Puppy Stuff days 4 & 5

Day 4 - Saturday 28th August 2010

Both pups stayed with me again overnight, then came with me and Mr Finn to our field while mum and I took the morning's agility classes. They alternated between being settled in their crates and out in the field in an ex-pen, then they had a little wander around the field on their leads once everyone had gone. Pups were then taken to their separate homes, and Andy came round to visit Whirl, before we went back round to mum and dad's to meet up with Dazzle, and both pups then came back to mine again for the night.

New people: 4 women and 4 men
New dogs: Daisy (small lurcher/terrier type), Tuula (small cockerpoo), Martha (black lab), Monty (collie), Tessa (GSD) - all through the ex-pen wire
New toys: Kong squeaker on a rope in ex-pen, Busy Buddy Twist 'n' Treat with cheesespread
New foods: chicken mince for breakfast
New titbit foods: Hot dog sausages, Sardine cake, cooked heart
New experiences:

• Being in the ex-pen in our field with other people and dogs working nearby
• Meeting dogs through the ex-pen
• Cuddles and treats with new people
• Standing on top of a low table whilst I was sat on it!
• First experience on lead, and with Finn and Willow loose
• First intro to scent work! Cheese and sausage thrown into grass in the ex-pen for pups to dig out!
• First intro to mopping the floor with Whirl in the room!
• First time to be combed
  

Training Exercises: Name Game, Tug & Release, Circle Work, Left & Right with lures, Loose Lead Walking in the field

Meeting Monty!

Meeting Willow in the field!

Day 5 - Sunday 29th August 2010

This was quite a big day for the pups - their first agility show! They travelled very well in their crate again, despite the lengthy journey and the added detour when we got lost! It wasn't the best day for us all round - our detour meant we missed two of Willow's 3 classes and 1 of Finn's, but the show was small and we knew we would be finished around lunch time so it wouldn't be too long a day for the pups. We took the ex-pen with us so that they could have a little bit of freedom by mum's minibus, and carried them around the showground a few times to meet some people and watch what was going on. All in all they were very well behaved and took it all in very calmly. We gave them plenty of down time in their crate after each venture out so that their little brains could process it all and recover. Oh, and whilst they may have seen a lot of dogs and people in passing, I'm only counting up the ones that they actually made physical contact with. We arrived home mid-afternoon, took the pups their separate ways for a few hours, before meeting back at mum and dad's for dinner and a play, and then retreated back to mine for the night.

New people: 8 men, 1 young boy, 18 women, 1 young girl. (Tally now at 13 men, 26 women, 2 children, or 41 people in total)
New dogs: 2 GSDs, 2 Cocker Spaniels, 1 Terrier-type
New toys: Rubber tyre
New food: raw tripe for dinner
New experiences:

• First agility show!
• Toileted & played in new environment
• Ate in a new environment and out of new 'bowls' (plastic food pots!)
• Sat in a caravan awning with the wind blowing it
• Saw lots of people walking and running around, and dogs working off lead and running around in the exercise area
• Had cuddles with several new people including Lauren, Matt and Edwina
  

Unfortunately I didn't remember to take any photos at the agility show! I have noticed a marked improvement in their co-ordination and body awareness skills though as they develop and grow.