Wys is retired now and pretty old. She is rather deaf and sometimes gets things mixed up a bit. She won welll in the show ring, being top winning bitch in her breed in 1999, including the bitch CC at Crufts that year. Bred by Sally Johnson, Wys bears the prefix of some very well known but somewhat more proficient obedience dogs! She competed in agility and open obedience with a number of rosettes to her credit. She also did a lot of training for working trials, including tracking, which she took to with enthusiasm.

On 2 occasions she was part of the heelwork to music display team at the prestigious Contest of Champions, more used to seeing champions being show dogs rather than strutting their their stuff to 'Singin' in the rain' as Wys did!

She was almost certainly the first clicker trained British show champion and was one of the first 2 dogs in the country to be 100% clicker trained from puppyhood.

Poppy
Border Collie

A 'pet shop special' Poppy came to me with a severe aggression problem when she was close to being put to sleep. Poorly bred on a puppy farm in Wales, she was sold through a pet shop to an unsuspecting and well-meaning first-time dog owning family. Stupid advice based on a misdiagnosis that she was a 'dominant'  dog and totally inappropriate handling by the "expert" they brought in to give them help, turned her into an even worse snarling, reactive fear biter. At the time of wrinting, the pet shop she was bought from, Aquapets in Surbiton, Surrey, is still selling puppies.

After a great deal of work with her, she no longer bites as easily as she did, and she can be very affectionate and loving, but she has her moments when you know she will never entirely get over her early experiences or her genes.

Never buy from a  pet shop or a puppy dealer (ie someone who breeds or buys in pups, rearing them in kennels solely for profit) or you might get a Poppy with all the heartbreak and distress she brought her family. 

Griff (Darkbeck Spring B.Ex)
Crossbreed

A mixture of Australian Shepherd and Border collie (both parents were crosses of each) Griff is probably one of the nicest dogs on the planet!

Keen to work, totally chilled out at home he is a joy to live with. He works a lot with me to help aggressive dogs learn to be less aggressive.

He is currently working in competitive obedience and is qualified to work C only. He has had some problems with a torn ligament in his shoulder which has meant training has often been interrupted for long periods and sadly (for him!) he had to stop doing agility almost as soon as he started.

However, he is currently the fittest and soundest he has been in years thanks to regular swimming at the Whitehouse Hydrotherapy Pool. He is totally addicted to it and his visits are the highlight of his week!

Peg (Rakatak Rhapsody'n Black)
German Spitz (Mittel)

She won me out of Beginners obedience (a rare feat to win out of Beginners with such a small, non-working breed, especially totally food trained) and gained places in Novice before she was retired due to ill health. There were few, if any, Border Collies that could beat her for attitude and commitment!

Abi
(Brykin Balalaika)
Japanese Spitz

In February 2008 Abi very sadly had to be pts at the grand old age of 16. She had just become just too old and infirm and seemd to be finding life very difficult She was always the easiest and sweetest natured of all my dogs and she left a big gap in my doggy household.

German Spitz (Klein)

Dylan and his alleged brother, Winston, came to me as adult dogs. They came from German Spitz rescue for some rehab work with a view to them being permanently rehomed.

Dylan particularly was very scared of being handled, and both had obviously been very badly treated especially round stairs and doorways. They weren't housetrained and spent every moment physically close to each other, curled up in the crate they seemed to need for security. After 3 months working with them to rebuild their confidence, they were rehomed.

Unfortunately after only a few days in their new home they escaped. Eventually they were both found and both dogs came back to me and are now permanent members of my doggy household.

Dylan has blossomed and is a lively and a typical outgoing little Spitz, occasionally rather bossy, although he still doesn't really trust people who try to pick him up. Although traumatised by his escapades on the run, Winston is sweet natured, keeping his head down and out of trouble, never happier than when he has some toy in his mouth. 's

You can read Winston's story here.

Piet
(Ronsard of Rhinevale)
Keeshond

Piet was the first dog I showed and took training. He was everything a good family pet should be...adaptable, sociable, sound and healthy...he was my companion and my friend. It was with Piet I won my first rosettes in the breed ring and it was with Piet, over 40 years ago, I was enticed into the world of showing and obedience competition. He won me my first prizes in obedience, albeit just lowly places in club matches with Jean Winkworth's Worcester Park Dog Training Club. He was a nice natured, easy going dog who put up with much in my early attempts at training.