No More Agility For Us :-(

I know it was one of my New Year Resolutions to do more agility and go to competitions with Oscar but that idea has hit an enormous bump in the road, one which I don't think we will be able to get over any time soon.

While I love doing agility with Oscar, he doesn't feel the same way about it, at least when he isn't in the comfort of his own home. He does enjoy agility at home but that's really the beginning and the end of the story. I cannot get him to focus at agility training and as a result we haven't been in a very long time and I have tried to get him to do a simple low jump in the field but Oscar wanted nothing to do with it, and the field is a regular place for us to walk (daily right now).
I thought about going to a fun show next month but after some though,and advice from some petforumers, I have decided that its best not to.

And after even more though I have decided to give it up all together. Maybe not forever but definitely for a while.We might still do some at home for fun, there is no way I am going to let all that stuff I built go to waste, but for the time being and for the foreseeable future we wont be doing any fun shows or going to training classes or anything.
Oscar has given me so many signs that he isn't comfortable doing it away from home, and I think it's about time that I started to listen to them, rather than just doing what I want to do, regardless of whether Oscar find it fun or not.

From now on me and Oscar will be doing much more playing, having much more fun walks, trying out some new tricks and hopefully going to some new places. I would really like to bring him to the beach and into the town more and, what I was meaning to do last October, bring him to Kennedy Park in New Ross.

I have to admit that I am just that little bit disappointed about not doing agility anymore but if Oscar isn't interested in doing it then there is so much more useful things we could be doing.

My poor boy

Poor Oscar has just come down with a suspected bout of Kennel cough :-(

Been coughing like anything all day and has brought up some white foam and clear liquid 4 times now. I presumed something was stuck in his throat at first but its now more likely Kennel cough. It started after his walk this morning and he was only in the kennels last week. Kennel cough has a 7- 10 day incubation period and usually and the kennel cough hacking is brought on by cold air and exercise. It seems to fit our situation perfectly. 

Just Loaded Oscar up with some Benylin and Honey, seems to be helping with the coughing anyway but when I need it most I run out of honey! Well hopefully we will have some Manuka honey tomorrow.  

Poor Oscar just wants to sit on my lap, sadly when mum is here he isn't allowed up on the furniture.

Happy New Year, Season's Greeting etc. etc. etc.

Happy 2013 Blog Readers!!!! A little late, I know but I've been busy with stuff.

Oscar had a good Christmas. He got a new collar (a dublin dog collar), a squeaky chicken (which he is scared off), a tug a jug (which he cannot work out) and a new toy (which he loves). He also got a tin of treats from my uncle and one of my presents from one of my friends was a pack of 2 squeaky bones!!! :-D

I a still trying to sell his dog coat because it no longer suits him (anybody????)  and I think I have sold his backpack which is huge on him, although I am not to sure about that because I haven't heard anything back from the people who wanted it. Once I sell those I'll be able to get him an equafleece Tankie. And I still have to get him a fleece lined harness too. 

We have started our recall training too. I got a whistle and so far it's going well, of course we are only 1 week into it though, none the less it could be paving the way to the year ahead! :-)

I am hoping to get freezer this year so that we can bulk buy raw from a supplier and I would also like to feed a little more variety. And I'd like to try out some agility fun shows this year too but we have quite a few things to do for agility before we are ready for that, mainly getting Oscar to play in other places but hopefully he will figure it out soon.

So, here it this years New Year Resolutions,

-  Try and find a freezer for Raw
-  Feed more varitey
-  Get Oscar playing in new places
-  Go to our First Fun Agility shows
-  Train Oscar a great Recall
-  Spend more time with Oscar and less time on the Internet
-  Fence in the WHOLE back garden
-  Get a job this summer
-  Get Oscar measured for Agility
etc, etc, etc.

I have a list of Agility fun shows this year, they start in 2 weeks but hopefully we might be able to go to the ones in April and May, maybe even March. And there are probably some over summer, but we will have to wait and see.

The verdict is in! We are getting another dog!!!!! Dad said that if I help with the fence then we can look into getting one. Its going to be a rescue this time, I'm certain about that and I have already spotted a few dogs that might suit. :-)

So here is to a good year! * raises my mug of tea in the air *

I do have pictures to add but I need to upload them first, but you can be sure that as soon as I do they will be here for all to see. 

Happy Belated New Year Everybody!