Best of Friends

Best of Friends ... here Chilli & Sketch watching over their backyard (ready to chase any birds who dare to play on their agility gear!)

This Saturday just gone was Gosnells Dog Club double header Agility & Jumping Trials. A successful day with my crew of "casual" girls ... Chilli qualified in 2nd Place in Excellent Jumping at the morning trial, also gaining her JDX Title, then qualified in the same class in the afternoon winning 1st Place! Summer had two good NFC runs in Novice Jumping. Carrie qualified in 5th Place in Masters Jumping in the morning, then to my surprise she qualified in Masters Agility in the afternoon for 2nd Place - not a bad effort for the spotted dog! All placings at this trial were in height classes.

Unexpected Success ...

It seems like forever since we’ve been to an agility trial … since Ticket has been in “rehab” and Summer just finds the whole trialling thing a little overwhelming, I’ve been doing a little more showing rather that trialling … so I really enjoyed the Agility Clubs double header trials last Sunday and had an unexpectedly successful day (considering the little training I had been doing).

I trialled Carrie in Masters Jumping and Open Jumping at both morning and afternoon trials – she did her usual “Dalmatian” thing and was the Class Clown for all of her runs, totally enjoying herself to the fullest!

I entered Summer in “Not For Competition” (NFC) Novice Jumping. As she now has her JDX title which means she would have to run in Masters otherwise, which I am sure she would definitely not have coped with. So a couple of “fun runs” in novice jumping was all she did and I think it did the world of good for her. In the afternoon run she was more relaxed at the start line and seemed to be actually enjoying the run, rather than having her usual “I hope I’m doing this right” doubt on her face. So success it was, and we’ll definitely see her do a few more NFC runs yet … before we tackle any of the hard stuff!

Chilli was the one who TOTALLY surprised me … her first run of the day was her best (as usual) and it was my worst! This was Novice Agility, she was happy and keen (well, as keen as Chilli can be) and almost at the end of the course Chilli came out of the tunnel to the weavers and we collided and I managed a very clumsy “face-plant” in the turf … I realized we were still on a Q and I scurried to my feet to continue on and to my surprise Chilli successfully continued on to do her weavers and finish the course in time! That Q earned her Agility Dog Title!

After our not-so-graceful Novice Agility run we went straight into the Excellent Jumping ring and she was still happy and keen (even after our little tumble). We finished the course in time and clear, and also ended up being the only team that qualified and therefore in 1st place!

In the afternoon Chilli qualified again in Excellent Jumping … leaving just one more pass needed to gain her JDX title! Geeze, I’m not sure she will make time in the Masters ring but then again, she may have some more surprises up her sleeve yet!

Lovely portrait shot of Chilli (above) taken by Tim Abidin (http://www.yourdogphotos.com/).

Till next time …

Baby X ... meet Mum & Dad!

Which one of these will be "Baby X" ???

Well they're 4 weeks old now ... only 4 weeks to go till she arrives! Then, I am sure, we will know that we are alive!!!

Amanda (Vanrusselhof) reports that all puppies are strong, fat and healthy little terrors!!!
Above photo was a breakfast time this weekend just gone, with babes just a couple of days short of 4 weeks old.

Below are also some pic’s of Mum and Dad ...

Proud (and very handsome) Dad, Gino von den kleinen Helden VPG3/IPO3V1 CAC/BOB DMC WP+Körung (Germany), “Gino”

Awesome Mum, Ellis de l’origine de faucon rouge IPO3 WP DMC AD-Prüfung (Imp GMY), “Ellis”, now residing at Vanrusselhof Kennels in Queensland.

Stay tuned for more updates!

How do you say Malinois?

"MAL (or MEL) - IN - WAH"

I was waiting at ringside at the show ring last weekend and the steward kept staring at her board and quietly calling the Belgian Shepherds, anxiously looking around hoping someone would answer, and just as she muttered “marr linn eeee osss” I quietly told her "the Mal-in-wah is here". She looked so relieved and said thank you and announced “Mal-in-wah” to the judge.

There seems to be a lot of people out there who won’t even say Malinois simply because they have absolutely no idea of how to pronounce it, and fair enough too – we are in oorrrstrayleah!

The name Malinois is the French word for 'Mechlinian', which is in Dutch either 'Mechelse' or 'Mechelaar'. In Belgium, their country of origin, they are known by their Flemish name Mechelse Herder. Also known in other parts of the world as a Chien de Berger Belge.

So if you were one of those people wondering how to say "Malinois" … now you know ... along with a little history on the side.

It never rains ... it pours!

I am counting down the days till my new Malinois baby arrives (only 6 weeks now) and in a few weeks I start a new job … I am moving to a job where I will be working with (training and handling) quarantine dogs. It’s like a dream come true for me and I’m still pinching myself to make sure that I’m not just dreaming it all up! Big changes to come and I am really looking forward to it!

So new job and new puppy on the way, that’s what I mean by ...

It never rains …. it POURS!

Another Malinois Champion!

"Australian Champion Vanrusselhof Krash"

Above Photo by Tim Abidin (www.yourdogphotos.com)

This boy, who came to us quite unexpectedly at the start of this year … who had lots to learn on the manners side of things, along with being socially lacking, he has caught many an eye in the Conformation Show Ring.

A very obliging boy, offering his opinion regularly, however he learnt very quickly to stand fast as the judge was approaching him. Krash loves people and one of the most difficult things was for him to keep all four feet on the ground when someone offered a pat. If a judge stood admiring him for too long, he would eventually be wagging his whole body by the time they put their hands on him. He would start with tail wagging “please touch me, please”, then the bum would wriggle, then the head for a whole body-wag!

He has achieved his Champion title in just a short time (since February this year till now).

Krash decends from working line Malinois, his father being AUST/DKBR/DK CH Bryan Vom Haus Mecki IPO3 SchH3 (Imp NWY) and litter mates achieving well in other performance fields.
Congratulations (and thank you!) to Amanda Camiller (Vanrusselhof Malinois Kennels, QLD) on breeding yet another Australian Champion!