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!