I went to a training session of the Carry Ons Flyball Team yesterday to research for an article and get some interviews for DogCast Radio. It was fascinating and a lot of fun and I'm grateful to the team to having us there. One thing I noticed was how excited the dogs get when a race is on - the noise level went through the roof, but as soon as the race was over peace descended again. And those dogs are so fast. They race in faster and slower teams, but the difference between them is only around a couple of seconds.
When I arrived I was wrapped up against the cold with coat, scarf and hat, but I soon had to remove the hat as one of the dogs was very unhappy about it. (Everyone's a fashion critic now.) So I looked around the huge barn we were in and went to lodge my hat on top of what I though was a shelf. however as soon as I took my hand off my hat it disappeared from sight, falling down the other side of a breeze block wall. I was a little put out as I like that hat, but one of the team told me I would find it if I went out of the barn and looked at the other side of the wall, which I did. And aside from a little mud, the hat is none the worse for its little adventure.
Later in the session a dog jumped up to greet me and his paw landed smack on my camera. I did not realise that at the time, until I tried to take a picture and the opening mechanism stuck, a situation not helped by the generous pawful of sand that had been deposited on it. I really like that camera too, even more than the hat, so I was relieved when after a good dusting off and a few practice opens and shuttings it was almost good as new.
I learned a lot from talking to the team members, and I was interested to see that very different dogs were taking part, from statuesque German Shepherds to a cute Yorkie-Poo. I learned a few things from the day -
1. Check carefully where you are placing your hat before you let go of it.
2. When dogs are around keep hold of your camera.
3. Flyball dogs are way too fast to take pictures of!
It was a day well spent - as is any day spent in the company of great dogs and fellow dog lovers.
Take care,
Julie x