Sunday at K9 Bed and Breakfast

Linda and I worked our dogs at the same time as a distraction. Linda was doing set point and stay work with a wubba. I had Juice on a down and wait less than 5 feet lateral to Hala. She was tempted to break and started to get up when Linda released Hala with free. Ireminded her to not do that and we repeated the same thing a few times. Worked some rear crosses and front crosses and also did some collection work. I had the jump at 20 and had Juice 20 feet away. She is getting better. At home we did some plank work and again some right and lefts outside.

Weekend Work

Saturday the weather was nice so Juice and I did some work. What's new? We worked weaves. I started to pull away laterally at the end of the poles and she came out of the weaves before the last pole. BAD dog! BAD handler! We are working rights and lefts over the jumps. She is good with rights and lefts on my right side but on the heel side she has trouble with lefts. We will fix it. In the house I am working the plank and my own version of A-Frame running contacts. So far so good. She does well with treats right now. I went out in the yard to do the same with a toy but she had to much excitement to think so I moved it back into the house for some more repetition. I have started to raise the plank. I will do so slowly.

Back Yard Work

I worked with Juice last night with the plank again. It will take some time and repetition but that is all we have anyway so no hurry. Still working entrances to the weaves from different angles. Some rear crosses and front crosses also. She seems to be turning wide so I am doing some collection exercises with her from a distance. She is figuring it out. Worked on some right and lefts also.

Plank Work with box turn

Too funny! One of these days I will buy a cam corder to tape my sessions and post them. This dog is just a hoot. It was a nice evening weather wise to get out in the yard with all the dogs and play. The plank just happened to be close to the house so Juice got all excited and started turning off the wall and then running on the plank. She cracks me up. We also practiced some left and rights. I set her up over one jump and then had 2 jumps slightly angled to the right or left. She had some difficulties. She gets really worked up and then just doesn't think. Reminds me of flyball and how I have trained her. We worked 6 weave poles totally straight with some hard angles.

Back at it tonight!

4th Agility Class (March 22nd)

Before Juice and I went to practice I watched Rachel Sanders dvd on Reliable Running A-Frames. I like it. It reminds me of Susan Garrett and Susan Salo in some instances and I love there stuff. I also did some reading on Silvia Trkman and running contacts.

Much fun again tonight. I got to practice the A-Frame with a stride regulator and put a wubba right at the bottom and Juice did nice strides. I will start using the box method as soon as Angie gets it for me. We worked the dog walk with the wubba and I have a box at home I am using for her to step in and through. I lowered the teeter and got her slamming it down and tugging. I need to keep it low and bounce the end of up while feeding her to keep her comfortable. It worked well. I also worked her on weaves. I'm looking forward to more.

Running Contacts

I just watched Rachel Sanders DVD on Reliable Running A-Frames. I have also been reading about Silvia Trkman's running contacts. Pretty cool! That's my plan these days. It is a whole lot of piece work and I love that kind of stuff. Some of it reminds me of Susan Garretts 2 X 2's.

Gotta go...........agility tonight........imagine that!

Nice weekend of practice

Saturday I did many different things at home in the back yard with Juice. Jumps with rear crosses and front crosses. We practiced right and lefts, hard angled weave entrances, and then ready, steady, go and some get out. I went out and bought a piece of lumbar for the down side of the dog walk. I also have a piece of material to use for her to run down the walk and through it for running contacts. On sunday we worked stride regulation with me 10 feet lateral to the jumps and she did it. Juice did a serpentine for the first time. It was kinda cool. I had never attempted it before.

Contacts OR Not

I have been thinking about this topic all along. I have practiced with contacts and without. I like the dog best without them but I also know that there will be times I might need them. After speaking with my bff Angie I have decided that I am going to go with the running contacts. I am in no hurry with Juice to compete and I have time to learn where I need to be position wise and better handling skills as time goes on. I am going to go to audit a handling workshop in April and will continue to learn more from others. This is all a lot of fun.

Stay tuned!

3rd Agility Class (March 8)

It was much fun last night! Juice did a series of 6 jumps with one front cross and one rear cross. She doesn't know how to read the rear cross yet so I have some practice work to do. Jennifer showed me a couple of things to do at home to help her read it. I can practice that at home in the living room with one jump. Juice did a nice job on reading my movement. Later I had her do a series of a double jump, 3 single jumps, weaves and tire. It was good. I also had her do a triple jump, tire, weaves, 3 singles and a double jump. That was good also. We practiced teeter at a lower height. I liked it better than the week before. We practiced all obstacles and tunnel work. What fun I am having in this class! I can't wait to learn more. How cool agility is!

2nd Agility Class (March 1)

We learned how to help the dog navigate into the appropriate end of the tunnel. It was pretty cool! When our turn was over with the instructor we could work on anything we wanted too. I spent time working individually on the tire, table (automatic down), weave poles, teeter, and then touch on the A-Frame and dog walk. I was able to get much done with the different obstacles. I want to be able to have Juice fly on the dog walk, A-Frame, and teeter. It will happen. We haven't focused on the teeter and the dog walk yet. We did the A-Frame but I need more time with it.