2016 AAC Regional Championships

AAC Regionals were hosted by Calgary Agility Association (CAA - the agility club I belong to) this year in Calgary at the Rugby Union. This might have been Baxter's last Regionals. So this was a nice bit of symmetry, since the first Regional event I had ever seen (I volunteered, as Baxter and I had just started taking classes) was hosted here in 2011.

Back to the "standard" 2 days of competition with Steeplechase on Friday to warm up if you do things like that. The venue was nice. Fantastic grass, but windy as all heck since it's on top of a hill. There was also no off-leash, which I don't appreciate, since I use that to help rev Spencer up and then reward him after as well.

They also drew the courses and the orders we would run on Friday night. Our group ended up running Standard first each morning followed by Jumpers and then Gamblers. I didn't really appreciate having Standard first both days.

After the fiasco last year with the photographer, I still signed up this year to get the photo packages even after it was announced that it would be the same photographer. I think I'm a little disappointed in the photos, definitely better than last year, but again, I have been sent "professional" photos in which my dogs are out of focus. Oh well. Maybe I will learn.

Exhausting waiting for the closing ceremonies

During the lead up into Regionals I had things other than agility on my mind. We practiced maybe once a month for the 3 months before Regionals. It might have showed a little. Baxter at least apparently forgot how to weave, but it was mostly my fault for not practicing.

Baxter's Results

Despite not practicing, Baxter ran great all weekend for me. On Saturday we had a weave bobble that cost us a clean run there, but we had a lovely Jumpers and would have got the final Gamble if he had hit the DW contact (so close!) He did get 35 points in that Gamble even if we didn't get the main!

On Sunday it was pretty much a repeat of Sat. Another weave bobble in Standard (popping the second pole again), lovely Jumpers and decent Gamblers where I really messed up his closing where he might have gotten the "hard part."

Baxter ended up placing first in all events except for Standard 1, where he placed second. He ended up the 6" Veteran Regional Champion with 463.15 points! Good boy Fluff!!

I wish I would have gotten a picture of his name engraved on the trophy. I don't care that much about winning (although it is nice) but what I do care about is that we are "immortalized" on that trophy as a team.

Baxter's Regional/National Stats:

2013 Regionals 6" Specials 1st Place: 448.50 points 3/6 clean runs, no gambles
2013 Nationals 6" Specials 2nd Place: 439.44 points 2/6 clean runs, no gambles
2014 Regionals 6" Specials 3rd Place: 405.79 points 3/6 clean runs, no gambles
2015 Regionals 6" Veterans 1st Place: 510.80 points 4/6 clean runs, GOT A GAMBLE!!!
2016 Regionals 6" Veterans 1st Place: 463.15 points 2/6 clean runs, no gambles

Spencer's Results

SO proud of my baby black dog this year! Spencer was a furry little rock star and the weather was about perfect for him - or at least it wasn't raining and cold!

In our warm up round, he ended up scaring himself good on the teeter, which was my bad, so I had to remember extra support there for the rest of the weekend.

Saturday he was doing great in Standard (DW second obstacle!) until it was teeter into the weaves and they were fairly close together. He popped the second pole when the teeter tipped back into position after he got off of it and he was a little worried for the rest of his run. The finish on Standard 1 was nice though. Jumpers was lovely and then in Gamble he was a rock star. When he is on, he is a good little gamble dog! Not only did he get a mini twice, he also got the main in Gamblers 1 and got a whopping 78 points!

The ONLY photo in which Spencer actually looks happy

Sunday we started off really good and he was driving in Standard 2. Got and nailed the weaves that Baxter missed. However, on a flat jump he didn't see it and wasn't on approach to it. I thought we were called on that as a refusal (we weren't) so I was a little upset with myself and not handling as much as I know I should have been. It was teeter, jump, tunnel. So Spencer is off because of the teeter again and slow over the jump. I thought the straight tunnel was obvious, but this is Spencer we're talking about here, and I didn't support it so he didn't take it. We did get a refusal for that one!

Again, Jumpers was nice and in Gamblers he got a tunnel/DW mini where I had to stay roughly in the middle of the DW while he went to the end. He rocked that one twice! Unfortunately he didn't get the main, but he was still a rockstar in my eyes!

Third year was apparently the charm, and Spencer traded in his 2nd places to place first in 6" Specials, winning a Regional Championship for the first time with 470.33 points! SO proud of my baby black dog. He has come so far from the little puddle of puppy shut down on the floor that I brought home, and like Baxter, our partnership is immortalized as well on the trophy.

Spencer's Regional/National Stats:

2013 Regionals 10" Regulars 4th Place: 398.66 points 2/6 clean runs, no gambles
2013 Nationals 10" Regulars 12th Place: 419.25 points 3/6 clean runs, no gambles
2014 Regionals 6" Specials 2nd Place: 434.79 points 3/6 clean runs, no gambles
2015 Regionals 6" Specials 2nd Place: 422.27 points, 4/6 clean runs, technically no gambles, SO CLOSE
2016 Regionals 6" Specials 1st Place: 470.33 points, 3/6 clean runs, GOT A GAMBLE!!

My heart might not have been there going into Regionals, but after set up, I got my mental game together and we gave it the best we had with basically no preparation leading into it. So proud of how my little dogs did this weekend!

Bestest boys!

2015 AAC Regional Championships

This year the AAC Regionals were held just outside of Sherwood Park (east of Edmonton) and hosted by K9 Korruption. The format was changed up a little bit and it was turned into a 3 day event instead of the usual 2 day event.

Everyone came to Regionals!

I'm not sure how I ultimately feel about it being 3 days. 2 runs a day is a little easier on the dogs, not sure how much of an edge that gave Spencer. Only 2 rings ran at a time and people were split into 4 groups instead of the "usual" 3. Regular dogs all ran together in 2 groups and then Specials/Vets all ran together in the other 2 groups.

The nice thing was if the Regular dogs started first at 8:30, Specials/Vets didn't even start "their" open walk through until 12:00 (they had 2 sets of open walk throughs, you could attend both if you wanted to, or you could just go to the one right before you had to run.) So you didn't have to be at the trial site at the crack of dawn. However, all your runs were in the afternoon, where it would be hotter. It also felt kind of weird not to see half the people you usual compete with since the Regular dogs were split out.

Rock is SLIPPERY as all heck!

The bad thing of course is now you're hoteling or camping for at least 3 nights (maybe 4) and you're having to book more time off work, at least 2 days, likely 3 if you want Monday off to recover. So that isn't as nice.

Anyway. It was what it was. Some people decided not to go because of the format. Lots of us still did go. It was a nice venue, to be sure. Weather was a little hit and miss. Sunday I was really glad to find some heat pack warmers in my trial gear left over from winter, it was that cold (and rainy.) I got a jacket and a shirt this year and I am super impressed with them. SO NICE.

Front of Jacket and Welcome Bag/Backpack

Back of Jacket & The Shirt - I got pink, there were choices!

All in all, this was a good year I think. Weather was on, off and couldn't make up it's mind what it was doing - we got the full gamut of Alberta weather every day, but while my dogs were running weather wasn't that bad. At least the wind held off after the absolute gong show of Thursday's Steeplechase shenanigans (jumps falling EVERYWHERE.)

View to the right of my tent/benching

View to the left of my tent/benching

Schedule was; Jumpers and Gamblers 1 on Friday, Standard 1 & 2 on Saturday and then Jumpers 2 and Gamblers 2 on Sunday.

Thrilled with how my boys ran this weekend. (I'm still calling it a weekend!!)

Baxter's Results

This year I dropped Baxter into 6" Veterans.  This was actually a pretty competitive class this year with 3 dogs going neck and neck for the finish. He was in 1st place by 0.6 of a point going into Sunday!

Baxter was awesome this weekend, but I'm worried about him. He's definitely slowed down a lot from last winter. I had the canine body worker give him a massage on Thurs evening and then we had a chiro adjustment on Saturday as well. Have some stuff to work on to help him feel better. I don't think he should be slowing down this much at only 7!

Friday he was awesome. I ran essentially the same path I did with Spencer in Gamble, and he had a bit of a moment where he went out and took a obstacle farther away in the mini before taking the one I wanted, so we only got one set of mini points. He also couldn't see the weaves, but again, no 6" Vet dogs saw them either. He had a lovely and tight Jumpers run but was a little slower (it was hot.)

Saturday he did really well in the cool, running a nice clean Standard 2 and earning a first place in that run, but popping the weaves at pole 6 for some strange reason giving us 95 points instead of the 122.60 that we might have otherwise gotten in Standard 1.

Sunday again we were good in jumpers if a little slower. He doesn't run as fast as a Papillion! Gamblers I did the same path I had just run with Spencer, 6 dogs earlier, but Baxter bobbled the mini the second time through. Instead of just leaving it and continuing with my plan, I stepped in and didn't have any handling plan in mind. He took the weaves, at the 2nd pole in and wouldn't call out of them, so the buzzer went right after he completed them for no points. He ended up with only 23 opening points, but did get the final gamble! Good boy Fluff!! If I hadn't have messed that up, we might have had 10 more mini gamble points to add on!

Baxter placed second this year in the 6" Veterans division with 510.80 points, behind another All Canadian dog named Kenny who won with 529.53 points. Without the bobbles, we could have had 548.40 points and again may have ended up in first place - some of those mine, some of those his. Overall, proud of our performance and his gambling!

Baxter's Regional/National Stats:

2013 Regionals 6" Specials 1st Place: 448.50 points 3/6 clean runs, no gambles
2013 Nationals 6" Specials 2nd Place: 439.44 points 2/6 clean runs, no gambles
2014 Regionals 6" Specials 3rd Place: 405.79 points 3/6 clean runs, no gambles
2015 Regionals 6" Veterans 2nd Place: 510.80 points 4/6 clean runs, GOT A GAMBLE!!!

Exhausted - Sunday after we finished running while waiting to watch Steeplechase

Spencer's Results

Spencer was a rockstar! Especially considering I basically had to drag him out of his nice, warm, cozy kennel for each run. I'm glad I remembered to bring his winter jacket, he wore it most of Saturday and Sunday.

Friday he was a little off on Jumpers and I threw in some extraneous handling to keep him engaged with me. It worked well and I am proud of both of us. In Gamblers I only attemped one mini (the other had a teeter in it) but he got it! None of the 6" Specials dogs got the final gamble which was a jump, then switch out to the weaves layering that jump. Baby black dog placed first in his Gamble run though!

Saturday went very well and he was really trying for me. We had 2 really good runs, but on our first Standard I wanted to speed him up around the post turn on the jump before the last obstacle (a tunnel) and I told him tunnel too soon and didn't pick him up/connect with him after the jump so he took the wrong entrance. He did great. His handler not so much!

Sunday was really good too. We had jumpers first, then gamble. He had a nice and clean Jumpers (actually faster than Baxter) and placed first! Then in Gamble 2 he placed first as well! He got 3 mini gambles and ended up with 35 points. He would have had the main as well, but again his handler bobbled and I stopped supporting the tunnel he was sending to and he stopped for a second before taking it. The buzzer went when we were a couple steps away from clearing jump 4, less than a second over time. Oh well. In my mind I'm counting that as he got it!

Spencer ended up coming in second place in the 6" Specials division with 422.27 points, behind Slammer who won again this year with 474.42 points. IF his handler hadn't have messed up his runs Spencer could potentially have ended up with 490.45 points and first place!! So I'm very happy with our effort this year. A couple of little bobbles, but nothing major and he was such a brave little black dog for me!

Spencer's Regional/National Stats:

2013 Regionals 10" Regulars 4th Place: 398.66 points 2/6 clean runs, no gambles
2013 Nationals 10" Regulars 12th Place: 419.25 points 3/6 clean runs, no gambles
2014 Regionals 6" Specials 2nd Place: 434.79 points 3/6 clean runs, no gambles
2015 Regionals 6" Specials 2nd Place: 422.27 points, 4/6 clean runs, technically no gambles, SO CLOSE


Ultimately I'm thrilled with our performance this weekend, bobbles and all. Really happy with my mental game, loved my dog's heart and our team work out there. Happy with our connection on course. Most of the bobbles were mine, and I know exactly what I did wrong.

My very good boys!

Baxter: 2nd Place 6" Vets Aggregate - 1st place Standard 2, 2nd place Gamblers 2

Spencer: 2nd Place 6" Specials Aggregate - 1st place Gamblers 1, Gamblers 2 and Jumpers 2

(Yes - they did actually place in all their runs, but 6" Specials only had 4 dogs this year and 6" Vets wasn't much better with only 6!)

Reving up for Regionals

A little less than 3 weeks to go!The butterflies are back. Excited, but (after last years "fun") worried a little too.

May started the ramping up of conditioning and practice for agility so that we are ready for Regionals the second weekend in June.

Hill running. Hiking. Playing ball in the field and off leash walks by the canal.

2 Trial Apps nights this month.

TA 12-May - Gamble

On the 12th we practiced gambles and the boys did not bad. Got some useful tips from Darcy and he reiterated some points I already had heard before but hadn't always thought about. Spencer was brave and happy! Baxter was happy and jumping DW contacts... Both boys got the final gamble if I handled it the way I wanted to (as opposed to how it was suggested we handle it.) Short dogs can't see over tunnels!

Then we started Regionals Prep Class on 13-May. First class taken in over a year, 5 weeks of Wednesday night classes ending the week of Regionals.

Prep Class 1 - Gamble

Gamble again! Less focused in the opening than I'd like, with both dogs. We haven't been to Connelly field in over a year, so I'm sure that didn't help. No warm up jumps etc either, but the disconnect with the dogs sure showed.

Spencer was sniffy and sure wanted to pee on things (not helped by the fact that the resident dogs likely do potty around the "ring" which is just flags in the grass, not fenced or anything.) But still, a little embarrassing. Baxter couldn't flip away (switch) and send out to a tunnel, or find a blind tunnel entrance.

Need to work tunnels/blind tunnels with Baxter via the "crate games" method as well as finding a blind tunnel in flow as opposed to sending from a stand still.

Prep Class 2 - Jumpers

Next Prep Class was Jumpers. I got out of work late that night, so I got there late. Wasn't able to walk the course and Spencer was pretty stressed out about the car ride. Then he was stressed about where he was crated. So couple the stress with me giving bad information and not knowing where I am going, that first run was a disaster and he was not a happy baby black dog. AT ALL.

After I actually walked the course, we rocked it. Spence was still worried, but I didn't lose him and he picked it up for the second half of the course. So that's a win. I also stuck with my handling choices "despite advice" and I feel that is also a win. Things to remember: I know my dog, handle for them. Stick with my choice and visualize. And for doG's sake - get there early and walk your dog around so he isn't stressed out of his mind and can work with you!

Set up that tunnel jump combo 12-15 and time it. See if full extension over 14 and around the far standard or wrapping the inside standard (less yardage) really is faster.

This week we've got TA again tonight (Tues), class Wed and are entered in full Regionals Prep Trial this weekend. TA looks fun though. Have to see how it runs and just how demotivating that opening really is!

TA 26-May - Standard

I'm hoping the dogs don't end up burnt out with this sudden push of agility before Regionals. I know I'm having a little trouble with all the agility time. Teaching Monday. TA Tues. Prep Class Wed. Barn Rental Fri and Teaching Saturday.

The week before Regionals we have TA again on Tues, Class Wed and then Thurs we're going up to Edmonton to hit the warm up rings before it all starts Friday. I might skip some of that, so everyone is rested up and not stressed out.

Opps! Better late than never ... Regionals Review

Alright. Well. Missed a couple of things in the past 4(ish) months? Heck, lets call it since the beginning of the year since I've posted anything decent to remember! So, because I've thought of it now; Regionals Review!

Hosted in Lethbridge this year. We went. Camped with family instead of hoteling it. It rained. A LOT. I discovered I hate the rain. I hate running in the rain and I hate trialing in the rain. The dogs don't like it either.

The rain and the cold were pretty hard on Spencer and his knee. The chiro appointment for him wasn't much easier than running in the rain. That poor chiro vet is never going to forget him.

We did okay. I dropped Spencer into 6" Specials for this year and still kept Baxter as a 6" Special as well. I'll move Baxter to 6" Vets this Jan after his birthday I think.

Both boys qualified to go to Nationals, but since I didn't miraculously win the lottery in the interim between Regionals and Nationals that didn't end up happening. Nationals was also the week we went on Vacation down to Farragut State Park again.

Regionals/Nationals Stats

Baxter 

2013 Regionals - 6" Specials - 448.50 points & 3 clean runs (no gambles)

2013 Nationals - 6" Specials - 439.44 points & 2 clean runs (no gambles)

2014 Regionals - 6" Specials - 405.79 points & 3 clean runs (no gambles)

Spencer

2013 Regionals - 10" Regular - 398.46 points & 2 clean runs (no gambles)

2013 Nationals - 10" Regular - 419.25 points & 3 clean runs (no gambles)

2014 Regionals - 6" Specials - 434.79 points & 3 clean runs (no gambles)

Spencer ended up placing second this year, while Baxter came in third due to some silly handler errors.

Don't get me wrong. I am happy to have played with the boys. I'm just a little sad that Baxter would NOT send out to a single thing and got scores of 24 & 26 points in the gamble openings.  Those wouldn't even get us a Q at a regular trial, even if he got the final. It's a little disappointing. Practiced, did really well at the warm up trial before Regionals and then to struggle like that at Regionals. Ahh well, maybe the shit weather threw him off?

A little disappointed in myself for messing up his first standard run as well. It was down the dogwalk and then flip away into the tunnel under the dog walk, and we did it great. Until I called him and he came back out of the tunnel and stepped on the dog walk on the way over. For 20 faults. Turning what would have been a 130 point run into a 80 point one.

Baxter was doing so well, then not to sure what has happened. Some issues with a constant allergy battle this season. He's just getting a little older and a little slower since he isn't really built for the game.

Spencer was a good little dog and tried for me. Weather doesn't help his leg. Walking on 3 legs doesn't help us trial. Maybe I'll just carry him everywhere, like what someone else does with that poodle with the crappy patellas.


Baxter's Photos! (by Paws on the Run)

Spencer's Photos! (by Paws on the Run)

Let the Count Down Begin

This weekend was an outdoor trial geared to Regionals Warm Up. We had a great time, and I feel much more ready for Regionals - which is in 2 weeks! OMG.

The venue out in Millarville was very nice, weather was nearly perfect - a little hot if anything. I've got the most spectacular farmers tan/sunburn going on.

Spencer was amazing all weekend. I entered him in a full trial for the first time since he's started trialing and I wasn't sure how fast he'd fade over the weekend/8 runs. Saturday he was fast and confident and fun. Almost the closing Gamble, Rocked it on 2 Standard courses to finish off his Master Agility Dog of Canada (MADC) title. He did very well on the Jumpers as well, coming under SCT, however I didn't support a jump enough and we missed that (my fault, not his.)

On Sunday he was maybe a little worried or a little sore. He was a little off for the first 3 runs, getting progressively slower. I was going to pull him from Jumpers, the last run of the day because he just didn't seem very happy to be playing and there really isn't much point to drag him around the ring. I decided to keep him in, but if he didn't want to run, I'd take a line of jumps and a tunnel to make it easy and fun and just leave and have a party.

Took him for a walk on his flexi before and then played with him a bunch at the warm up jumps to help warm him up for Jumpers. The wind came up pretty good before our run and between that and the extra dogs milling around the gate he was not a happy dog waiting for the Judge to be ready for us. I tried to remember all the seminar advice I've been given on him and make sure I was focusing on improving my communication and connection with him.

We pulled it off and Q'd it coming in second of three, and finishing his Master Jumpers Dog of Canada (MJDC) title too! So proud of my bad little black dog this weekend. We're really starting to come together.

Good little baby dog!

Baxter was a very good dog all weekend. Going 3/4 on Saturday - and getting the Gamble (a mini and the main!) Missed the Standard popping on the 10th pole in the weaves, but I can work on weaves at home!

He faulted his weaves only once this weekend and jumped a DW contact once on the gamble on Sun (we went right back over it and he hit it that time) so I'm pretty happy with what we've been working on.

Sunday with Steeplechase (2x weaves) we were back to being a second and a little overtime. His weaves have slowed down again and I am wondering if that is due to the surface (grass has more grip) his conditioning or if something is sore.

He would have gotten the Gamble on Sunday as well (did do a mini to a blind tunnel entrance) however, I hadn't looked at the gate list before walking and didn't notice that Baxter and Spencer were back to back. Spencer was ready, but I thought I had 4 dogs to grab Baxter. Since I didn't, I just grabbed him, didn't potty him and threw him into the ring crate and then had to run Spencer. I've built the pre-run potty break into our warm up routine and I didn't even think about missing it with Baxter. Poor guy stopped on the main gamble and peed.

At Regionals since the boys only have one dog in between their runs I will have to remember to walk them during the last 10 min of break to potty them before walk thru on the day that we are first on the line.

All in all it was a great weekend with great weather to spend with my favorite little dogs. Next up is regionals!

2013 AAC Regional Championships

I didn't post much about this leading up to it since I didn't want to stress out, over think and obsess.

Last weekend was the AB-NWT AAC Regional Championships put on by OC Agility and held in Riviere Que Barre (think North Edmonton.) This was my very first Regional event I've attended as a competitor and I ended up entering both dogs. Baxter because he was ready and Spencer because he'd be there so I figured I might as well run him and see how he did, no expectations. 2 years ago when 2x4 Agility hosted Regionals in Calgary I volunteered, but it's a little different as a competitor.

We ended up staying in a hotel which was a gong show in and of itself, but lots of friends ended up staying on site. I'm not sure which I will do in the future, the dogs aren't the best in a hotel. I'd done some work on not reacting to strange noises after the Flashing Canines trial last Sept in Medicine Hat when we stayed in a hotel for the first time but obviously not enough.

The trial was a great time, and I think I heard someone say that it is the largest Regionals as of yet in Alberta. It was crazy. Over 300 dogs running to qualify for Nationals which are also held in Edmonton this year.

Since I've never been as a competitor before, the format of Regionals surprised me a bit. I knew it was 3 rings running at once, but I didn't realize what kind of down time there was between runs or how relaxed it would be without having to work the trial and volunteer. I also figured that running order would be similar to local trials that go small to tall regulars to special/vets, so either 10" Regulars are first and 6" Specials last or vice versa and then flipped for the second day. Not so! This time it went tall to small back up to tall. Day one with Regulars starting and day 2 with Specials/Vets. So this meant that Baxter and Spencer were running with less than 10 dogs in between them!

Both boys did excellent. I am so proud of  their performances and how they both not only held up under pressure but exceeded my wildest expectations of them.

Pretty Baxter

We didn't run in the warm up trial, but did get up to the trial site around the middle of it on Friday to wander around and chill out/set up. In hindsight I think it might have been helpful for Spencer to experience the new contact equipment before we ran on it, but Baxter adapts pretty well to everything.

I LOVED the open walking of the rings. So much time to think about handling and decide/plan. I didn't stress overly much about the gamble and came up with good plans for my dogs in all the courses. The increased time to walk and think/visualize etc was awesome. I ran the courses more confident and faster than I have before in a trial. It was a great feeling. I knew what I wanted to do, marked out exactly where I'd do those crosses. I changed handling for Baxter vs Spencer (a well executed rear cross in a strategic location with Baxter gets really nice results.)

Since both boys were so close together I ended up moving one of our crates over to in front of the ring we were in and then swapping the dogs so I wasn't sprinting to and from benching at the camper! It worked out much better than I thought it would and was way less stress for me.

Baxter ran clean in 3/6 runs. Both jumpers runs were very nice and well under SCT, as was his clean standard run. Weaves were a little slow, but still clean. Second standard was a refusal on the weaves. He hit the entry and then popped the second pole. Otherwise it was also a beautiful run. He was reading my handling beautifully. In the first gamble he got the one of the mini's twice and might have gotten the main gamble if not for my handling.

Gamble 2 was our last class on Sunday. By this time the weather was doing some very odd things and little torrential down pours would blast in from the north, hit us and then blow over in 5 min. One of these hit shortly before Baxter was due to run. Since he doesn't care about the rain I didn't really think anything of it and my first clue should have been when the judge asked me if he was okay to run. The rain was driving in pretty hard and you can see on the video that Baxter is not the happiest camper to be running let alone doing distance work in the ugly driving rain. He did send out to the teeter right into the rain driving in and I am exceptionally happy with that! The next time we have the option not to run in icky weather, I'm gonna take it.

Spencer was amazing. So proud of my baby dog and how far we've come together. On Saturday I was a little stressed about him. There really was no nice field to walk the dogs in or throw their balls for them. The grass was dry and the weeds poked my feet pretty good, I didn't want my dogs tearing after a ball in that kind of lumpy field. Without playing ball it's hard to get Spencer to turn on and stop worrying about the dogs around.

I figured Saturday would be his better day because he was first and I could try to get him playing before his run. On Sunday he was 8 dogs after Baxter, so no time to play.

Saturday started with the gamble and he was a little hesitant, but did get a mini for me and he stuck with me. Jumpers was next and he still stuck with me. Got a silly refusal, but otherwise he was trying and not completely shutting down or stressed out. Standard was last and I tried giving him a couple pieces of his jackpot reward right before we ran because he was way to worried to play. That did it! He ran standard clean (no popped weaves!!) and 0.3 sec faster than Baxter!

Look, almost twins!

Sunday he ran a fantastic jumpers 2 and also did very well in standard 2. Popped the weaves like Baxter did, and that would have been his only fault except I stopped handling on the last obstacle (it was dogwalk to a final jump) so he didn't take it and cost us 20 faults. Oops!

Gamble was also our nemisis on Sunday. I should have paid attention to what the ring crew was wearing because of the retarded weather and adjusted my plan, because he is still a fairly reactive dog. I didn't. So I sent him straight over the Aframe to the double jumping into a ring crew dude dressed in dark grey with a black umbrella  and sunglasses on. He may not have noticed the guy normally but he was already a little unfocused and keyed in on a lady running outside the ring in the same direction we were. So of course he has to lose his little mind, charging and alarm barking. Huge kudos to ring crew dude for not moving a muscle!

Managed to finally get Spencer back asking for a nose touch and then deking out of it at the last second to send him over the dog walk.  Buzzer goes when he has like 2 steps left to complete the one mini I was trying for, but at least he refocused and was running with me again. Sends out great to the teeter, up to the pivot point and then hops right off not even waiting for it to move. I'd hoped he'd actually stay on it, but it was a faint hope =P

After talking to Kim a little bit on Saturday about mental management etc I hadn't looked at our scores or added up anything off the scribe sheets, besides tallying our gambles to make sure that was right. I didn't know the other 6" Special dogs or how they were doing since they weren't in our group and honestly, I didn't really want to know.

It doesn't change the results in the end. Knowing you need to make X points the next day to qualify, or beat that other dog just puts more pressure on you. We were running our best. I was pushing to make sure my handling was bang on and confident. Run it like you stole it right?! Pushing the dogs a little to run faster, turn tighter and not babysitting any of my contacts. If the training held it did, if it didn't, something to fix next time. It was fun! Seriously the most fun I've had at a trial. No worrying about the Q - I'm going to bring that mindset back to "regular" trials with me!

I knew Baxter should do well, especially after how well we were running the first day. I was hoping to hit in the top 3 (the podium.) With Spencer I had no expectations what so ever, tho I figured he should at least qualify since his scribe sheets looked a awful lot like Baxter's!

So, so proud to say that Baxter won the Regional Championships for 6" Specials with 448 points! He placed in all his runs, even that last disappointing gamble.

When they got around to announcing the regular aggregate scores (they did Specials, Vets, DD Vets first) I was a little zoned out. It was a *bit* late by that time. I was a little sad when they moved right into the placement ribbons without saying our name (1-6 place got a ribbon.) Oh well, I guess we didn't qualify, I was thinking. 10" Regular is a competitive class, there are 3 world team dogs in it and a double handfull of other really good, fast, drivey small dogs. I was shocked when they read out Spencer's name as 4th place. He just missed the podium! Holy shit!

Baby dog managed not only to qualify with 398 points (the next dog was just 2 points behind us!) But he took 4th place in the division overall and a third place for our Standard 1 run. THIRD!!!!?!? This was seriously the best he has ever run for me in a trial! He has come SO FAR from that little puddle of terrified 8wk puppy trying to melt into the floor.