This Week's Updates

Another week's holiday has been and gone, very enjoyable with lots of eating, shopping (sssh xmas shopping too), visiting friends and family, even a bit of sport, it just went very quickly, and now unfortunately back to work today and back to reality! Kiah had a quiet ish week last week, having another 7 days of enforced rest by me after her trip to the chiropractor (she loves going and dragged me there as soon as we were out of the car!). I didn't want to push her any more than necessary, and I let her take things at her own pace - which is usually manic but a few minor tweaks in the house meant she was forced to not throw herself about QUITE as much as normal, well as much as a Malinois CAN be restricted! So mainly lead walks for her and lots of stretching and sleeping, I didn't hear many complaints as last week I could join her too! Also I must say thank you to everyone who has enquired about Kiah and wished her well/better, its lovely to know so many people care :) so much.

So on to the weekend which I decided Kiah was fit for (with lots of warming up beforehand) we took a trip to the West Midlands for the BSD WC first selection day, which turned out to be a lovely sunny and surprisingly warm day for October, it was also quite surreal seeing so many Belgians in one place! Kiah and I got to have a short practice on the FCI tyre and the weaves as these are both quite different to the KC versions, but Kiah had no particular problem with either, the weaves she took in her stride (literally haha!) thank you to Candice for taking some excellent pictures, this is Kiah powering through and out of the weaves I love this picture. A little more practice on the tyre would be good just so she understands what is required and doesn't go through the side. Unfortunately we made a bit of a mess of all four runs, the first started well and we did the difficult parts but then mis-communication led to Kiah back jumping, the others were silly mistakes generally by me, apart from one where Kiah was determined to head in the tunnel (under dog walk), though it was me that caused it I am sure.

BIG well dones must go to two special Malinois - Dave and Rusty for an exceptional performance in all four runs, taking the most points for the fourth year running and showing why she really is the best, and also to Jo and Keisha for two awesome clear jumping rounds the first time they have ever gone forward for the selection days too so well done both of you!!

Anyway... overall I was pleased with how we did at the courses, the only disappointment being me - I just dont think that we were working very well together, partly due to Kiah being a bit crazy (more than usual!) due to so much rest and not being able to burn off excess energy, as well as lack of experience generally, and on FCI style courses which is all home work for me. Still, I know most of the errors are my fault and I'm not the type to blame various external factors on why we didn't go clear, I would rather take the positives from it, and work on where and what we can do to improve. And I can see there are SO many positives; firstly that Kiah's injury seems to be a fading memory, her contacts are still really good, turns are getting better, her speed is still awesome, she was picking up good weave entries, and she only knocked a couple of poles over the whole four runs so I am really pleased.

Norfolk Weekend

After two weeks of nothing but rest for Kiah, perfectly sound walking/running, and a clean bill of health after a full check over from the chiropractor, we decided to go to the Norfolk show. So Saturday began well, after a long warm up and play, we had two jumping runs and Kiah was running VERY well, fast as ever, she was a bit keen so we had a couple of poles down and our turns were wide, but it was just lovely to be running her again and of course seeing her enjoy herself.

Then we went to do our agility run indoors which again started ok, but then Kiah lost her footing and slipped badly on the dog walk. She tried her very best to stay on, but unfortunately this ended up with her sideways, hanging on with her front paws while her back legs scrambled about. This all happened very quickly and after a full check over she seemed fine, so we carried on, warmed her down but didn't put her back in the car straight away to try and walk off anything she may have hurt. It was only after I got her out to do her next run that I had started a few minutes of her warm up, and Kiah suddenly held her paw up :(( not good. After a lot of checking over it appeared that it was not her paw, leg or foot and must be her shoulder or under her arm, and I'm almost certain it was caused by the dog walk slip. So poor little Kiah, no more runs for her - though lots of spoiling with her whole bed in her car cage, making sure she was warm enough, massage, cuddles magnet therapy and treats, she seemed a little better after that.

As the B&B was booked for the Saturday evening we thought we would stay and come to the show on Sunday to support our friends, and snap lots of pictures too. Candice and Dave both offered to give up one of their runs each so I got to run Ziggie and Rusty in their jumping courses which was lovely. Both dogs are amazing and so different to Kiah, and though they were brilliant doing exactly what I asked, I managed to get them both E'd but I think they enjoyed it and so did I, it was great fun, so thank you it was a very selfless thing to do and very kind. Kiah seemed a lot LOT better on the Sunday after a good night's sleep which I was pleased about, stretching and putting all her weight on her leg again, but for her own benefit I wasn't going to run her in any of her courses. By Sunday afternoon you wouldn't have even known she had hurt herself, it was nice to see her back to her normal self but still not taking any chances.

So, lots of well dones to others and their super-dogs this weekend for doing brilliantly; two 1st's and a 4th for Dave & Rusty, a well deserved 2nd and 10th for Candice & Ziggie, two 1st's for Lisa & Inca, two places and an ABC qualification for Jo & Keisha, places for Nancy & Niamh, Jason & Stihl, and lots more from people I can't remember, so well done to everyone that did so well :)) !!!

I genuinely believe Kiah was 100% better from her previous minor setback; or I wouldn't have run her, just a very unfortunate thing to happen I guess. This week will be another week of rest, relaxation and immune boosting foods for Kiah (and spoiling cause I am off work on holiday!) and another check up from Kiah's lovely chiropractor who has managed to fit us in. Then next weekend the first BSD WC selection day is taking place, so I am hopeful we will be able to attend, but we will see how Kiah is then, my clever little Malinois.

Kiah-Hop-A-Long

One evening this week I noticed that Kiah had developed a bit of a limp the poor little mite, though there is nothing I can think of that she has done to cause it. She certainly didn't seem to feel sorry for herself, limp or not, silly Mally! Well for her own benefit she was immediately confined to rest and on lead walks only (not impressed!) and by Friday she looked a lot more sound which I was pleased about and I'm pretty sure it was something minor. I didn't want to take any risks though, so we didn't go to the agility show that I'd entered, I don't care about the money or missed runs or anything; Kiah's health and wellbeing will always come first. She is also going to the chiropractor tomorrow afternoon for a check up and treatment just to make sure everything is ok, then a week's rest, and we will see how she is for the Norfolk show.

So there are always SOME benefits can come out of not going to agility, my house is now spotlessly clean from top to bottom - I'm sure as Kiah is moulting it won't stay like it long! Alex and I also had a great night out with Dave and Candice on Saturday evening; bowling, arcade games, air hockey, a nice meal and maybe just a FEW cocktails too, was rather nice! Then today has been a relaxing day, I had a very long lie in, went on a couple of walks with Kiah in the lovely sunshine, then Rusty and Tia came around for a quick visit (see picture; Kiah, Rusty, Tia beautiful girls) so play time for the terrible two - Tia and Kiah - and a bit more chilling this evening, lovely!

Feeling A Bit 'Ruff'

Over the weekend (bad timing!) I seem to have developed a stinky cold which isn't very pleasant at all, it even came on without much warning I usually get a sore throat a couple of days before hand which helps me ward it off! I always find that despite a cold only being a simple virus it always has the power to make you feel awful for about a week, so I will be glad when it has gone.

Lots of well dones this weekend to people that have been at agility shows - Lisa with Meme, Nancy with Zeki, Jo with Keisha, and lots of others that I can't recall, but big congratulations to everyone, there has been a lot of people winning out recently! We didn't enter anything this weekend, which I think was good in a way as I don't think I would have been able to do any kind of courses justice, let alone manage to breathe properly!! It has been very warm this weekend which has been lovely, and being outside seems to have cleared my head more rather than being stuck indoors. So apart from the stinky cold, this weekend has been really nice, including lots of water, lots of rest, washing and making my car look all shiny and clean, and Kiah has used up a lot of her excess no-agility-energy having a good play with Tia and Rusty, as we met up with Dave and Candice for two long walks in the sunshine.

Day of Rest

Today Kiah and I have had a lazy day, it has been really nice as we drove down to visit my mum, and we have had a great day not doing a lot at all! So this morning just me and Kiah took a half an hour walk down to the beach while mum rested her legs before lunch, Kiah had a great 'mad five minute' run around on the sand as the tide was out! The weather looks quite stormy here but it really wasnt, just a bit cloudy, slightly breezy and still reasonably warm for September.

Lunch was really nice and quite healthy too, but rather filling so after we had washed and tidied up all three of us had a chill out afternoon, reading and making time for a quick snooze, but we thought that we had better go for another walk to burn off at least some of our dinner! So the second walk was with mum this time, again down to the beach, Kiah loves showing off by jumping and running along the sea defences which always makes passers-by laugh it is usually kids that do that! We then headed back through the sheltered gardens; Kiah was jumping over the sides of the pond and getting to play with her toy so she got to do a replicated form of agility a little bit at least! So all in all a very enjoyable, fun, not very active, but quite relaxing weekend!

Brains and Beauty

Yesterday we were at the Richmond breed show and Kiah ended up coming 2nd in her class so very proud of her. Must say a big well done to Ann who got the CC with Deepha!! Kiah wasn't too impressed that we in a HUGE field and yet there were no jumps, no tunnels, no precious contact equipment ;) but I think she still had a good time. This was her morning run around in the grounds of the show which were just lovely, shame my phone pic didn't come out too well. Kiah was ever so good in the show ring, it was nice to catch up with everyone and Mali friends too, and of course testing out the free samples of fish treats, offered at Kiah nose level!! We surprisingly saw quite a lot of agility people in the breed rings (home from home hehe) but haven't heard any results from anyone, but hopefully lots of people did well, fingers crossed.

Kiah's Won Into Grade 5!!!!!

Somewhere that I never genuinely believed that we would get to, my beautiful princess Kiah has pulled out all the stops for me this weekend, and won her grade four agility class!!! I have to say the course was NOT Kiah's forte at all, with a very tight three jump start and quite a lot of handling bits which I usually end up messing up. But yesterday, Kiah was awesome right from the start, and when I saw that she forced herself to clear those first three jumps - which was really difficult for her to do due to the spacing - I realised that I would have to give it more than my all, as she certainly was and I was so pleased with a clear, let alone winning the class! Big Congratulations must also go to Lisa with Meme for getting that deserved 1st place and winning into grade 4, and also to Dave and Rusty for being her usual brilliant self and getting two 1st places!

Letchworth was a lovely show overall really, I was only there for the Sat/Sun due to work but the organisation was brilliant, weather, camping pitch, exercise areas were all really nice. At the end of today we came home with three lovely glass trophies (all variations on a theme for different days), one for her grade four win, another for coming third in the 3-5 combined agility yesterday, and another first place for a brilliant run that she did today again in a 3-5 combined agility class, so beating all the grade 5 dogs too! This picture is from that run (a very kind man called Trevor Greenslade took a whole rake of photos) but I love this one you can see the concentration and power in her back legs - she is heading for a tunnel.

I am so proud of Kiah and of what she has achieved, not just because of this weekend's results but throughout her life, growing up, watching her change, her confidence grow and enjoying her agility more and more. Of COURSE she has been spoiled rotten as usual (and why not!), with pigs ears, pizzle sticks, special dinner, all sorts :)))) but she deserves every last second of it!!!