Top Dogs

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="097d2c03.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Linda Topliss</B></FONT>    |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Linda Topliss"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Training Days"><U>Training Days</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Profiles"><U>Profiles</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id156.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The French Connection"><U>The French Connection</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id152.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Demonstrations"><U>Demonstrations</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Otterhound"><U>The Otterhound</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Training Tips"><U>Training Tips</U></A>   |   <B>Top Dogs</B>   |   <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Diary"><U>The Diary</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Poetry Page"><U>Poetry Page</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Working Trials"><U>Working Trials</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats on"><U>What's on</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id60.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fun"><U>Fun</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Captions"><U>Captions</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Notice Board"><U>Notice Board</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Letters"><U>Letters</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id157.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Switzerland"><U>Switzerland</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Guestbook"><U>Guestbook</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Food 4 Thought"><U>Food 4 Thought</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id154.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ryton on Dunsmore"><U>Ryton on Dunsmore</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Crufts Photos"><U>Crufts Photos</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Crufts Story"><U>Crufts Story</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id83.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Crufts Two"><U>Crufts Two</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Newark Show"><U>Newark Show</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All About Dogs"><U>All About Dogs</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Canine Supporters Charity"><U>Canine Supporters Charity</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id63.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Greyhounds"><U>Greyhounds</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Links"><U>My Links</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id112.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LDTC"><U>LDTC</U></A></div> <div> Top Dogs</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Just the Ticket for Heather, Briar and </B><B>Sheila Tannert</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1de39e00.jpg" border=0 width="313" height="224" ALT="Sheila with Briar and Heather" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> I had my first Lab a bitch I called Poppy in the late 70's.  I took her along to pet training classes all I wanted was a nice dog to live with - she had other ideas...  She used to run away when called I even got to the stage were I could have left her.  After a lot of training I thought I would enter an obedience show what a big mistake, she used to do something different each week, she would sing through stays or think stays are boring so I'll have a wander round. Heel work left a lot to be desired it was like she was out for a Sunday afternoon stroll, none of these things would she do in training.</div> <bR> <div> During all this and being a glutton for punishment I had another Lab I called Fern, what a pleasure she was.  No running away or stay problems you must think I'd got it made but no,<B> </B>Fern had hereditary cataracts she couldn't hold her head very high in the heel work position, but she never did very much wrong.  During this time I'd met and started training with Linda Topliss, after much perseverance we had Poppy doing her stays and putting together a very nice beginners round. But Fern actual won a beginner class first, then at Sheffield obedience show I knew I'd won my second beginners with Fern because Poppy was the last dog to work and low and behold she went and did a better round then Fern so I actual came 1st and 2<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >nd</FONT> in the same class.  Poppy went on to win novice and test <U>A</U> classes then I found out she had really bad hip displacier so she retired gracefully.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1e018d00.jpg" border=0 width="280" height="208" ALT="Briar and Heather" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> During this time Linda breed a litter of Labs from her Black dog Pluto and Honey a lovely yellow bitch, when I first saw them I fell in love with a small black bitch, I had a lot of hard work to persuade my husband I really needed another dog but eventually wore him down.  I called her Bracken. She was trouble in a nice way from day one, none of my other dogs would steal - this one would. She would open cupboard doors to get at food. I would leave the waste bin on the floor when I went out and in 5 minutes she'll empty it all over the floor. I found out the hard way about puppy pens.</div> <bR> <div> I continued entering obedience shows with Fern but the judges always said "That's a nice round but these dogs aren't meant for this sport".  Every week Linda would build up my confidence only for it to be knocked at the next show. Not one to be beaten she came up with "Why don't you try Working trials?"  I put up a lot of resistance because I thought only people who couldn't do obedience did trials (wrong again). Linda read the books and off we went the blind leading the blind.</div> <bR> <div> The control round wasn't to bad because we had worked test <U>B</U> in obedience.  The search square she just loved - not flashy but very accurate.  Sendaway - again not much of a problem, if I set her up straight she would run straight until the whistle to lie down.</div> <bR> <div> As for Agility, it took ages to teach and I mean hours and hours, we think this was because of the problems she had with her sight, but once she was confident that the jumps would not alter, her confidence grew and she became a very athletic dog. </div> <bR> <div> By the time she entered her first trial she was 6½ years old.  The first trials she entered we would qualify well except for the jumps, the first time she actual did the clear jump I was so excited I nearly forgot to give a position on the other side.  It was at Scarborough Championship trial that we first qualified CDEx and won the stake on 98½ pt's out of 100. </div> <bR> <div> During this time we also had to teach her how to track and things seemed to be going ok until our fist UD where we didn't complete the track - so back to the drawing board. The next few trial were the same, reached the first corner and went the wrong way. Things seemed to be ok when we tracked at home but I thought I would have her checked out at the vet's to make sure there was nothing wrong.  He found she had blocked tear ducts so this could be affecting her nose, so we had them flushed out not once but twice.  Things then started to look up and she went on to qualify UDEx WDEx and open TD not bad for a dog that didn't start her trial carrier till the autumn of her life.</div> <bR> <div> During this time Bracken was growing up. There is all ways a 'but'.  She developed a limp on her front leg after many trips to the vets and a much lighter purse (Thank goodness for insurance) they came up with the diagnosis that she may have had a slight fracture when she was a puppy so may develop premature arthritis.  After a long chat with a friend who is a vet and she suggested to "Suck it and see". So I did, and she managed to qualify through the classes and gain a TDEx.  </div> <bR> <div> Fern's years were catching up with her so I brought another black bitch I called Heather what a super bitch she is, she qualified through the classes and gained her TDEx in under a year.  </div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1e2f5ac0.jpg" border=0 width="245" height="172" ALT="Briar and Heather" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Bracken's arthritis was now starting to show so the time was right for her to take early retirement, so back I went to Eileen Dudley and her Styperson Labs and ordered a puppy from a repeat mating she was doing with the same dog and bitch that produced Heather, that word 'but' came up again, she produced all dog pup's and I wanted a bitch. Eileen explained that Pip, Heather's sister was also expecting so would I like to think about having one of those.  After a great deal of thought I said that I would love one.  BUT she only produced one pup, a bitch. Eileen had to hand feed because Pip had needed a caesarian section, but she would still let me have her if I wanted, if not she would keep her herself. Not a problem, I had her and called her Briar.</div> <bR> <div> When we went to see her what an independent puppy she was, she had learnt to use the cat flap to let herself in and out if she needed the 'loo'. I never had any puddles when I brought her home at 6 weeks. BUT I should have known then what I'd let myself in for.  She settled down well, bossing the others about. When it came to training I sometimes think she's Poppy reincarnated. The other thing that comes to mind is the little girl with the curl, when she's good she's very, very good but when she's bad<I> '</I><I>watch out'</I>.  Still, having said all that, she is a very clever bitch <U>and</U> she also qualified to TDEx in under a year.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1e414ca0.jpg" border=0 width="276" height="202" ALT="Briar and Heather" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> We have just had the icing on the cake.  Heather won the TD ticket at Skipsea this Christmas. This entitles her to work at the Kennel Club Championship Trial to be held in October at Poole. And Briar won the ticket at Oxford on the 15 Feb 2003.</div> <bR> <div> Watch this space to see what happens at the KCs in October.</div> <bR> <div> Sheila.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>CONGRATULATIONS</B></div> <div> <B>Stevi and Harley for qualifying UD.</B></div> <bR> <div>  <script language="JavaScript1.2">  </script> <p align="center"><font face="Arial" size="-2"> DHTML script provided by<br> <a href="http://www.dvproductions.co.uk">Fullforce</a></font></p>  </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>