Ursula wilby's Comments

Thanks for the comment Ursula, they were very wet ears at the time. They do tend to get in the road sometimes.
Love your pics.

Hello Ursula

I have been reading your page. I bought my first Setter in 1991, (Corribeg Holly) and she had a lot of Wendover ancestors. She was big, (the Red Club would have a fit!) probably 67/68cms and certainly bigger than the dog I have at present. Nonetheless she was beautifully proportioned and although not a working dog, moved like the wind. The longer stride probably gave her an advantage on smaller dogs and she would keep up her pace for the duration of our walk, usually about an hour. She was still doing this until a month before she died - at which time she weighed 35 kilos, and no, she was not too fat. You will understand therefore, why I cannot agree with the idea that the dogs must be small to be fast and have endurance.

She would have made a great show dog as she loved showing off but I didn't have time to show her as I was running a business at the time. She was however the greatest of companions and rarely left my side.

Now I have twos setters, five and two years. They are smaller, although not small enough for the new French standards. They are fast but nowhere near as fast as my original girl. Both have Wendover ancestry.

What has really interested me is your success with obedience. I take my two to the local Club Canine every week. They don't do too badly but there is no way they can compete with the German Shepherds there. They are fine - until they pick up a scent. Then you can forget it. They're not interested in food rewards and I might just as well not be there. In fact I think they wouldn't notice if I went home and left them behind! Any ideas or advice would be welcome. I feel sure you are right. It can be done but I'm not quite sure how and I do understand about the Border Collie. You would certainly have an easier time when it comes to obedience!

Sorry Ursula

Forgot to sign out.

Vanessa

Thanks for the compliments about Darby and her picture! WE think she's pretty special. I am really enjoying owning a setter.
Angie

Ursula I was in the water! ...what can we do to get nice shot... :)
Greetings
Agnieszka

Thank you for your kind remarks.!

Rachel.

Thank you so much for your comment! You have got very beautiful dogs. :)

Ursula,
I love your photos! I have a little trouble reading the words where the background is dark red. Thank you for sharing about yourself! Your dogs are special!
Judi

seems like you are focused on burrs only :-)))

Hi,

I live 60 miles northeast of San Francisco, CA USA. I was doing agility with my 10 year old Aussie until this past spring when she let me know that she was ready to stop. Also my work schedule changed and I am unable to continue classes with the trainer I was going to for the last 7 years. So for the last 6 months I have enjoyed spending time with my 3 dog and my husband. I hope to find an agility trainer that I like to work with Scout and I. We have done a starting class for agility put we still have a long way to go before the two of us would be able to start to compete.

Love your photos
kathie

Northern California weather is different than Southern. We get more rain. The weather in California is wonderful it would be very hard to live somewhere else.

My sister and I went to an agility trial in Scotland two years ago. We spent two wonderful days watching . There where alot of border collies and few shetlands and aussies there. It was interesting to see the difference in the courses and the handling. My aussie is not a very high drive dog. She did the agility because I asked her to.

Thank you enormously Ursula!! I got the letter and it was EVERYTHING I wanted and needed.

hugs and kisses

-Katariina-

I have been very lucky with my Aussie's. They have been very calm and loving. I have not had one that is hyper at all. I know that there are those that are. My girls are very happy to be laying around the house or running around as long as they are with me. I have never had to constantly give them a job to do. I have done obedience with all of them and they did very well.

Scout is three times more active then they were at the same age. Scout loves to please your as much as the girls. He is so forgiving. He has been such a joy to be around. He likes things to be more routine then the girls. He does not like it when you change his schedule. (eating, playing, training etc.) Once he learns something he remembers. Only problem I have from doing the agility with him is that he knows he can climb onto everything -dressers, cabinets, chest etc.

The weather here is 40 to 50 degrees at night and 60 to 70 during the day. We really need rain.

today it was nice enough to sit outside and eat lunch.

one way to compare border collies to aussies is that when you are playing ball with a border collie and you hide the ball the collie will keep saying ball, ball while an aussie will ask what are we doing next. I did not want that intense drive and was one of the reason I chose aussie's.

we had another nice day here. there are not that may days during the year in our area that it is so cold that you do not want to go outside.

i live in the city and Scout would love to have more room to run around. I have a dog walker during the week for him and we go to a local dog park on my days off to play and run around. Before I had a dog walker he was getting into more trouble even though my husband retired he is not able to exercise the dogs.

hi,

yes we are having another nice day in CA. Tonight it should get to freezing and for the next few nights. I have thought to move to another colder area and then I wake up and can not believe what I am thinking about. It would be very hard to get use to the changes in weather.

I do have to deal with the commute traffic. It can take me 2 1/2 to 3 hours to get to work and 2 hours to get home and I have been doing it for 20 years.

Well....actually stopped in to say howdy.

Besides, goldens think everyone wants to say hello to them.

Hi Ursula!
I had a look at the Kelliegarden BC, but somehow they just don't have that something extra that I see in Ghost of Corrie Dhu... I think I'd love a Ghost puppy - even a BC:-)

'grey... day after day...'

The same here, but you have the added bonus of the beach!