Fleet Feet December 2011 trial, day two

Fleet feet CPE trial day two....

Standard run:

The decoy tunnel near the dog walk got a fair few number of dogs, but not us. Got a front cross in between jump 10 and 11 tunnel. Got another one in between tunnel 13 and weaves. Really solid run all around, and our last level 4 standard q! On to level 5.

I'll have to compare the difference between Wildcard, which was a great run, and Colors, which was a passable run-maps will help but the main difference was in wildcard, I handled the way that was the most clear and smooth, and in colors, I ran to prevent knocked bars, which made the run much choppier. We incidentally had no knocked bars and no weave problems all weekend. But right now, too tired to analyze more. Going to rest and recuperate.

Fleet Feet December 2011 trial, day one

Today was day one of FF's December trial...really, really early. I was up by 5:15, in the car by 6, and at the trial by 7. In 25 degree weather. Brrrrfreakingbrrr. 

Wish I had a video camera of the runs we did, but I do find watching myself painful, and my iPhone doesn't really take the best video, so we will settle for some course map illustration! 

Let's talk about Standard....

Tricky areas-I wasn't too worried about the Aframe-tunnel discrimination the first time, Griff highly prefers contacts and is much easier to pull than push, so I just planned to lead out. The pinwheel led to my favorite dilemma, where to place the front cross I know I needed to do. I walked it with the cross between 5 and 6, between 6 and 7, and with a rear cross to the weaves. The rear cross option was the least promising as far as getting him to nail his weaves confidently, so I really wanted to get a front cross in there. Needed to be on the left of the weaves to pull to the 8 jump and not into the tunnel. And then finally, the tunnel choice instead of the Aframe was going to be tricky, but I knew I could keep up with him on the jumps and just planned to run straight as if I was going past the aframe before asking him to tunnel. 

So all that worked well. Front crossed between five and six, lovely weaves, no problem with the jump, nice jumpline and turned into the tunnel nicely. Feeling home free when we hit the teeter---and that of course was my mistake, because I was not working the 16 tunnel and somehow got an off-course jump (14-15-8). Not really clear on why, but perhaps the teeter was offset just enough that I was still pulling to the left slightly, and again, Griff doesn't push well. So NQ on that, but really nice work in general on the run. I was disappointed only because had we Q'd we would have been done with level 4 standard and on to level 5. But usually we don't struggle in standard like we do in, say, Jackpot, so I know we'll have plenty of chances to get those.

Now Snooker, which I used to hate, worked out nicely. I decided to do the #5 tunnel after each opening red jump because, hey, no chance to knock bars. I thought we'd start with the far left red jump, but there ended up being a cone to mark the start line on the near left jump which interfered with the wrap I would have needed there so we started with that one, then alternated sides, then 234567 done. Did a reverse flow pivot on the first red, which somehow popped him in the other end of the tunnel than I'd planned, but it worked out fine. Nice wraps. Plenty of time. Didn't get point greedy, because for me any snooker Q is a good one.

Fullhouse was typical-fast, fun. Jumpers was a fun course as well, I'll try to remember how I ran that one as I really was impressed with both Griff's work and my ability to think on my feet. I'd planned a front cross in two different spots but didn't decide until the run when I determined which made more sense.

Anyway, 3-4, and a nice NQ standard run. Griff did well. I was proud of him and a little sad because he seemed tired before Jumpers, although once on course you couldn't tell it. I guess he's grown up.
Back tomorrow...I need to get a more mellow hobby...

Training break

Haven't been working on much lately except game play with the puppers, namely Frisbee. Today, we had retrieve and tug in the front yard for two sessions of 5-10 throws! That's pretty good for a dog with not a lot of retrieving drive. Baby steps.

Griff and I have a trial this weekend. We'll see. I'm sure Jackpot will be a frustration due to our lack of distance skills, and we usually crap out in colors, but we'll see if we can't get at least a few Qs.

Agility league part two, puppy class, and a bit on other stuff.

Been taking the Aussies on some urban forest hikes lately. Usually, we see 2-3 people and maybe one other dog, so it's a great chance to practice recalls and check ins while getting a little exercise for the human, and a lot of running for the dogs. I love the trails this time of year, while the leaves fall silently it's like an autumnal snow storm, but not so cold.

Zig had his third 2x2 seminar, and he is now weaving six poles reliably from both sides, including before and after a jump and with a send to the jump and poles from some distance. He also, accidentally on my part, did 12 poles twice yesterday at the barn. I did not plan to try him out since the barn and the poles are brand new to him, but he sent himself and did all 12 perfectly. You can bet he got a jackpot for that! His contacts are taking some work, because his speed is great, but he almost can't slow enough to hit two on two off. I am torn, because I don't want to slow him down in general, but he needs to hit those contacts. I don't want to do running contacts with him. I think he'll need the pause (or I will, so I can catch up!) We need to add some jump grids into our training, and slowly begin working more sequencing. Right now, I don't ask him to do more than 3-4 obstacles at a time, one sometimes if it's a difficult skill. But he's coming along. God, I wish I had my own barn/field/lawn and equipment!

Griff continues to give me trouble with distance work. Like, he has none. We've subbed for league twice, and both times, it's been a distance (fast, jackpot) style game. He just doesn't get distance work. I am so frustrated, because we never ever address it in class, and I've never trained it, so I don't know how to teach him. I slowed him down and made him too dependent on me, and it is seriously biting me in the ass. I think the best option is to find an instructor who can do some private sessions with us and show us how to train it effectively. And preferably one who doesn't pigeon hole us because he's not USDAA/AKC titled and we'll probably never get there.

Class has been frustrating because although we've worked with the same trainer for years, she consistently underestimates us and doesn't give us the opportunity to learn better skills. Yes, my timing on front crosses will often be poor, I struggle with them. But I've taught him a lot, we've worked hard, and if vet school didn't get in the way, and now my crappy work schedule, we'd be a lot further along in our titles. He's a good little worker, and I really want to become a better handler, and I feel like we are constantly being belittled and not helped to get to the next level. Sooo, I hope to find someone who can work with us one on one and give us some new skills, or at least some exercises to work on.

Too much to ask?

Zig does 6 weaves

Taught with the 2x2 method. Much easier than channel weaves, although we still have some interesting "choices" (mistakes), like the night he decided to nose touch the first pole and enter on the second. Still need work on the right side entry...but coming along!

League and baby dog class

Griff and I subbed for NW Agility League last night. We can't participate since I work Tuesdays and the last two  meets are Tuesday nights, but we agreed to sub if someone needed to be gone. First night apparently two people did! I haven't done league before but apparently every night there is one standard style course and one games course. They post the course maps (who knew?) and you are encouraged to practice ahead of time (just not the day of).

The standard course was a fairly straight forward (level 2 CPE) style course. The game was called chances, and alack, it was very similar to a jackpot course. There was a line the handler couldn't cross and it required two tunnel-contact discriminations (the dog had to go out and take the tunnel instead of the contact obstacle that was closer to the handler).

Standard was pretty simple and Griff had no problem except a knocked bar after the A-frame (????) I figured we were going to blow the chances course but really wanted to try to get some distance practice. You could step over the line at any point for a 20 point fault, but I was hoping not to. Gambled on time not running out....Set him up ok but of course he took the jump and immediately went to the dog walk as it was closer to me than the tunnel--called him off and sent him to the tunnel, took a bit of convincing but he did do it. No problem with the three jumps, but then of course wanted to take the frame instead of the tunnel, and it took me a lot (well, 10 seconds) longer to convince him to take the tunnel that time. But he did take it! so I should be happy about that. So I will.

The puppyface started in a midpoint baby dog class last week, which means both Aussies have back to back classes Mondays, but means that I am no longer in the Monday AM class which was kicking my butt and teaching me a lot. Sigh. I can't drive down there twice a week so it's a necessary evil, but I'm sad about it. I kind of have mixed feelings about starting Zig there, since I feel like there are some aspects of training that I've missed with Griff, but I really wanted him in a class. I can always move him if I find something closer. I don't like teaching contacts the way we are (luring), but I will try to keep clicking them and ignore the critique I always seem to get when I use the clicker in class. He showed no fear except of the shoot, didn't think it should come down on his head, so we will have to work on that.

Old dogs, new dogs

The old man wanted a walk in the worst way a few weeks ago, so we went to the forest nearby and he got to mosey around. One blessing of being old, he can no longer run away from me, so got to be off leash for awhile. He very much enjoyed sniffing leaves and peeing on bushes. The simple pleasures...

The puppy saw contact equipment for the first time on Friday. He was, not surprisingly, quite excited about it. The A-frame was only partially elevated and it was just a 3/4 dog walk, but he thought both were very fun. If I don't mess it up, this guy will be fast! He also got some needed balance practice and more work on the dreaded phone book, bleh. It did scare me a little at one point that he was running so fast down the dog walk his feet came off the side, but he held on. It makes me appreciate having a dog who is (mostly) well trained on the obstacles.

Griff and I had a much better agility class today. We are still the worst, but we are learning a lot since the courses are so much harder and everyone else's skill sets are so great. Not the worst deal. I still get embarrassed, like when I was so excited he got a difficult weave entry that I neglected to realize he'd done so by cutting behind me, oops. Nice dog, shame about the handler indeed. But he did do some nice serpentines, only had one weave bobble, and nice contacts.

Need to work some 2x2 with Zig today, probably need to bring them inside rather than get poured on. He hates wet grass.