The KNIGHTs Shelties

It is getting closer to Halloween (31/10/2009) and Guy Fawkes Night (05/11/2009), so almost everynight we can see/hear the fireworks from the neighbourhood. There are so many posters about dogs/cats get very stressed about the fireworks. I am very lucky that all my boys are calm with the fireworks going above them. We bought some fireworks three years ago, Colin wanted them for his birthday, so we took the dogs (Sing, Seagull, Saturn, Titan and Skye) to the Common along with my nephews to light some fireworks for Colin. I thought it was a crazy idea taking the dogs but I was amazed how well they coped with all the banging noises and light shooting up. I started putting them on the lead, keep them close beside me when the kids light the fireworks, there were all qurious about the fireworks at fast but no stress in them, they think the fireworks more like a game than anything scarry.

For the last two years, Sing, Saturn and Titan love to sit by the french window watching into the sky for fireworks; Seagull and Skye normally lie down on the settee being comfy, they are not the type of adventorous like the others.

Sizzle saw his first fireworks last year, he again was very calm, didn't show any sign of stress or fright at all and this year, he joins the other three sitting by the french window. We only have Samber early this year (14th Feb, St Valentine's Day), she is another great dog, didn't have a fear at all over the fireworks.

One thing I dislike about the fireworks is I always found some "left over" in my garden! It is very dangerous, especially this one (photo below) I found thi morning is so close to the house! I do not mind people playing fireworks in the Common or Park but in the garden always scared me!

As Sizzle was stung by the bees on Friday, I wasn't sure if we are still able to compete at Weald on Saturday. I have entered Sizzle and Saturn, that will be their last Grade 3 and Grade 5 show. Kevin, my vet said the antihistamine & steriod jabs that he gave to Sizzle will make him feel drowsy but he should be back to normal the next day. When we got back from the vet, I used the penny to press it on the bite for 15 minutes (the swelling has gone down), then I left him and took the other dogs out for a walk; when we got home, I used the hot & cold treatment on the bite for another 10 minutes. Then, I have a good look at the bite, the swelling has gone completely! WooHoo! I don't know which one works, the jabs? the penny? or the hot & cold? Whatever it is, it's gone!

He bounced back in the evening, didn't see any different in him, he brought a ball for me to throw and we had a little play but he got tired quickly. We all went to bed quite early just in case I decided to go to Weald the next morning.

We did go to Weald at the end. Sizzle looks happy when we woke up and we haven't have an early start, so we set off casually. We got there in plenty of time, the only problem was we cannot find a car park! The parking was absolutely full, we managed to find an awkward place to park the car and thank God nobody complain.

We only have two classes each for Sizzle and Saturn. Both Combined 1-5 Agility & Jumping. Sing is Grade 6 and is not eligible to run there. I didn't know what Time, Fault and Out was, so I didn't enter, how stupid! Our day started with the Jumping first, Saturn in the Medium before Sizzle. It was a nice flowy course with a little "pull in". I thought Saturn should be able to do it perfectly but how wrong was I. He didn't give me his full attention when I set him up on the start line, he wasn't concentrate at all. I should have insisted to put him back and wait but I didn't. I released him and he took the wrong jump and eliminated at the 3rd jump! Otherwise a lovely round.

Sizzle did a beautiful round but we didn't managed the little pull in bit, I thought I have called him and he responded but when I study the video carefully, it shows I didn't hold my ground long enough for him to come in to me to take the jump, so back jump it. My mistake! Now, I have another homework with him. I taught him too much of "out around" (means go out and take the jump) and now the problem starts!

After the jumping, we have to wait a few hours for our Agility run. I have watched others did the Time, Fault and Out and I was gutted I didn't entered. It would be a good practise/experience for little Sizzle. I will learn next time.

Saturn was a little hyper in his Agility, of course he missed his DW by miles! He was very happy running across the DW and LEAP! We must get this sorted for the next season!! His A Frame is so much better, I think released him QUICK on the A Frame helps.

I did a silly mistake with Sizzle in the Agility. I didn't stop to let him take the weave entry. I ran passed the weave and hoping he will learn to pick the weave but I forgot he is only a baby. Also, on the see-saw. Last weekend, we had trouble doing front cross and me keeping him on the see-saw for it to tip. I have gone back to the square one to teach him the see-saw because I have learned that I haven't reward him enough TO STAY on the see-saw. I always reward him after he is OFF the see-saw, so he wanted to get off the see-saw as quick as possible but that is wrong because he needs to learn to wait for the see-saw to tip. I think he begin to know that he cannot come off if the see-saw is not fully tip, so we have a dodgy see-saw there but hopefully we can fix this problem soon. Also, he missed his DW!!! Arrrrggghhh ... we need more practise!

All in all, I am very happy with Sizzle, the more mistakes he made, the better we will be next time. I'd like to see him making mistake so I know where to improve. We also entered the Pay On the Day Helter Skelter. Saturn won the Medium and Sizzle was 4th but they only placed up to 3rd.

Sunday morning, I took Colin and the dogs to the Common where Sizzle got stung by the bees. From a distance, Colin and I cannot work out how Sizzle got stung because the area is absolutely flat but when was walked closer, we could see tons of bees flying around. I be braved to investigate and saw a bees nest underground, the nest is damaged; so my friend Arley is right about the digger has disturbed the nest. I think Sizzle has somehow walked into the hole where the bees nest is and no surprise he was covered in bees! Poor little soul. Since yesterday evening, he went all quiet again, I don't think he has the tummy problem because he is not stretching his tummy, he just very quiet and sleepy. I hope the infection didn't start now! I have heard the infection could come later, within 24-28 hours. Arrrrgghhh .... frustrated!

Poor Sizzle is the unlucky victim to this! It has never occurs to me that my dogs will be attacked by bees!

It is a bit unusual for me to take Sing, Saturn and Sizzle out for a walk today and left the other three behind (now I thought about it, I felt lucky not to take the others with me). Not long after we got onto the Common, the episode happened. As usual, I let the boys off the lead when we step in the Common, off they went and I slowly catch them up. There were a digger in front trying to landscape an area of the Common, so I called them off the usual track and hopefully we could go around from the other side.

Sing and Saturn were with me but Sizzle off to investigate the digger. We were quite a distance from the digger, I was worried that the digger might hurt Sizzle so before Sizzle get close to the digger,I called him back to me. I can see he tried to turn back and ran towards me but he kept sitting down and biting his own leg. I thought he got thorn or prickle on his pad. I kept calling and he kinda run towards me in a funny way (limping and weird), when he got to me, he suddenly lie down, like he is collapsing. I can't figure it out why but I saw him biting his back leg, so I had a look, then I saw a few bees (maybe 6 or 7) attaching to his back leg. "Luckily" it was cold this morning, so I have my winter jacket and glove on, I tried to brush the bees off his leg but there were two seems to stuck on his leg, so I had to brush harder to get them off him. Just as I thought that was it, I saw more bees on his body, I started to get a bit panic. I tried to shoooo them off but gosh, these are bees and they were flying around us. I don't know what to do, I was so worried about Sizzle, so I quickly remove my jacket to use it to brush the bees off him. It was quite a scene. Sing and Saturn thought I was playing a game with Sizzle, they barked at us and I was panic that the bees might attacked all of us. I then quickly picked Sizzle up and ran away, Sing and Saturn were good to follow me to the edge of the Common. We then quickly walk home, of course Sing and Saturn on the lead and I have to carry Sizzle. He looked shock, shaky and tremble. Believe me, I still saw a couple of bees flying out from him when we were on our way home!

When we got home, I let Sing and Saturn got into the house, took the car key and rush Sizzle to the vet. I called Kevin on the way (I know I shouldn't call while driving but this is emergency!) so when we got there we got to see him straightaway. I think I was more shock than Sizzle when we got there. Kevin gave him the antihistamine and steriod jabs. He told me to use the hot & cold treatment to help reducing the swelling. I also asked Kevin to give him a good look at, he said the most dangerous parts are the face, throat and legs where there are not much hairs but Sizzle has a big coat, he is well protected. Good news is there is no bite on his face and throat!

I remembered reading a thread about "bee stings" in the sheltie forum, it said if you get a bee stings, put a penny on the bite for 15 minutes, it will take the sting out of the bite immediately. Well, this is apply to human, I am not sure if it works on dog but no harm giving it a try, I thought. I press a penny on Sizzle's bite for 15 minutes. I can feel the heat on his leg but I also feel the lump is getting smaller! I have heard cooper in the penny counteracts many things, well it may well conteracts the bite!

I am not sure if the jabs work or the penny works or even the "hot & cold" treatment works. The swelling in his leg is obviously gone down now. Phew!

can you see the swelling (red circle), this photo was taken after we came back from the vet

this is the similar photo to the above, just to compare the swelling leg and the normal leg

poor Sizzle, needs a lot of hugs and cuddles!!

Tiggi, aka Posh. Sally said Posh didn't suit her, so she has changed her name to Tiggi, TIG for short. You know why? Because she spends hours running around like a loony and maybe bounce like Tigger!!!

This is what Sally said about her: She is funny, cute, naughty and very bright. We all love her to bits. Wow does she keep me on my toes, I think I've lost a stone in weight!

I am a very happy breeder! All my puppies owner always send me news and photos and tell me how much their little friends make them happy. I was sad and feeling very down yesterday (will make a separate post about it later) but these pictures of Skye brighten my day:

checking the cat out

typical sheltie puppy, tearing up the toilet roll