Merlin's Magicians Flyball & Agility Dogs
Duffy - A very special dog - See Bits and pieces
ANNIE
Annie is 7 years old, born to a pedigree Welsh Springer the owner was talking ‘Crufts’ for the litter, pre birth! When presented with 9 black and white puppies she asked “could they be a throw back”! The local farm collie looked suitably smug! I had Annie at 8 weeks old; my friend Sue had Tippi (another of our team) Annie is a lovely, lovely girl, does good pet obedience at the local club, Flyball and Agility. Registered as Annie Spaniel for KC Agility we have only once tried competing, despite being able to do the entire course with no problems Annie has a concentration problem, a spectator with a bag of crisps was just too good to miss. Our clear round with one jump to go ended in disqualification!
Never going to be the fastest dog in the Flyball team, much too laid back. Annie is solid and reliable; she has competed in sanctioned competition three times (as at October 2008) and has 79 points towards her 200 for Flyball Dog Award……………June
RUSTY
Rusty is a three year old Working Sheepdog, he was, in effect, dumped, at 5 months old he was lodging whilst his owners moved house and rather than have him back they went and bought themselves another puppy! So Rusty stayed. Rusty was, still is on occasions, a problem dog. Suffers from ‘fear aggression and looks very threatening when he comes face to face with other dogs. Loves agility but does tend to rush it and demolish jumps! A fast but not 100% reliable dog at Flyball, has to run last as we can’t trust him to do ‘changeovers’ and occasionally, if he notices the other team will charge up and down
barking at them!! Not good, but he does stay in the jumps and has 15 points from the one sanctioned tournament he ran in.
Despite not liking other dogs, Rusty loves people and beneath his insecurities is a great big softy………….June
TIPPI
Litter sister to Annie, Tippi has the same ‘interesting’ start to life.
Although very obviously sisters, Tippi is smaller lighter, more Collie like than Annie, she is also a much faster Flyball dog. Running last, as she insists on giving any dog running up against her a quick woof, (yes with the ball in her mouth) Tippi has often made up ground and won a race for us. Tippi’s day job alongside her side kick Jack, is greeting customers in her Mum Sue’s Pet supplies shop, usually from behind the till!.........Sue
JACK
Rescued from 2 Welsh dogs homes, came into my home via a rescue centre at approx 9 months old. He's been with me about a year now, has settled in with Tippi, and life in the Pet shop. Generally found with his head in a bag of food, he's made lots of human friends, especially children, and has even appeared on the Welsh channel S4C 3 times (original programme and 2 repeats!). Now learning flyball, he shows potential..........Sue
JED
Jed's mum is a boxer who got out and had a romantic interlude with the local pointer. Jed is the only one of the resulting puppies to be born deaf. He was homed but came back and at the age of 6 months went into rescue. I saw his details and that was it!!! At the time I lived in the Midlands, so myself, my greyhound and my ancient terrier travelled to Wales to meet him. He loves everyone and everything but especially bonded with Lucy Greyhound, so within a couple of days of coming home was allowed off lead as he would follow her example - making his recall training easy. Jed and another dog started Flyball classes together and I am proud to say that Jed actually learned a lot quicker than the hearing dog! He adores Flyball and agility, and he is a Pets as Therapy visiting dog.. Jed is 2.5 years old and has been with me since he was 10 months old.
TRUMPS
..........Brenda
BO
We don't know if Bo was born on the streets or dumped but when he first went into rescue he was thought to be 8 months old. He found a home quickly but within a couple of months was back in rescue after again living on the streets - this time hundreds of miles away in Wales. Bo can be a bit of a handful and a few homes did not work out for him, but in June 2007 he came to live with us as a playmate for Jed. Bo can be a complete idiot in practise - 2 good runs then he goes haywire but I was extremely proud of him in his first Starters Tournament when he brought the ball back to me each time! (Was it the right dog???)………Georgina.
OLLIE
Ollie was a rescue taken from a farmer who intended to shoot him as nobody wanted him. A natural clown he is always doing something to make me laugh, he greets people with a stupid grin on his face and a bone. Ollie loves Flyball and is very fast but has not always been reliable. On one occasion trying to beat the oppositions dog to their box instead of ours!! We are working on distraction and by next year he will be a valued member competing with Merlin’s Magicians……Liz
LADY
Lady came to me in September 2008 from a family who gave her up to have a better life than they were able to give her. I fell in love with her when I saw her advertised on the internet. My husband thought I was mad taking on a 4yr old for training to be a sheepdog but there was no talking to me. It was soon apparent that she was not interested in sheep - in fact she had been taught never to look at them! I felt that she needed something to do and took up Agility in the November and she loved it and I got hooked. We have competed since Easter, more for the experience than anything else. Then I heard about Flyball in our area and decided to give it a go - again she loves it - and me, she is still a little box shy but we are working on it. She has also recently been for her assessment to become a PAT dog so that is something else for us to do and......... she has started working sheep much to my husband’s amazement - him being a shepherd!.....Jan
MONTY
I do some rescue for Lizzies Barn, take in Cavaliers before they find homes. I was asked to take a Cavalier puppy as the rest of the litter had died. Monty came as a ball of fluff absolutely nothing like a Cavalier! As where he came from they kennelled the Shi Tzu’s next to the Cavaliers I think they might have had a Houdini! Monty is a delight to live with but not the smartest, it took him over six months to learn Flyball, but he has learned, and we now have high (pardon the pun) hopes that he will become a height dog for the team, keeping the jumps down to about 10 inches. Monty is also registered with the Kennel Club as Merlin’s Magical Mop! As I hope next year to have a go at mini Agility with him…..Liz
PRETZEL
Pretzel the Pomeranian came from a rescue centre, she is leggy for the breed so hopefully is destined to be a height dog for the team, if/when we can convince her to use the Flyball box! She loves the jumps etc but not the box. Feisty little girl who is a ‘real’ dog despite being a ‘Toy’ Enjoys nothing better than an hours run in the forestry with the big dogs chasing rabbits and getting covered with mud! She has started Agility which she loves, so watch this space………..
Since writing this Pretzel has had to have an operation for luxating Patella and been trampled by a Horse!! Like I said she is a feisty little Madam and has bounced, literally, back. Now doing the complete Flyball run without any aids but, still won’t use the box. Proving very difficult to get her over her aversion to the noise, she even leaves the room if a clicker is used! Agility for the moment Flyball? Maybe one day…………June
DUFFY
Duffy is a Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel, she came into my life when she was 7 weeks old.
My next door neighbour, Jackie, had bred from her tri-coloured Cocker (Precious) and she had 4 pups in the litter.
One morning in October 2008, I rang her to fetch me a T.V. paper. I was unwell, in the middle of a long period of ill health. Jackie said “I’ve only one puppy left, why don’t you have her, it’ll cheer you up, give you a reason to get up in the morning!” I refused point blank. Three hours later, Jackie brought the T.V. paper. PLUS puppy wrapped in a blanket. To cut a long story short – Duffy never went back home!! Christine Read more...
JESS
Jess is almost 7 years old. She came from the RSPCA where she was taken after a severe flea allergy left her nearly bald. When we had her she was fearful, having had two pups, probably on her first season, and looked like a skinny little lurcher but as her coat grew, so did the collie traits and her confidence.
She is now an enthusiastic, happy dog who took to agility like a duck to water and loves it. Also, on her first time at flyball, she picked it up very quickly and really enjoyed herself! June.
TESSA
Tessa came to me at nearly a year old having been shut alone in a windowless farm building from 8 weeks old. So nervous she was incontinent whenever I approached her for the first couple of weeks, she learned to trust me then, what could I do? I’d had her to find a home for but…….she stayed.
Tessa did start Agility but wanted to do it all at full speed, when we tried to slow her down (the see saw is dangerous done too fast) she just decided she wasn’t having it and refused to take part! Flyball she learned, and was good at but, always nervous Tessa couldn’t be relied upon, she was as like to take off and make her way back to the van if spooked so, regretfully never got to actually compete.
At 11 years old Tessa stays home now, it is her comfort zone, she along with the ‘couch potato’ Dachshunds, guards hearth and home for us………June
RUBY
An energetic Rottie who lives life to the full, Ruby enjoys running on the beach and winding her best pal Skye up! Enjoys cuddles and relaxing at night. She knows how to do Flyball but is very distracted by the other dogs, would rather socialize than work. But she will get there.
Danny
PIP
Pip is a 2 year old Lakeland x Border Terrier, she came in to my life in December 07 at the age of just 8wks. The reason for such a purchase was to help my fruit loop lurcher, Sassy cope with life. Pip’s best friend is Sassy. Her Favourite things include balls, running, balls, Flyball, Tuggies, balls, rolling in smelly things! cleaning the ears of Dave & Muse my 2 cats, (Thankfully they like this too!!) meeting her other best dog mates George & Pippa at Pembrey Country Park every day, playing on the beach and in the woods, Oh and balls. Dislikes rainy days. Pip is brave and bold, she has the sweetest of natures and has such a zest for life. She has 2 speeds, flat out 90 miles per hour or flat out fast asleep. Flyball was created for The Pipster, though at the moment she is inclined to cheat!!
Sarah
SASSY
Sassy is a rescue Lurcher, she has more than a touch of German Shepherd in her, which frankly gives her an opinion about everything! She whimpers and whines, desperate to get her point across. I don’t think she was ever mistreated, just not wanted. Foolishly purchased by a couple for their elderly parents!! She went from a litter, to old folks, to Kennels and I was blessed to come across this beautiful girl when she was 4 months old, ‘Out Of Control’ it said on her notes. Sassy has had a tough start in life and this made it hard for her to cope with a variety of everyday things, being left alone was a real problem. Then ‘The Pipster’ arrived and made things better. Sassy & Pip are the perfect little & large combo. Her favourite things are much the same as The Pipsters. Sassy is 2years 7months old now and still has a few anxieties but has come such a long way, she has a beautiful nature and thrives on being challenged to think. She has done a little Agility and now trying Flyball, though giving up the ball is hard for Sas! She is a Big Fast Dog with a Big Heart.
Sarah
SKYE
A typical Border Collie obsessed with tennis balls, Skye would gladly work for one all day long! Loves long walks and finding things to play with on the beach. Really enjoys her Flyball and pulls hard on the lead to get into the Ménage and start with the balls!!!
Laura
ISHKA
Ishka came from Great Dane Adoption, her date of birth is 6th. April 2007 making her just three years old. Ishka is the most Athletic Great Dane I have ever owned, she loves Agility. Trumps, her friend and companion is trying to teach her Flyball! Ishka is also a blood donor and has so far saved the lives of two dogs and prolonged the life of another. Brenda....footnote: She won't need to jump those flyball hurdles with legs like those. Walkies! lol
TICK
This is the wonderful Ticky who I fell in love with at first glance. I was at a Collie Rescue in Berkshire, and a phone call came in to say that a four month old collie pup was at a vets, and was being put to sleep because of Food Aggression, Gill asked me to take him, and I must admit I didn’t need much persuading. The food aggression wasn’t a problem, and was cured in a matter of days. Tick is now 16 months old, loves his ball, and that was the reason for attending June’s flyball class, he’s only been attending for a matter of weeks, and I am over the moon with how he has taken to flyball, even though sometimes he stops at the box and runs around the back to see if June has a titbit for him. I’d like to say a big thank you to the people who didn’t want Tick, and for giving me the chance to own him - Kathy