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Last year Barney matured, developing into a fine, healthy intelligent animal, while at the same time still willing to learn. He continues to surprise me with the speed he learns some things, while still appearing thick at simple tasks...you wonder 'how on earth did he know how to do that'.

Because of the Foot & Mouth Disease, most Lurcher shows were cancelled until the autumn. We attended CMC shows, Fun shows and the odd Exemption show, these being held at suitable venues with low risk of spreading the infection. Towards the end of the year however, I noticed he was becoming 'flat' in the show ring. Barney is a poser, and usually shows himself, but he was becoming bored with it. At these shows he can enter up to a dozen classes, as opposed to only one or two at Lurcher shows.

He had won a race, and won an obedience competition, but based on the Kennel Club Gold Award, rather than their obedience. The large bag of rosettes came from the number of classes entered, and the shows attended. He has now won every class he is eligible to enter, except for a SCAMPS heat. We cannot seem to find a 'hound judge' or when we do they prefer rough-coated ones.

Apart from the odd lapse, he is very well behaved, and a joy to take anywhere. The only exception to this is his timid nature making him wary, and jumpy with any bangs or loud noises. He does not mind traffic, but train doors banging, or strange noises at country shows force me to give them a wide berth, or end up with a frightened, shaking animal, which no amount of coaxing or encouragement will help.

A few weeks ago we went to the first show of the year, an Exemption show with Obedience. I entered him in the 1st and 2nd classes open to all dogs never to have won. We were still eligible, due to his win being a different type of obedience. Hopeful of a result I entered what I thought to be the easier class, but was in fact the higher one. Unfortunately a superb round was spoilt when I moved on the recall, something I had totally forgotten, as I don't have a trainer standing over me to remind me. However, we would not have won, the winning dog completing a perfect round, and were awarded 1/3rd instead of 2nd. With the high standard, and large entry of over 30 competing in this class at this show, I was still well pleased with this result, his and my best ever score.

I entered the lower class almost immediately, but he had lost interest, and it was if I had entered with a different dog. Past experience has taught me I only get one chance to shine with him, which I must do early in the day before he tires. However we had a pleasant day in good weather, and with a 1/3rd in Best Crossbreed, one of only 2 show classes we could enter, had another good day, also meeting some of our friends for the first time this year.

Last Sunday was the first CMC show. We were not favoured in the show classes at all, only getting a 1/6th place in appealing eyes. Apart from the SCAMPS heat, I only entered him in a few classes, and was pleased to see he was enjoying them again.

However the main event of the show was the inclusion of obedience for the first time. We had a North v South competition, of which this was the first leg of two, but either the obedience people had not heard about the show, or thought it not worth attending, because the entry was way below the 100 plus who usually go just for the obedience competition.

There were 3 classes, styled to cater for the standard of competition. I had wanted to be well prepared for this show, but actually arrived with the least preparation of any, coupled with a slight hangover from my neighbours leaving party I felt obligated to attend the previous night. I entered the intermediate class, the top class of the day, which thankfully did not include a retrieve, as we do not yet have a formal retrieve, if any at all.

I had practiced and done a successful warm up, but when the steward asked if we were ready, I said yes, but had a niggling doubt. This was confirmed when we set off, as Barney was not his usual interested self. His position was not too bad, but he was just not with me. Despite inwardly groaning, I encouraged him as much as possible, and benefiting from my previous experience, I recovered the situation, as we only lost 3 half points.

I positioned him for the recall, then had to reposition him, as I had been asked to walk towards the corner and he was not straight. This may have been a blessing, as just as I was about to call him; I saw his eyes suddenly light up, as his interest sparkled into life. He had been about to plod over, sitting slovenly, but ended up working well, only losing half a point. Afterwards I have realized the Judge was marking fairly, but hard, as the next lowest score to ours was 8. Barney's heelwork off lead was back up to standard, although we lost a further point, giving us a final score of 3. This was good enough to win us the competition, the first obedience I have won, making up for losing Jessie's with my silly mistake in 1996. We also won the obedience challenge, the second leg will not be taking place due to lower than anticipated interest, and a small financial loss.

So not only have we finally won obedience, we won the top class with previous winners competing, winning by a large margin; we also won for the club. I just can't tell you how satisfying this is, or how hard it has been, given I am not naturally good at dog handling.

What a difference a day, well a week makes. Last week we went to an exemption show with obedience. I didn't write about it at the time because, quite frankly nothing happened to write about. Booking in was 10am for 11 start. I woke at 9.20, which saw me rushing to arrive at 10.50. The small car park was full, they were not allowed to park on the field??? There were 3 obedience classes, and we could only enter the intermediate class. There was a retrieve, so I knew we would not be doing any winning or placing today. In the event he did poorly, one of the worst I have seen. His heart just wasn't in it at all.

The show had started, the elderly lady judge taking nearly 3 hours for the first 4 pedigree classes, and when our classes finally arrived, proceeded to judge at the same snails pace. After the initial examination, we were only given the briefest of glances when she was picking the winners, so nothing doing here either. If my good friends from East Anglia had not arrived earlier, filling the day with pleasant company, I may well have left before my early 4.30 departure to my friends for evening meal. I did not bother stopping for the final 3 classes.

The obedience judge in intermediate was the same lady who had judged the show at Tattershall. We had thought she didn't prefer hounds, especially smooth haired ones, however we did have a pleasant chat in the ring, and found she did like them, having owned Greyhounds herself in the past. So maybe she did not want to appear biased towards them, resulting in actually the opposite happening. I have made the same mistake when I judged for a friend a few years ago. Thinking I must not pick all the large dogs, GSDs etc. I missed giving a dog a win that it deserved.

Finally, the full set.

And so to this Sundays show. Another exemption show, but being organized by a CMC member, so more like a fun show with a SCAMPS heat. This was slightly different to our normal shows, and as my friends had been to a show the previous day near their home, and would not be attending I was not sure what sort of day to expect. I was not to be disappointed however.

After the usual mornings preparations, I arrived for the start of booking in. The same as last weekend, the show was less than an hours ride away, but South rather than East. I don't know if it's the weather, or air, but this small difference in area appears to produce a much friendlier type of person...strange, but very welcoming.

The Crossbreed & Mongrel Club insist that dogs entering their shows have a current vaccination certificate. Surprisingly I do remember to take it, but was unusually asked for it when booking in. Most of our shows are run by people who know me, so I had a little light hearted banter with the people booking in, who later told me were not familiar to dog shows, just friends who had been asked to help. This did not go against me for the show, as you will see.

The venue was at a large hall, a small stately home, in lovely grounds. The entrance drive went around the lawn, actually a field and the show only occupied a relatively small corner, giving plenty of exercise room at the other end. I said my hellos to one or two people who I know; some I was seeing for the first time this year, and then took advantage of the exercise area. The few people we met doing the same were very pleasant, letting their dogs socialize with Barney.

One or two more people I know arrived, and I spent the time pleasantly chatting, some not aware of our obedience win the other week. The show had 2 rings and judges, so the 4 pedigree classes and SCAMPS heat classes could run at the same time. We were in the 3rd class, dogs over 18" and I spent some of the waiting time practicing a little heelwork in the field. This shows everyone, including the judge if they are looking that you have a well trained dog, but more importantly, this little warm up makes the dog more likely to behave.

Our class arrived and I entered the ring, with Barney looking slightly bored already. I had managed to position myself in the lineup properly. Too near the front and you are forgotten, and too near the back, and they have often already made their mind up. I have enough experience now to tell the judge about my dog, name age etc. in a little sentence, as a way of saying hello...most like it I have found. After the examination we were asked to do a triangle, in which I managed to 'lift' my flat, bored dog. This coupled with my wearing my club sweatshirt, and the heelwork warm-up did not go unnoticed, as we were picked out into the final line up. The judge then came over and awarded us FIRST PLACE. I was so astonished, I had to be told to go to the head of the line up. This was what I had always hoped to win, our class in a SCAMPS heat.

After the next class, we were called in with the other 3 dogs to get the SCAMPS HEAT winner. This dog would be eligible for the supreme championship competition at the national show. I was even more surprised when she picked us...at last, a judge who likes Barney as much as many other people do. Probably because some of the better lady handlers were absent, my handling was not put in the shade, as later in the day, a person watching commented to me Barney had been beautifully handled, and was the best dog there. It seems for once that I had not let him down [grin].

The pleasant day progressed, with us picking up some more places in the remaining classes. The SCAMPS win, the Best In Show for the mixed breed dogs meant in the space of 3 weeks we had obtained the 2 most difficult wins, and that now Barney had won everything once. Many dogs, including some in the CMC have won lots more, but I feel this is no mean achievement. He does not wag his tail much, he is not an excitable dog so is not suitable to enter this class, also I have not really taught him any tricks....again he would find this difficult. Hard to explain, he is a clever dog, and one of the main purpose of a dog is to conserve energy. This is why he will not retrieve, or play with balls etc. If you can't eat it, why chase it. So, he is not really suitable to enter these classes.

That said, another major event happened. There was fastest recall and retrieve as usual, and I had a couple of goes at each. He was not into top gear in the recall, no surprise there, but he did a very respectable retrieve with the lead (I had forgotten the canvas dummy as usual) which resulted in us getting 4th place at the end of the day. Surely to win a place in a retrieving competition, with a dog with none is another step forward.

So an enjoyable day, was made more so by our wins. We won his SCAMPS class and the overall heat. He got 4th in fastest retrieve, 3rd in fastest recall for Lurchers and also for Best Mover and Appealing Eyes. The judges quite fairly awarding different dogs the wins. If one dog is favoured, and gets several wins, others have to do without....and at the end of the day, it is just a persons opinion, and the show is an excuse for a day out. There are usually 24 or so red rosettes, with others to 4th or 6th place. There should be enough for nearly everyone to go home with one, and about 1/3 get a win. I know some will disagree, but this is the object of the exercise in my opinion. So if a judge gives one dog the lions share of wins and places, others miss out. If it is their first time at a show, they may not bother going to another.

The other week I went to a show with no preparation, and won the obedience. This time, other than a few seconds grooming, and giving his teeth a clean, I had neglected him; the boat taking up my time. It seems the less work I do, the better I do on the day. I am not taking this as an excuse for being lazy though. Quite the opposite, it means I must now try to keep him in top condition for the national show in September.