second trial

Saturday:

Fullhouse: Q and 2nd, 27 points. We had ten extra seconds, totally could have gotten more points, but I was cautious and sent him to the table once we finished the course I planned, or he could have gotten first.

Standard level 2: Q and 1st. Fun run, both teeter and weaves executed perfectly. This run was the best of the weekend, not a bobble. And fast! 17 obstacles in 40 seconds.

Jumpers: Q and 1st. Fast and fun run. He was on!

Sunday:

Standard level 2: Q and 1st. This run felt the worst as far as my handling went. I handled on what seemed like the most logical path for the opening, but in hindsight it pulled him directly towards the tunnel on the left when I wanted him to go into the tunnel on the right. He corrected easily and it didn't count as an off-course, but it could have been avoided if I'd handled it better. He also hesitated at his a-frame-turn-tunnel, which usually he doesn't have a problem with. We'll have to go back and work on it. Teeter perfect, weaves perfect as well.

Got some nice shots of him from the photographer, which was awesome.

I am planning on trying him at a new venue in April, just to see how he'll do. Its indoors but two rings run simultaneously, so that'll be exciting...I think he's ready.

agility notes and whatnot

So....

1st trial-went really, really well. Griff crated well, was mellow and relaxed, friendly, focused, just in general a good boy. CPE trials seem very friendly and low-key, people were super nice when they realized it was my first trial, the judge was helpful and encouraging.

I wish I'd signed up for a game, so that I could have practiced one. I still don't get the rules of most of them, I guess it just takes seeing them a few times.

My olny complaint was his pre-start line behavior. Not even his start line behavior, which was the picture of focus. But as the dog ahead of us was running, he was getting a bit amped up. Probably wouldn't have bothered the average person, but I am so sensitive to him getting over aroused that it bothered me. I'm not sure how to address it yet...obviously I can't have food or toys within 10 feet of the ring, so I can't use a lure to keep his focus. Now that we are working with others in the ring at class, maybe getting to watch his classmates get all worked up and getting rewarded for calm behavior will help him? He was so glazed for a minute there I thought I would lose him. Luckily as soon as he reached the start line he was fine and ready to work...

Class has been a bit frustrating. We have a new dog in class, and quite frankly, she's not at the level that the rest of us are. This wouldn't be a big deal, except each of her runs takes like 15 mins, which cuts into the rest of our time. There are five dogs in the class, one of them shouldn't get 30 minutes of the run time. Frustrating.

We have a trial in March, and we're registered for jumpers, full house, as well as colors and two standard runs that are level 1. I either need to run colors and standard level 2 or move us to more games. I'm not sure what the best approach is. On the one hand, it'd be nice to see how he does on a course with weaves and a teeter, on the other, maybe not yet. It would also be cool to finish level 1, but I'm not sure I want to register for everything. It's a lot of pressure to run in all the legs we need to finish our title, then if I muck it up...Might be better to just do a level 2 colors and see how it goes...

title?

According to the CPE rule book, Griffin is now Griffin McGuinness, CL1-R. Hmm.

He Q'd in both standard runs and took 1st for his height class, and Q'd in colors. Perfect runs, no faults.

His behavior at the trial overall was downright eerily good.

I'll write more later, but our new goals are:

finish CPE level 1 (need snooker, full house, jumpers, wild card, and jackpot)
work on standard level 2 (esp need to focus on proper teeter execution)
work on pre-start line behavior.

I am super proud of him.

and also...

the travel crate smells like plastic and is making me nauseated. I can't imagine this is good for a dog's much more sensitive nose. If Griff yaks on the course tomorrow, I'm gonna complain to someone in marketing...

more nerves

So, not the best move on my part, I waited til tonight to get Griff accustomed to his travel crate. Bad mom. But luckily, he doesn't seem to care, in fact, he was happy to wait in it for kibble, so as long as he's not left in there indefinitely tomorrow, I hope we can get by. I can always take him to the car, which would be ok although he will probably bark at the other dogs that go by.

I'm nervous! Because of vet school, I'm constantly doing things that make me nervous, which ought to make it easier, but that hasn't become the case yet. I think nerves are about the worst feeling in the world, and if I didn't have strong mental control, I'd avoid doing anything that made me nervous, ever.

But really, it should be about having a good time. It doesn't really matter how it goes tomorrow, as long as I show up and handle him the best I'm able, and he has a good time. Even if people are bitchy, or he blows me off, or I fall over. No problem. It happens. We'll live.

I wish I had some idea of when we run though, so I could determine the appropriate time to really begin getting nervous. Ahem.

first trial nerves!

So our first "real" trial is on Saturday and Sunday. We are doing two standard, one jumpers, and one colors run. I fully expect the first standard run to be crap, hopefully at least colors will go ok. With the special color cones, maybe I won't get lost and fall on my ass.

I am most worried about:

1. Griff freaking out in his travel kennel, which he has barely used.
2. me getting lost and falling on my ass.
3. Griff deciding I suck and leaving the ring
4. me getting lost and falling on my ass
5. the mean uber-agilibitches laughing at my poor skiznills
6. me getting lost and falling on my ass
7. serpentines
8. ass-falling

pick self up, dust self off

I am having mid-goal angst and crisis. After about a 15-17 pound weight loss, I seem to be fluctuating wildly and stagnating on any real progress. Even though I've increased my running by a lot. A lot for me at least. I hate seeing the scale at those evil numbers. I hate no progress.

Soooooooooo time to regroup.

plan
1. do another food journal
2. come up with some new recipes or eating options
3. figure out how to use the scale so that it's helpful and not hindering.
4. make tea when studying so less tempted to eat


I hate midterm season, since I have no time to do anything but study, so food becomes the ever-tempting "reward"... I know food isn't supposed to be used like that, but it's hard when I don't have time for any healthy reward system. Except for my run and my bath. Otherwise, it's hours and hours of study. And I am tempted by the cereal and crackers in the other room.

I know this is worth it, but right now it's hard. Hard hard hard.