proud.  He came 2nd in the Medium agility, 7th in the Medium jumping and 5th in the pairs (paired with Lian Knight and her tri dog Titan)

We came home very tired, but happy and with 3 lovely rosettes and a lovely porcelain mug with a picture of Bernadette Bays sadly departed Hex on.

This month i have taken over as the new Sheltie Rescue rep for the South East Anglia area....

I have helped several Shelties find new homes recently, and the former Sheltie Rescue rep for the area suggested i might like to take it over formally.

I have just found Bailey a new home.  He was very overweight and had dreadful tooth decay and gingivitis.  He had not been wormed or deflead for a long time, and no vaccinations either.

He is now living in his new home, and has a new lease of life with his new family. 

Its very rewarding to know i helped Bailey find his new home, and am now looking forward to helping more Shelties as and when the come along.

Today i heard of a very sad story involving a Sheltie who lives near me.  The owner had collapsed on a walk and sadly passed away, and the Sheltie needs a new home as the family are unable to keep him.  I have met the owner and the dog many times while out walking mine, and so it seemed right to offer him a foster home until a permanent home can be found for him.