April 2005

Dear diary sorry I have not written for a while Mum will not let me get a look in on the computer she says she has been busy updating the website with all the wins the club keeps getting!


Anyway what has been happening in my little life?


Well I went for a walk with uncle Ray, my litter sister and her new brother and sister.  It was fun me and Kez played and the collies and midge swam.  Even Taurus had a good time but he kept wondering off so he had to be on the lead.


Auntie Donna has a new puppy called Acer and I have been going around on a Tuesday night to show him how to hide under the sofa.  It is a good game, every now and again when him or Fluffy is walking past I pop my head out and try and scare them.  It is getting harder to do though because I'm getting bigger and don't find it so easy to squeeze by butt under the chairs. Mum has measured me she say's I'm 10" tall and I'm only 5 months old!


Camping, well that was fun! We all went on a long drive with the mobile dog kennel attached and ended up in Wales at the 'Dashing Dog Easter Show'.  It took a while but after Mum had got everything thing sorted it was a home from home.  We had a little garden and lights on the gate. Me and the collies ran around and around the caravan and awning, Mum could not work out who was chasing who. I hardly slept at all (not a good thing according to Mum she likes her sleep).  It was very wet but I took to it like a terrier to water, Libby who is mostly white was mostly muddy all weekend. Kira was sooooo excited she said she got to play at Agility again, she said she had forgotten how much fun spinning was, but was a bit puzzled to why she only had to jump the baby jumps, but soon realised much to Mums and Simons surprise that you can run very fast when the jumps are low.  Simon said that it was the fastest he'd ran all weekend, but he will have to get used to it because when Buddy is a 100% again he will have to run. Simon is the sucker who runs Kira when Mum is too busy, or at least that's what she told him I think she was just too lazy to run.

I played a lot with the 2 legged puppies Rosie, Tom and Hester.  Even my best mate Acer was there, so we played loads too.. I'm looking forward to going again next week watch out Shuttleworth here comes Spencer T Terrier, collies beware..........



May 2005 - What a Terrior I am

Dear Diary

May has been an eventful month.  I am now a seasoned camper and show groupie.  In fact I even have my own groupies. Because I'm such a hansom chap I have the women ooo'in and arrrr'in all over the place, when I do my walk around the rings they are falling at my feet!  However I usually fall on my back when I see other dogs, I'm very proud of my tummy and love showing it off especially to collies!  Mum thinks I'm showing off my other assets however I'm not sure why she could possibly think that and besides what other assets could she be possibly talking about?


I have learnt that if I hide under the caravan Mum can not reach me to put me in the car when she takes my sisters away to play.  I did hide under the car once but I burnt my nose on the exhaust (I think that's what Mum called it) how was I supposed to know it would still be hot from the journey.  The first night I spent on my own in the car which I don't mind but then there where lots of bangs and rain so Libby joined me.  She told me she thought I was scared so she best stay with me, however it was not me that was cowering in the corner of my cage.  So I have come to the conclusion that my big scary collie sister is scared of bangs and Thunder! What a big pussy cat she is.


My training has started in earnest now.  I have my own puppy class to attend on a Thursday with Kez (my annoying little sister) and Ray, Cobie with Niki, Tarot with Helen, Sasha with Viv , Demi with Graham and Teasel (the only collie) she belongs to the famous Hillary Mears don't you know! At first I could not understand what Mum wanted from me so I hid in the tunnel where she and Uncle Den could not reach me, but I soon got into the swing of it.  We jumped the jumps, the poles were on the floor so not a big stretch, we climbed really low dog walks and A frames attached to our leads so we did not fall off and we are learning to weave.  I'm still not sure why Libby and Kira think it is so much fun but I get to eat loads of treats so there is a plus side.


I don't go to work with Mum anymore.  She say's it is too hot so now I stay at home with the collies in our new house that John built, except for a Thursday when I stop with Auntie Dawn and her pack. I have to stop there when we go training.  The big black Shepard that licked me all over when I was a puppy Sophie has sadly gone to the big kennel in the sky but Auntie Dawn still has Kate and Penny.  I like to play with them, she also fosters Patrick who is the same size as me he is a chiwawa but I think he thinks he is a Rottie.  Patrick lives next door but spends time around Auntie Dawns because his Mum is poorly. Auntie Dawn seems to collect foster dogs!

We are off on holiday soon.  A whole week camping I wonder how many times Mum will be on her knees trying to get me from under the caravan so she can go a walk a course or run a collie. Ahh, I love playing hiding games.
 

June -What a Supa Time

So we are well into the Agility season now.  We spent a week at Supa Dogs that was fun, got loads of fuss and made another new friend (collie of course) called Ben.  He has taught me to smile and we play this dead fun game were I run at the end of my lead in circles (using Mum as a pivot) and when I get to Ben I jump and because I’m on a harness I fly.  Mum said I look just like one of those toy Aeroplanes on a bit of sting that you hang from your ceiling and they fly round and round in circles. Apparently it is very funny to watch!


Libby & Kira were good girls on holiday and Mum brought back more rosettes than she has ever done (5), she best get a space in her caravan for next year because I’ll be old enough to play with the big dogs then and I’ll win loads of stuff for her (or so she hopes). I just need to teach her how to handle a terrier first though.


We also went to a show in Peterborough at the east of England show ground (RVA).  Boy was it hot! Mum took me around the show and I found the biggest dog I had ever seen, Mum said it was a plastic cow but I did not care it was big and I was not having anything to do with it. The other odd thing that happened while I was there was that one morning a dog got so full up with hot air it started to float in the sky! Mum laughed at me she said I need to learn what is a dog and what's not but hey I'm only young if it has four legs and it looks like a dog then it is a dog! While we were there Mum did something called Judging. Something which did not include us! Martin dared her to Judge in her pajamas and she was going to do it but then she thought better of it as she had slept in them for 3 nights and thought the smell might distract the dogs who she was Judging.  While she judged Auntie Sheila took me for a walk, it took her half an hour just to get my harness on! Every one else had been put to work on the ring where Mum was judging.

Well what's in store for next month? More camping and shows no doubt, and maybe, just maybe Libby might bring back that rosette that mum is so desperate for.  Paws crossed


Aug 2005 - Escape from Dashing Dogs

Day 1.  I have been driven to a remote location caged and unable to see where we were going. I know however that there we hills and the smell of many sheep was in the air.

Day 2.  Me and my other cellmates (the two collies) have been fenced in.  When the warden is not about we are enclosed in a metal box until such time she returns.  But there is hope and meaning to my life I am in Love.  I spotted her camped opposite she is not fenced in but locked cruelly locked away from me, inside her warden’s travelling home. Her name, Masie.

Day 3. The warden watches me like a hawk.  I have now tried unsuccessfully to go under and over the fence.  I need to get at my one true love to free her and show her how much terrier love I have inside me.  I’ve managed to get out of the gate once and sat  under the floor of which she sat. My heart aches for her.

Day 4.  Today my attempts to breach the outer fencing have been successful and I have managed to get to the object of my affections a few times but there were always bars between us, plus I have a rival, my best friend Acer has designs on my true love too, may the best dog win. Each time I escaped the warden has retrieved me with promises of food and walks does she not know that love is stronger than anything (well maybe not food but most things)

Day 5. More successful breaches of the fence, but alas my true love still alludes me. But wait, we are travailing once more, we have arrived at the beach and yes she is here! For one of the most glorious hours of my life, I run free from the lead and can chase my Masie without the warden calling me back.  Unfortunately Masie runs very fast, plus Acer is there too, lucky for me when wet he looses some of his charm as he looks like a bedraggled cat! Sometimes she would let me catch her but then the wardens would brake up our happy embrace. The course of true love never runs smooth.

Day 6. I have still managed a few jail brakes, but Masie may as well be across the other side of the world, our wardens will not let us meet again. Instead I have been out with more of the collie type prisoners, we had a pleasant day but it would have been better if my lady love were there.

Day 7. Oh Masie I do so love you!

Day 8.  Again we are packed away and on the move this time back home.  The journey was made shorter by the fond memories of my Masie frolicking on the beach. (Big sigh)

Since that week I have met with Masie again but my love has dwindle to a slight interest the warden said it has something to do with the seasons. Oh I how shall remember that summer of love with terrier fondness


November 2005 - Agility is Easy!

So it's early, it's dark and it's blooming cold!  Kira's the lucky one Mum's said it's too cold for her to go to the winter league show because of her 'Spinal Condition' so she got to stay at home with Grandma's dog Tessa (another collie).

Anyway it started like any other show I had been to.  We drove, Mum disappeared for ½ hour, she came back, me and Lib went for a walk, then got put in the car, I was let out again about ½ hour later for my usual wander around the rings to watch the other dogs running, jumping and climbing, and to pay homage to all collies (obviously older collies) and show them my assets.  But no, wait, this time was different I was not standing outside a ring I was standing but in the ring in front of a jump! I was having a go this would be my first ever show that I would actually play agility! Anyway I stood and waited still not sure if I was dreaming, Aunty Frances stood in the middle of the ring all dressed up for the cold with a lovely frilly thing pinned to her rather fetching woolly hat, Mum walked up to the see-saw and then said 'OK Spencer' and I was off! Over the first Jump onto the see-saw (which Mum kindly lowered to the floor) over the next jump through the flat tunnel around the next jump (Mum ran too far ahead) then it all stopped and the weaves loomed.  I growled a bit at mum I was having fun and she had stopped! She grabbed my collar put me into the weave position and we were off again, yes I can weave all be it a bit slowly I have to constipate (I heard Mum say that). Once they were over we were off again Mum ran past a couple more jumps but I got all my contacts and I had a whale of a time Mum was so pleased she gave me a big cuddle (she is soooo embarrassing).

After this things went back to normal I was put in the car and Libby was off to have her go.  When she came back she told me she had a whale of a time Mum was not quick enough with her commands so Lib just ran and jumped what ever she fancied. Anyway after a while I was out again and again I was in a queue to have another go this time no contact equipment just jumps and I was going clear up to the weaves the we stopped again I lost constipation and had a sniff.  Mum was determined though and we were soon weaving merrily and heading for the finish line. Another big cuddle but all I was interested in was the pretty ladies who were watching.

So far we had obtained two E's, obviously all Mum's fault then came my third and final go it was a Helter-Skelter. My Mum, apparently, is the Helter-Skelter queen so bearing in mind she had a reputation to keep (and the fact that there was no weaves) I thought I would be a good boy and I was Mum did not go wrong and we flew round and finished clear in 26.22 seconds Auntie Caroline nearly cried Mum could not stop smiling and I heard her say that she was finished with collies and now only wanted terriers!

I went home a tired little lad but Mum forced me to sit and have my photo taken with my own frilly thin, as you can see I was none too impressed with it!

So I beat all Mum's collies and got my first ever clear round at the grand old age of 1 year 2 weeks and 1 day old. Who needs collies up the terriers!

March 2006

So now I’m a seasoned professional.  I train twice a week and have competed in the last 3 winter leagues, although I have not matched my debut form and still only have the one clear round to my credit.  Mum is pleased with my progress and in my view getting a bit ahead of herself, so this week at training I thought I would put her in her place.  

It started off well, I did as I was asked and all was right with the world. But then after the silly moo went wrong at the end of the dog walk so I dug my paws in - why should I have to run the beginning of the course again just because she can’t co-ordinate herself properly? I refused point blank to return to the beginning. I did not care how much she pleaded with me, but when the pleading stopped and the tone of her voice was the ‘do it or else’ stage, I obliged -  but very slowly -  in fact after she shouted at me I did everything slowly! I casually strolled up to the jumps and hopped over them, sauntered through the tunnels, jogged along the contacts.  By the end of the night she was totally knackered because she was trying so hard to gee me up! Does she not know that you should never cross a terrier?