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.

Ohio Trial USDAA

Went to the Mid-West on a vacation and we did a USDAA trial in Marengo, OH on the way. Nice trial, great bunch of people. Got to see some new faces. The best part was Killy picked up two P2 Std. legs! I was really happy. I actually was handling him. There were some tough parts, but he did awesome! He listened, collected and hit all his contacts.

I need to work weaves as he missed entries both days, but in all fairness, I think it was me saying something each time. I know I said something on Sunday and he turned around out of the weaves with a " What did you say?" look. I need to keep my mouth shut and let him work.

Contacts were awesome after we have been struggling with the aframe. I did a running aframe all weekend with him and he nailed it. Now I need to commit to it. I can't expect him to change the performance. That is a little scary to me, it means I actually have to HANDLE and not be LAZY. Hmmm.....things to work on. Team work means Killy and I...not just Killy trying to read my mind????? Really???? He is very smart:)

DOCNA

I love DOCNA.

The courses aren't as challenging as USDAA, in my opinion, so for me that's good. It allows me to practice my newfound handling skills without the added challenge of remembering the course or having too many off courses, refusals, etc.

I entered Killy in Jumpers and Standard on Saturday and Jumpers, 2 Standards, Gamblers and Trigility on Sunday.

We were awesome. I was handling for once. It felt like we were a team. He was so responsive in the Standard on Saturday, that I pulled him off a jump, but I was happy because he was paying attention! We had 1 Q in Jumpers on Saturday, on Sunday we Q'd in Gamblers (he was the only Q in Intern), Trigility and 1 Standard. The second Standard and Jumpers, he wasn't focused and he wasn't collecting, so he was going wide, missed a contact in Standard, just not pretty, but at least I know why and I can work on the focus piece. He needs to pay attention! I had perfect contacts all weekend except the last Standard and I think it was position. For all the others, I was handling the aframe, the last one, I was behind him and not in front to handle it. That means more work on my body position.

Lacey was perfect! I really mean that as she ran 3 runs on Saturday (100% Q Rate!!!!) and 4 runs on Sunday only missing 1 aframe contact for her only NQ. She qualified 6/7 runs. I have never had that success with her. I really think Stacey's tips are helping and I am learning how to handle. She not only q'd, but had the fastest times in most of the classes, not just in her jump height and division. Today she ran a Beginning Standard course in 21 Sec!!! Amazing!. The next dog (also a BC) was about 23 1/2 sec. I ran her in the North America Challenge and she qualified for Nationals! I have both dogs qualified now, so I really want to go.

I didn't get any video. It was too hot and the trial was so small, everyone really had to pitch in and help.

USDAA Wasatch Agility Trial

Where to start.....Wow is a good word. This event was a 4 Star Event and really drew a diverse crowd. I got to see some top handlers from around the country compete and it was really awesome to watch them run their dogs.

As I think back over the weekend, Overall Killy and I ran well. I didn't handle some things, so those things fell apart.- no brainer there, huh??? The team classes were really tough for us, good feedback that we are not quite ready to run courses at that level of difficulty, but really fun to try and a good way to know what we need to keep working on and working towards.

I have started running Lacey again....and she is doing awesome!!! I had semi-retired her and was letting my daughter run her in ASCA and DOCNA, but after running her when I went to Stacey P-G's and in a workshop, I thought I would give it a try. As my handling improves (Thank You Stacey P-G!!!! You are an awesome teacher:)), I have been having more success running her.

I ran her in P3 Standard and P3 Snooker for the weekend. We had no Q's (she's a little rusty in the weaves and contacts always require maintenenace) in Standard. Snooker she was great, I didn't support the #6 tunnel and she pulled in and took the off course Aframe. Otherwise, it was a great run.