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Glen Clova @ Crufts

 

 

 
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Glen Clova @ 2012

 

 
 
15 April 2012
Yesterday Ice and I went to the WT of Lubbeek in Belgium. After our WT in Sint-Katelijne-Waver we had trained obedience for 2 weeks and I was convinced that we made some progress. When Ice looks at a dummy, he doesn't hear or see anything else. With the obedience exercises he was calmer and more focused on me.

I knew that not all our problems were solved but I wanted to give it another try and learn.

Our first exercise was with two dogs and while the other dog was working Ice stayed nice and calm at his post. When it was Ice his turn he left at full speed, jumped over two ditches and swam in the water to fetch the dummy. He took the dummy and rushed back to me. Until that moment I was very proud of him but at about 3m before my feet Ice decided to shake his coat, let the dummy down and pee. I was stunned. I knew that shaking his coat could be a problem but pee ... He had never did that before. Our first 0/10 was in !

In the second exercise he had to fetch 2 dummies. He stayed nice at his post and on my command he fetched the first dummy and the second one. In bringing back the second dummy he did it again ... pee. What a devil ! I went after him and gave him a good lecture. I already had a 0/10 so I took the rest of the WT as a training. I don't want him to pee in the middle of an exercise so I made sure he understood this. The judge was in the first place surprised because I left my post but when I explained my actions he understood that Ice was being dominant and I couldn't accept this.

The third exercise was in the water and we had again the problem of shaking his coat. I knew that could be a problem so we know what to train. In the fourth exercise Ice did it again and again I gave him a lecture. My courage sank in my shoes. Ice never did this at training and know ... I couldn't believe it but I didn't want to give up. All the dummies and even the very difficult ones came in. He was calm, his footwork was very good and now this.

Before doing the last two dummies I told the judge that Ice was dominant the whole day and proved this by peeing. So I told her that I would react if he did it again. She understood it very well, so we began the exercise. Ice brought both dummies in without any problem. I couldn't believe my eyes and I was happy with the ending of the WT.

Our next WT is in Wingene. I have now three weeks to train on our problems. Fetching the dummies is no problem but keeping Ice under control and shaking his coat is. Today was our first new trainingday. We trained at the water and we started again at the beginning. We did some obedience and he can already leave the water without shaking his coat for about 4m. Still a lot of trainingdays to go !
02 April 2012
Yesterday, we were at the workingtest of Sint-Katelijne-Waver in Belgium. We had an off-day. Instead of two Flatcoated Retrievers, we had two chickens without a head with us. Ice brought all the apports in but I had a hell of a time to keep him in control. Rebel thought he knew everything better than Danny. So, when Danny send him left - he went right. When Danny send him right - he went left. We had Flatcoated-problems and we know now what to train again.

 

This evening we went to the vets with Drammer. He started vomiting again. For us a sign to go to the vets. He has no temperature and a photo of his belly was taken. He has a lot of gas in his intestines but there was no sign of an obstruction. He is now getting pills for his intestines and his stomach. Tomorrow we must go for a control-photo. I hope everything will go well now.
31 March 2012
Everyone who knows our kennel, knows that Drammer is our "trouble-dog". Drammer has IBD (Inflammatory Bowl Disease) and is very sensitive to ulcers. In 2008- 2009 he was very ill and we thought we lost him and that 3 times in a row. But every time Drammer got better and only because he has such a will to live. He is such a positive dog who's enjoying life for the 100%. For me, if I would lose him, it would be a disaster. He's a special part of my hart. This week I noticed Drammer to vomit a few times and everytime his meal wasn't digested. I already doubled his medication but it doesn't seem to help. Drammer is a BARF-dog so I diceded to change his diet. Monday I will give him Carnibest with pancreas so it will help him and we will also visit our vet to see if nothing else is wrong with him.
12 March 2012

Yesterday we went to the show in Douai ( France ) with our Rebel. He still had to get 1 point to become International

Champion. So this show was very important for us.

 

Normally Danny would go alone with Rebel but because           Rebel  missed our Vasco so much the passed week, we decided that I would show him. Everything went very well. Despite his grief for Vasco, Rebel was a very "happy Flat" in the ring. He got a lot of hugs from us and we saw he felt good. He showed very well and Rebel became 1 Ex - CACIB - BOS and BOB. He obtained his last point so we can call him now our International Champion ( with workcertificate ). In the late afternoon there was the group judging and Rebel got through to the last 6 dogs.

 

 

 

We ended our day with a very good result and we were very happy to see our Rebel enjoying himself.
01 March 2012
Today is a sad day. Today our Vasco passed away. Vasco became 15 years old and leaves an empty gap in our family. He had a life full of action with Danny. They did more than 200 obedience matches together and won a lot of them too. In the last years of his life Vasco stayed at home enjoying a good life with a lot of sleep and good food. We will miss him. He was "our special one" - our Border Collie - "Vasco van de Meerdonkhoeve".
08 February 2012
We are experiencing very cold weather of -5°C and less but that doesn't keep us at home. This weekend we made a beautiful walk at the beach. Our 3 Flats had the time of their life. Running in the dunes, going up - going down. When we got home they had a good meal and a good sleep.

In this cold weather training has been cancelled. We are preparing for the workingtests in spring so we hope that the weather gets better very soon. Life goes on as usual. Drammer is naughty, Rebel doesn't like the weather and Ice tries every time to come upstairs.

29 January 2012
Today was the show in Mouscron. Our first show of the year. As usual we were to early so we had all the time in the world to chose a nice spot to place our stuff. Ice did very well in the open class and became first with excellent. We did our very best in the ring for the judge to chose the BOS but the title went to the champion dog. Ice did very well and that was very important to me. He has obtained much more maturity to last year and is now ready to compete with older dogs.

26 January 2012

Yesterday, when I was ironing, I looked at Drammer laying in the kitchen. He just had his evening meal and was enjoying it by going calm to sleep. I couldn't resist kneeling next to him and give him a big hug. He didn't open his eyes but his little tail went up and down. I love him so much.

Today I washed Ice in preparation of the show in Mouscron. Like always there were also two other Flatcoated at my feet enjoying all the action. I gave Ice a good wash and made his hair dry with the hairdryer. He is now ready to show !

22 January 2012
This weekend Danny and I trained with partridge and duck. Rebel did very well but Ice was a bit dominant. I had to make him clear that the partridge was mine. After making him jealous with the work of Rebel, he understood what I meant. Now he is bringing the duck as well as the partridge nicely in. Promising for the future.
18 January 2012
Just cut Ice his hear in preparation of the show in Mouscron. Next week he will get a good wash and he will be  ready to rock and roll.
15 January 2012
Our new website is online.