The beginning of our holiday's

Today officially my holiday's started and it began pretty actively. Today the weather was really hot, but still we had our agility training in the Tallinn shelter. Beside us there were ACD-s Greta, Poppy and Ella.

Picture done by Ella's owner Madis.

It was really hot and Aapo was languid and didn't feel like doing any training today. I didn't want to let the day on waste, so I still made an effort and played with him on the practice field to get him active.

My pictures of the training here. At the end of the training we did some down staying in the group.

Picture done by Ella's owner Madis.

After training the ACD dogs went swimming near the training place. Aapo firstly just looked at them, but later he kinda joined them and went to get the sticks as well.

Picture done by Ella's owner Madis. Aapo and Ella playing with the stick.

At home Aapo and german shepherd Rexy played little and made some quick rounds.


.. and later I did some obedience tricks with Aapo and german shepherds Freya and Rexy.

What a day.. Aapo is nicely tired and rests - the dog-owners joys :)

Stormy walk

Today we took long walk in our neighborhood again. It was stormy and the nature was admirable. So I took some pictures of the walk to keep the sight memorable.

We went to the sandpit, where Aapo could go after and get the stick on the water..


Aapo enjoyed the water and the stick..


..and was happy that he didn't need to go that far to get it, cause the water basically brought it closer to him..


Shaking some water off..

But still he likes better going after the stick on the land :)

More pictures of the walk here.

Back to basic

Today as well on monday we practiced some obedience. On monday we practiced obedience during our walk on the Männiku forest. We trained some recall with finishing to heel, some heeling and stopping on command. After training we played some frisbee and some pulling. But today we went to our dog-school trainer for some advice how to go foward with our trainings.


Firstly we practiced some going down (lieing) straight and the down stay with distractions.


Next we reminded the jumping excercise. We started from the very beginning and concentrated on that Aapo would turn back quickly to me after jumping over the bar and staying in the middle behind the bar.

We finished the training with going down while heeling exercise. We need to practise it from the very beginning again to get it right. Our trainer watched how we did the exercises and gave us feedback and advice how to go foward. I got some good ideas and how to exercise that Aapo would go down quicker through playing and fun.


Cause it was raining it gave a good opportunity to practice again with "bad" weather. It is good to train with versatile weather situations cause in the competitions you never know what kind of weather you will get and need to deal with :)

Illustrative pictures done by Greta's owner.

Happy B'day Grets!

Today was Aapo's good friends Greta's 2 year B'day. On that occasion Greta's owner celebrated the B'day, as suitable for sport dogs, practising some agility and obedience. Greta's B'day party participated beside Aapo the smart and friendly ACD Poppy. Because it was raining and it was slippery, we practised the obstacle "O", the slalom and also little tunnel.

We reminded the obstacle "O", cause we hadn't done it for a long time. Next we tried to do the slalom in different ways, like with a play-toy or with a treat, also with strange sounds to figure out what would make him more "crazy" for doing it :)) Like in obedience we now concentrate in agility on the right feeling, energy and drive.

While Greta and Poppy had their time to do agility we in the same time practised some obedience - like lieing with the head down, coming beside, going to lieing down, etc. The environment was excellent for the practise cause it was raining, the shelter dogs were barking and the Greta or/and Poppy practising agility the same, was also kind of disturbing factor.

After training Greta's owner offered the dogs some delicious special B'day cake made of minced meat, chopped turkey haunch meat and paneer :))

The Happy B'day girl enjoyed the cake first and then the guests could have a taste too :)

My pictures of Greta's B'day here.

Weekend thrills

On friday Pipi, Grets and Aapo decided to go swimming in Männiku. Grets was the only dog who went swimming by herself and brought the sticks to her owner what she throwed to the water. I tried to lead Aapo to swim as well, but he still didn't want to go by himself. Pipi's owner tried as well lead Pipi to swim and for a moment she even forgot that she had clothes on :), she was so into it that in one moment not only Pipi was in the water but she was as well :)) Too bad I didn't have the camera with me to catch the moment hehee. The conclusion of the story - what all we need and want to do for our dogs ;))

On saturday we had our day off, but in the evening we still decided to be a little practical and practice some obedience. We tried to practice it in different ways, but mainly through playing. So we played some pulling and frisbee to get the right energy and drive. But when we were playing with the frisbee and I tried to get it from Aapo - he jumped and I bowd at the same time - the result was a "beautiful" black eye for me. Luckly Aapo didn't get any injuries, only I did. But oh well things like this happen, so no worries. Just I had to give some effort to hide it the next day on the dog show, not to look so awful :)

Today we participated in Luige national dog show. I signed there because the show is basically like our home show, we just live so near the place were it was held. Also I was nicely pleased that the judge in the morning was Dina Korna from Estonia. She had the first smooth collie living in Estonia who became international champion. So I was even looking foward to be judged under her and get the characterization. It was our first show were the judge has herself owned and breeded smoothies and has a good overview of the breed.

Characterization: Very bredly, correct growth, good bone, correct bodybuild, beautiful head and expression, good moving, very good fur, good temperament, well presented.

We were the only smoothie participating so Aapo was the best of breed (BOB).

In the group competition we had complete failure in my opinion. The place where it happened was full of dogsmells (like weewes, etc), so that Aapo acted completely strange. He was really careful were he stepped and therefor he didn't move normal. I have noticed his that kind of behaviour some times before on our walks (and made a joke about it - that he is a total aesthete), but today it hit me that it is not at all good habbit and we need to train in these kind of circumstances more to get ridder of it. So I was a bit dissapointed but in the other hand I got to know Aapo's weakpoints, so we can train them to be better. Aapo was 4th of best in group. Pictures of the show here.


The weekend gave me so much information and feedback of what to do with Aapo, how to go foward in many ways - and I'm pleased that the reality hit me. Sometimes when I think we have developed so much I will notice that we still have (or we can have) a big way to go ahead, to practise and train for and strive for ourself. I keep forgetting sometimes that I don't train for someone else but I do everything what I do with Aapo for ourselves wellbeing and to see how far can we go and incognizable where is our barrier. I don't want to make lines what we can or can't do. I believe that with hard work and some luck - you can achieve a lot in life. But unfortunately sometimes in the world you maybe strived with the flow and forget what are your purposes and goals. I know I want to have a cheerful and active dog who is pleased with his life. So keeping in mind our main purpose we slowly but persistently keep up training and do our doings playfully and cheerfully. I believe you are truly succesful when you and your dog are happy what ever you do together :)

Announcement - Aapo&Leena

We proudly present that Aapo's first litter is planned into 2009 autumn. Aapo's gorgeous pride will be Calibra's Drop of Honey (Leena, born 07.12.2003).

Leena is very beautiful, versatile and active smoothie. She competes in agility level 2 and in the highest (elite) obedience class.

Also she trains for search-and-rescue and they also have done some herding.

Leena has excellent show titles and results. She is Multi Champion (IntCh, FIN Ch, S Ch, ESTCh, LT Ch, LV Ch, RUS Ch) and Multi Winner (FINW´05, LTW´06, BALTW´06, LVW´07, FINW´08).

Her hips and elbows has been tested (AA/OO), also eyes (CEA-free/CEA-free). Leena has done the BH test in the year of 2005 and the Finnish Dog Mentality Assessment test in the year of 2006 with the results of 240 points.

Aapo's and Leena's inbreeding percent in 4 generation is 0%, in 6 generation 4,9%. You see their pedigrees here, as well here.

It will be Leena's II litter. Her I litter (1 male and 3 females) was born on 29.09.2007. More information about Leena, the breeding plans and among other things you will find on the Kennel Koiruuksien webpage.

Weekend and our "crazy" achievements - BIS 1 ;)

Again we had busy weekend. Saturday Aapo had day off and rested from herding, while I went to see the Pärnu International dog show and cheered for collie smooths (Aapo's sisters Milli and Essa and father Rico) and australian cattle dogs. It was really bad (dog) weather (raining). It was good day for the Milli Millers, cause Aapo's sisters Milli and Essa, were accordingly best female I and II. Milli was also BOB, jeii :)) Aapo's good friend ACD Greta, showed herself that day also really good and she was ACD BOB. Congratulations!! Unfortunately cause it was raining during the smoothies ring time, I don't have any pictures of them :(( You see ACD-s ring pictures here. After the show we went to the Hansa Day's in Pärnu.

Today we participated in the "SPECIALITY SHOW FOR BREEDS FROM GROUP I (except German Shepherd Dog, Belgian Shepherd Dogs and White Swiss Shepherd Dog) " in Pärnu. I signed there because I liked the judge Gunnel Holm from Finland. I've heard she is hard and critical. And cause I prefer more critical judgments than nothing allaround sayings characterization, I decided to sign there. But when I got the number (it was nr 2) with the post, then I was ironicaly thinking by myself if the faith hits us again and we will be again the second best male. We were nr 2 in the Latvian Winner, in youth class in the Collie speciality show in Finland and the last in the Estonian Winner show. But nevertheless I want always to give our very best and what needs to come, comes :)

The show morning was really hot and Aapo was also a bit languid (he had also some stomach sickness :S), so the walk wasn't that perky than he usually has. Because of all of that, my surprise was big when the judge chosed Aapo the best male. You see the movie of choosing the best male here. Our luck continued, Aapo was also BOB!! Jeiii :) Because our time was the very beginning of the day, we then had to wait till the end of the day for the BIS competition. We walked a little and then Aapo had his beauty sleep and opportunity to cool down :))

The Characterization: hyv tyypinen uros, h. runkoinen, hieman karkea kallo, h. korvat, h. urosmaine, h. etuosa, kanta hänta mallinhelpoisesti liikuntassa, erinomaiset sivuliiket, saisi liikua paremiini etesta, h. karvalaatu.

On the BIS competition there were all together 14 dogs and the judge was again Gunnel Holm. Now Aapo was more perky and moved better then in the morning. You see the movie of the end of the best veteran and overview of the BIS 14 dogs here. Unfortunately the camera's memory stick got full soon, so there is no movie of the final part :( But next the judge chosed 6 dogs, Aapo was one of them. After running another ring the judge said thank you to 2 dogs and there were left 4 dogs in the competition (Aapo, rough collie, bearded collie, Old Inglish Sheepdog). And what happend after that I still can't believe. Aapo won the BIS, the judge chose Aapo to be BIS1!!!! BIS 2 was Rough Collie, BIS 3 was Old Inglish Sheepdog and BIS 4 was Bearded Collie.

Results: Excellent, BM1, Sert (but we couldn't take it) BOB, BIS 1.

Later the judge asked me to tell her more about Aapo :) and she said that Aapo is "erinomainen liikkua", what means he moves really good :) I was really happy and I couldn't believe to won the BIS. There has never been a smooth collie a BIS 1 dog in that speciality show!! I have to admit that quietly I hoped that we would be placed on some of the top 4 place, but to be the first of the best of breeds. Wow. We are soo happy, what a day :))

Pictures in the blog done by Helen Tamm, more pics here. My pics here. Estonian Society of Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs pictures here.

All results here.

Herding

Our entrance in herding field is officially done. Today australian cattle dogs Greta, Poppy, Ella, Rowena, Muuki, rough collie Missy, welsh corgi pembroke Suusi and Aapo did some herding in Jaani farm, near Pärnu.

It was our first time, so basically all what we did today was to get started slowly and get to know as much as possible. And of course our purpose was to end herding today with positive and wanting to do more feeling.

I was really anxious about the event, cause I was curious to find out how will Aapo react on doing herding. He was a typical collie - mostly playing and barking a lot :)) We had 3 opportunitys to herd (15 minutes per time) and it was more then enough. Cause the weather was hot and herding is really hard for the dogs mentally as well physically. First time he didn't guite know what to do with the sheeps. I think he was confused if the sheeps were dogs or if not, then what are they. So he approached them carefully and even affraid them littlebit even. Better safe then sorry. Then he started after the sheeps, but when the sheeps stayd near the fence and not moving anywhere, he was confused what to do and how to approach. The next and the last time he got better and more courage. Also the last time I think he got the point (that the sheeps are not friendly dogs, but something that he has to work with ;)) and wasn't that begginer.

Our second herding movie here.

The third time we herd slowly and carefully, because the sheeps were tired and not to let them run constantly. Also that they would be in the group together and going the way we wanted them to go. The last dogs got to herd the sheeps through two sticks. You can see one movie of that here (ACD Poppy herding).

Cause the herding went good and we only got the taste of it, we certainly plan to go herding again more this summer :)

Also the farm where the herding took place there were also other animals aside sheeps like goats (that Aapo also saw first time), chickens, etc. So that Aapo had really interesting day today, getting to know new animals and situations. Aapo is now really tired and is resting. I can only guess what dreams he is going to dream tonight :))

Pictures in blog done by Marelii Pirsi, more pics here. My pictures you find here, Poppy's owners pics here, Ove's pics here.

Midsummer Day

Today the Midsummer Day we spended with australian cattle dogs Greta, Aussie, Poppy and german shepherd Rexy.

We went swimming in Männiku sandpit. Cause Rexy hasn't swam yet (well he is only 5 months old) I decided to take him with us. Also it gave a good opportunity to socialise him. Also Aapo met Poppy, whom he doesn't liked much. But today they got really friendly and even played a little. So I think they just had some misunderstandments before :)

Aapo and Rexy just watched how australian cattle dogs went swimming to get the sticks. They as well tried to catch the sticks on the water but in the other hand they didn't went (want to go) swimming. Until Rexy jumped too far and noticed that his feet couldn't touch the ground he automaticly started swimming. So today Rexy learned to swim and he enjoyed it :)

Also I tried to teach Aapo to swim, but because Rexy interrupted us constantly, it just didn't work today. But Aapo didn't want to swim. He just went as far as he could while not loosing the ground under his feet. Our this summer aim is that Aapo would like to go swimming by himself ;)

Pictures done by Greta's owner.