Jesse at vets

I took Jesse to see Mark again today as his skin is pretty bad again.

Mark looked at him and found that his sores are different this time as there were mainly puss filled spots. He therefore suggested that we do a new course of antibiotics as he didn't feel it was the same problem as before.

I agree with him. So Jesse got an antibiotics injection that lasts 2 weeks... fab, no tablets! Jesse already seems a lot less itchy, though I am not sure whether this is just coincidence as it is surely not supposed to act as quickly as that.

I hope this clears things up once and for all.

Skins sores are back

Over the last couple of weeks, Jesse has started scratching more and more again, and now, the skin sores are back. I am making an appointment with the vets for tomorrow or early next week to discuss our next steps with Paul. I think I am also going to ask for a thyroid test, the allergies, skin problems together with the aggression issues (losing his temper) make me think that thyroid might be an issue.

Jesse lost his temper...

This morning, I had to really tell Jesse off as he completely lost it...

Jesse and Flash were playing whilst I was getting their breakfast ready. As sometimes happens, Flash must have caught him too hard somewhere and Jesse turned round and told him off... only this time, it wasn't just his normal squeaky telling off, then leave it at that. Jesse didn't stop, Flash was cornered against the axolotls tank and just started turning really defensive and serious... It wasn't Flash's fault at all, he had no choice as he couldn't get away from Jesse and Jesse had lost the plot.

I grabbed Jesse by the scruff, hauled him onto the sofa and told him off (verbally, not physically other than just holding on to him). Jesse stopped immediately then and was all appologetic (not submissive, just appologetic) to me as well as Flash... though Flash didn't want to know, poor thing.

This is the first time in a long time that Jesse has lost his temper again. I think it was because Flash accidently got cornered and couldn't get away... I am now even more seriously thinking about having Jesse's thyroid tested. Together with the skin issues (which aren't bad at all at the moment), the aggression may well be an indicator to a problem there! He has however been itching a bit more again over the last couple of days, which would also have contributed to his lack of self-control!

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In training last night, Jesse did well (though heelwork could have been tighter). He actually didn't have a go at anyone and was focused on me ALL THE TIME! What a little star.

I am quite frustrated today regarding the training last night as I was critized about a lot of things (with the very best intentions mind, so I don't blame anyone). Up to now I was always told that doing it my way will not achieve good results in the ring. Now that I have won out of Pre-Beginners and am doing well in Beginners, I was told that what I do may be ok in Pre-Beginners or Beginners, but it won't be good enough in higher classes... Whatever I do doesn't seem to be able to change some people's opinion about my training method (clicker training). I will be just fine in higher classes of course as clicker training works differently and most traditional trainers don't understand how the results come about! So in many exercises it looks like I am letting my dog get away with slack/incorrect execution of exercises, when I am in fact simply shaping something (so what they see isn't the final result yet) or dropping a criteria whilst raising another (e.g. it was the very first time yesterday that I used a cloth in scent which wasn't mine... Jesse found it, I praised him as I needed to let him know as it was the first time, but I then got told not to praise him until he is back with it... Which obviously would teach Jesse nothing as he needed to know that the cloth he found was the right one, never mind about bringing it back or anything, that comes in again once he gets the hang of the first part).
Well, it's one of these things and I will just soldier on my way, as it works. The next and last show this year will be Thurrock in October... We have got 4 weeks to practice till then and hopefully get good results in both Beginners and - for the first time ever - Novice too.

Judge's report and Home cooking

JUDGE'S REPORT

Here is the judge's report of Jesse's 6th place in Beginners at St. Edwards... Gill Brett was the judge... I found it quite difficult working under Gill as she is obviously a training colleague, but her judging was very fair and it is true that Jesse - or rather I - have worked a lot better in the past! Nevertheless, we are happy with the result as this was only Jesse's fifth show:

6th losing 7 points was Vera and Jessie. This American Cocker I think is the only one working on the obedience circuit in the south. I have seen Jessie work better than this and I feel fewer marks would of been lost had Vera worked at a smarter pace. Nevertheless this was a great achievement for this pair as they have only entered a few shows this year. Well done.



HOME COOKING

I have finally switched Jesse to home cooking! I got fed up with the plastic in the Nature's Harvest food, a new batch I got was dark in colour again and Jesse didn't like eating it and I can't get it delivered properly either as the courier suddenly won't leave it at the neighbours anymore.

So this morning, Jesse got his very first home cooked meal. I mixed rice, white fish and carrots and added some salmon oil in the morning. Jesse loved it and his first poo this evening was fine without mucous and not soft like this morning...

We'll see how it goes, but I think this is it now, we will stick with this!

St. Edwards: 4th in Beginners

Jesse and I went to St. Edwards Obedience Show in Chislehurst today! It was Gill Brett that was our judge... It is always difficult to do well under a judge that you know... I didn't think Jesse worked particularly well, the heelwork was a bit lagging... But of course, it is more than likely that it was me and Gill said, I was walking extremely slow... His recall was fine as was his retrieve, though he did a slightly crooked present in the retrieve.

But Jesse scraped still into the cards and we came 6th in Beginners! So we got yet another rosette!

It was also a little bit of luck as the other handler/dog that had the same score went home so there was no run-off...

Well done, Jesse James! Yet again, a little star!

And here's the picture

Here's the line-up picture of our Beginners in Ditton (taken by Dave Scott)


Doesn't Jesse look cute and out-of-place amongst all the sheppies and collies... LOL

Jesse gets 4th in Beginners

Today, we went to Ditton Obedience Show! I didn't work Pre-Beginners (it would not have felt right if he had been placed, it would have felt as if I had taken someone's place away as he has already won out of Pre-Beginners), so concentrated fully on Beginners!

And Jesse did good - we came 4th! His heelwork wasn't a 100% (slightly wide, his shoulder didn't touch my leg), the recall and retrieve presents were slightly crooked, but other than that, it was great. There were over 40 dogs in that class!

So we got another beautiful rosette.

PS. Jesse's paw seems fine again and all heeled up.

Grass seed in paw

Monday evening, when I came home from work, I noticed that Jesse kept worrying his left front paw. I went and had a look... I saw a mat that I thought I overlooked and thought that may be the mat was pulling his skin and started cutting it off.

But it wasn't the mat that bothered him... I only went and found a grass seed digging it's way into his skin. Luckily, the tail end was still on the surface and I managed to pull it out entirely! Jesse was instantly a lot happier. I desinfected the wound and also applied tea tree cream.

There is still a little bit of a swelling next to the entrance hole... I am watching it very closely (just in case there is another bit stuck in there) and if I feel it is not healing, he is straight off to the vet's.

Jesse has never had any grass seed problems up to recently, when I pulled one out of his eye (which left him none the worse for wear other than two slight scratches on his eye) and now this one in his paws. There seem to be more grass seeds floating around this year than ever! And we can't really avoid them as they are even on the pavements...

I have kept an eye on the paw and keep applying tea tree cream and so far, it looks ok. I will also give him homeopathic silicea to help expel anything else that's left in the paw.

Full List of Places at NW Kent Show

They posted a full list of places, which is great!

Pre Beginner D&B -Judge: Liz White
1. 299 – V Mooney & Weiambea Jesse James ACSpnl D
2. 506 – Daniel Thompson & Mills on Wheels WS B
3. 230 – E Johnsson & Just Smokin Dobe D
4. 65 – E Byrne & Tazma Good Golly Miss Molly WS B
5. 331 – Sharon PaINE & Rosecarbery Rogue WS D
6. 144 – E Fookes & Clashaidy Kentucky Derby BMD D


Beginner Dog - Judge: Sandra Cobbold
1. 323 – T O’Hara & Huxtable Midas BC
2. 95 – Sandra Crawley & Dasher the Gnasher WS
3. 86 - Joyce Cook & Fernhaven Glint of Silver BC
4. 138 – Julia Fellows & Archmeadow Monkey Man GSD
5. 299 - V Mooney & Weiambea Jesse James ACSpnl
6. 436 – E Taylor & Kirkdale Daquiri Dream BC

Judge's Report - Pre-Beginners and Beginners

Here is the judge's report for the Pre-Beginners by Liz White yesterday!

1st. 299 V. Mooney and Weiambea Jesse James ACS. This little spaniel was a star, happy, motivated and attentive, all I was looking for. Flowed round the ring in the intense heat and made it look easy. Many congratulations.

That is a really nice report eventhough my surname got a bit changed... LOL Jesse was indeed a star!

There were by the way 57!!! entries. I didn't really there were that many... that makes Jesse's win even more significant.

And here is the judge's report for Beginners by Sandra Cobbold:

5th No. 299– Vera Mooney – Weiambea Jesse James (Jesse) American CS – Lost 6 ¼ – Worked sixth in the running order. Another team who needs to ensure that you start HW together, also just need to get him to concentrate a little more to stop him coming out of position. On both recall and retrieve very quick but decided to sit back out of position on the finishes. A very smart little lad so happy seems to glide around the ring. Well done on this place, good luck at future shows.

Vera