I was entered Sat only due to Sunday being Easter. 3 dogs in 3 levels again. Pie was first up in Excellent and ran in Standard first. I thought the course was tricky, but we got through one tough part that involved a tire in a serpentine. I didn't want to serp the tire because since a big dog can't slice a tire, I'd be in her landing area, and even though she can't knock a tire, I'd then be behind for the next jump. Instead I did 2 front crosses and that worked well. We made it to the next hard spot which was a tunnel to the triple then the dog had to go back on their line to get a panel behind them. I sent Pie to the tunnel, ran for the other side of the triple and was waiting there when she came out. Coming from the tunnel the dogs picked up speed and the triple caused a large jump. I then had to make her change directions fast. The grass was wet and the feet went out from under her and she was skidding on her face. Trying her best, she cleared the panel, but while we were in the air over the next jump I heard the triple come down. In the 24 inch class, if the dogs did not knock the panel as Pie did, they took down the next bar. I wonder if a rear cross on the panel would have worked better? I think my next agility dog will be small... most of these courses are too tight and bordering on unfair for a large dog. Maybe it is just a phase in course design that will go away or maybe it is an AKC thing and I should do more USDAA. I know ASCA is known for nice wide open courses but there are hardly any of those out here.
In jumpers Pie was very good. There were lots of 4 jump pinwheels and I "ran the corners" meaning instead of standing still in the middle I ran into each corner in the imaginary box of the pinwheel. This helps the dog see the turns (you have to be ahead) and also keeps them motivated since they are chasing you. The judge in this course said she runs big dogs and hoped the course reflected it. It was a flowing course were a big dog could pick up some speed. Thanks, Judge! Pie came in third in a large class. The second place dog is a dog that almost always beats us when he runs clean. He is a 20 inch dog running in the 24 inch class and that is somewhat frustrating to me because a smaller dog can turn tighter and consequently put down faster times. But no use complaining. AKC thought about changing the rule and making dogs jump in the height they measure into, but decided not to.
Dottie ran in Open after Excellent was done. The jumper's course was very similar, minus one pinwheel. I ran it the same way. Dottie tried to break her start line but I yelled at her. Maybe not good training, but it got the job done. Dottie ran fast and read my deceleration before a tight turn before the weaves beautifully. She knocked the triple coming out of the tunnel. I am guessing one of 2 things caused it. 1) I almost blind crossed (as I did with Pie) then chickened out so my front cross was late and spastic. or 2) I was far ahead and she wanted to catch up and just wasn't thinking or caring about keeping the bars up and just knocked into the bar. Then she ran around the last jump which seems to becoming a habit. I've never gone back and fixed it since we have always NQed by then, but it seems like maybe I should address it. Here is our run, the only one that got filmed.
In Standard Dottie was a mess. She did the a frame then ran all the way to the last jump, and managed to take the back side of it, with me calling her the entire time. Then we got through the same double front cross in excellent. After the dog walk she ran around the jump before the weaves then ran past the weaves. Then after I reset her up she missed the entry. Then after finishing the weaves she ran around the table. And this wasn't "I'm too excited/ happy to listen" running around stuff. This was ears back, slow canter or trot around stuff, looking away from me the whole time. We were not having a productive run or good experience so I scooped her up and left. I gave her a pat and a "good try" as I put her leash on, then put her way in her x-pen to contemplate how she can improve next time (I can hope that is what she is thinking about in there....)
Fancy ran in Jumpers later in the afternoon. I managed to NQ my Mach 4 dog in a novice course by not making sure she was committed to a tunnel and running off to get that same pesky blind or front cross in and she came with me and took the jump behind me. No off courses allowed in jumpers no matter what the level. LAME on my part. I should just be taking it easy, getting into Excellent and qualified for the Nationals as quick as I can. Instead I wasted a $20 entry fee trying to go as fast as possible, thinking how fun and easy and fast Novice is. In standard she was perfect.
Bonnie came out and walked around and did better than I expected with lots and lots of strange dogs around.
Now I've been typing for a while and don't have time to finish up with running contact thoughts. I will save that for another day. For now I will say it isn't going well, and just like last April I find I'm spending too much time on it when I should be prepping for our upcoming obedience trial or working on dowel work with Dottie (teaching a calm hold on the dumbbell) or tracking on all three. I am pretty sure I am giving up (again) due to lack of time and knowledge. If I wasn't also training in obedience, tracking and SchH I might be willing to spend a little more time... but there are even other things in agility I need to work on, such as weave entries.
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