Really loved the Olympics, so any indoor time was spent catching up on the latest.
I took Dolly to a dog training course run by my friend, Pauline, with John Rogerson, a well known dog trainer and behaviourist, being the speaker/instructor. It was called CSI and although it would not qualify your dog to become a sniffer dog, it was very interesting and surprisingly most of the dogs quickly learnt how to identify scent and Dolly was ace at finding an article dropped on a track. This was called "seek back". Very useful if you are out walking and drop something. You just get the dog to retrace your footsteps and find what you have lost. We also learned how to teach the dog to identify the scent of a decomposing body (eau de rotting pork was used). It was added to a cotton bud and hidden in one of several marked places and the dog had to identify the spot. Following a human track was the subject of another session.
She obviously took it all on board because at a Dog Show last weekend, I threw the green ball on a rope which Charlie, Dolly and Romie all run after and Dolly always wins and brings back to me. On this occasion another dog came up to Dolly and she dropped it and ran off with her new friend. The ball disappeared in the long grass and after a few minutes search I decided to write it off. The next time we went out, however, we must have retraced our footsteps in the 20 acre (approx) field and Dolly ran over a spot and then ran back and picked up their ball.
I only stayed for two of the four days and returned to the farm on Saturday morning to help Mike catch up before we left for another four day dog show. Mike only came for two days (Sunday and Wednesday) because he had to stay home whilst the Gas installers continued their search for the gas pipe to connect us!!
They finally sorted it out on Wednesday but they had to dig up some of the road so we still have the yellow fencing out front. Then on Thursday we were off to the KC International Dog Show at Rockingham Castle in Leicestershire.
It was a fantastic venue and the weather was kind. Dolly is still chasing the elusive Grade 3 win she needs to move up the grades. She has won a steeplechase, and a jumping and had several places in agility and jumping but we seem to be jinxed with the odd pole down (5 faults) or handler error (me)!
Normal service was resumed on Monday and on Tuesday Nick and I caught up with cria vaccinations and gave all the cria and Mums a dose of ADE to ensure that their Vitamin D levels were maintained given the lack of much sunshine this summer.
We trimmed the toe nails of all the goats, and, sadly, separated this year's kids from their Mums. We are keeping the Does in the barn for a few days whilst their milk dries up. We were expecting a lot of noise as goats are quite vocal, but in fact there was very little. In fact I think the Mums are quite pleased to have a break from parenthood and just chill with each other and the youngsters still have their siblings from last year and the year before so they have plenty of company.
Now the rain has returned with a vengeance, so I took the opportunity to bath the dogs as they were wet anyway!!
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