I started taking Jeep to agility class last November. He basically did not know a thing about agility. He sure has the attitude and drive for work. We have had so much fun working together! I am amazed at how fast he has progressed. This coming October he will compete in his first AKC trial, which is just a month short of a year training for this event. 

The next session of agility is an intermediate level and we will continue to learn and grow. 

I know that my boy Max, who is pictured above on this blog would also love to get back into agility. As Max and Jeep are at the same level, I will be alternating weeks, this way they will both get the training and practice that they need before the trial. Max is a fast learner also but does not have the same drive as Jeep. Not quite as fast but is accurate and listens. He is more the type of dog that wants to run with you rather than ahead of you. Jeep is extremely fast and often ahead of me, so I need to perfect directing him from a distance. He is still young, only 17 months and often has some independent thinking that I need to deal with. Occasionally he will decide on an obstacle that is not in the direction that we are heading. My trainer says that I need to run as fast as I can and when he sees me heading in a different direction he will run to catch up with me and stay on course. We tried this in class and I was amazed how well it worked. Once he saw me take off and go in a direction other than the one he wanted to go in, he turned and caught me and did the complete course correctly. He is such a fun dog. Next session it will be Max's turn and he probably will have some catching up to do as it has been a couple of years since he attended class. We have practiced some here at home but he needs to practice in the class setting which is more like a show setting for him. It will be interesting to see how quickly he will remember. I think that latent learning will kick in and he will be fine.

The challenge for me will be to adjust to the type of running each dog will execute. They are so different so will need to be really aware of what we are doing.

I will be back here in a couple of weeks to let you know how Max performed and if I think he will be able to compete in October. It sure would be fun to take both boys and give it a try. Wouldn't it be great if they both did nice clean runs in their first trial! The weave poles will be the hardest obstacle for both boys !"Weave Poles"

                                                          The above picture is Jeep.

New Sheltie faces in our home!

Our Sheltie family has grown this past year. We have purchased a lovely tri male pup and his younger sister.
The tri male is Jeep and has the most wonderful temperament. We have been training in agility since Oct.,2011.He is a quick study and almost ready to trial. He has been a blast to work with. He just loves everyone and keeps life very interesting. Little sister Rosie who is also a tri joined us in December of 2011. She is as cute as can be and has a lovely outgoing temperament. She is going to her first dog show in two weeks and we are excited to see how she will handle it. She is in beautiful puppy bloom so who knows maybe she will take a ribbon. 
These two pups are the last to join our family. Tri colors have always been a favorite of mine and they now make the family complete.
It will be great to go through next winter with everyone all house trained. Makes life so much easier.
I plan to spend the rest of the summer working on obedience with Rosie, Lizzie and Brooke. My goal is for a CGC certificate for all by the fall. A huge goal but one I think we can attain.


We have closed our agility shop and no longer sell equipment. With the economy the sales were very slow and not worth the effort of keeping a separate website.  I still teach agility on Tuesday mornings and my group has grown. We have about eight participants now and it really is so much fun. This is not a class for competition but for bonding with and having fun with your dog. 
This is Jeep!                                     Illusions Jopavist I Get Around 

 This is Rosie!                                 Illusions Jopavist Winter Rose

Jeep is now 15 months old and Rosie is now 7 months old. We do need to update Rosies picture.

The Shire Shoppe

I have opened a new shop, just in time for the holidays!! If you love the English Shire, which is a heavy, draft horse you will love my shop.Many beautiful pictures of the English Shire of Illusion Farm are displayed on a variety of products. You may find the perfect gift there. SHIRE SHOPPE

 

                                    Zoe, English Shire Mare from Illusion Farm
                                                                    Fryeburg, Maine

Holiday Season upon us soon!!!

The Holiday season is fast approaching. Need a special gift for the reader and book lover in the family, visit my shop and find that unusual book. Very reasonable prices and fast shipping from Amazon. I add new books weekly. Save time, fuel and money by shopping at Jopavist Best Books!

Jopavist Best Books is no longer in business. But I do have a nice shop at Cafe press. cafepress.com/shopsheltie

No Pups, so sad!

Our two litters that were expected did not materialize. One girl just completely missed. She is young so not too surprising, she will have pups some other time, when the time is right for her.

My other girl had one large pup, she was stillborn. Very sad for Ginger the mom, as after giving birth she continued for almost two days to search for her pup. The delivery was quite difficult as the pup was so large.Ginger will not chance going through this again. She will be six soon and has given us one beautiful litter. She has done her share.

But on the good side we do plan to have pups in January. We have bred our Brooke, to the lovely Ch Weststars Finders Keepers of Illusion Shetland Sheepdogs. These pups should be stunning.

Check back in a few weeks and we will know for sure if Brooke is expecting.

Once we know she is expecting we will post pictures of Brooke and Keeper on our Sheltie website.

www.jopavistsheltieshop.com

QUALITY COMPANION PUPS AND POSSIBLE SHOW PROSPECTS!

WE ARE EXPECTING TWO LITTERS MID SEPTEMBER.

LITTER #1 JOPAVIST KEEPSAKE OF FAIR ISLE BRED TO CH JESSTAR ADONIS.

POSSIBLE SHOW PROSPECTS FROM THIS BREEDING. ALL SABLE PUPS!

LITTER #2 JOPAVIST SHES GOT RHYTHM BRED TO ILLUSIONS TRU COLORS

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WE WILL HAVE BLUES, TRIS AND MAHOGANY SABLES.WE ARE EXPECTING OUTSTANDING TEMPERAMENT AND WORKING ABILITY!

VIST JOPAVIST SHETLAND SHEEPDOGS TO SEE THE MOMS! IF INTERESTED ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR LIST, IT IS FILLING FAST!

New Puppy in the House

We have a lovely new pup added to our family just before the holidays. He is a sable and white boy and is a full brother to our Brooke. We call him Bounty which means gift as he was a Christmas gift for us.
Brooke and Bounty are both sired by Ch. Jesstar Adonis and their dam is Mus-Arts Stairway to Heaven.
This combination is producing lovely pups. We have plans to start showing Bounty in the spring. He should be in full puppy bloom by then and we are hopeful that Brooke will be back in coat. Time will tell on that. She is just a year old and is in the stage of no under coat. She is well ready mentally and that is most important. She has been exposed to many different situations and has handled all very well.

We are looking forward to spring and getting the dogs out for training. In the meantime we are enjoying the quiet and peace of winter. Will do what training we can indoors.  There is much that can be accomplished with Bounty without having to go outside. He can learn to stand and watch the treat. He can learn foot placement and moving on lead.

We are very excited about this boy and have great hopes for him.!!!!! Stay tuned for progress reports!!