Tuesday, October 30, 2007

1st ever Vizsla sheep-dog winner

the whole thing begun while reading a book about London's Hyde Park. 1956 sadly saw the end of the annual sheep dog trials in the middle of this park, which was a shame, because it was visited by lots and lots of people from all over the world.....
we thought that sheep dogs need to be collies, not vizslas, because vizslas are gundogs and not herders. but anyone who knows radio knows that he always fancied himself a bit of an all rounder, so he started training towards fulfilling his olymic dream and the training went well and he got lots and lots of compliments for getting to be an increasingly capable sheep dog, both enthusiast and stalker, so we simply gave it a go and entered this years regional trials in the lakes....to start off, radio had to fulfill a (well, not so) simple 'round up' and 'seperate the flock into two' task. once he completed this in near record time, he progressed to a much more difficult task...this involved needing to first flank, then bring the flock in towards the handler in a straight line, do a superfast turnaround and hold them there... (our nerves were quite chittery as we only just started to see success with this these last days and lasse forgot to take pictures in all the excitement)...BUT: he did it - and, to our (and everyone else's) utter amazement, won 1st prize!!!!! as far as we know this is the first time a Vizsla has been awarded in such a category, we are well proud, well done super radio!!! we'll get pics from the awards ceremony sent soon and will add them to this post then...(thanks Andrew!)

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Hackney gundog whizz (with a few additions to the group)

Today was our first Hackney gundog (and dog in general) walk. Vizslas showed their anarchic side, so now everyone wants a Weimaraner or Ridgeback or Boxer instead.....(what happened to their reputation?). Basically, Hamish felt quite amorous with Cassy and Radio with Angel. Hamish and Radio tried to be gentlemen, which was mostly successful but not on one occasion when both Cassy and Angel fell into the canal...while Ruby thought she was boss of the pack (and perhaps pushed Cassy into the canal)...so all three had to be reminded of their good canine citizens training. Else they all got on like a house on fire.from left: Tilly the Yorkie, Maya the Ridgeback-Staffie, Cassie's boxer bum, Angel the Weim , Jake the most georgeous and well mannered Weim ever, Ruccie Weim pup, Radio, Hamish, then a Mastiff girl whose name i have forgotten (we grabbed her and her owner for the photo op because she is super beautiful), to the right is Dina Weim....Ruby's owners overslept so she missed this part of the line up...we left vikki park along the canal towards the marshes, cross the football field and voila: river lea...


Joe and Morgan Down to the mud-bath...Ruby is a better swimmer than Hamish or even Radio, which is why the three will enter the jetty dog competition next year...

Tilly needed a little help from Carol (short legs....)




and heading back home....