Crufts Gold Team Photo

Kennel Club Gold team photo taken on the last day at Crufts 2012. All the dogs did really well when demonstrating the different obedience exercises and Charlie finally won the “send to bed” race in the last display. We had an amazing but exhausting time, and made lots of new friends.

You might expect that August would be quiet for dog walking in Banbury, but nothing could be further from the truth.  Folk are on holiday but many cannot take their dogs with them.

Dogs seem to enjoy there holidays as well whether they go with the owner or come to us for a short stay.

Mo has settled in well and has had plenty of company with the many doggy visitors each day. I am sure he’ll be glad to get home for a rest.

Here he is just setting into the large bone which has now half the size, these terriers have no limits.

September next week already and holidays will be over, everyone will be back.

More updates later when we get time.

As a break from dog walking in Banbury I took Charlie and little Mo, a customer’s dog, to the Bicester and Finmere Show hoping to have some fun. It was a great family show, the old fashioned type with rides for the kids and some very posh horses.

Charlier wins best terrier

They had a little dog show in the side rings with obedience and novelty classes. Charlie went into the Best Rescue and Terrier class, and won best terrier, clever boy!

Mo wins first in obedience

I thought I could have a bit of fun with Mo in the pet obedience class. Mo and owner had recently gained their Kennel Club Bronze with the Banbury and District Dog Training Club, so I thought we had a good chance. Imagine our surprise and delight when Mo put in a perfect round of heelwork, novice recall, control at gate and a one minute downstay! He came first. Well done Mo – and his owners who have done all the hard work.

Charlie wins fourth in obedience

That was a hard act for Charlie to follow in the “Triers Obedience”, but we did very well against some stiff opposition and got a fourth. We had to do heel on and off lead, a recall and a retrieve over a jump, and two stays.

A long and successful day, with two firsts and two tired dogs.

Engine Room Door Panels

Cabin side in grey

Rudder

Atalanta Back Cabin - first coat

 Only the first coat….lots more work to do.

Karen has been getting very busy with Pet Care Servcies, which has restricted our boating as she needds to be back at base to walk dogs. So I decided this was a good opportunity to repiant Daniel Oakley and get started with Atalanta.

Six weeks later and I have almost finished Daniel Oakley. I have added the small red panels on the engine room that never got done 4 years ago and changed the forward cabin sides to a dark gray. The roof has had a repaint and the rest of the boat a general tidy up after 4 years of boating.

Atalanta is starting to get back to the 1930′s coronation colours of red, white and blue.

I’ll take some photos and post them up later.