Videos

Oh man, our standard run was even uglier than I thought.  Gidget missed both the dog walk and A-frame contacts and ran around the tire.  She looks faster than it felt running with her though, especially as she took off for the A-frame!  Lots of learning at this trial!





Our jumpers run still looks pretty good.  I forgot we had a little bobble in the weaves, but made it through them on the first try.  Then it looks more like I pulled her off that last jump than stepped into her.  I still can't really complain on that run though, Gidget made my day with her happiness to run!

Trial Report!

Gidget and I were in our first outdoor trial this past Sat.  The weather was perfect!  Our day, however, didn't start out near as nice.  To start with I was not in the best of moods, never good when you want your dog to be happy and having fun.  I did my best to put that behind me, and after watching some nice excellent runs, got Gidget out to warm her up.  We walked around a bit, ran a tad, did some tricks then checked out the practice jumps.  Then it was time for me to walk to course and get ready.  I got Gidget back out a minute or two before the open STD class started since there were only 7-ish dogs before us.  So we watched the smaller dogs run and then it was our turn.  Well Gidget was slow and out of it again.  It took 3 tries to get the weaves and the chute was out of the question (though I can't blame her on that one, it did look kinda funny).  We made it through the course but I was rather bummed with the performance and knew I had to do something different.  So for our JWW course I didn't get Gidget out (besides a short walk/potty break) until it was practically our turn.  We did some quick tricks to warm up (like we do in class) watched maybe one dog and then we were up.  Did that ever make the difference.  Gidget was happy, quick, and focused.  We almost had a perfect run... until that last jump.  I was told I stepped into her path just a bit, enough to send her around the jump which she then backjumped.  Oops!  Oh well, I was very happy with my Gidget!  It made me feel 10 times better to know that I may have just figured out my dog and what she needs at a trial.  Our next trial is a whole 5 weeks away, so I guess we'll get to test it then.  Happy agility!

Outdoor Indoor, Indoor Outdoor

Last Thur. Gidget and I were lucky enough to practice both inside and outside.  There was a jumpers course outside.  Gidget's first turn up, she was so excited to be outside that she took off in her favorite high speed circles around me.  Crazy dog!  We sort of got through the course, but I can't help but be happy when she's in that sort of mood.  My classmates got a kick out of her too, most of them have never seen her misbehave that badly... er funly?  Our second turn was better and I learned some things watching my classmates.  I really wanted to practice a rear cross into the pinwheel from 3-4, but Gidget didn't really give me a good chance for that.  I think on our second run it sort of worked.  We'd practiced this at open jumping the day before, it seemed I needed to be a good ways behind Gidget to send her out far enough to the next jump.  I did a front cross after 5 which worked well.  Had to remember to slow down before 9 to prepare for the weaves, though the tunnel sucked Gidget in our first try.  We needed a front cross after 14 to avoid the wrong tunnel entrance.  That was a big issue for us at our last trial. 

The indoor course was fun too.  We worked it in sections, first 1-9, then 9-17, and finally put it all together.  2-7 were just like an exercise we'd done in Gracie's jumping class the night before and it was nice to practice it again with a different dog.  It's all about the 180 body positioning and supporting your dog's path.  I had to remember to call Gidget to me in time after 7 to avoid the off course tire.  The instructor purposely set jump 8 at an angle so that we'd be encouraged to run straight out and set our dogs up with a straight path to the A-frame.  It's much safer that way and the dog is less likely to miss it.  I love doing turns off of contacts into tunnels, Gidget's so good at them.  I tended to stop while pushing Gidget out to the tunnel after 13 which tended to pull her a little towards the A-frame.  Gotta remember to keep moving while doing that.  I used a front cross after 14, but had I needed to, I could have done this after the teeter instead.  The big advice from the night: look ahead at the next obstacle, not back at the dog.  Remembering that made for smoother runs with few mistakes (and could keep me from running into an obstacle).  Trial report coming soon.  Happy agility!

A post done on time... What?!

Last night there was open jumping and Gracie's advanced jumping class.  The open jumping set up was kind of fun with a pinwheel and 2 jumps set up for a 180 or serpentine so that the whole set up looked like an arrow.  With Gidget I worked mostly on serpentine into pinwheel with different handling strategies.  We used front crosses, rear crosses, setting up on the landing side of the jump after the pinwheel, anything I could think of.  The rear cross into the pinwheel was difficult.  I realized I really needed to be well behind Gidget to get her to go out to the middle jump.  Otherwise I'd end up turning too early and Gidget would miss the middle jump and go for a 180.  I only took Gracie out twice to practice the pinwheel, didn't need to wear her out before her class.  She didn't shut down the way she had with the weaves last week, which was good.  She was still a little distracted, but was happy to work once I had her attention.

In the advanced jumping class we first reviewed the pinwheel.  Both last week and this week we talked a lot about handler positioning for this sequence.  It feels sort of unnatural, but you can't turn perfectly with your dog.  That will only pull the dog in from the middle jump.  You have to face their path until they are committed to that jump and then you can turn to finish the pinwheel.  That's for a post turn pinwheel, for a pinwheel with a front cross at the end you never turn toward that second jump.  Stepping sideways while always facing your dog's path works better.  Then you have to start your cross without going too far past the second jump (that will send the dog around the jump) or backing up (that will pull your dog between the jumps).  It's tricky, especially if you over think it.  It seems natural to me with Gidget, but I have to think about it more with Gracie since we're still learning together.  We also worked on 180s which are similar but you don't want a hand to go up sending them wide like you would for the middle jump of a pinwheel.  You still have to support your dog's path and time your crosses correctly but the dogs need to learn to distinguish the little differences in handling so that one day they can avoid an off course when the jumps look like a pinwheel but you want them to do a 180.  Serpentines next week!  Outdoor and indoor class tonight with Gidget!  Happy agility!

This Week in Dog Training

Last Wed. both the girls had classes.  I took both to the open weaves class.  Gidget did fine, though she did miss a couple poles on her first turn.  There was a lot going on at the time in the training building.  There was the open weaves class and an obedience class in the main ring and a puppy class down in the puppy room, so lots of dogs there.  This may have thrown Gidget off at first, but she handles that well.  Apparently Gracie does not handle such business as well.  I got her to weave a little but she was unfocused and shut down pretty quickly.  It was just too much for her.  I'll take shutting down over going after any of the dogs, but still, did not want to find another challenge to taking Gracie to trials.

Gracie's first advanced jumping class was right after open weaves.  All the other classes left so Gracie was much calmer.  We worked on pinwheels.  Six jumps were set up in an oval for 2 pinwheels.  We practiced doing the sequence with post turns and with front crosses between the pinwheels.  Gracie and I did pretty well, but definately something we need to practice.  Hmm... to find the time to practice outside somewhere.

Gracie had her last reactive obedience class on Mon. though we could probably take the course again if we wanted.  Our instructor brought in a couple of her dogs to help the reactive dogs practice.  One of the dogs was her reactive sheltie.  Gracie handled it well, got a little hyped up, but didn't make a sound or lunge which is good.  We haven't seen many dogs or squirrels on walks lately, and our last dog encounter didn't go so well, but over all she's improving.

Gidget and I had the opportunity to practice outside again last Thur. but due to timing, we decided to go to our regular indoor class instead.  The courses were pretty fun with some good challenges.  The chute was set up the direction of the black drawing for the first course and like the red drawing for the other 2.  I always front crossed after the teeter, going to the tunnel.  I needed to do this in the second course (red) so that I didn't block the weaves, a rear cross to the tunnel would have put me right in her path from the tunnel exit to the weaves, didn't need to risk that.  I had no reason in the other 2 courses, though I have been trying to practice front crosses after teeters, I should have practiced both methods.  Gidget had a little trouble with the weaves at first, I'm pretty sure she was distracted by the open garage doors, she didn't like the road sounds coming into the building.  In the first course I treated 4-5-6 like a serpentine with Gidget on my right.  I pushed Gidget out for 5 and rear crossed 6.

Second course: I front crossed 2-3.  I planned on running to the left of 10 and wrap the tire but I somehow ended up on the right of the weaves.  It ended up being a slightly awkward push from the weaves and post turning the tire, oops!  12-13-14 was a serpentine again.

Last course: 5-6-7 had several handling options.  The handler could stay on the lower side (dog on left mostly) and wrap around the far standard of jump 6.  I think this would involve a partial front cross - start a front cross to get the dog over the jump but immediately turn back so the dog is on the original side.  The inner standard of jump 6 could also be wrapped with a front cross, but then 7 would have to be rear crossed.  You could front cross after 5 then either front cross after 6 or rear cross 7 (I did this with the rear cross).  The entire sequence could be done with a post turn too, but this is slower and an off course jump is more likely.

So a good week of classes, and in an hour we'll start our next good week of classes with a trial thrown in there!  Happy agility!

Trial Report

Gidget and I ran in another trial today.  The trial was held at a big indoor soccerfield and it was a lot of fun to run on the turf.  Open STD was up first, right at 8am, and we were the first dog up!  (We ended up being the second dog because of someone's conflict with the second ring but it was still nerve racking!)  We got there about 40 min. early, set up, and tried to find the official measuring person.  We've been in 6 trials and that was going to be Gidget's first official measurement.  The measuring person wasn't there which meant I also couldn't get my armband sticker.  I talked to the gate steward, the judge, the volunteer coordinator all while I was supposed to be walking the course.  I was ready to panic!  I gate steward was nice enough to go get my sticker so I could walk the course for a minute, and the judge ended up measuring Gidget so we were good to run.  Gidget had eaten the half of her breakfast I'd given her and was very unstressed so she ran happy and energetically which also meant her focus was a little difficult to reign in.  She ran around a couple jumps and a wrong course, but after that tricky part of the STD course her focus came back and she ran the rest beautifully!  Unfortunately I was by myself for this early run and didn't have time to find someone to run my camera, so no video for that run.

Our JWW run was estimated to start at 2pm and I figured that was just too long of a wait for Gidget.  I didn't want a slow, off dog on my hands again!  So we went home and went back to bed.  Gidget ate the second half of her breakfast and we relaxed for a while before heading back.  My husband actually agreed to come with us this time and offered to drive, which is when we found out his car wouldn't start!  So we took my car and left a few minutes later than I wanted, but thankfully we still got there earlier than the 2pm estimate, the open JWW meeting was happening when we got there!  So I handed off my stuff and Gidget to the hubby and managed to get plenty of course walking time.  Once again we were first dog up (really this time).  I was worried about the early section with Gidget's focus issues earlier, but she ran it wonderfully!  She had focus and was happy and energetic!  There was a very fun straight-away in the middle.  It was going so well until that second tunnel.  Apparently I didn't slow down enough or didn't pull enough (in the video it looks like my opposite hand isn't doing it's job) or just should have used a front cross.  Whatever it was, Gidget took the wrong tunnel entrance then refused to take the tunnel from the correct entrance.  So no Q for us there either.  

After the run I went to try to find the VMO (volunteer measuring official?) to get an official measurement for Gidget.  I couldn't find her.  We waited at the measuring station for a while but didn't see her so still no official measurement for Gidget.  Luckily we already have a plan to get an official measurement at our next trial on top of not having to worry about getting a measurement the same day we run!  So we left and headed for Dairy Queen for ice cream for all!  (Gidget didn't get the cone in her pup cup though, but Gracie was happy to eat it for her when we got home.)  We may not have gotten any Q's, but Gidget's happy runs were enough to call the day a success!



Outside!

Gracie had her last weaves class last Wed.  We start advanced jumping this next Wed.  I don't remember what all we did at that last class.  More practice with 12 poles obviously.  I think we put out a tunnel to do before the weaves.  Then an angled 2x2 was placed in front of a full set of 12 poles to work on entries.  Gracie did fairly well but still likes to pop out to check in with me.  Hopefully I'll have time to work on weaves with her on my own.  Our instructor did talk to us about using guide wires too and mentioned they could help Gracie with her popping out issue.

On Thur. there was an outdoor class!  I could have taken both dogs but Gracie and I were not having a good day and needed a break from her.  Surprisingly, our issues had nothing to do with other dogs or squirrels.  We saw both on our walk and she behaved just how I want her to for where we are in our training.  Now it's the pulling that's driving me nuts along with some of her other obnoxious behaviors.  My shoulder has been hurting for almost a week now, and I'm pretty sure it's from Gracie.  Thankfully our instructor is putting on a "Pleasure Walking" course that will hopefully help us.  If that doesn't work I may actually have to sign up for a private lesson because that will be cheaper than shoulder surgery.

Anyways, Gidget had an awesome time outside.  She was a little unfocused our first turn up, but you should have seen her weave!  Faster than I've ever seen her!  No idea how to train that into habit.  The courses were the work of one of my classmates.  I have no idea how he managed to think them up (or how anyone thinks up a course for that matter) but they were pretty fun.  The jumps weren't set exactly the same for each course, but this doodle gives the general idea.  Basically people wanted to practice serpentines and pin wheels so that's what made the course.  In the first course I used a front cross after 7, otherwise it was pretty straight forward.  The second course was trickier, especially with that opening sequence.  A tight wrap around 3 wasn't really an option (but with further training hopefully will be) with that tunnel calling, but I managed to call Gidget off the tunnel to continue on.  The number setter accidentally set 11-12 to be a threadle which I guess isn't allowed in AKC, but it looked fun so on one of our turns we tried it.  It took a second try but it worked and was fun!  I believe I rear crossed the weaves for this second course.  After we'd run this course a couple times I thought we'd run it backwards.  That was fun too!  We have an outdoor trial in 2 weeks so hopefully that gave us enough outdoor practice to prepare.  Happy agility!