I know it's obnoxious how much I talk about how awesome she is. But she is just so FUN.
Last night before class, worked her some on AF and teeter. She overran her AF a few times so I got to give no reward and re-try with great success. Her teeter was better - actually used the "Scary" one - it groans & creaks somewhat. She still looked a little hesitant though. Also taught her the broad jump & tire quickly.
Worked on some DW with Panic too, who looked lovely.
During class, I ran Panic in the technical jumping station, and Spry in the longer, obstacle variety station. I was THRILLED with how well she did!! Held her start line, hit the weaves as obstacle #2, I was able to get ahead of her in the weaves to present a RTH position after the next jump so I could direct her in the correct end of the tunnel. Great contacts, and no worrying about the teeter when in the middle of the course! I was even able to do a FC while she held "feet", which I am not sure I have practiced at all, and certainly not much. And she did the broad jump in the sequence no prob. Didn't want to do the tire, but it was in a thin strip of sunlight so I didn't bother.
Spry is on a team for August 1 :) She is running with Fada & Trudy (aka cutest BC ever). It will be great bc no pressure to Q or anything and as long as I remember to handle her like a baby dog I think we'll be ok. She will have a blast - that much I know for sure!!
6.25.2010
6.17.2010
Class tonight
Before class tonight I will work Spry on the following things:
AF
Teeter - build confidence w/TONS of praise
Table
During class I want to work Panic & Dexter each in a station... I think one section has weaves, that will be the dude's station, he needs some work!! Luckily it's much cooler today so hopefully he works well.
AF
Teeter - build confidence w/TONS of praise
Table
During class I want to work Panic & Dexter each in a station... I think one section has weaves, that will be the dude's station, he needs some work!! Luckily it's much cooler today so hopefully he works well.
Spry jump work last night
I am so jazzed to work on jumping drills after AP camp, and the stuff my mom took notes on at basic skills. HOWEVER, the last few afternoons have just been miserably hot - I wouldnt' be giving it my all so Spry wouldn't either, and that's just not going to benefit anyone.
Last night I went out a little bit after 9 and realized it was GORGEOUS. And she was being nutso. So I decided to work. Definitely a good thing - got to practice her collection when she was really amped up and wanting nothing but extension!! I feel like it really made her think. It was a good session - but I was mostly working off the top of my head - I want to get over to my mom's and read her notes again!!
Last night I went out a little bit after 9 and realized it was GORGEOUS. And she was being nutso. So I decided to work. Definitely a good thing - got to practice her collection when she was really amped up and wanting nothing but extension!! I feel like it really made her think. It was a good session - but I was mostly working off the top of my head - I want to get over to my mom's and read her notes again!!
6.14.2010
Awesome Paws camp 2010
Spent the weekend at Awesome Paws camp, with Linda & Carrie instructing. It was *GREAT*! We took the advanced skills section, and boy did we learn a lot!
The biggest take away for me from the whole weekend was how to appropriately use acceleration & deceleration to get Panic to drive into turns better and make tighter ones. I had especially not been decelerating correctly in my handling. She did really well over the two days, and while we have a lot to work on (me, really), there were some moments of brilliance! I'm so excited seeing those flashes - it gives me great motivation to improve my handling. Mostly, I just need to be more of an active handler - she floats out so lovely to let me get in some crosses etc but if I drive into turns more instead of letting her do them herself, I get much better speed out of her. I've gotten complacent with what we've been doing.
I've also decided to pull Spry from the July Flashpoint trial. There is still soooo much more foundation jump stuff we need to work on, and although I am quite sure she could get around those courses, I'm afraid I'd ruin our hard work. And I'm not good at entering and not caring about Qs and doing well, so I'd probably put too much pressure on my lovely baby dog. Mom had Neat at the basic skills Thurs/Fri and took lots of good notes of some great exercises for us to do. I may still do something at the BRAG all tourney trial - we'll hvae to see where we're at by then. I am so excited to work on a lot of this stuff with her!
The biggest take away for me from the whole weekend was how to appropriately use acceleration & deceleration to get Panic to drive into turns better and make tighter ones. I had especially not been decelerating correctly in my handling. She did really well over the two days, and while we have a lot to work on (me, really), there were some moments of brilliance! I'm so excited seeing those flashes - it gives me great motivation to improve my handling. Mostly, I just need to be more of an active handler - she floats out so lovely to let me get in some crosses etc but if I drive into turns more instead of letting her do them herself, I get much better speed out of her. I've gotten complacent with what we've been doing.
I've also decided to pull Spry from the July Flashpoint trial. There is still soooo much more foundation jump stuff we need to work on, and although I am quite sure she could get around those courses, I'm afraid I'd ruin our hard work. And I'm not good at entering and not caring about Qs and doing well, so I'd probably put too much pressure on my lovely baby dog. Mom had Neat at the basic skills Thurs/Fri and took lots of good notes of some great exercises for us to do. I may still do something at the BRAG all tourney trial - we'll hvae to see where we're at by then. I am so excited to work on a lot of this stuff with her!
6.07.2010
Panic, ADCH!
This weekend at BRAG's show, Panic and I got our last gamble leg that we needed to earn our ADCH!!!! I was so thrilled to be able to do this at one of our home trials with many of our friends there :) Making it even more special was the fact that Wendy & Lannie earned their MAD on the same gamble, and later in the day Patti & Comet finally finished their MAD also!!! Our weekend didn't stop there - we had some other nice runs as well and Panic's team (thanks Bug & Piper!) Q'd which finished Panic's Tournament Master Bronze title. Little Dex also got a starters gamble and jumpers leg, and... well the rest weren't so great :) Despite the weather conditions, I had a very fun weekend! Thanks to BRAG for putting these shows on, and to responding as well as possible in this kind of weather! Moving the ring for Sunday was great.
When I got Panic on July 29, 2006, they got her out of her little wall kennel, I filled out all of the paperwork, and out the door we went. She immediately *flew* to the end of her 6 foot leash, did some sort of flip in the air on the impact of hitting the end of it, and then repeated that several times in different directions. I thought maybe Andy was right, we were nuts for getting this dog! She was just going to be too much. I wasn't even sure at that point if I'd try agility with her - having been on "hiatus" for several years while in college. If I had been planning on doing agility, I certainly wouldn't have picked a 17" dog!!
I think it was maybe one week before I decided to try out Linda's new (to me at least) jumping method as described to me by my mom, in her backyard. Five minutes and she was jumping 22" beautifully. A few weeks later I thought we'd give the weave poles a try. She loved them from the beginning and learned them incredibly quickly. She amazed me with how smart and athletic she was, and how much she wanted to learn and to please me. How could I *not* have done agility with this dog?
We've had our ups and downs - in the beginning I couldn't wear long sleeves, and DEFINITELY not hoody sweatshirts because at the start line she'd jump up and grab my sleeves, and the strings for the hood were her *favorite* to pull on. We'd fix one problem and quickly find another one. But no matter what she has always been so much FUN to run. She always has a huge smile on her face at the end of every single run.
She's calmed down a lot at home, and is now the "mature" dog. She will give Dexter and Spry the side-eye when they are acting silly, and then look at us and sigh to show us just how much more grown up than them she is. Of course, then she'll get jealous of their fun and start rolling around on her back so her little brother will bug her instead... just so she can complain about it. She's also matured in the agility ring and loves to get out there and just run. Our problems now are 99% me, but she never gives up hope that one day I'll learn how to handle her better :)
Sorry to get long and sappy, but she really is just such an awesome little dog who makes us happy every single day. She is my first dog as an adult, and the first dog Andy and myself got together (ok - she was supposed to be *his* dog since we were just dating at the time!). We've build a lot of memories with her, and I'm just happy to be able to play agility with her - something that she loves so much. The titles don't mean a thing to her - but I know she realized she had done something special on Saturday when everyone was cheering.
Thank you all for all your support along the years, ever since I started with Peanut. It means a lot to me to have grown up with such great friends.
When I got Panic on July 29, 2006, they got her out of her little wall kennel, I filled out all of the paperwork, and out the door we went. She immediately *flew* to the end of her 6 foot leash, did some sort of flip in the air on the impact of hitting the end of it, and then repeated that several times in different directions. I thought maybe Andy was right, we were nuts for getting this dog! She was just going to be too much. I wasn't even sure at that point if I'd try agility with her - having been on "hiatus" for several years while in college. If I had been planning on doing agility, I certainly wouldn't have picked a 17" dog!!
I think it was maybe one week before I decided to try out Linda's new (to me at least) jumping method as described to me by my mom, in her backyard. Five minutes and she was jumping 22" beautifully. A few weeks later I thought we'd give the weave poles a try. She loved them from the beginning and learned them incredibly quickly. She amazed me with how smart and athletic she was, and how much she wanted to learn and to please me. How could I *not* have done agility with this dog?
We've had our ups and downs - in the beginning I couldn't wear long sleeves, and DEFINITELY not hoody sweatshirts because at the start line she'd jump up and grab my sleeves, and the strings for the hood were her *favorite* to pull on. We'd fix one problem and quickly find another one. But no matter what she has always been so much FUN to run. She always has a huge smile on her face at the end of every single run.
She's calmed down a lot at home, and is now the "mature" dog. She will give Dexter and Spry the side-eye when they are acting silly, and then look at us and sigh to show us just how much more grown up than them she is. Of course, then she'll get jealous of their fun and start rolling around on her back so her little brother will bug her instead... just so she can complain about it. She's also matured in the agility ring and loves to get out there and just run. Our problems now are 99% me, but she never gives up hope that one day I'll learn how to handle her better :)
Sorry to get long and sappy, but she really is just such an awesome little dog who makes us happy every single day. She is my first dog as an adult, and the first dog Andy and myself got together (ok - she was supposed to be *his* dog since we were just dating at the time!). We've build a lot of memories with her, and I'm just happy to be able to play agility with her - something that she loves so much. The titles don't mean a thing to her - but I know she realized she had done something special on Saturday when everyone was cheering.
Thank you all for all your support along the years, ever since I started with Peanut. It means a lot to me to have grown up with such great friends.
6.02.2010
Weaving with distractions, next few weekends...
Last night took Spry to my mom's to weave her with Neat also in the backyard. Neat obliged with her, ummm, lovely barking/noises she likes to do. Spry was barely distracted! Did miss her entry several times at one point going a certain direction but I think it had more to do w/the shadow hitting that pole vs Neat. I hope these poles hold up!
A few things to work on:
- table refresher
- a-frame in diff scenarios
- finish up teeter work
- jump sequencing
Looking forward to the BRAG USDAA this weekend! Hoping it doesn't storm though... Dex has a tiny tiny chance to finish his AD - he'd have to Q both days in standard and get that elusive jumpers leg as well as pairs relay. Hey weirder things have happened!! Panic also has yet another chance to finish her ADCH with a gamble, as well as her TM-Bronze if we Q in DAM, and her Standard CH if we Q both days in standard (fat chance!).
Next weekend we are attending Awesome Paws camp - thanks Mom & Dad & Rick & Char for the bday present!! Can't wait to have fun and learn a ton there!! Panic can't wait to swim during lunch!!
A few things to work on:
- table refresher
- a-frame in diff scenarios
- finish up teeter work
- jump sequencing
Looking forward to the BRAG USDAA this weekend! Hoping it doesn't storm though... Dex has a tiny tiny chance to finish his AD - he'd have to Q both days in standard and get that elusive jumpers leg as well as pairs relay. Hey weirder things have happened!! Panic also has yet another chance to finish her ADCH with a gamble, as well as her TM-Bronze if we Q in DAM, and her Standard CH if we Q both days in standard (fat chance!).
Next weekend we are attending Awesome Paws camp - thanks Mom & Dad & Rick & Char for the bday present!! Can't wait to have fun and learn a ton there!! Panic can't wait to swim during lunch!!
6.01.2010
Spry WEAVES!
Yesterday got 6 more stick in the grounds, so I now have 12 poles. Set them up as two sets of 6 w/4 ft in between them. She did well but was getting hung up with the 4' as it was getting her striding off.
Second session w/12 poles just set them all at 22". She is AWESOME! Not perfect but she got it, and is decently speedy. I'm so thrilled with her progress at the weaves. Now we have to work more on AF to proof various situations, finish the teeter, and start working on jump sequencing, and she'll be perfect right??
Second session w/12 poles just set them all at 22". She is AWESOME! Not perfect but she got it, and is decently speedy. I'm so thrilled with her progress at the weaves. Now we have to work more on AF to proof various situations, finish the teeter, and start working on jump sequencing, and she'll be perfect right??
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