Ups and downs

Nike and I have finished with the 6 week "confidence building agility class" and have had 3 brief experiences at agility trials.

It's been a bit of a roller coaster.

The nicest thing about the class is Nike already has these skills and it was a small class of only 3 dogs. So lots of working time. And we look like rockstars. Mostly because the other 2 people in the class are new to the sport and so are their dogs and also, because we already have these skills.

So often we get to demo the skill and go first in the working order - which is fine with me.

However, class is also helping uncover some things. Despite "knowing this" Nike is very, very soft and start lines are not happening right now. I resorted to putting down a mat to help her with the start line. Now she can do the "wait" behavior. Which I find interesting. Without a mat though, as soon as I leave, she leaves - either releasing over the jump or just wandering off and leaving work entirely.

Doesn't help that we usually have to set up that start line within a couple feet of a kenneled dog though - and then expect our dog not to have a problem with that, because Nike very much does have concerns with turning her back on the reactive dog and pretending it isn't there. I can't say that I blame her.

We're working on solidifying a start line routine and using that as a start button behavior. If I can't get it, then she isn't going to work well and I'll just end up skipping my turn - which hasn't happened yet since she is very good if I have rewards.

With the actual trials runs that she has done I've done many FEO runs, so I still have rewards, just not food - but it's a whole lot more difficult to get her to focus.

We're not "trialing" right now, but in small trials I am working on getting her ring exposure. Just one or 2 runs to work on confidence with no expectations.

The first trial felt so promising and her first run was a little out of control but still good. So it's a little disappointing that it feels like we're going backwards.

Agility training is going to take a bit of a back seat to some other classes I want to work on with her. Namely some relationship building Fenzi classes I have gathering dust in my library and possibly some group rally or trick classes taught at the facility I teach at.

Happiest little gang of dogs field running this summer. I find it interesting that they self sort into this arrangement since I didn't actually pose them.

Titles, Trial Review and Baby Dogs ... OH MY ...

Oh baby dog. But first, the good stuff.

This weekend we drove down to Lethbridge to support a new club hosting their first agility trial. The trial was well run and organized. Lots of awesome little perks that really make an event feel like it is well run. The venue was FABULOUS. Lots of benching under huge trees for shade made the 33°C day on Saturday bearable!

Baxter and Spencer ran in Dog Days of Summer (Nike's first trial.) Both boys did fantastic, especially considering the heat, but towards the end of the second day Baxter was slow. Usually he runs my speed and I could definitely feel that he was lagging a bit - which concerned me, because he only ran 2 things on Saturday and 4 on Sunday.

This trial though, both boys were on fire. 

Spencer loved it here - it helped that it was a small trial and they didn't have insane off leash rules. Basically use common sense and they didn't care if the dog was off leash - so before and after runs we played with his frizzie in the shade. He was entered in 5 runs and I had a dog in all 5 runs, even in the heat. He was a little off on Gamble 1, but my handling was a little off too. Standard and Snooker he rocked it and Q'd in 33°C heat!

Photo Credit: Rita Barrett

Day 2 he had a fantastic Standard and we were ON - except where I completely buggered up his weaves by stopping dead. Gamble 2 I didn't think we'd have a hope but he shocked the heck out of me and nailed it. Earning his Bronze Gamble and Versatility Bronze Award Titles. Such a good baby black dog.

Baxter obviously felt much better this trial (he was sore and had a limp tail issue 2 weeks prior to Dog Days and maybe he was just still a bit sore at that trial.) At 9.5 years he doesn't run full trials anymore, max 3 a day and no Gambles anymore. He had a perfect weekend going 6/6 and even in Jumpers on Saturday in the heat he ran pretty hard at 4.4 yps!

Photo Credit: Penny Norem

His career is winding down, but he still loves playing and on Sunday morning rocked his Standard coming in 2 seconds faster than the papillon in the class with us and at 4.2 yps (which is something, considering there are 12 weaves) Love my Fluff, so full of heart!

Then my baby... so bitter sweet. Saturday morning she NAILED Gamblers -  mini gamble twice, Aframe twice and held the contact. She did have DW worries, but that's due to the DW in class that has a LOT of bounce/flex. Connected and responsive. She was fantastic.

Then Jumpers I had no dog. Wouldn't take the first jump, couldn't sit for a start line and then left the ring to go bark at and freak out at the out of control dog shrieking at the warm up jumps. So we were excused from the run. Not good - the only silver lining is that she did come back to me and had zero intent on connecting with that dog. Just wanted to control the out of control barking.

Gamblers was next up on Sunday and I went FEO with a toy. Still no dog. No first jump, flanking obstacles and running past them. After she played tug for a AFrame contact I had slightly more dog and she got the final gamble with ease, but still VERY disconnected and I'll admit, disappointing. So we've got a lot to work on before I enter her in more trials - and I'm seriously considering pulling from the one we are entered this weekend.

Impulse control work, here we come!