Getting Excited about CRUFTS!

So the countdown has started.

This year at Crufts should be exciting, as there is so much going on and so many friends to catch up with...

Shona has qualified with little Patsy to compete in the YKC Agility Dog of the Year on Thursday.  They will also be joining 4 others on the Cuchulain Girls Team from N.Ireland for the YKC Team Agility event on Sunday.

My good friend Peri Burnside is also travelling from N.Ireland with her Malamutes. Peri has enjoyed considerable success in recent years breeding and showing these amazing dogs, and I am looking forward to seeing them in action in the show ring at last. 

I am also hoping to meet up with two amazing young ladies who, like me, use wheels to handle their dogs.  I've chatted with both online, and am really looking forward to writing about their relationships with their dogs and also to meeting them at Crufts.

I watched Victoria Prince compete in the YKC Obedience ring last year, while waiting for the Agility to start.  At the time my mobility had become a problem, and Victoria was the first handler I'd ever seen live in action, handling a dog using wheels!  It certainly got me thinking, and on returning from Crufts I took a deep breath and bought a mobility scooter.  Doing so opened up my world again, and so I owe Victoria (and a few other notable FB friends) a big vote of thanks for giving me the courage to try.  

More recently I have been chatting with Lucy Watts on FB and as I was inspired by the work she is doing with her puppy Molly.  Molly is in training to be an assistance dog, and Lucy is also training her towards agility competitions.  In fact Molly even has her very own dog blog over on Face Book.  Check it out here: Molly, dog with a Blog.

 So there should be lots happening during the Crufts week for me.  I can't wait.

(And now to REST and store up some stamina for the week! xx )