Dog agility courses, The Christmas tree

this was a great fun course for Christmas. If you have an amazing imagination it looks a little like a Christmas tree with a star on the top and oddly weaves and a tunnel at the side

It ran fairly nicely with a few challenges, mainly which line to take 14-18. Some teams did great with the handler on the takeoff side of 15 and flicking over 17, others did great on the landing side or 15 if they were able to get a little infront of their dogs

Also which way do you turn the dog over 6? and which way do you bring them round to 21?

Here is the lovely Fly demonstrating this course (not I always film at the end of the day and as soon as I bring out the camera the mistakes happen, but keeping a positive attitude means its still fun for your dog)

Starting out needle felting, Needle felted Penguin Tutorial

I am actually really enjoying learning about vidoe editing, I know I have a long way to go
But this week I learnt how to remove the hum from my camera and I learnt how to do photo in photo

Which ment doubling up (well treabling because I messed up and felted out of shot for the 1st close up! Doh) my filming but I HOPE it gives a clearer tuotirial where you can actually see what I am doing.

I know the background it still terrible - I have some new exciting things coming soon so I hope this will improve.

But thank you all for the support while I learn.

So this weeks video is a tutorial for a needle felted penguin

This is such a fun project to make using some really basic tequniques. All you need to be able to do before you start is to practise needle felting a ball - and I have a video for that

So once you have got the hang of that then you are ready to try your first ever project. 

Here is part one, this teaches you how to link two balls together, adding more fleece to smooth out the transition from body to head, hot to flatten the bottom of the body to alow the peice to stand up and how to start adding a different colour.

And part two continues adding different colours, using small balls to make beaks and eyes and giving ideas for how to add wings or be inspired with different types of penguins 

(and yes, I messed up in the video, the one I was holding was a rockhopper penguin) 

I really hope you all enjoy this, I am loving all the support and I know my videos can only get better with your help :) 

If you do make a penguin feel free to share, I would love to see them, and any questions or feedback please get in touch

I also have some great ideas for tips and tricks for growing your Etsy store so please keep an eye out 

Speed felting - a little black cat

Needle felting tutorials, How to Make wool curls

A new video for all you felters

Today it involves no needle felting at all - but shows you how to make these fun fleece curls

These are SO easy, they take a day or so but you can make them in any colour you wish

I hope you like

Please keep a eye out as I have a whole load of these videos planned, if there is anything you would like to learn about needle felting then please ask below

First steps in needle felting

So back in the mists of time (2 years ago) I had the fantastic idea to create some beginner needle felting videos.

I filmed a few and even managed to edit some, like this introduction to needle felting

And this first exercise - felting a ball 

And then my computer decided it didnt want to talk to my video editing software.

Now - Two years later I finally have editing software I can use - so Im working through the videos I had already made (know whats worse than seeing yourself on film? Seeing yourself 2 years ago on film and not being able to change what you are saying!) 

Here is the first of the recorded ages ago new videos

I plan to continue uploading the remaining tutorial videos from the past and I have a load of new ideas for new videos (which I promise will have way better audio!!) So please feel free to like and share and subscribe either here or on my YouTube channel.

Devil Horns agility courses

OK so Im a big kid, I know that
Here are a couple of agility courses that I made for Halloween in the shape of devil horns
As ever space everything out to suit yourself, closer or further away makes for different challanges

 Course 1
The main challenges here were actually that the A frame was still up between the horns so running 7 to 8 this often drove the dogs to the A frame and it ran better if you layered that section staying behind 5.
This also gave options for 8 to 9 depending on how fast the dogs/handler is, a front/blind cross on landing of 8 gave a nice line for 9 10 11 but not everyone could get there in time so you needed a good drive on to 10 while reading a rear cross so the dog could be turning to 11 without the handler needing to get past 9 was the best
12 13 14 needed the handler to remain fairly still to not push the dog out to the off course 9

Here are Fly and Tilly having a go at this

Course 2
Lots of options if you wanted to front cross, blind cross or rear cross, or a mixture of them all


Hope you have fun on these devilish courses! If you try them please send a video, I would love to see them

October 2016 Dog agility course at Old Mill

This was quite a fun little course that provided quite a few eye rolls from people when walking it but lots of smiles when running

The first challenge is sending to the backside of the tunnel for 3, if a dog hasnt seen this before then they can become quite confused. It takes about 5 min to train for this sending the dog to the tunnel on your right hand from 5 and then moving a step clockwise round the mouth of the tunnel till they will send from 2.

Getting to 4 only caused problems for a few dogs who read the motion of their handlers as a signal to take 7 but a slight pause in running, a close command or a serp arm all fixed that issue.
Left hand 5 and send to 6, front, blind or rear cross at 7 to turn left to 8
9 left a few options depending on the dog and the handler
The simplest approach was to keep the dog on the right hand, push round 9 and 360 keep turning with the dog on the right hand - or more advanced ass pass there

Or with the dog on the right hand stay on the landing side of 9, push the dog round the jump and serp them in then push out to 10

Or get to the takeoff side of 9, send the dog right over 9 and pick up on right hand

For 11 depending on the spacing just make sure and get a nice line so the dog is straight onto the A frame

12 to the tunnel depends on the dogs verbal commands, some dogs when they heard 'tunnel' ignored everything else almost tripping the handler to get into the wrong side of the tunnel because that had caught their eye, in that case running out as if you were heading to 7 and only turning towards the tunnel once you were past the wrong side was the safest - but better to teach a 'out tunnel'
Right turn over 14 gave best line

On left hand for 15 to 18 - extra bonus points to layer off course 9
Similar issues to 19 as from 13
and send to 20


I didnt record anyone doing this this week but if you give it a go I would love to see your videos

Macro photography

I love macro photography, Entering tiny worlds that most people just walk on by
I dont even have a massively posh camera but lugging about the heavy camera on every walk gets a little tiring
Yesterday I saw lots of little beasties in the hedgerows so I whipped out my mobile phone to see how its macro photography skills were

and I have to say Im pretty impressed!!
The downside is to get a decent photograph you have to hold the phone right up close to the insect, no super zoom keeping them safely at arms length!! But overall for just point and shoot on a mobile phone Im loving this photo of a wee beastie, the focus is in the perfect place.

And if you are interested (not sponsored :D) the camera is a HTC desire 626

Old Mill Dog agility course May 10th 2016

Here is this last weeks course at old mill
It was based on several smaller courses from the Clear Run agility sourcebook. The contact equipment was on the field anyway but made a really great distraction training for some of the dogs

This was firstly done in 3 sections. 1-7, 8-14 and 15 to 21. 8-14 is the most difficult section and then running the full course 7, 8, 9 and 10 become even more tricky 

Several ways to run this one of course based on dog and handler. 

1-6 on the right hand with a flick into 7

Most people pulled through from 7 to 8 staying on the takeoff side of 8 with the dog on the left hand (although racing to exit of 7 and pushing over 8 staying on the landing side keeping dog on right hand 8 - 9 also worked well) 

Front or rear cross between 8 and 9, push to backside of 10 then front cross to 11

360 post turn or ass pass on 11 to weaves on left hand

Flick dog to 14 staying on takeoff side of 13

Front or blind cross to 15 then front cross or flick to tunnel 

Right hand to end 

One of the main challenges on this course is simply remembering it, its actually easier to remember courses if there are more jumps so you are not using the same jump again and again

Here is the lovely Fly, a novice dog having a go at the course 

If you go down to the woods today

Not quite teddy bears but amused the local dog walkers while I was setting up this little gathering

We have been lucky with finally a couple of days of sunshine so taking the fuzzies on location seemed the perfect thing to do (after walking the dogs of course)

Lots of shots of course didnt work out too great - but I really love this one of my wolf

He hasnt been getting much love in the past and I think its just because I cant quite capture how lovely he is in real life, I was really happy how his intense eyes came out in this one. He is currently for sale here in my etsy shop