Never let anyone take anything away from you.

Today got me thinking and I had to post this somewhere. Today my parents told me I couldnt walk Indi because he would get muddy. Of course, me being me, completely disagrees with this. Me and my parents argued and argued but Indi still hasent gone out. This is not the first time this has happened. This probably sounds stupid to you, as much as it sounds stupid to me.

Ever since I became obsessed with dogs all I've had is my closest family telling me how I shouldnt be obsessed with dogs, how I should be doing what 'normal' teenagers do. The only person that's ever believed in me and my dogs is my nan. My parents let me do whatever I like with Ernie, but as Indi has long-fur they go ballistic if I get him muddy. Its ridiculous. My parents want me to go to university and become something that earns lots of money, but if I did that, that would be for them, not me. I dont want to be that, I want to work with dogs as thats the only thing that I have ever been actually good at and its the first thing I've ever done where I've been the winner. The problem is I've never had anyone there, except my nan, who has ever been proud. I am so greatful to my nan, she is the only one that has ever understood my passion for dog training and my passion for giving dogs the best life they can have. When Ernie competed in his first flyball competition my nan was over the moon for me, along with the flyball team as well. They were all proud of me and what I had achieved with my nervous little JRT. When I told my parents they honestly didnt care.

Now I hate reading things like this where all they want is sympathy. I dont want sympathy. I have learnt an important lesson from this. Never let anyone take anything away from you. Would someone say to someone else to stop playing football just because they didnt like it? And even if they did would you listen to them? Same with any sport and the same with this. Why should anyone have the right to tell you what you can and cant do with your life? Now I love my parents, but sometimes I just wish they would understand me more and think about my dreams instead of there own dreams. Yes my parents love dogs, well my mum does, but she only wants them for a family pet.

So what is the point of this post? Its not to moan about my life, and tell you how bad my life is. Far from it. I actually have a really good life. But I have learnt something today. No matter what, I will never let anyone tell me what I can and cant do with my life just because they dont think its 'normal'. I will keep fighting for walking Indi in the mud, and fighting for what I believe in. If I dont decide to go to university it will be because my dream is to train dogs and not end up doing a job I wont enjoy. Life isnt about money, life is about enjoying everything the world has to offer. Why waste it? Thats why I love walking in nature so much, because its just me, my dogs and no one else. I am weird. But I like it that way. And no one should ever take that away from me.

This all probably sounds very wish washy and like something you hear on tv, but I have to write about this. Some peoples lives revolve around horses, is that wrong? Some peoples lives revolve around a particular sport like football or rugby, is that wrong? And some peoples lives revolve around dogs, is that wrong? Of course not. If your doing what you love, then why should it be wrong?

Everyone is different and if one person has one dream, it is almost definate that its going to be different to yours. So never, ever no matter what, let anyone take that away from you, as mad and insane as it may seem. My dream probably seems insane to my family, and sometimes I doubt it myself. But my biggest dream is for people to see me for what I CAN do and not for what I cant do. Dancing used to be that. Then I found something even better, my dogs. Training dogs is the one thing in my life I can do, and dogs are the one thing in my life that I love. I never do anything with my dogs for results, I just want to show people how amazing my dogs are and have a blast with my dogs at the same time.

I know this all sounds very pathetic, but I needed to post this somewhere so that I keep believing it and following MY dreams instead of other peoples. Sometimes fighting for what I believe in is so hard, but I am going to keep on fighting. Because no one ever said that you shouldnt play football or rugby. Just because my dreams are a bit 'different' to most peoples doesnt mean they shouldnt happen. If they didnt, no one would ever get anywhere.

Indi's back =].

Yep Indi's back on his feet again and back to doing what he does best =]. He'll be back into athletic form in no time =]. So today, as flyball wasnt on because the leaders BC was having puppies we went to the beach instead. By the way, there were 3 puppies, 1 b/w male and 2 blue merle bitches. I cant wait to meet them =].

Well Indi was very good, I was expecting him to be pretty bad as he hadnt been out in so long, but he surpised me. We saw lots of other dogs, and barked at all of them but that was it. No real aggression, just running around in a circle around each dog barking before coming back =]. I was very pleased.

The smiles back on his face, and my crazy little Indi is back =]. So here are some pics from our walk today.

Lambs =]

Well the wintery weather has returned. We have clouds and rain, but on the up-side the temperatures keeping up! Poor Indi still cant go out, but its healing fast now so sometimes next week we hope.

We went through a sheep field today and a little lamb came running up to us! I was too shocked to take a pic, it was so cute! Ernie didnt really know what to make of the little creature! The sheep were so brave, not like in Wales when they all ran a mile if we came anywhere near them! So here are some pics from our walk today, as you can see we got very close to the sheep and they werent bothered at all!

Spring is officially here!

Spring is officially here! Indi still cant go out but hopefully will be by the end of the week. I do miss walking him, lets hope this doesnt happen again!

So for now some pics from mine and Ernie's walk today, the lambs were just too cute! Yeah Spring is definantly here =].

Poor little Indi

Well lots to update on! First things first, Indi has got a bit of a wound. Yesterday I took Indi and Ernie over my Nan's with her 7 dogs. I took them over the fields that are behind her house, and when we got back there was blood everywhere. Indi has split his paw pad and it looks like there is just a big hole in his pad. He's not showing that hes in a lot of pain, in fact he's hardly limped at all but we've bandaged it up and are keeping a very close eye on it. Of course it would happen to Indi.

Today we went to the closest sandy beach to us. The temperature has risen but the sun has disappeared now. Very frustrating weather! Indi is getting so much better around other dogs. He still barks like a mad thing but it isnt as aggressive as it used to be. I am so pleased with him. He barked at a westie today but didnt attack and did a couple of barks and then turned away and carried on.

So Spring is definantly on its way. The dogs are going out every single day now, so our minimum of 3 days a week is no longer in place. Were just building up our fitness levels back up to the levels I want them at ready for the days out at flyball comps and demos and the camping trips.

So for now a pic of Indi with his bandage, looking surprisingly happy. Yeah, hes always got a smile on his face no matter what:). And some pics from our walks today. I love my dogs:).

Fantastic doggies =D

Spring is sort of here, its brought the sun but the temperature and wind is still ultra wintery. We've been going for lots more long walks now that we have more time and the dogs are loving it =]. Yesterday we went to the nearest sandy beach to us (no pictures as it was a bit gloomy), the dogs had great fun and Indi is really improving in leaps and bounds. He is no longer barking at other dogs when on the lead, he does pull and stare but that is it. Its definantly an improvement.

We have been doing tonnes of new tricks. Ive started training Ernie to read, and he is picking it up amazingly fast! He can already distinguish the sit word, the down word and the beg word. We are working on adding the stand word as well, he is just so smart! Im also finally training him to lift his right legs up. Hes learnt left legs up, but never right legs up. He is picking that up really fast as well, looks like a new tricks video will be in order soon =D. Indi is also learning the 'close' command (heeling on right side) and is picking that up fantastically. We have done a bit of work on reading but it looks like thats going to be a much longer process than with Ernie.

Also in a few weeks were looking after a friends Basset Hound. He is a sweetie, but Indi's never met him before so I think it will be very interesting to see how he reacts. I think it will be a very good experience for him =D.

So for now some pics taken on our walks today. The sun was shining, but it was freeezing and blowing a gale. We still had lots of fun though!

Spring's first appearence

Yep, Spring has finally made an appearance. Usually I'm sad to see winter go because we never have a proper winter, but we've had more than just a good winter this year =]. As much as I have loved the snow, we are all glad to see the sun again and now we are going for tonnes more loong walks again. The dogs are back into there routine of an hour walk every day when I get back from school, plus the looong walks at the weekend and now the suns back we have plenty more hours of daylight and we have more time for taking photo's.

We now have two fields we go to after school, sometimes we go for our typical run round the field, or we mix it up and go to our 'new' field up the road and seeing as its always full of dogs its perfect for socialisation. I have a thing about taking the dogs to the same place over and over again, so now we mix it up even more.

Indi is getting so much better, I am so happy with him. Hes still nowhere near the stage where he can be let off-lead around other dogs but we are getting there. He now isnt barking at dogs on a lead hardly at all, I'm very pleased =].

Max is also going out more, just for a few minutes every now and then but its better than nothing. He isnt showing any signs of pain, so the more he doesnt the more he can go out. Its great to see his smile back when hes out, I really do love my crazy Maximus=].

So for now some pics from our walks. As you can see all the dogs are very happy the sun has returned, although Lola's decided shes not going to look at the camera =]. Indi & Ernie are just posers =D.