Pocatello AKC Trial

Just got home from the Pokey AKC trial and had to post. I am so excited and happy with our runs. We ran 2 runs yesterday and 1 today...had to get home to the kiddos as hubby went to work this morning.

Wow is all I can think of. I just can't believe how well Killy and I ran. We were a team. We missed our A Frame contact in Standard yesterday or we would have qualified and only one handling bobble, but it didn't cause a refusal, I just think I can do it better and smoother. I had a flip to a tunnel off the dogwalk and tried to do a verbal flip at first...why??? I don't know, pressure...who knows, anyway it just cost time as Killy looked at me with a cocked head, like what??? as soon as I turned my body, he flipped into the tunnel. Then coming out of the tunnel there was a redirect to the teeter. I stood still again.....if I had moved he would have spun coming out.

Jumpers yesterday was a really tough course. The opening was a very tight slice to the right. I opted to do a wrap which would add time, but would provide a better approach to the next jump. He did that beautifully...I had trouble at the weaves, I started to turn and pulled him out, then had trouble with him anticipating, but we finished the weaves. Just no Q.

Today we had a clean jumpers run and a Q......25.02 Sec!!!! I could have shaved off another 1 1/2 sec if I didn't have another bobble or two. Always things to work on:)

Agility Practice

So, I set up a mini course by Dana Pike to work last weekend. It was a really great course since it made you not babysit your contacts. In order to handle the course and get where you needed to, it meant you had to have some lateral distance. It was really fun. I split it up into pieces for Killy. I wanted us to work on being successful at each piece-only doing it once and rewarding at the end. It worked! We ran each piece successfully and got in some great rewards for him. I think it showed, he is watching me and listening and taking my directions.....and COLLECTING!!!! My dog is learning how to collect. I am very happy how we are coming along.

I ran Lacey thru the whole thing and she did awesome! Not one bobble....must be my handling...right? I feel like I am improving.

Boise USDAA Trial

Wow! What a great weekend we had. The courses were fun, the trial small and the weather was beautiful!

We ran a total of 5 runs for the weekend and qualified in 3 of the runs. The other two were very small mistakes. We finished titles in P2 Snooker, P2 Pairs, P2 Standard and our PD2 title.

Lacey also ran really well. I know my handling is improving and she is running better and better. I am getting clearer with my signals and my timing is getting better. Lacey ran 2 runs per day. We had an awesome P3 Snooker run going, but I sent her in the wrong end of the tunnel. She had perfect contacts and weaves (something we have been battling for her career) in P3 Standard, just a handling error one day ( I was late and sent her off course) and two refusals the next day (I pulled her off a jump and didn't drive to the table). We qualified in P2 Jumpers the next day.

AKC Trial

We did 3 days out of a 4 day AKC trial Labor Day weekend. What fun!! The weather was great. It was a little hot on Saturday, but otherwise there was enough of a breeze and a little shade with some clouds that made it bearable.

I was very happy with our runs. The first JWW run on Saturday was rough. We just were not connected and I wasn't handling. I could feel it, but we pulled it together and every other run that weekend I was very pleased with. No Q's, but we were working together as a team. Killy gave me awesome and I mean awesome contacts. They were just like we had worked at home. He was doing his 4 on the floor perfectly. I couldn't have asked for anything better. He was really listening too. Now as my handling improves, we will get even better.

I was a little disappointed with his weaves and he wasn't consistent with his entries and sometimes popped out. Other runs he was fine. More training here. I need to remember a weight shift back to help him collect prior to the weaves if he is in extension.

I also got to see a friend get her MACH. Awesome, fun weekend.