Plank work sucks

I did some work with Juice last night and she acted like we had never done it before. Then I got frustrated and eventually quit. I should have stopped sooner. What's new about that. I am just having a heck of a time with it. If I am behind her she runs and turns my direction well but if I am with her or in front of her she leaps. Back to the beginning.

October Agility

Juice will run in AKC for the very 1st time. I have her entered in JWW and FAST. It will be good to see where she and I are at. She is so fast! I am still working on the teeter, dogwalk, and A-Frame so we won't be in Standard for a while.

I was at Westinn Kennels and did some work with her on Sunday. She comes flying blind out of the chute and the tunnel and I caught myself standing still saying OMG. So, lets see where we are.

The Plank

I worked the plank a few more times and raised it up to 1 foot. I have a jump before and after it. She wraps one jump runs the plank and wraps the other jump. She is looking good at this. I might raise it a couple of inches. Maybe I should just leave it where it is. She has been 80% accurate so we'll see. I am somewhat indecisive lately. I've been working with a heavy heart after having to let my 14 1/2 year old cocker spaniel go. Rudy led me to this dog world that I enjoy so much now. RIP Rudy!

I have been working the wrap to get her to turn tight. Initially I just had her wrap around a single weave pole. I then put the jump at 4 inches and have moved up to 10 inches. I'll see what she looks like later today and decide what to do next. I might regress and make sure I keep her getting the idea of making her body curve.

The Plank

I worked the plank with Juice over the weekend with the tunnel about 15 feet away. She did really well. I raised the plank to 1 foot by Sunday evening and then had a jump before and after the plank. I was very happy with how she was looking. Will keep at it.

Worked the running A-Frame at 4.6 feet Sunday. She did a nice job. Had her coming out of a tunnel to it or going through a tire to it. I was happy with what I saw.

The Plank

I put out the plank last night flat on the ground and worked running contacts. This morning I put a tunnel at the end of it and if Juice was in the zone she got to take the tunnel and then reward with play. She does well when I am behind her but when I am in front of her she still would like to leap. She becomes so focused on me and the reward that she doesn't focus on the job of the moment. So I put the tunnel there to pull her and then it is my job to get her to focus on the end of the plank..She is catching on and when she thinks she knows exactly what to do but when she gets in that crazed place I lose her..............

Later

Working the wrap

I rewatched Susan Garrett and Greg Derrett to see how they teach the tight turns. I've done some work with Juice over the last couple of days with the jump height at 4-6 inches. I even have her just wrap a weave pole so she is curving her body. I'm confident over a period of time she will learn to understand this.

I have worked the elevator game, the fly off and the nose touch (BAM) with the teeter a couple of times this week.

I think I will go back to the running contact on a plank this weekend and keep the variety. Maybe we'll do a jump to the tunnel and then a wrap after coming out of the tunnel to see if she collects.

Stay tuned

Tight Turns

I put a jump close to the house to get Juice to collect and turn tight. She didn't know that was what I wanted so she jumped 22 inches and did a turn off of the house. Mixing up flyball and agility! I'm trying to get her to curve her body and wrap around the jump. I had to move the jump somewhere else so she could figure out what I wanted. Stay tuned..........

Will do some elevator work and bang game today.............

Elevator game and nose touch

Wasn't able to do much last night because of rain but I did get out long enough to play with the teeter. Juice is comfortable jumping on the teeter and staring over the end. She knows she is going to get a treat so she doesn't stare as long as I want her to. I will up the criteria for that now. I'm dropping the teeter low to the ground right now for her to quickly nose touch. She is getting better but not as fast as I want yet. We will keep working. She is doing a great job!

Wednesday night

Worked some recall to heel on the flat. I'm planning on using the curved tunnel and a couple of jumps to work with collection after the speed. I am helping her learn what to do if I am on the take off side or the landing side of one jump and/or 2 jumps and a tunnel. So cool this agility stuff is. It is great for someone as anal as me.

We played the elevator game again and a few nose touches. Still not as fast as I want but we will get there. She and Annie both did some double box work.

I did the A-Frame out at Westinn Kennels on Sunday. I had it at about 4 feet and she looked pretty good with the running contact. I hope to do more when I am out there next week.

Labor Day Weekend

I had a great few days with the girls. I worked with the straight tunnel with positioning and recall to heel. The most recent edition of clean run had an article about it from APHS. Later in the day I worked more collection and extension with one jump and the curved tunnel. On Monday I went back to the straight tunnel.

I also did some work with Greg Derrett's double box. Played the elevator game on the teeter to get J to stare over the edge and be ready to nose touch fast. I am trying to get her to nose touch faster than she is when the teeter drops.

Collection & Extension

Last night I used the tunnel for some collection - extension - collection work. I need to help Juice learn to read what to do on her own. It was fun. Annie likes it too!

I put out 12 weave poles at 24 inches to work on over the next few days.

We are going to play the bang game, elevator game, and the fly off game this weekend. I need to do some A-Frame workalso. Hopefully, I can do that on Monday out at Westinn Kennels.

Running Dogwalk

I practiced last night at 20 inches and then moved up to 21 then 23. I will stay at this for a few days or more and see where we are at. It is time to start working with the tunnel and also more Linda Mecklenberg's collection exercises.

I don't have Juice turning tight. She turns wide. I need to practice more collection so she knows when she needs too. She knows how to hit the weaves after coming blind out of the tunnel. She is able to read what to do to get herself in the 1st set of poles.

It is raining now and I have really been working J-Dawg hard (what's new) so I think a night of rest is deserved. Let's see how that works!