A Pissy Weekend!

Awwwk! It’s time to remember the focus is wins within the run. That was kinda sorta the point with Edie’s Novice Queen Supreme – aka known as Silly Title. The skills we developed in that quest eventually led to her Masters title. Learning is Infinite.

What went well:
An engaged, confident dog.
Teeters – she worked the pivot with full understanding.
A-frames – she’s came up and over the apex without doing a ‘oversee’.
Came back and kept working (mostly from a glance rather than an investigation).

What needs more work:
Table criteria, we need criteria other than getting on, waiting for the count and leaving. By then she’s busy ‘shopping’, rather than ready to leave.
Some of my lines are wiggly! Stop trying to shape some things and let her do what she knows how to do.
Weave entries…whether it’s my stupid shaping or visual distraction, these need work.

At a trial:
Don’t put her back in the weaves.
Blue mat with treat box.
Snuffle in the crate.
Stay connected at all times! Don’t look around even for a split second!!

ACT 1J Today

We did this today. Entries have been submitted. Bev says they’re both Qs. We’ll see what the judges say! Update, two clean runs. It’s official!

Course #: ACT 1J Rd A – 45 x 80                     
Judge: Kitty Bradley
Qualifying Score: 100
Dog’s Run Time: 26.71
Congratulations!
Comments: Congrats Debby and Tanner!

Course #: ACT 1J Rd B – 45 x 80                     
Judge: Kitty Bradley
Qualifying Score: 100
Dog’s Run Time: 16.02
Congratulations!
Comments: Congrats Debby and Tanner!!

Under The Big Top

Once again reminded of why Douglas County Fairgrounds was off my list of trial venues. :::sigh::: It is what it is. It presents a challenge. Big, big space, including the height of the ceiling. Dirt floor. ‘Open’ sheep fencing. And on and on. It is what it is. At least we get to trial.

Friday. Overwhelmed, she did the best she could. She got all her contacts, the last being a wrong-way dogwalk. Since there wasn’t a decent path out of the ring, I ended our run. Saturday’s course was right up Zopa’s alley. She was ready. She blasted off the start line and face planted into the a-frame. 😦 She did finish that obstacle, along with the next jump (a panel, argh) into the tunnel….where she took a time out, finally coming back out the entrance. I told her it was okay, picked her up and, once again, ended our run. “Z! I have your back!”

Sunday’s course itself stunk. The opening was full of traps and the wonkiest pinwheel ever. However! I saw a nice speed circle around the ring’s perimeter, away from the maddening crowd. Almost lost her at the start because I DIDN’T WAIT FOR HER TO TELL ME SHE’S READY. She came back and away we went. Her teeter was slow, but she rallied. Fun to hear Lori’s YEAH when Zopa stepped to the pivot. ♥ Equally fun was Rebecca coming up after our run to compliment me on my choice. ♥

We’re rusty…let me rephrase that. I’m rusty. No way should I leave the start line without her making eye contact, even if that takes our entire run time. Her blue mat! Smacking forehead! The mat grounds her ringside, gives her a place of her own, a place where she tells me she’s ready to play. Plus, I can park the treat box and treat bag on it for after our run. Next time…

I love this photo by KenGee. I have plenty of photos of her up and over the a-frame apex, but this one is special.

We’ll keep entering trials at DougCo. She’ll acclimate. I’ll have Plan A and Plan B. If she’s with me, we’ll run the course. If she’s overwhelmed we’ll do a speed circle. It’s taken me nine years, but I know my dog. ♥

Tanner is the first ADP-CH(2Th)!!!

Wow! Who knew?!

Jude must have judged his L5(2Th) entry because this is what she had to say:
Great entry! It’s a Q and I’m attaching the two certs. Tanner is the first to get these titles twice!
Everything was beautiful, except there was insufficient spotting on #9. It wasn’t terrible, but look at how much leash there is. You need to take up some slack with a loop. Holding the leash at the end is not enough leverage to support him if he needed help. I know – not likely, but if we don’t practice this until it’s a habit, the skill won’t be there when we need it. Not fair to our dogs! (I’m such a nag!)

I loved our L4(2Th) entry, Foo Dogs with Table, but chose the last entry for the Champions page. It best demonstrates our progress. I especially like the number of exercises we were able to do with just one EF.

And make a Theme Championship for Elliot!!

Woohoo!!

Judge’s comments: These are all Qs. I loved the themes and the way they meshed with Tanner’s. So now, which is your favorite for the CH page? It was so heart-warming to see Elliot having so much fun and performing so well.

BEAUTIFUL WORK – BOTH OF YOU!

Congratulations!

I’ve selected Have a Seat Old Bear for inclusion with Elliot’s listing on the ADP Championship page. Every single EF has sentimental value, I like the opening photo, and it includes an OL exercise Elliot ‘invented’ for himself! I had it named something much more clumsy, but noted Kristine’s labeling of the same thing in one of Tessa’s sequences. One Triple Loop!