May 1st, 2015
Kitkat went through her first champion test in rally with flying colours. We had to repeat one excercise since we entered it obliquely and as a result Kitkat did not do a streight back. It was the double back with stop which would have fallen apart after the stop. The 4th point went on flow since I had to repeat my command to go into the tunnel. Have been training restraint before the tunnel so extensively that Kitkat could not believe her luck to be allowed in at the first go. Adjustments in training are already planned. Kitkat still lacks a bit more style in the reverse in front of me plus in the about turn right with her on my right side. We are working at it without creating too much pressure.

Tuppence has startet on a proficiency cours in connection with Heelwork to Music. It's tricks basically. She loves it,  but got visited 3 times by two different dogs on our first day. She still trained well but her equilibrium in daily life walks has had quite a laps as a result. Her obedience training is coming along fine. Have to watch it that I don't make demands on her. She is maturing slowly but I think, her brain is brilliant. She is deliberately allowed lack of focus and sniffing time between  the excercises. It works a treat. She can concentrate beautifully while working.  Watch this space :o)
       

March 20th 2015
A week ago Kitkat had her first dry-run in a training test with judges and the trimmings. She did very well, super cool and collected start, fantastic flow, bit hyper at the end but this did not influence her performance. We are now training tricky compinations of excercises.  The moving backwards in front of me is much better since I took it apart and we gave it a clicker overhaul. The things one can do with a clicker - just so fantastic. We are keeping in training for grade III, although I do not quite see chances to go to tests here as well. This will be Kitkat's year to get a foothold in rally cahmp. class. Enough to do here and to find suitable dates for tests.
Tuppence is well on track. She is much better on the lead now  - just walking. Almost cool with cars and horses. We even had a few training situations with military helicopters and convoys of traktors ferriying manure.
To more training weeks in grade I left. Then that class finishes. Will have to see where we hitch on next. Time is at a premium, since I teach a course  myself at the club on mondays.
tuppence's heeling on leash is super. TTurns from a static position very competent. Turns in motions sumetimes still a bit wide but she is only 9 months old :o) Jump is almost finished back and front. Leash still on, though. Stays 12 meters with instant return and  20 seconds with  3 - 4 m distance. She is still easily distracted - but not unnaturally so for a young dog of her level og eagerness. Recalls super. I now train with a sitstay in front. The finish still handheld. We cracked the code in scent discrimination. She now works with several articles. Also from a sitstay. Still leashed. The retriev is fine with me moving backwards for encouragement. We are now working on the turn-around into heelposition with scent article in her mouth. This will take a little while yet. But all the bits are understood :o) Positional change still close up. Positions really good, but a distant down not in place yet. It will suddenly come. The stand quite good already. She can stand ca 10 sec , cannot  stay put yet, when I pass her from the front. But also that will suddenly come. We train twice a week the lot and once a week bits and pieces. This seems to be a good concept for both girls. At the beginning of  autumn we will be able to look at tests for Tuppence. 

February 4th, 2015
Had a breakthrough with Kitkat. First formal retrieve in the stable. Then formal retrieve outside in the fenced in area. Afterwards we played an old "new"  game. An informal retrieve to see how it went. She tried getting into her personal gameplaying thing. I turned around and startet playing with another d'bell which I had on my. Even threw it over the hurdle and ran to get it. It took only about 20 seconds until she came without her d'bell to see what I was doing and to claim my d'bell. I sent her to get hers and she did. As a reward I threw mine informally for her. Now we were in business. We had a good session with great fun and a bit of a learning highlight. Hope, this has broken the ice. Watch this space.

Tuppence has started in grade I class and seems to thrive. Passage to get to the ground and between excercises still very erratic. Excercises fine and no problems with snow, cold etc. Now she has come into season last  and we can go one more time. Then have to have a two-week- break. Tuppence seems a little calmer overall. Also the tricky walk situations where she gets excitable are getting marginally better. I seem to detect a fraction of selfcontrol creeping in.Things look definitely promising :o))

January 23rd, 2015
Tuppence is beginning to learn grade I excercises. Heelwork looks promising. The turns are a bit too energetic with rather  agile  hindquarters. But she knows what's wanted .Jump really super. Standstay looks quite good. Distant control is not "distant" jet, but the transitions look good. Recall fine, but the finish is still on helping signals - fine position though. Scent discrimination is not on discrimination yet. We clicked ourselves to a fine handling of the article though. Next to no mouthing while carrying. The free retrieving bit is taking shape with playropes. The rope comes nicely back to me and gets exchanged for another.  Downstays are on 6 to 8 seconds. Sitstays dto. This was a bit of a tough one. She did not see the point. Why keep still if you con move? Generally the concentration bit is still the hardest. Birds are the usuals suspects to wreck concentration. :o) But - in a blip she is back. Bodes well :o)
Ordinary walks are getting more orderly - definitely less pulling on the leash. About time too :o) Half hour is max. Not for lack of fitness - rather for lack of impuls management. But we are getting there. The four, five standard walk stretches are getting easier.
Clickertraining is the highlight. 101 things with a box is the all-time favourite. Nothing beats that.
On Feb. 1st Tuppence starts in grade A in Århus, ÅHF.
Kitkat's power is definitely back. I get sendaways that  look as  though she were powered by magic. Scintillating! Her brain is also back - mostly. She does not  cock up the positions any longer.  Distant control looks good - I go easy on the distance, though. Transitions and positions are good. Scent discrimination good. Handling of the article so, so.
Rallywork looks stable again plus the difficult excercises are there now. Just the backward move away from me is still not quite on automatic.
Kitkat still seems to have issues with there being another dog not also gets trained. I sometimes get punished for that. Today we had quite a scene with an otherwise perfect directed retrieve. When rewarded with an informal retrieve she got into spaniel rage mode and we had to pack the retrieving in for the day. Hasten to add that the rest she did was convincingly good. I saw definite signes that she was unhappy about the retrieve thing. Hope we can sort this for good, soon. Will  focus on isolating retrieves even more than before hoping to create a happy saturation.