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.