30 Days of April

[SKB_Hamsters]

A lovely start to the month - congrats to all your hamsters and Dobby the duprasi for doing so very well in the show - they all look so sweet and adorable as well a the little oops!

[Thin Lizzy]

Wonderful start to April, so many adorable pics and such detail too.

[Vectis Hamstery]

Today the hamsters got to stay in bed, but Rogue and I were on the road again at 8.30am. Thankfully this time for only the short drive up to Winchester.

When I'm not at hamster shows, Rogue-dog and I go to rally obedience trials. We've only been doing rally since last June but he's taken to it well. In rally, there's a course of signs laid out. Each sign is called a station and it has an activity on it to perform, which could be a turn, a sit, a slalom etc. There's a list of over 30 stations we had to know how to do and 13-15 are put together by the judge to make the course. This was our first course all laid out:
The Rally Ring by Vectis Hamstery, on Flickr

We're doing level 1 at the moment which is done on lead. We start with 200 points and lose points as we go round for not performing the stations correctly, e.g. Rogue sitting wonky, the lead being tight, giving more than one command. There's also a bonus station we can choose to do that would give us a potential 10 extra points. In our form of rally (there are many different sorts of rally across the world, and three in the UK that I'm aware of) we are allowed to use treats at certain points in the course. This is us finishing the bonus station:
Finished! by Vectis Hamstery, on Flickr

Rogue behaved really well with the other people moving around, and was able to chill out and watch other teams working - we wouldn't have been able to do this a year ago.
Watching the others by Vectis Hamstery, on Flickr

Rogue did so well considering what a busy day he had yesterday. He wasn't as focussed as he is at his best, but I was really pleased with how good our 'worst' was! He still managed to get two rosettes for scores of 174 and 179. We needed scores over 180 to count towards our level 1 championship but I wasn't really expecting them today with us being tired.
Rogue's winnings by Vectis Hamstery, on Flickr

And one more Roguey photo because I can't resist!
Roguey by Vectis Hamstery, on Flickr

[Pebbles82]

I think Rogue is very clever and his worst is excellent! Lovely photos of him.

[Coco61]

Well done Rogue-those rosettes are nearly as big as you! His progress is amazing.

[dreamtree1234]

Congrats to you, all your stunning hammies, and Rogue! What a wonderful time you must have had! I am so thrilled for you and all of your little ones. I know that you must be so proud of all of their wonderful and impressive accomplishments, VH. Thanks for sharing your adventures and lovely pics with us.

[Hamsterita]

It's very interesting to see this kind of activities. Here in Spain I know that dog shows exist,but it's not a common thing and I've never heard of one. I think that his worst is great, well done Rogue!

p.d. your dress is gorgeous

[Thin Lizzy]

So lovely to see Rogue.

[Vectis Hamstery]

Today my first hamster litter of 2017 had their eyes open! Meet the Caestars:
P1300523 by Vectis Hamstery, on Flickr

Mum is Mally's Terentia at Vectis, an argente Campbell known as Teri. Dad is Vectis's Caesar, also an argente Campbell. Teri's been a superstar raising seven pups! As it was their first handling I kept it brief, but couldn't resist a couple more piccies:
P1300524 by Vectis Hamstery, on Flickr
P1300525 by Vectis Hamstery, on Flickr

And a bonus picture of a certain someone who found something to roll in at daycare today and needed a b.a.t.h.
P1300508 by Vectis Hamstery, on Flickr

[cypher]

Congrats on your first lovely litter of the year Vectis! They are so teeny & totally adorable, my heart really melted

lol! at Rogue's expression, I'm guessing baths aren't as much fun as finding things to roll in