Puppy Training is in full swing

We've had some great practices lately. It's been especially exciting since we have
a tremendous batch of puppies in various stages of training.

Sly, Shay and Crank are signed up to make their debut in Singles in Memphis this month.
All three have been doing very competitive head to head racing and they are having a
lot of fun and running like veterans. They are just starting to learn to pass as well.
All three of these dogs have A team potential. Sly and Crank are Border Collies and
Shay is a Boinderdoodle (don't ask, she's a Border Collie mix that looks a lot like a Pointer).

Little Jack Jack, a Border Collie Mix, is learning his box turn and should be ready for
full runs this summer. Jack Jack measured a seven inches in U-Fli, so it's great to have another
height dog to help bring down the jump heights for everyone, especially a fast one.

Next up are Elle and Porsche, two amazing little puppies are learning their box turns
and are very fast over the jumps. Elle is a Border Collie and Porsche is a Whippet/BC mix.
Both of these dogs have been way ahead on their training. They've matured so fast and
have taken to Flyball so naturally. Porsche was the fastest puppy we've ever experienced,
at six months old she was chasing down our A team dogs, and we hope her box turn will
match. Both of these kids have serious A team potential.

And now we have our two little baby Border Collies, Piver and Myles, imported from Canada.
We hope they develop like their big sister Sly. So far they've both shown the same quickness,
speed and desire to work. They are both gorgeous as well. Soon they will be joined by another
awesome little boy who is just a couple weeks old now. This terrible threesome will be
graduating in 2010 and we are very excited about them.

So that's nine puppies (six BCs and three BC mixes) in training, enough for two teams,
so you can imagine our practices have been very puppy intensive. It has been great,
it has allowed us to refine out training regiment. These kids all have special needs,
but we're able to work that into the same program so all have remained on track and
moving forward with predictable results. We're not having to re-invent with each dog.
Each dog has done the same set of drills in the same order at about the same age.
Our A and B team dogs are getting plenty of work as well, mostly coming out to work
in the other lane with the puppies. These puppies are pushing the older dogs, so it's
working out both ways. Even our ten year old vets are having fun doing recalls with
the little babies. It'll be a very busy summer for the Sure Shots.

And we never forget our long term project, the training of our Shelty, Skye, who
makes great strides forward every other week, and the rest of the time she reminds
us just how wonderful Border Collies are.