Video Blog!

Both of the girls had class last Thursday.  I brought my camera and had a classmate tape Gidget's runs.  I should have had someone tape Gracie's runs too because they were pretty decent for how new she is to the game.  I had to refresh her memory on the teeter and by the end of the class Gracie had both her contact behavior and all 12 weaves down!  I love agility classes with the girls!  Here's the video.

There were a couple things I didn't mention in the video.  There was another way to get a straight safe A-frame entry.  You can start with the dog on your right and send them out to the A-frame.  This follows the curve of the course and causes the dog to straighten their entry as they run with their handler.  After the A-frame, just scoop the dog into the tunnel, keeping her on your right and continue on.  I had the chance to try three options with Gracie.  Our first try I had her on my left and kept her running with me (no lead out) as I straightened our path to the A-frame.  It worked but caused Gracie to be slower and wouldn't work if she had more drive for the obstacle than focus for me.  Next I tried the lead out option shown in the video.  Obviously that worked with both dogs but I don't usually like to do long lead outs in trials (they're still good to practice in class for when I really do need them though).  Running with Gracie on my right worked really well too and I was excited that she got the tunnel/contact differentiation.

The other thing I noticed after watching the video a few more time I noticed that on Gidget's second bad weave entry that my right foot is pointing into the poles and not at the entry.  I'm not sure that this was the sole cause of her missed entry, but I'm sure it didn't help.

On Monday I took Gracie to an open contacts class.  She really needs work on the teeter.  That's a hard behavior to build and keep when you see a teeter less than once a week.  Our first turn up I overestimated her memory of the teeter from the Thursday before and she flew right off after charging at it full speed from a tunnel.  We managed some improvement but I'll have to show it to her carefully every time it's out til she gets a hang of it.  She did wonderfully on the dog walk though, it took a couple tries but she got her contact behavior down pretty quickly.  I think it was after class she even offered 2-on-2-off on a set of stairs without me asking!  We did have a dog walk entry issue coming in at an angle from the tunnel.  I talked to the instructor about how to teach a dog a straight contact entry, especially when the dog is faster than you.  Without any props the best bet is to make sure to face the dog's path instead of just racing along side them.  This is good to do with any turn, it supports their path and helps show them where to go.  Some props that could be used would be a cone, sending the dog out around it so that they then have to run straight to the contact.  You can also use gates or boards on either side of the entry to force the dog into a straight entry.  I'm still not sure which option is best to actually teach the dog the straight entry. 

Well that's all for now, class again tomorrow!  Happy agility!

Trial Day!

Our trial today went really well and the a/c was working and kept the building just barely reasonable for all the furry athletes despite the heat outside.  I was able to get Gidget's final official measurement today.  I'm pretty sure she's happier about that than me!  Open std was up first.  The course had a couple of tight turns that would make off course jumps easy if the turn wasn't right, other than that it was a pretty fun course.  Gidget crawled through the chute as usual (Gidget: It's hard to find the light at the end of that heavy tunnel!) but otherwise she was quite speedy.  When I released Gidget from the teeter my body was pointing the wrong way which lead to a wide turn towards an off course jump (she didn't come close to taking it) then back to me and the table.  The turn threw me off and in the video it looks like I got in Gidget's way a bit causing a refusal.  The rest of the course went smoothly, though we really need to get in the habit of using the speedy weaves that I know Gidget has in her.  We Q'd and were the fastest 16 inch dog, but got second place due to that refusal.

Then we had a long, long wait til the open jww course.  I'd thought about taking Gidget home to rest, but I didn't think we'd have quite that long of a wait.  Also lots of my classmates were there and I wanted to hang out and watch them run their dogs.  The building started heating up and we didn't run til after 2 (an hour later than expected).  This was a long day for Gidget.  To make matters worse, I didn't want to take Gidget out too early and lose her excitement, but I ended up taking her out a tad too late.  The gate steward started yelling for us and we had to run to the start line!  At that point they were still running the last 12 inch dog and still had to do the height change so we had to wait after running a bit.  So Gidget was slow and poky for her jww run, but still quite focused.  I stumbled a little on a front cross but we survived it.  Then at a pinwheel I started turning a tad too early and pulled Gidget off the middle jump, so one refusal due to me on this course too.  We ended up about 3 seconds over time but still Q'd with an 89 and 4th place.

I think for class this next week I'm going to bring my camera and have someone video my runs.  I think seeing the difference in me running in class and in trials could help us a lot.  Gidget did well today, but I know she can run faster and I can handle better.  Looks like I need some help making sure I trial like I train!  Happy agility!

This Weeks Classes

It was weird to have only open weaves on Wed. and no class for just Gracie.  We started out with two sets of 6 poles set at a little over a 90 degree angle to each other with a pole in the middle.  The goal was to practice entries, distance, and rear crosses.  I was able to get some good distance with Gidget, even layered a pole.  The rear crosses (in this situation they were rear crosses on the flat or flips for the most part) went fairly smoothly, but definitely something to work on.  Eventually we switched the poles to a full set of 12.  I did a little more distance work with Gidget, but then realized she was much faster if I stuck with her, so we did a little speed work too which is always fun.  Gracie's still working on getting a consistent weave performance so no adding distance or rear crosses for her yet.  We just worked on not missing any poles.  She did fairly well, especially on the 6 poles, and all the 6 pole work helped her out when we switched to 12 poles.  Gracie had a few solid weaves through the 12 poles.  I was very proud of her.

On Thur. we had a very interesting course for both classes.  It seemed like a rather trick course for a beginner class.  There was a lot of discussion about options for handling 2-6 and 6-8.  In the end they decided to drop jump 4 to make it a little more manageable for beginner handlers and dogs.  So now the only tricky part was 6-8.  Either way the dog had to be pushed to the backside of 6 which is not something I'm used to practicing.  Then you could either post turn around 6 or do a front cross after 6.  I went with the post turn thinking it'd be easier to push Gracie (and later Gidget) to the correct tunnel entrance than to pull them away from the wrong one.  That worked just fine with only a little struggle with that push around 6.  Gracie even got the 6 weave poles every time (thanks open weaves class!).  They chose to do 6 poles to work on speed and not having to worry about getting all 12 poles, especially for the beginners.  For Gracie's second turn I wanted to try adding in jump 4.  At first the instructor (she's kinda new to the school) was suggesting to front cross after 2 then wrap 4 (another front cross) and have the dog on the right for 5 and 6.  The issue I saw with this was that I'd get stuck behind jump 5 and would end up pulling my dog (Gidget or Gracie) far away from jump 6.  My classmates had variations on this, but none looked appealing to me.  My instinct was to post turn jump 4 which would lend to rear crossing jump 6.  I tried this with Gracie and it worked beautifully.  It was fun working with Gracie, she was starting to feel a little speedier and seemed to be gaining confidence.  She remembered her contact behavior, though it wasn't perfect, she was trying hard to get it right.  She saw the broad jump for the first time and had no issue flying over it.  Gracie checks in with me a lot which can throw off her path.  An instructor suggested keeping a finger out pointing to the ground so that when Gracie turns her head towards me, she sees that quickly instead of needing to try to take in my whole body to make sure she knows what's going on.  I also need to remember to cue early so that Gracie doesn't need to check in quite as much.  Working on a stronger send ("go tunnel") will also be very helpful.

For Gidget's class the instructor decided to make the method I'd used for 2-6 the "rule."  We also had to start our dogs back from the tunnel so that they'd be up to speed when they enter the tunnel and not so much speeding up inside the tunnel.  Gidget and I got to go first to demonstrate the handling "rule."  We had a little trouble with 4-6 which I suspected we would.  Gidget doesn't have near as tight of a post turn as Gracie does so I lost her once to an off course jump.  She took the wrong side of 6 once too.  So for our second run, I made sure to stress the post turn cues (lots of calling her name, hands tight to me even patting my leg, and bending over just a tad) to keep her with me, curved a little wider after 5 to pull Gidget to the backside of 6 better.  Our second attempt at that course was very pretty!  I so love running with Gidget!  She's getting so fast!  I have good feeling for our trial this Sunday!  Back to the courses though.  The second course was for speed and fun!  I wrapped the left side of 3 and did a front cross after 7.   Gidget took the A-frame after 7 our first try, oops!  That's more working on that tight turn into me when needed.  I could have post turned the tunnel and then rear crossed the weaves but that seemed like a strange entry angle into the weaves, though Gidget could have managed it.  This course was actually supposed to end on 11, some of the dogs in our class have trouble with the broad jump and this way their handlers could end and party right after the tricky obstacle.  GidgetGidget's spirits at all and I love to see her fly!  Can't wait for Sunday!  Hopefully the heat won't be an issue in the indoor soccer fields.  Happy agility!

Beginner AND Intermediate Agility!

Gracie had her first beginner agility class on Thur. night!  I was a little bummed that there were no contacts or weaves set up so it was very similar to our last jumpers class but we worked on some tricky rear cross stuff.  Gracie's class courses are on top.  Just looking at this course handlers would normally keep their dog on their right until jump 7, but we were practicing rear crosses so the instructor (a different one than we're used to) had us start with the dog on our left (the "H" is where the handler started).  That way we had to do a rear cross "on the flat" or a "flip" between 3 and 4.  A rear cross could also be done over jump 3 so that the handler stays on the take off side of jump 3, but that's not what we were practicing.  All the beginner dogs and their handlers (experienced and not) had trouble with this.  Gracie turned the wrong way on me once, and the rest of the time she got the turn but my timing was off the tiniest bit so that the move felt awkward or I'd nearly trip over her.  I realized later that I have a hand signal for a flip, but I wasn't using it!  I was trying to do what the instructors were doing which didn't connect in my mind as the same move.  Hopefully we'll get to try that again sometime soon.  The next rear cross was at jump 7.  We had trouble with this one too.  I had a hard time sending Gracie ahead of me.  She'd slow down and look back at me not sure what to do.  Just need more course experience for that one.  Once she figured out what I wanted (take the jump!) she got the turn no problem (well maybe once she turned the wrong way) but our main issue was setting up for the cross.  The last rear cross, 11-12, wasn't much of an issue, though Gracie would hesitate slightly at the tunnel entrance, a second "tunnel" command got her moving again.  Then it was a quick front cross after the tunnel and run for the last jump!

The second course in the beginner class was meant to be fun and speedy, but Gracie's turn was very last and the dogs for the next class started coming in.  This got Gracie very worried and she started to shut down.  I was able to get her attention and get her moving but the run wasn't as fun as it could have been.  I'd lose her attention easily, and though I could get it back easily too, it threw off the flow.  So I did my best to keep her moving and rewarded her for working with me.

Gidget class used the same set up with the added weaves.  They opening to her first course was even the same as Gracie's first course.  It felt like Gracie's class had been a great warm up for Gidget's class, and it showed.  Gidget and I were first up and we ran the course twice.  Once starting with Gidget on my right, and once with Gidget on my left.  Both runs were fast... very fast, and smooth.  I wish I had video of it so I could see.  We did get lots of compliments and cheers afterwards though.  I did want to try doing a front cross after 5 instead of the rear cross from 7-8, but I forgot about it in our first run when Gidget was on my right and I might have actually had time to get in position.  Then in our second run I definately didn't have time to get ahead of Gidget for a cross after the tunnel, so that front cross just wasn't going to work.  Didn't need it anyways.

In the second course I tried for lateral distance from the weaves and layering a pole, like we'd done the night before, so that I could set up on the landing side of 6 and avoid doing a front cross after the weaves and then a rear cross into the tunnel.  It took a couple tries but Gidget got through the weaves without me babysitting them and then it was a straight shot to the tunnel.  Unfortunately, if I see this set up in a trial anytime soon I'll have to babysit the weaves and do the crosses (which we also tried successfully in class) until Gidget has reliable weaves with me far away.  I wish we had more space to practice that regularly, but I'll just have to go searching for a place to practice outside sometime soon.  Gidget had no trouble with the rear cross/flip at 12.  Then for the last four jumps I had to send Gidget out slightly to 14 so that I was set up for running a straight line past 15 and 16.  If I'd gotten stuck behind 15 I most likely would have pulled Gidget away from 16, but I didn't get stuck and we finished the course just fine.  Happy agility!

Jumper Extraordinaire

Last night I took both girls to an open jumping/weaving class.  The instructor had a fun mini course set up with the goal of practicing lateral distance from the weaves plus a serpentine and a 180ish.  Gidget did fairly well doing her weaves without me right by her side.  It took a few tries though to be able to layer the pole.  Having some distance from the weaves allowed the handler to set up on the landing side of 3 to better handle 3-4-5.  The handling options there were: front cross after the weaves, post turn 3-4 and front cross after 5; front cross on the landing side of 3, post turn to 4, then front cross after 5; or get on the landing side of 3 in time to flip the dog over 4 then front cross 5.  A few of my classmates didn't do the front cross after 5 and rear crossed 6 instead.  That seemed less efficient and wasn't a great set up for the serpentine.  Gracie's part in this class was to practice weaving, she's having lots of trouble with her weaves which is hard for me to figure out since Gidget picked them up so easily.  The instructor said I should walk with my shoulders at a 45 degree angle to the the weaves, stay close and keep a finger low and pointing to the weaves to encourage her to stay in the poles.  Gracie also had a chance to practice the serpentine and 180ish set up, but I didn't want her to do too much jumping since she had a whole jumping class next.

Gracie's last advanced jumping class was last night.  We actually ran some small courses!  The all had challenges we've worked on through out the class.  We also introduced the dogs to the double and triple jumps.  The first course had a serpentine and a 270.  The instructor had us do a front cross after the 270 which I thought would certainly make me dizzy.  It turned out that I was turned enough before Gracie took jump 8 that I didn't have to turn much further to continue on and I didn't get dizzy, yay!  The second course had a 180 and a pinwheel.  Gracie did the pinwheel perfectly (which means my handling of it has improved!), I didn't even have to pass the line of jumps 5 and 7.  We did a rear cross in the last course, right before 3 to turn the dog to 4.  A lot of dogs had trouble with this, Gracie included, though she got it perfectly on our second try.  Just need to work on "left" and "right" in places besides home.  Jumps 5-9 in the last course were fun because we could pick up some speed on the curve.  Gracie didn't get to her fastest speed, but she definately enjoyed it.  She'll start beginner agility either tonight or next Thur.  Yay!  Happy agility!

An Easy Course?

I'm not sure if there's truly such thing as an easy course.  I don't think I've ever run a course where I didn't learn something new, which usually means there's at least some sort of challenge.  Even if that challenge is my mental state, my dog being tired, or thinking the course is easy and making a dumb mistake. 

I don't have much in the way of notes for this weeks class.  I don't know if that means that these were easy courses or if we've just seen enough of the challenges presented that I didn't feel the need to address them again. 

We had one tricky spot on the end of the first course.  From 11-12 I wanted to turn Gidget and stay on her same side.  Not sure why, but that seemed like a good idea at the time.  Realizing that didn't work I asked the instructor if a front cross would have been better (also would have involved me sprinting into position, doable but makes an error more likely).  She suggested just doing a rear cross (duh!), do the same turn but cross behind her over the last obstacle.  That way we weren't running into each other.

The only note that I have for the second course is that I did a rear cross over 10 to turn Gidget toward 11.  It worked wonderfully, though Gidget's turn could have been a little tighter.

On the last course I did a front cross (as did most of my classmates) between 5 and 6 to prevent a wrong course jump.  A few people had trouble with the non standard serpentine 8-9-10.  The key was to get a little ahead of your dog and converge to tell them to go in a straight line.  Getting ahead also blocks their view of the tunnel and A-frame, taking away any reason the dog would want to turn.

Gracie's last advanced jumping class is tonight.  Then next week she'll be in the beginner agility class on Thur. right before Gidget's class.  That will probably make for some long posts.  I can't wait though!  Happy agility!