Author: kathleen

I realized we have a lot of people who don’t know Macy’s whole story.  She is very well bred, comes from a really good breeder that is good at matching dogs with people.

However, she did come a little claustrophobic and a little weird when it comes to changes.  Like she barks at the Christmas tree.  I have always thought she needs glasses.

Anyway, she did really well in agility class, had some sniffing and running away issues at fun matches, and she did really well the first two days of a three day trial.  THEN, she GOT ON a really bad teeter and fell completely apart.  She spent a year running out of the ring. Then she’d do anything BUT a teeter.  Well somewhere in all that she got caught in a chute in class, and spun by the wind so she was afraid of that too.

This is why I am REALLY happy she is happy and doing well at a three day, three class a day show.  In fact, last month I took her home because she got tired at a Teacup trial.  So yes, I am thrilled things are coming together for her.

Macy loves agility class. The reinforcement rate is really high. She really likes everyone in class.

Trials not so much.

Managed it today i think, though she did lose patience.

All runs were pretty fast and we know are 3 for 3 on teeters. They were slow and unconfident, but she got them.

We bobbled the beginning of standard, not sure why.

We got the send in FAST but the buzzer went off and we were trapped at the teeter. 59 points but 9 time faults. We needed 55 points total.

I did something really different in jumpers, only said two words, head and go at the end.

I have had several people layely tell me that they think the talking i do stresses the beagles.

When the timer said go Macy started moving so I did too. I can move faater and handle Smoother but it threw her and we missed a jumped We got the weaves. Head was because ahe was sniffing and go when she was decellerating at the end.

I had fun, and i think she did too.
Posted with BloghuB for Windows Phone 7

Dulce has Her official measurements due and yes she is a 12" 13 inch beagle.

Macy and i mucked up a jumo but got the teeter, so i rewarded her at that point.

Could get FAST togethrr but got that teeter and celebrated it.

Had a weave refusal in Open JWW plus 24 time faults. Very fast and happy.

So good beagle time. Plus the arena was very cool and the beagles didnt bother their neighbors.
Posted with BloghuB for Windows Phone 7

Brought Dulce as the premium and judging schedule promed a VOM was promised.

Not only was she here but a rep was here so we got measurements accomplished. It was cool and calm and she measures at 12" and 12 1/4"

Nice to have that out of the way.
Posted with BloghuB for Windows Phone 7

I don’t think Macy and I have ever trained when it was hotter – though she did have some early evening classes.  Even at 8:00 it was bad.

She was a little spotty, I’m not taking food on the course for her now and boy does she know it, and she forgets she’s going to get it later, or would rather eat the rabbit poop. 

Did lots of crosses, and she is REALLY good at rear crosses.  Not as good as Marcie was but close.

Had fun.

Disappointed Dulce’s Sunday night is cancelled.

But I used food.  I tried not to reward her on course, but did once.  She was much more focused and best yet, when she ran off a few times she came back as soon as she was called.  And yes, got food then, immediately.

Making progress and of so much better than last week or last night.  Have got to get the food weaned off though.

Prospering Farms had a fun match last night, it was nice up there, but boy was it hot and when you have beagles who hate to be wet…..

Made a mistake (maybe), with Dulce as I tried her first run without food.  She was NOT very interested though she did a partial run.  Rest of the night, I had it in my hand and used it when she got distracted.  It was a maybe mistake, because it was probably a good test of where she is.

Macy did some really nice distance, got all the contacts, including a couple of teeters.  Forgot the no food rule and had to give her the cookie on the jumpers course but she did really nice weaves and some nice sends.

Looking forward to Fort Worth next weekend.  Dulce is going to go with us to get measured as there is a VMO and she is now 2.  I’ve got her entered in every trial after, but may pull her.  We’ll see.

Tonight’s class was all about weave entries. We did well. Finally have Macy weaned off treats. She was really fast tomight especially doing Aframe tunnel.

I also thought bring Dulce helped both dogs.
Posted with BloghuB for Windows Phone 7

As I type, Macy is under my desk (one of her favorite places in my office) and Dulce is hanging out in an cage. 

It’s taken years and lots of stress on my part, and she isn’t perfect yet.  Of course, I need to pick up the trashcan that someone knocked down and put some things away, but the office is always a work in progress.

Last night I ended up staying up much later than I planned because all three beagles were peacefully hanging out in the living room, and I just didn’t want to put her in a cage.  I think I might give her a try in my bedroom since I have new spare CPAP equipment.  Just need to make sure that’s put where she can’t get to it.  Which isn’t easy.

Oh, the stress comes from the fact that while she is only 12” tall, she manages to get things off the kitchen counter, and traditionally dog safe places aren’t.  I call it making bad dog noises.

And boy oh boy is she destructive!  She has torn up headphones (that were placed on the kitchen table, safe from every other dog I’ve owned including a GSD and several border collies).   Also, they weren’t the cheap kind of headphones.

Also, I expect setbacks.  Have had them even with Macy (who is the one who overturned the trash can and took a McCafe cup to chew up.

In an ideal world, I could leave her and Macy in the dog room with the dog run closed and not have to worry about them during the day.  Maggie, however, will always have to be caged when are gone, but we lose her when we’re home.  She’s managed to escape several times when we are here.