) Now it would appear that I have a new dance partner. A certain blonde haired young man called Bentley. Move over Bob, Bentley Twinkletoes is here. We started doing heel work to music about 18 months ago and it's just BRILLIANT!!!
Mind you, it's not always been an easy ride this HTM lark. Bentley's epilepsy quite often makes him tired so we have to go easy on the training with short bursts of as little as ten seconds several times a day. At the club we often sit out of the training out so he doesn't get over tired. Other times he's raring to go but not quite firing on all cylinders so he forgets quite a lot so we have to go right back to basics. Sometimes we have a lovely time training and he amazes me with his skill and just occasionally he really can't be bothered in which case we go and do something else instead.
It's been challenging, frustrating, infuriating, joyful, character building, inspiring and downright blooming good fun. I know we'll never get to Cruft's but that has never been my intention, this is a just hobby and bonding time for me and my boy and we both love doing it.
On Thursday night, club night, he gets all excited while I get his treats ready and we make our way to training where he can see all his mates and have a great time.
Of the four competitions we've entered, we missed one because of his epilepsy, we competed in one in May and gained a 6th and then a 7th place. Then we missed another competition because of his tummy upset, which he swiftly followed up with a major fit, that was a week, that was
but over the last couple of weeks all has been peaceful on the health front. I was quietly hoping that we might actually *whisper it* get to compete in our club's competition. I kept my fingers and toes crossed and hoped for the best. Well, blow me down, we did it. We actually made it to the competition. It was last weekend.
I'd entered us into four rounds: starters heel work x 2 and starters freestyle x 2. I knew we'd have no chance in the heel work as we'd not even put a routine together, I just thought it would be good experience in the ring for him and we could use it as a training round and have a bit of fun with no pressure. However, during his second attempt I thought I'd see it thorough to the end and we got 5th place! No one was more surprised than I was.
The freestyle we've been working on for a while but it's all a bit hit and miss. I think the technical term is an 'on the the day dog'.
Well. We won!! Both rounds! I'm so very proud of him that I could burst.
Here he is with his rosettes and cups. 
I've uploaded the video of it to YouTube if you're interested. The key word to remember if you watch it is 'starters'. Don't be expecting to see Ashleigh and Pudsy standard. Not yet. We'll do that next year hahaaa. Bentley decided to join in with the dancing about halfway through. Up until that point I was dancing and there was a dog there
http://youtu.be/_C9itToXqdc?list=UUzttW ... O0DVK5OywQ
