FINALLY

I am sorry that I was not able to keep my blog updated for such a long time. I was so busy to move house, keep up with my job and to train the boys.
Yesterday Indy finally qualified to become an operational Search and Rescue Dog. He is the first Malinois in the UK who achieved that. He is the most amazing dog, and it is such a pleasure to watch him working and how much he is on the job. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all people who supported us in the last nearly two years. You know who you are, but I would like to thank specially my fiance Richard for his support and Jan Ralph who did breed my fantastic K9 partner for me( even she is stating that the fairies left him behind for me)

DINAS and other great results

We had a great week at Dogs in Need. Indy got a 4th in the ABC Jumping and a 6th in Gr.3 Agility. We did not make it in the ABC Final this year, but many other Belgians qualified. We had a display for Search Dogs Essex on Saturday. The display was not outstanding,due to lack of attendance of other unit members, but Indy would probably do finds, alert and re finds in the sent over powered arena for the whole afternoon, if I had asked him to do so.
On Sunday we had Search Dog Training. Indy surprises me every time. He alerted on a shoe we placed as a clue for him. The shoe had not been on a person for at least 3 years. He did a good alert on Annie our mannequin, but than failed to alert on Paul, he knows very well. It might had to do with the poncho Paul was wearing. It might not let enough scent through. Paul told me, Indy looked at him almost, like he would say : oh its you again.
Later in the afternoon, he ranged so far, after picking up Jess scent, that he lost sight of me and guess what, he started to panic. I called him and to see the relieve in his face, that he had not lost me, was clearly there. The conclusion is no far ranging anymore for him, to reassure him.
Yukon is not getting the job at the moment. He needs much longer to grow up and I need to find a away to get across that work is really fun. Lazy teenager...

Police Airsupport Unit

What a great day. We were invited by LSD Kent to join their visit to the Essex Airsupport Unit. We had a great afternoon and whilst the Police Helicopter was on a call out we had a chat with the Air Ambulance Crew, so all around great contacts made.

What a great weekend

On Friday we took part in the Dog Day of Hatfield Forest, which is looked after by the National Trust. We done two displays and raised a good sum of money towards the up keeping of the van. Thanks to everybody.
Saturday was a total different day. We were invited to take part in the Starters Challenge from the Agility Club. So far so good. Indy was just a cracker, till he decided that the judge is invading his working space to much. He jumped of the dog walk, turned around and barked at him. SORRY, but it's a Malinos thing you simply would not understand.... We was eliminated in the end. But we have been there.
Sunday we took part in the sponsored dog walk of Lee Valley Park. It was not visited as good as we hoped, but we made a really good contact with Parks Police Dog Handlers.

Finally!!

I am so pleased with Indy. We finally managed to pass our Search and Rescue mock assessment. Only the National Assessment to pass in September.....!! I love working Indy so much that's sometimes a little bit unreal. Yukon is still a little bit of a Air Head. Nothing is really serious. He needs to grow up.

IT'S IN THE EYES

We are lazy

We are a little bit lazy due to the hot weather. The boys love the long grass and the fields to play in. They bonded much closer after we lost Amy. They are really brothers in crime. Tomorrow we go to Hatfield Forest for Search and Rescue Training. We have really nice walks every day and do some search training every day.It really seems that Agility is just for releasing some physical energy every now and than.

We are getting somewhere

I was so busy the last couple of weeks, that there was no time to update the Blog. First of all Indy's progress in the Search Dog work is great, but we are still not there for the final assessment. Yukon is a proper teenager, his mayor interest belongs to the opposite sex. Finally Indy and me made it in Grade 3 in Agility with our third jumping win.

Thanks to everybody who sent me emails and messages regards Amy. She will be buried together with Marlon in Germany where they did spent the happiest days of their lives, before Dangerous Dogs Acts and other negatives influences from human beings to their lives. They leave me very precious memories and two outstanding properly brought up Malinois behind. Indy and Yukon would not be the same without your input. You will always be with us.

Amy

It is with great sadness that I have to tell you, that my beloved American Stafford Terrier Amy (Simplicissimus Kamy) passed away, after a short battle with cancer. She was one of the most amazing dogs I ever lived with, even we were not the best of friends often. She was very affectioned towards people and her pack siblings, but everybody outside of our pack was always a little in danger to be beaten up. She never started an argument, but was always up for finishing one. I am pretty sure she left a big paw print on many hearts. Amy was an amazing working dog. She was a qualified Schutzhund, she competed in Agility, was a Search and Rescue Dog in Germany and took part in a project as a Volunteer Drug Sniffer Dog in Germany. Everything she done in her live, she done it fast and furious. Last, but not least she was in charge of my dog pack and did teach all new editions to the pack the manners and the naughty things for a good dog live.
The boys, Richard and me will miss you.

Nice Weekend

We did go to Colchester Agility Show on Saturday and I did know straight away I would not go back on Sunday. Indy done a fabulous Agility round in only 27,4 seconds ...... but seems to have missed the up touch point on the dog walk. So again another nearly. We had a really lazy Sunday, I mean we done absolutely nothing. Today we did go to Search Dog Training, and I am really impressed with both my boys. Indy was really good today. He did work really well. He checked out all side tracks and did a really good alert. He only had one little down fall, I did not like to do a full refind on a Misper sitting under a tarpaulin... don't blame him. Yukon is changed today from his training aid to the real Bringsel. He did go very well, but he still drops it before being close to me with his alert. We need to work on this indoors a little bit

WBSDS

What can I say.... Dr. Jekyll is back. Mr "nice guy" Indy Hide was not seen once this weekend. Some big handling mistakes on my side and clipped poles as a result, but than Indy did go mad as he used to do in the past. He did start biting me in the ring again and so I took him out of the ring. Amy got me two nice clear rounds in the Any Size Jumping, even not been well last week.
I look forward to next weekend.......

Spring at Shuttleworth

We had two great days at Shuttleworth. We have done a lot of great things, but......it did not work out in the end. Indy is such a good dog. He tries so hard to help me out with my handling mistakes. We gained some good places in the BSD Special classes. Congratulations to all others who have done so well this weekend.

Wow, what a day

I did go back today and still can not believe what happened. We did win two classes in an outstanding time. A Helter Skelter and a Jumping Grade 2. I am well pleased with my big boy. He is not only good looking, he is smart after all. Also did catch up with a lot of friends and mates.

Touch Points and other funny business

What did I say, touch points are for wimps and waits.... why should he wait. And by the way it is possible to jump of the see-saw and clear the next jump in one go... It was a real laugh, after be to late for walking the first course(could not get out of bed) my handling skills just did go out of the window. Maybe go back tomorrow and give it another go, otherwise next week we start a little bit more serious business.

A Normal Weekend

We had a great weekend. Yesterday was Agility Training. I have my wait back with Indy and his touch points are awesome..... but I guess only till next weekend, because waits and touch points at shows are for wimps in Indy's opinion. Yukon jumps sometimes full height. We started the weaves and he seems to get the idea. We done some straight lines and he is great.
Today we done 5 hours of Search Dog Training and what a good training session that was. Indy searched so well, his alert still needs a cue, but his refind was great. Yukon had a bit longer Search Problem today with two Misper and solved it all on his own, picked up his Training Aid and done twice a super refind. We had a break though with Ralph today, he showed at least one correct refind. Skollie had some problems to discriminate the scent of walkers and the Misper set out for him. On his second search he performed very well. Molly and Dave our two Springer Spaniel making such good progress. Our unit makes such good progress it is nearly unreal. Our homepage is updated www.searchdogsessex.org.uk

Search and Rescue Training

We have been training on Sunday in Hatfield Forest. The weather was just great. We had a good turn out. The two Springer Spaniel were back for training and as I expected they picked up the game so quickly. I just like watching them working. Indy, Yukon and Folly were their Mali-self. Yukon is growing out of his "People-are-all-scary" phase. He is running so fast to find his training "Bringsel" and he don't care who sit next to it really. Indy's alert is still not like I want it, but I know the way to work on it. Folly was a little bit all over the place and lazy to go into the Misper. She is a real Teenage Princess at the moment and she is a Malinois from Working Lines....my boys are so much easier. We had people joining us only purely being Misper, I think they were great. I am thinking of getting a dog scooter, because the boys love to run and I could do with some fitness training... seriously.

A little bit of fun

Yesterday we had an amazing time whilst walking. The boys are really brothers in crime. I decided now to give the assessment for Search and Rescue a miss this month. Indy is more than ready, but I am not. We will have Agility Training today. For some of my friends the Agility Season starts today in Mid Downs. Unfortunately they don't have classes there for lower grades.... not long till Easter now. But first things first.....CRUFTS. We will be there on Sunday to present the Malinois. My friend Iris is flying over from Germany. We will go together with my other friend Sue and have the time of our lives.
For all of my friends who don't know yet....I am wearing a ring again. Richard asked me to marry him. (I know, he might have not thought that through.) It looks like I found finally my soul mate..