Pie- Second Place.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
All of our Videos from the Weekend
I bought all of Dottie's videos so I can see what worked and where we went wrong. I bought 2 of Pie's to celebrate and one of Fancy's so I will have a memento of our great times together.
Pie- Second Place.
Pie- Second Place.
Monday, May 30, 2011
First Excellent A Leg for Dottie!
At the last day of our show today Dottie Qed in Ex A Jumpers. She was not nearly as hyper today, which is probably why we Qed, but I'd rather have the hyper. Can't have everything though. Her Standard run was ok too. Pie almost had a QQ, but an abnormally tight turn out of the chute made us miss a jump. Fancy had a strange bobble which caused her to knock an entire jump over in open standard so no Q there. I'd say Sunday was our best day for all the dogs. But a first Q in Excellent is pretty good for Dottie, even if she wasn't totally "on."
I bought all of Dottie's runs on video, 2 of Pie's and one of Fancy's so she didn't get left out. I'll post them later.
Happy Memorial Day to everyone. I heard on the radio there were Memorial celebrations and remembrances across LA today. Very fitting.
Back to work tomorrow and also working this weekend. The long weekend was not long enough.
I bought all of Dottie's runs on video, 2 of Pie's and one of Fancy's so she didn't get left out. I'll post them later.
Happy Memorial Day to everyone. I heard on the radio there were Memorial celebrations and remembrances across LA today. Very fitting.
Back to work tomorrow and also working this weekend. The long weekend was not long enough.
AKC Pomona Show Update
On Friday Pie and Dottie did obedience. Dottie got her second CD leg with a score of 184. 7 points off on on leash heeling and 8 on off leash due to forging. Forging then coming into perfect position on the halts so it was a back and forth kind of thing. Her ears were down, but I think her tail was up and wagging, so not sure what to make about that. On the long down she was squirming, and on each figit she ended up 1/2 inch closer to the tiny dachshund next to her. She wasn't looking at the poor dog at all, but he was not happy and was leaning away from her. He was so good and didn't move at all, but I felt so bad for him. She doesn't squirm in practice, but I'll be on the lookout for it so I can help her realize that isn't ok. I don't want her disturbing the other dogs in the line up. We didn't get any points off for it, so maybe it wasn't that bad. But the little guy thought it was.
Pie did not get the sit signal. She was stressed. Sigh. Her heeling wasn't that laggy, but she was leaving sweaty, wet footprints on the matting. I do not think I will enter her in San Diego in June. Why stress my dog? I know other people have this issue also. I might not care about obedience enough to try to fix it. I need 6 more legs for a UDX. I've never had a UDX, but if I can't help Pie not stress in the ring, I'm not going to put her in that situation just to get a title for me. She did everything right in Open B, so another possible leg blown due to one little, tiny thing. I was sure to not let her know she had messed up and she got the same rewards as if we had Qed.
The parking was really bad. We had to unload, but I unloaded in the wrong spot and still had to drag my stuff far. Then after unloading we had to completely leave the Fairplex, go all the way out, and come back in the same place. Park, and take a shuttle. I missed Dottie's turn but they let us go at the end. When we left I put my stuff in a really good spot to pick it up. But they had closed the original unloading spot so I had to park then drag my non-folding crate, chair, and ob props (scent articles and such) 1/2 way accross the fairgrounds to get to the new loading spot. It was not pleasant.
The parking the next day for agility was fine. Some smart obedience people parked at agility because then you didn't have to deal with the loading and tram. Even though it was a bit far, it was a better option. Too bad parking is $9 a day!
So far so good in agility.
It was very cool (cold) today. As I said, the dogs loved it. I would have loved it more had I been wearing pants. Brrr in my exercise skirt. But usually this show is boiling hot. Pomona in the summer? Yuck. I actually got rained on this morning when feeding the dogs.
I'm hoping we have another good agility day tomorrow. The show has been great due to having ffluffy and other friends around.
(PS- We had 10 dogs in the motel room and that does not include Bonnie who slept in the car. All the dogs were quiet and good. You would never know we had that many dogs... All the dogs slept loose except 2 who are aggressive, 1 who is really likes my girls and slept in the bathroom and one who is sort of new and doesn't know the sleeping rules yet. I wonder how Bunny will fit into all this dognessness?)
Pie did not get the sit signal. She was stressed. Sigh. Her heeling wasn't that laggy, but she was leaving sweaty, wet footprints on the matting. I do not think I will enter her in San Diego in June. Why stress my dog? I know other people have this issue also. I might not care about obedience enough to try to fix it. I need 6 more legs for a UDX. I've never had a UDX, but if I can't help Pie not stress in the ring, I'm not going to put her in that situation just to get a title for me. She did everything right in Open B, so another possible leg blown due to one little, tiny thing. I was sure to not let her know she had messed up and she got the same rewards as if we had Qed.
The parking was really bad. We had to unload, but I unloaded in the wrong spot and still had to drag my stuff far. Then after unloading we had to completely leave the Fairplex, go all the way out, and come back in the same place. Park, and take a shuttle. I missed Dottie's turn but they let us go at the end. When we left I put my stuff in a really good spot to pick it up. But they had closed the original unloading spot so I had to park then drag my non-folding crate, chair, and ob props (scent articles and such) 1/2 way accross the fairgrounds to get to the new loading spot. It was not pleasant.
The parking the next day for agility was fine. Some smart obedience people parked at agility because then you didn't have to deal with the loading and tram. Even though it was a bit far, it was a better option. Too bad parking is $9 a day!
So far so good in agility.
I thought ffluffy was staying at my house for the show. But I told her Bunny might have some shelter gunk and I've quarantined her. I thought her dogs shouldn't play with my dogs just in case they are incubating something. Even though I don't think they are, because then they wouldn't be at the show. But you can't be too careful. In that vein, I decided to board Bunny at the vets, just to make it even safer for ffluffy's dogs. But since all our dogs couldn't run around the yard together, she decided to get a motel room closer to the show than my house 1.5 hrs away. So I stayed with them last night. But I usually don't sleep too well in a Motel and decided to stay at home tonight. That and Bonnie won't potty "on the road" and needed to go home just to potty. Glad my dogs are not like that.
It was very cool (cold) today. As I said, the dogs loved it. I would have loved it more had I been wearing pants. Brrr in my exercise skirt. But usually this show is boiling hot. Pomona in the summer? Yuck. I actually got rained on this morning when feeding the dogs.
I'm hoping we have another good agility day tomorrow. The show has been great due to having ffluffy and other friends around.
(PS- We had 10 dogs in the motel room and that does not include Bonnie who slept in the car. All the dogs were quiet and good. You would never know we had that many dogs... All the dogs slept loose except 2 who are aggressive, 1 who is really likes my girls and slept in the bathroom and one who is sort of new and doesn't know the sleeping rules yet. I wonder how Bunny will fit into all this dognessness?)
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Bunny Plays With Toys
In other news, I weighed her and she was 10.2 pounds. I think she could loose a point or 2.
In very unscientific measuring, I think she is under 14 inches tall. Very small. I hope I don't step on her someday!
A Roll in the Grass
After playing, the Malinois like to roll around. Once I had all three of them doing it at once. Today Bonnie did not participate, and Dottie and Pie took turns.
Rolling around feels good.
Rolling around is also yummy.
Pie's turn!
Pie looks oh- so- content. Her new collar scarf looks very fetching. My mom bought it for her at a quilt show.
Dottie tries a new spot. She apparently left her head at the old spot.
Long and lean- that's Dottie. That is also the Tennessee Stud. But Dottie does not have green eyes- luckily.
Silly Malinois.
Fancy does not roll around after playing. She usually rolls when first let out. And only if it is sunny. You will not ever find Fancy rolling in he dark, the dusk or the fog or damp. Or even the overcast. In this picture she is demonstrating her feelings towards the new addition.
Rolling around feels good.
Rolling around is also yummy.
Pie's turn!
Pie looks oh- so- content. Her new collar scarf looks very fetching. My mom bought it for her at a quilt show.
Dottie tries a new spot. She apparently left her head at the old spot.
Long and lean- that's Dottie. That is also the Tennessee Stud. But Dottie does not have green eyes- luckily.
Silly Malinois.
Fancy does not roll around after playing. She usually rolls when first let out. And only if it is sunny. You will not ever find Fancy rolling in he dark, the dusk or the fog or damp. Or even the overcast. In this picture she is demonstrating her feelings towards the new addition.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
New Dog Joins Three Dog Days!
Meet Bunicula- Bunny! Also called Bun-Bun because I liked calling Bonnie that.
I went to the Agoura shelter to check out an elderly poodle mix. But when I got there he was gone- at the Best Friends adoption event at La Brea Tar Pits. I used my GPS to find my way there. The nearest parking lot was full, but I got lucky and found free street parking.
I visited with the dog I had come to see, and he was sweet, but much bigger than I wanted. Then I walked around hoping to spot another old poodle type dog. I saw lots of cute dogs but they were all too young. Then I spotted Bunny. She was so cute and tiny. Also friendly and waggy. So I took her home. Since she is so small, I don't think she really counts as a dog. She won't eat much and she won't take up much space.
I went to the Agoura shelter to check out an elderly poodle mix. But when I got there he was gone- at the Best Friends adoption event at La Brea Tar Pits. I used my GPS to find my way there. The nearest parking lot was full, but I got lucky and found free street parking.
I visited with the dog I had come to see, and he was sweet, but much bigger than I wanted. Then I walked around hoping to spot another old poodle type dog. I saw lots of cute dogs but they were all too young. Then I spotted Bunny. She was so cute and tiny. Also friendly and waggy. So I took her home. Since she is so small, I don't think she really counts as a dog. She won't eat much and she won't take up much space.
She is smaller than Fancy.
And much smaller than Pie!
In the shelter she looked a lot more like a Poodle and a lot less like a JRT. Do I have a terrier??
I have her picture from the shelter before she got shaved and she looked like a poodle. The worker told me they had to anesthetize her in order to shave her because the fur was so matted to the skin.
Right now she is very mouthy in a puppy kind of way. That's about all there is to say about Bunny at this time. No doubt more pictures to follow...
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
One of Those Days
In better news, I got my car back but in the earlier theme of "one of those days" the other insurance company is probably going to try to gyp me out of paying the full price of the rental. Luckily my student said she'd call them for me and make her demands. Life can be hard sometimes, but it is your friends who make it easier!
And in other good news Fancy pulled 16 pounds in her cart up and down hills in the park today. She's almost up to the 20 pounds for the Novice Draft test. Her and Pie both also did well practicing the maneuvering course. It is very fun to go from small, gentle, easy paced Fancy to big, powerful, fast Pie. Some of the other patrons in the park were treated to my wealth of knowledge on carting (not really, I just answered the questions they had.)
Saturday, May 14, 2011
What The?!?
Out of control gophers.
I took the dirt from the mound and used it to fill in the hole.
Pie does not mind the mound.
Fancy avoids it. Or maybe that is the way she always weaves.
Weave fail. I wonder if I could set this up on purpose if I tried?
Bonnie is Ready for Adoption
She was spayed this week and I wrote her profile and sent it off to ABMC to get up on their rescue website. Following in Dottie's footsteps, she burst out of her cone and destroyed it. Now I will have to come up with another way of keeping her from licking her incision. Perhaps a basket muzzle.
Here is a video I took of her to encourage potential adopters. And the pictures I sent with her profile.
Full, petite, body shot.
Pretty head.
Playing with the toy.
Being sweet.
In other dog news both Pie and Fancy are preparing for their first draft tests in June. (Did I already write about that?) They will both have to pull 20 pounds on the freight haul. That is nothing to Pie, but could be a problem to Fancy who weighs only 30 pounds. She is also not a pushy dog at all. So if she feels something holding her back, she is more likely to not move than to keep trying to go. I'm conditioning her with not only increasing weights, but also a command (Let's Go) followed by a treat when she keeps going. Right now she is pulling 8 pounds up and down the little hills in a near by park.
I had drill today and it went fine. I did the mile and a half in the actual location of the test. I did it in 13:59, with one tenth extra thrown in. A great time!
Here is a video I took of her to encourage potential adopters. And the pictures I sent with her profile.
Full, petite, body shot.
Pretty head.
Playing with the toy.
Being sweet.
In other dog news both Pie and Fancy are preparing for their first draft tests in June. (Did I already write about that?) They will both have to pull 20 pounds on the freight haul. That is nothing to Pie, but could be a problem to Fancy who weighs only 30 pounds. She is also not a pushy dog at all. So if she feels something holding her back, she is more likely to not move than to keep trying to go. I'm conditioning her with not only increasing weights, but also a command (Let's Go) followed by a treat when she keeps going. Right now she is pulling 8 pounds up and down the little hills in a near by park.
I had drill today and it went fine. I did the mile and a half in the actual location of the test. I did it in 13:59, with one tenth extra thrown in. A great time!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Bun-Bun's Big Day
For those not in the know, Bun-Bun = Bonnie. She is spending the night at the vet's tonight and will be spayed tomorrow. Then I will get her profile to ABMC so they can post her on the website and she can get a great new home.
At my house she gets almost zero interaction time so I'm excited to get her a home where she is number one! Or at least number two, instead of number 4...
I went to see youngest bro at his Jazz Night at a pizza place in his town. Always a good pizza (older sis used to work there, back in the day) and good music. The band really is good- to me they sound just as good as any professionals. I think my bro could be featured more prominently- that is the only thing they are lacking. But solos for trombones are not very prevalent. The band is the jazz type instruments from the High School marching band. It is an "extra duty" for the best players in the HS band who happen to play jazz instruments. They come in for zero period and also play in the concert band.
Pie and Fancy are going to try for their Novice Draft titles in June! Anything can happen, because 1 little mistake and you do not pass, but I think they will both do very well and have a good chance of getting titled. For the freight haul they will both have to pull 20 pounds which is nothing to Pie, but is 2/3rds of Fancy's body weight, so I will have to condition her for that. Pie does the best sidepass, crossing her front and back legs when I ask her to pivot the cart (turning without moving forward.) Fancy doesn't cross her back legs, and tends to bend her spine. What can I say? Pie is a traditional carting breed and Fancy is not. It must be instinctive in Pie... or maybe she is just such a cool dog that she has all the right moves.
At my house she gets almost zero interaction time so I'm excited to get her a home where she is number one! Or at least number two, instead of number 4...
I went to see youngest bro at his Jazz Night at a pizza place in his town. Always a good pizza (older sis used to work there, back in the day) and good music. The band really is good- to me they sound just as good as any professionals. I think my bro could be featured more prominently- that is the only thing they are lacking. But solos for trombones are not very prevalent. The band is the jazz type instruments from the High School marching band. It is an "extra duty" for the best players in the HS band who happen to play jazz instruments. They come in for zero period and also play in the concert band.
Pie and Fancy are going to try for their Novice Draft titles in June! Anything can happen, because 1 little mistake and you do not pass, but I think they will both do very well and have a good chance of getting titled. For the freight haul they will both have to pull 20 pounds which is nothing to Pie, but is 2/3rds of Fancy's body weight, so I will have to condition her for that. Pie does the best sidepass, crossing her front and back legs when I ask her to pivot the cart (turning without moving forward.) Fancy doesn't cross her back legs, and tends to bend her spine. What can I say? Pie is a traditional carting breed and Fancy is not. It must be instinctive in Pie... or maybe she is just such a cool dog that she has all the right moves.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Dottie Obedience Photos
Heeling in perfect position. One ear down...
At the awards ceremony. What a good girl!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Great Sucessful Weekend!
This weekend was the Hollywood Dog Obedience Club trial. Here is a re-cap of the goings ons:
Fancy: Only entered Saturday in agility- Novice Standard P title and Novice Jumpers leg. 1 first place and one second place.
Pie: Entered Sat and Sun agility and Sunday obedience. 2nd place Standard Ex B (to the same 20 inch dog jumping 24" we always come in second place to) and 2nd Place Standard Ex B (again- same dog!) on Sunday. No jumpers Qs- totally my fault on Saturday (bad blind cross) and my fault again for not being fast enough on Sunday when there were multiple jumps for Pie to pick from and all I could tell Pie was "go!" She ended up choosing the correct jump but by the time she made the decision, it was too late to actually take the jump.
Open B and Utility B- Qualified in both! After a LONG drought of UDX legs we are now on Number 4! She has a 189.5 (drat- no OM points) in Open B and a 183 in Utility. We are not a high scoring team. Her heeling was much better than it has been in utility, but when open came along it started to go down hill. But it was still over all better. My regiment of no physical corrections has obviously helped!
She licked the judges face during the moving stand for exam. On the figure 8 in open the judge told me send my dog, instead of forward, and I was confused so I went, then hesitated, then went. Her go outs were great and on the retrieve over the jump, she almost went around due to seeing something outside the ring and staring at it while moving forward, but at the last second spotted the jump and changed course to take it. Phew! Proofing pays off.
Pie also got 67 MACH points for the 2 clean runs.
Dottie: The puppy girl steals the weekend! Saturday- Open Jumpers Q on Saturday for OAJ title. Open standard leg (both firsts.) Open Standard leg on Sunday for OA title- another first. This was after not Qing since before leaving for Mississippi. I moved her up to EX A for Sunday and she had a really nice run. Not a Q (knocked bar and extra jump) but she listened so well, was fast, great weaves and that extra jumps showed me she was trying to do the right thing. This Ex A run was with no warm up, no focusing, no potty and not even me getting her out of her x-pen since I was still in Open B groups and almost missed our turn. I only had enough time to sprint out of the obedience ring with Pie, run Pie, switch Pie with Dottie then run Dottie. I was very happy with our first Excellent attempt.
Dottie was also entered for her first try in obedience Novice B. She qualified withe a first place, a 193 (too much forging and crooked sits) and was High Scoring Malinois and High Scoring Dog with an ILP! Such a good little puppy!! Her attitude (ears up) and attention were super.
This weekend was very successful for us. I'm very pleased with how Dottie is coming along and how right now she really seems to be enjoying agility. Someone recently described their agility dog as a "late bloomer" and I think that is a good label for Dottie also. Our next obedience show is at the Mission Circuit at the end of the month and actually we aren't doing agility until then either. Hope the next show goes as well as this one.
Me and the dogs with our loot but I think I am sitting on Fancy's ribbons (including her purple new title ribbon) and Dottie's got so smashed together you cannot see her 3 agility blues, her obedience blue, her 2 new title ribbons and her High Mal mug (even though it says "I Woof You" not "High Mal") and her flip picture frame for High ILP.
Fancy: Only entered Saturday in agility- Novice Standard P title and Novice Jumpers leg. 1 first place and one second place.
Pie: Entered Sat and Sun agility and Sunday obedience. 2nd place Standard Ex B (to the same 20 inch dog jumping 24" we always come in second place to) and 2nd Place Standard Ex B (again- same dog!) on Sunday. No jumpers Qs- totally my fault on Saturday (bad blind cross) and my fault again for not being fast enough on Sunday when there were multiple jumps for Pie to pick from and all I could tell Pie was "go!" She ended up choosing the correct jump but by the time she made the decision, it was too late to actually take the jump.
Open B and Utility B- Qualified in both! After a LONG drought of UDX legs we are now on Number 4! She has a 189.5 (drat- no OM points) in Open B and a 183 in Utility. We are not a high scoring team. Her heeling was much better than it has been in utility, but when open came along it started to go down hill. But it was still over all better. My regiment of no physical corrections has obviously helped!
She licked the judges face during the moving stand for exam. On the figure 8 in open the judge told me send my dog, instead of forward, and I was confused so I went, then hesitated, then went. Her go outs were great and on the retrieve over the jump, she almost went around due to seeing something outside the ring and staring at it while moving forward, but at the last second spotted the jump and changed course to take it. Phew! Proofing pays off.
Pie also got 67 MACH points for the 2 clean runs.
Dottie: The puppy girl steals the weekend! Saturday- Open Jumpers Q on Saturday for OAJ title. Open standard leg (both firsts.) Open Standard leg on Sunday for OA title- another first. This was after not Qing since before leaving for Mississippi. I moved her up to EX A for Sunday and she had a really nice run. Not a Q (knocked bar and extra jump) but she listened so well, was fast, great weaves and that extra jumps showed me she was trying to do the right thing. This Ex A run was with no warm up, no focusing, no potty and not even me getting her out of her x-pen since I was still in Open B groups and almost missed our turn. I only had enough time to sprint out of the obedience ring with Pie, run Pie, switch Pie with Dottie then run Dottie. I was very happy with our first Excellent attempt.
Dottie was also entered for her first try in obedience Novice B. She qualified withe a first place, a 193 (too much forging and crooked sits) and was High Scoring Malinois and High Scoring Dog with an ILP! Such a good little puppy!! Her attitude (ears up) and attention were super.
This weekend was very successful for us. I'm very pleased with how Dottie is coming along and how right now she really seems to be enjoying agility. Someone recently described their agility dog as a "late bloomer" and I think that is a good label for Dottie also. Our next obedience show is at the Mission Circuit at the end of the month and actually we aren't doing agility until then either. Hope the next show goes as well as this one.
Me and the dogs with our loot but I think I am sitting on Fancy's ribbons (including her purple new title ribbon) and Dottie's got so smashed together you cannot see her 3 agility blues, her obedience blue, her 2 new title ribbons and her High Mal mug (even though it says "I Woof You" not "High Mal") and her flip picture frame for High ILP.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Hollywood Dog Obedience Club Trial
Today was a good agility day. Dottie got her Open Jumpers title and I moved her up to Excellent A for tomorrow. She listened great, had amazing weaves and kept all the bars up. In Standard she was almost equally as good. Usually (so far) our second run is not nearly as focused as our first run. This time the focus was around 75% of our first run, so I am pleased with the improvement. The "almost equally as good" comes in because she did not stop on any of her contacts. She also almost went around the table and almost missed a jump, but when I called her she worked really hard to get it. Oh, and she also hit a bar really hard but it luckily stayed up! So even with all of our "almosts" she was clean and now has 2 open standard legs.
Pie was clean and 2nd place (to the same 20 inch dog jumping 24" we always come in 2nd place to) in Standard, then in Jumpers I did a bad blind cross and got a refusal on a jump, throwing away our chance for a QQ. Drat.
Fancy was clean in both of her novice runs, although we almost had an off course in standard. How does a Mach 4 dog almost have an off course in a novice run? She got her Novice Standard P title and I moved her up for tomorrow but she isn't entered. Why did I do that?
Tomorrow we are doing obedience and agility at the same show. Dottie is entered for her first novice trial, and Pie is in Open and Utility B, hoping, trying for another UDX leg. Those UDX legs are hard to come by, yet so tantalizingly close. What keeps me going is it is always 1 thing... it is not as if she fails multiple exercises. It is usually the groups, signals or articles. And when she fails, I think it is stress related, so I've been working on lowering stress. They set the rings up in the afternoon, so before going home I went and practiced signals next to them and she refused the first down signal. How can you be stressed outside a ring that isn't even set up and you are at an agility trial so you don't even expect it to be obedience? She rarely, if never, refuses a signal while practicing at the park or SchH. How can she tell we'll be doing ob tomorrow? At obedience shows when I practice before going in, she tends to refuse signals. Previously, I would correct, then play, and try to work through it (fix it) before going in the ring. At our last show I didn't practice outside the ring at all and just played before going in. I think that helped. Today when she refused the signal I gave it again, with a verbal, and she did it and I rewarded. Yes, that is rewarding a double command, but it is also showing her there is nothing to fear from being wrong. Let the stress go.... I'll be interested to see if this approach works. When we fail the articles, it is always leather. Why is leather harder? I started doing it first in case the metal smell messed her up, but she'll still miss the leather. She is likely to do this in practice also- occasionally- and I can tell she wants to get the right one... I'm a bit baffled on this one.
I will have very bad conflicts because there are 3 obedience rings and Pie and Dottie will conflict with each other in obedience, and obedience will conflict with agility. Why did I sign up for so much???
My goal with Dottie is attentive, ears up heeling. I've been working on cues to put her in the right frame of mind and I think it is working.
Sadly, no video or photos from the trial today.
Pie was clean and 2nd place (to the same 20 inch dog jumping 24" we always come in 2nd place to) in Standard, then in Jumpers I did a bad blind cross and got a refusal on a jump, throwing away our chance for a QQ. Drat.
Fancy was clean in both of her novice runs, although we almost had an off course in standard. How does a Mach 4 dog almost have an off course in a novice run? She got her Novice Standard P title and I moved her up for tomorrow but she isn't entered. Why did I do that?
Tomorrow we are doing obedience and agility at the same show. Dottie is entered for her first novice trial, and Pie is in Open and Utility B, hoping, trying for another UDX leg. Those UDX legs are hard to come by, yet so tantalizingly close. What keeps me going is it is always 1 thing... it is not as if she fails multiple exercises. It is usually the groups, signals or articles. And when she fails, I think it is stress related, so I've been working on lowering stress. They set the rings up in the afternoon, so before going home I went and practiced signals next to them and she refused the first down signal. How can you be stressed outside a ring that isn't even set up and you are at an agility trial so you don't even expect it to be obedience? She rarely, if never, refuses a signal while practicing at the park or SchH. How can she tell we'll be doing ob tomorrow? At obedience shows when I practice before going in, she tends to refuse signals. Previously, I would correct, then play, and try to work through it (fix it) before going in the ring. At our last show I didn't practice outside the ring at all and just played before going in. I think that helped. Today when she refused the signal I gave it again, with a verbal, and she did it and I rewarded. Yes, that is rewarding a double command, but it is also showing her there is nothing to fear from being wrong. Let the stress go.... I'll be interested to see if this approach works. When we fail the articles, it is always leather. Why is leather harder? I started doing it first in case the metal smell messed her up, but she'll still miss the leather. She is likely to do this in practice also- occasionally- and I can tell she wants to get the right one... I'm a bit baffled on this one.
I will have very bad conflicts because there are 3 obedience rings and Pie and Dottie will conflict with each other in obedience, and obedience will conflict with agility. Why did I sign up for so much???
My goal with Dottie is attentive, ears up heeling. I've been working on cues to put her in the right frame of mind and I think it is working.
Sadly, no video or photos from the trial today.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Early Agility Memories
Roscoe and Mom take to the course in their second trial. Wish they still did agility- it would be great to hang out with my mom more!
Bloom and I at the same trial, also our second. Bloom, being 11 years old, was a bit easier to run than speedy Roscoe.
Bloom "herding." He got old quickly and couldn't motor around in the heat and sand any more and didn't get very many lessons, but had fun while he was able to play.
I came across some additional videos from around the same time (6 years ago) and may post them later.
Bloom and I at the same trial, also our second. Bloom, being 11 years old, was a bit easier to run than speedy Roscoe.
Bloom "herding." He got old quickly and couldn't motor around in the heat and sand any more and didn't get very many lessons, but had fun while he was able to play.
I came across some additional videos from around the same time (6 years ago) and may post them later.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Motel 6 and Fancy
Did Motel 6 secretly take a picture of Fancy and use it for an advertisement without my knowledge? You decide.... it would have been easy enough- we spend a lot of time there!
Arizona or Bust!
The Stagecoach Music Festival was this weekend. It is a huge concert with lots of big name county music singers and also some smaller, up and coming artists. It takes place out in the middle of the desert. I did not go but I passed (or was passed by) lots of people with "Stagecoach or Bust!" written on their cars and pickup trucks while I was on my way to Arizona. I suppose getting there might be half the fun.
I was going to AZ to visit ffluffy. I left Friday and got there in time for an agility practice at the location of Dottie's first show in Queen Creek. It is a very nice dog compound. This time we were running on astro turf which did not work for Pie. Her back end kept slipping out from under her. I was worried she would hurt her back so after her first run, I only ran her one more time, and I didn't do a course, just practiced the contacts and a straight line to a tunnel.
I got some good training in with Dottie and had the opportunity to reward both her and Fancy on course. ffluffy ran Dottie once and they had a good time together.
The next day we got up and did some training then loaded up the van and headed to a town outside of Tuscon for a Cash for Agility fun run. We stayed the night at the home of ffluffy's vallhund's breeder's house. I watched vallhunds herding and learned some about different lines of vallhunds.
Sunday we went to the Cash for Agility event. It is basically a fun run and training is allowed. If you don't do training you are competing for cash prizes. Our group (me, ffluffy and the vallhund breeder) cleaned up in the experienced level. Hunda took first in 8 inches, another vallhund in 12, ffluffy and her retired BC in 16 inches, Fancy in 20 and it would have been Pie in 24 but I suffered a misfoturne and no one ended up clean in 24.
I twisted my knee (luxating patalla) and it was caught on tape. Gross! It's happened a few time while running agility and many other times in my life, but now I have it documented on video. It grosses me out to think about it so I had trouble even editing the video. Luckily I was slowing down for the table so the damage was not that bad this time. The slower I'm going the less weight/ force is on the leg and the tendons and ligaments don't get badly stretched.
Poor Pie is always so concerned when it happens. In agility, it has always happened while running her. And once when practicing the fast in obedience and I landed on her.
If you google luxating patella most of the stuff that comes up has to do with dogs. If I had three additional legs to stand on when one goes out I might not fall down so often.
Here is the video.
Since I was not going that fast the damage seems to be minimal. I got ice on it quickly and today it will fully extend and bend, so I plan on jogging on it tomorrow. Good thing since I can't take any time off since I have my PT test coming up again. Bad knee!!
I drove home Sunday night then slept in today. I think this is my last Monday off before we go back to a traditional 8 hr day, 5 days a week schedule. After I'm finished messing around on the computer I plan on going tracking.
I was going to AZ to visit ffluffy. I left Friday and got there in time for an agility practice at the location of Dottie's first show in Queen Creek. It is a very nice dog compound. This time we were running on astro turf which did not work for Pie. Her back end kept slipping out from under her. I was worried she would hurt her back so after her first run, I only ran her one more time, and I didn't do a course, just practiced the contacts and a straight line to a tunnel.
I got some good training in with Dottie and had the opportunity to reward both her and Fancy on course. ffluffy ran Dottie once and they had a good time together.
The next day we got up and did some training then loaded up the van and headed to a town outside of Tuscon for a Cash for Agility fun run. We stayed the night at the home of ffluffy's vallhund's breeder's house. I watched vallhunds herding and learned some about different lines of vallhunds.
Sunday we went to the Cash for Agility event. It is basically a fun run and training is allowed. If you don't do training you are competing for cash prizes. Our group (me, ffluffy and the vallhund breeder) cleaned up in the experienced level. Hunda took first in 8 inches, another vallhund in 12, ffluffy and her retired BC in 16 inches, Fancy in 20 and it would have been Pie in 24 but I suffered a misfoturne and no one ended up clean in 24.
I twisted my knee (luxating patalla) and it was caught on tape. Gross! It's happened a few time while running agility and many other times in my life, but now I have it documented on video. It grosses me out to think about it so I had trouble even editing the video. Luckily I was slowing down for the table so the damage was not that bad this time. The slower I'm going the less weight/ force is on the leg and the tendons and ligaments don't get badly stretched.
Poor Pie is always so concerned when it happens. In agility, it has always happened while running her. And once when practicing the fast in obedience and I landed on her.
If you google luxating patella most of the stuff that comes up has to do with dogs. If I had three additional legs to stand on when one goes out I might not fall down so often.
Here is the video.
Since I was not going that fast the damage seems to be minimal. I got ice on it quickly and today it will fully extend and bend, so I plan on jogging on it tomorrow. Good thing since I can't take any time off since I have my PT test coming up again. Bad knee!!
I drove home Sunday night then slept in today. I think this is my last Monday off before we go back to a traditional 8 hr day, 5 days a week schedule. After I'm finished messing around on the computer I plan on going tracking.
Car Update
I just got a call from the body shop. The damage is only $4500. I'm fairly surprised. I know it didn't look that bad but I know fixing even a tiny ding and painting it is over $500 so everything adds up quickly. Since the amount is not exorbitant, it will be fixed! But not until the middle of May because some parts are hard to come by, probably since they don't make the car any more and it is not a very popular car.
I know in my last post I complained about the small rental. For my weekend trip to AZ everything ended up fitting pretty well. The best part was the car made it from Coastal CA to Phoenix, AZ on 12 gallons of gas. And I even used the A/C at times. I was liking that so much I thought if my car was not repairable I might end up getting something smaller than I would like... just for the gas mileage.
I had a good trip this weekend, I'll write that in another post. After calling my parents late Sunday while driving home my bro told me the news about OBL, so I listened to the radio coverage the rest of the way home. I don't think any comments from me are necessary because this blog deals with such small issues and this is such a huge one.
I know in my last post I complained about the small rental. For my weekend trip to AZ everything ended up fitting pretty well. The best part was the car made it from Coastal CA to Phoenix, AZ on 12 gallons of gas. And I even used the A/C at times. I was liking that so much I thought if my car was not repairable I might end up getting something smaller than I would like... just for the gas mileage.
I had a good trip this weekend, I'll write that in another post. After calling my parents late Sunday while driving home my bro told me the news about OBL, so I listened to the radio coverage the rest of the way home. I don't think any comments from me are necessary because this blog deals with such small issues and this is such a huge one.
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