Title Number 2!

Gracie competed in another CPE trial yesterday.  We were entered in Level 1 Fullhouse, Level 2 Standard, and Level 1 Snooker.  Fullhouse was first.  My goals were fun, fast, and easy and we succeeded in all 3!  This game is a fairly easy point collecting game.  You need 3 regular jumps (1 point each), 2 circles (tunnels, chute, or tire - 3 points each), and 1 joker (contacts, weaves, double jumps - 5 points each).  Then you keep doing obstacles to get enough points for your level.  The lay out lent to a very Gracie course.  You'll see what I mean.  We got a 1st place Q, second place was a small 1 point behind us.  That Q got Gracie her CL1-F title!  Here's the video:

Next up was Standard, our first try at Level 2.  It's very similar to AKC novice courses so I wasn't too worried.  The only concerning spot was a dog walk/tunnel discrimination, but we managed that just fine!  I even threw in a blind cross after a tunnel - had to try it in a trial at some point, and that seemed like a great spot.  It was a beautiful run, a lot of fun too!  Unfortunately I only have video of the last obstacle and a half, not really worth posting.  Another 1st place Q!

Last was Snooker.  Man can this game be confusing.  My mom took a good shot at it first without much success which of course got me a little concerned.  Her course plan had looked great to me too!  I was pretty happy with my plan, though I had to make a small change when I walked it as the maps and the actual course are never quite the same.  I was amused that everyone tended to take the same easy, boring path (repeating the same "other" 3 times).  My mom and I both avoided that.  Our three red - others went just fine.  I had to have Gracie back jump an obstacle after our last "other" to get the 2 obstacle.  I didn't like doing that but it worked out just fine.  We got through 5 in the closing sequence and then Gracie started to take the A-frame instead of the tunnel under it like she was supposed to.  So we got whistled off.  I had noticed Gracie seemed a tiny bit more stressed when we entered the ring than she had the rest of the day.  I didn't blame her, it was the last run of a long day!  There were 2 games between Standard and Snooker.  She stuck with me very well considering, besides a quick sniff of the table and the draw of the A-frame (she does love her contacts!) so I can't complain.  We did get more than enough points before we were whistled off and got a 2nd place Q.  Here's the video:

I was very proud of Gracie!  She's come such a very long way from her first trial back in January.  She's entered in an AKC A-match in a couple weeks at a new location.  I figure a very small trial (35ish dogs) will be a great way to introduce her to a new location.  I'm looking forward to it!

At the trial yesterday, I got to coach my mom through a rather tricky jumpers course.  It had a back side jump and a serpentine and some just plain tricky spots.  It was fun helping her, and even more fun to see her take advice I gave her in one spot and apply it somewhere else.  She'd be such a fun student to have as she tries hard and is very willing to try new things.  She said she learned more from me in 5 minutes than she's learned in classes all year.  Not saying much for her instructors, but you do what you can in a smaller city.  Says a lot for my instructors that I could help her so much!  Maybe she'll come visit me regularly for lessons! 

That's all for this report.  Gidget is in an AKC trial this next weekend.  She's been a little iffy in class lately (to be discussed later) so we'll see how it goes.  Happy agility!