Little Miss Awesome!

Gidget and I participated in a trial on St. Patrick's Day.  Gidget wasn't showing any signs of her earlier illnesses (though she is again today) and she was pumped up to be going somewhere exciting!  Exc A JWW was up first.  It was a fun course and our only flub was a spin on the landing side of the triple, first jump into a pinwheel.  I saw lots of dogs have really wide turns or strange moves at that jump.  At the time I was wondering about cuing collection, how to tell the dogs to turn to that obstacle.  Now that I think about it though, that middle jump of the pinwheel was right on a pole, it may have been hard to even see it, hence wide turns and Gidget's spin.  I can't see anything I did in the video that might make her think going left was in order, but maybe the tunnel was the only other obstacle she saw so she was headed back towards that.  The trickiest spot on the course was the second to last jump.  Lots of handlers took it for granted that their dog would end up on their left after a front cross, but they didn't (or didn't quick enough) and instead went past the jump.  Thankfully I had a classmate who made this mistake, we discussed the issue and I made sure to make sure Gidget and I connect at the cross before I moved toward that jump.  Thanks Kristin!  We got a 2nd place Q and Gidget's AXJ title!  Here's the video:

Then it was time for STD.  While walking it I saw lots of spots Gidget and I could mess up.  The wrong course tunnel straight ahead of the dog walk, the tricky turn off the A-frame, the weaves going toward the fan Gidget had trouble with last time (though they weren't as close to the fan), and the teeter.  All these were before the chute, so I planned taking Gidget off the course after the chute for a little party if we'd NQ'd by the time we got to the chute.  I even practiced leaving once while walking the course!  Before I knew it was our turn.  Gidget had a good pace across the dog walk and she headed for the off course tunnel, but she turned when I called and took the correct tunnel.  She hit her contact on the A-frame even with the tricky turn.  The fan didn't phase her as she weaved.  She took the teeter, though she was a little hesitant (yay for teeter rehab class!).  Then she took the chute!  I was very happy with all of her accomplishments, and she has very little hesitation at the chute.  She even tried to go take it again on our way through the ending jumps!  We again got a 2nd place Q!  That's our first Exc A STD Q!  I was very proud of my little girlie!  Here's the video:



It was a very good Sat. morning for us!  Our next trial isn't until May now, hopefully by that time she'll be as excited about the teeter as she now is for the chute!  Happy agility!



Trial Time for Gracie!

Gracie competed in her third CPE trial this past weekend.  I was very proud of her progress.  She willingly sat at the start line (though she didn't necessarily stay sitting), she stayed calm-ish and focused while waiting on her mat at a somewhat crowded ring entrance, and she happily did mat and heel work with me all around the crating area.  The only not so good thing outside of the ring was that she wouldn't potty outside again.  I blame Gidget for that one, she had to go and get sick and not come with us (she's doing much better now, likely has a food allergy so we need to switch her food ASAP before she has another bad episode).  I also forgot Gracie's Thundershirt, which could have played a part in her not wanting to potty outside.  She was still a very good girl even with a couple pieces out of place.

Jumpers was up first.  Gracie was a little too excited for her first run.  She took one jump and the zoomies took over.  One end of the ring to the other in a flash!  Thankfully she didn't try to leave the ring and I was able to collect her fairly quickly.  I decided to leave the ring at that point as she was really not in control, having fun, but not in control.  I left with a smile on my face, calling her a goofball, and we ran off to her beloved kennel and a good treat.  I hope this didn't do any harm to her excitement of being out around agility equipment.  Sorry, no video of her zipping around, my mom couldn't get the camera to work in time.

Standard was next for us.  It went about as perfectly as I could hope for right now!  She did seem a little slower than normal (hence the concern about removing her from the ring earlier), but she stayed right with me and completed the course!  I was even able to send her to a tunnel and run off to the landing side of the next jump to be in position for a front cross!  At one of the jumps towards the end she did hesitate and think about going elsewhere, but she came right back for a strong finish!  Q number 2 for Gracie!

I am behind on class course posts.  Not sure when I'll have a chance to catch up on that since I recently started a second job and Gidget has a trial this weekend.  Busy busy, but mostly fun!  Happy agility!