Agility musings

Griff and I trialed this weekend for the first time since March. Zig came along for the experience and socialization. With the wedding and June being such a busy month, we haven't been in very aggressive training for about 2 months. It was clear this might be the source of some of our issues.

We entered all 8 CPE classes. First was jackpot-Griff was attentive and his opening was fine, but the closing was a traditional jackpot with a distance jump tunnel layered with two jumps closer. You sent them into a tunnel, angled towards the far jump but still requiring comfort at distance. We just don't do distance, especially with layered obstacles, since jackpot is the only class that uses it and we don't run NADAC. So naturally, after coming out of the tunnel Griff oriented towards me and "out jump" wasn't enough to make him take the far jump-end of jackpot. I wasn't disappointed with it since I can't expect him to do what he hasn't been trained to do!

Standard-we had weave trouble, which we corrected. Should have been 5 faults but a q. Somehow, they marked us as a 15 point major fault. NQ. I am pretty sure it was a scribing error, but nothing to be done about it.

Wildcard was a nice run, and we finally got out of level 2 colors! Fullhouse is always a fun run.

Standard II on Sunday was the problem. The first four obstacles were tough. Jump to dog walk but set at a right angle, so if the set up wasn't just right it was a difficult entry, and Griff was nervous as soon as we walked out. He never, ever shows ring anxiety, he will occasionally knock bars if my direction is late but he doesn't seem to worry about it. This was different. He wouldn't get into position on the start line, kept looking back at the dog that was leaving the ring, and then when I sent him over the jump and onto the dog walk, I took my eyes off him for a split second and he tried to cut behind me instead of going onto the dog walk. We recovered, but after the jump were the weaves. We had a complete weave breakdown. At first, he popped the 10th pole, so I took him back to fix it. Then we popped at the third, then the tenth, then he acted like he couldn't weave at all....such a strange thing. SO....stupidly too late, but finally I gave up and just ran the rest of the course, knowing he'd get an NQ but wanting him to end on a good note-and he ran the rest of the 14 obstacles perfectly. Strange. I don't know why the stress behaviors were so bad.

Snooker-I played it safe with the points and he did perfectly, no stress, perfect attentiveness, blew past 6 weaves first but then executed them perfectly. Jumpers course-he saved our ass, did great. Much more like the Griff I am used to.

There are a few things to note about this trial:
1. Competitive people are everywhere, even in a "fun" sport like agility. They can make you feel bad about your progress even though objectively it is right where you expect it to be.
2. I should have been more careful when reining in Griff's forwardness. He now checks in too much and won't necessarily run a line if I am too far, even if I am cueing him correctly.
3. I cue late too much in trials.
4. I need to trust the front cross.
5. I need to make sure my training efforts are in line with my training goals, and not feel bad if the results reflect the efforts. Not everyone can be a fanatic, and if you train at a specific level, that is the performance you should expect.

Zig was great at the trial. I wish I had him further along, but he was awfully mellow in the crate and attentive out. However, he is certainly more aware of his testicles, and I am thinking I really want to neuter him at 12 months. Maybe I can make it to 14-16 months but don't think I can make it to two.

Foundations and Grown-up Agility

Zig's foundation class:

Did a better job of being motivating. A new schnauzer in class necessitated me working harder at being fun and keeping Zig with me. We've got two on two off phone book. We've got good jump drive over the standards. We've got the beginnings of circle work. We're getting very good stays even in front of the jump (which he desperately wants to take). We've got tug! We get distracto-pants during the last minutes esp when he's waiting to run his mini courses.

Grown up agility

The class I'm in is not challenging enough for us right now. Tried to spice it up by adding some distance practice but the course really wasn't set up for it, didn't work too well. I think most of the people in the class run AKC novice which is much different than where we are. Which is who knows? I know I want more distance work, I wish I'd done more foundation work with Griff-especially jump work. Need to start puppy jump grids more vigorously with Zigster. Weaves and contacts were especially good tonight. Not a bobble at the startline. Why only when I can least afford it (ie, colors run that he blew) does he break his stay???

I want an incredibly toy driven dog for my next puppy. I've decided.

My puppy hates shaping

We have been having a devil of a time with the "phone book" exercise in Agility Foundations, namely, get two back feet on the phone book. We had little trouble with two front feet but 1. changing the game 2. expecting back feet when dogs have much less control/awareness of them and 3. trying to increase criteria have left me with a very frustrated puppy! He's started vocalizing when I get the phone book out. I feel this exercise is kind of dumb but my instructor insists this is the way I should do it (no luring, no teaching to back up first without the phone book). Today after finally (sort of ) nailing two back feet on, she wanted us to do a sit on the phone book. This just about broke my puppy (although , or maybe because, he was frequently offering a sit on the phone book when two front feet stopped working).

He's also having some difficulties with focus/motivation right now. I hope it's just an adolescence thing, but I suspect it might have something to do with his handler :(. I am afraid somehow I'm dampening his motivation, by not making it fun enough, decreasing frequency of rewards, or being too predictable.

I'd really like to find a rally class we can take, but my schedule is so busy none of them are fitting in, sad.

Wedding planning is taking over many spare moments as well.

engagement shots and dogs

Class notes

Problem areas:

1. Playground monitor-Zig occasionally still defaults to herding behavior and tries to bust up other dogs' playtimes.

2. Leave it-haven't worked it at all

3. Still doesn't like hands over the head. At all.

Good stuff

1. Sat and greeted two strange men outside of class very politely.

2. Worked for a strange MAN quite well (this was actually a little annoying, as the guy was shoving sausage in Zig's face to keep him with him, but I suppose the practice was good for Zig, so I'll try not to be too annoyed.)

3. Nice off leash heeling.

Stays still so-so.

Puppy in the nice chair

Puppy intermediate class

Holy moley, wish I had video of my puppy heeling all around the room at class today off leash,around the other puppies, balls being thrown, treats being dropped...such a good boy.

He met a four year old Aussie owned by our instructor today and it was like instant breed recognition. He leapt for him like "hey, we're related!" Got a little reprimand from Sawyer for that, but took it well. And, he made friends with the Blue Lacy that he was snarky with from week one...boy that pup changed in personality! Not at all leaping at other pups' heads like night one. I've never met a Blue Lacy before, they are cute.

I'm so pleased that he is so much less concerned about being in a room full of other pups now. He is more relaxed, happy to interact but prefers to work if it's working time....such a good little man.

Got to get some updated pics. Here's a cameraphone one with big brother.