Author: kathleen

Many years ago, I went to an agility trial and there was glass in the dirt – in fact, I’ll tell you exactly where it was – Monroe, Louisiana – in the summer.

I had a hotel reservation for the entire weekend, had planned for my family in Mississippi to come visit me there (I live in Texas, so it’s somewhat convenient for them).

I will admit, I have an issue with broken glass — and I tried really hard.

I had three dogs entered in the trial – Marcie, Maggie and Macy, in Excellent, Standard, and Novice, so I had a lot of money invested in the trial – and again, remember, my family was coming to see me.

Every time I went into the ring, I found another piece of glass. Or two or three.

Now I am NOT going to endanger my dogs for an agility trial. I couldn’t pick up the broken glass myself – I had to get someone to pick it up for me – and each time I went to someone on the trial committee. After the third course, I couldn’t take it anymore, and asked for my entries fees back. I think I even went to the rep (can’t remember if there was one there). I also know I immediately wrote to the AKC.

Guess what. I didn’t get my entries fees back but I left and I haven’t been back. It’s been at least 5 years. They don’t even have trials at that same convention center, but I STILL haven’t been back, even though it’s quite convenient to visit with my family when I’m there.

Interesting concept, build a restaurant in the middle of a dog park.

We did have a widely popular indoor dog park for a year. There are a lot of apartment/condones around.

Dulce and I are visited without the vest. So far, nice though. Lots of rules, and I get the pit bull thing.

Real table service, a bit slow, I think they only have one waiter.

They have Baylor sharks in the parking lot.

Sent from my Windows Phone

We went to another new place to do agility – Teacup again – but this time, indoors and climate controlled in Goldsby, Oklahoma, just south of Oklahoma City and Norman.

It was easier on the beagle noses – fewer distractions and they do better in A/C, even though we train in heat and it doesn’t seem to bother them.

Macy tried really hard, but made a few small mistakes each run. Unfortunately you have to be almost perfect in Superior. I think we left Dulce’s brain back at home – but she had off night at class too, so who knows.

She was just down right silly.

It was the longest drive we’ve made in a while but wasn’t bad until we were about an hour away from home. We were cruising along when all of a sudden traffic was at a standstill. Very slow through Denton, then picked up again until Lewisville. Not sure what was up with that, but Lewisville actually had a wreck.

I’m planning to go back in July and more in the future.

Not reading the rules is not always a good idea, but thanks to a good trial secretary, I was taken care of and Macy ended up with a Q after all.

Here’s the deal – Macy is considered a veteran in Teacup now, which allows her to compete at a lower jump height (good for me, since running two dogs in the same class is hard), and gives her extra time. However, it doesn’t affect her titles.

So I was entering her in a trial next weekend and a sharp eyed trial secretary caught the fact she was a veteran. It didn’t dawn on me, and I’m probably in denial anyway.

Then it dawned on me, that we probably needed that time to Q and I emailed yesterday’s trial secretary and asked her. Sure enough! Since everyone was still on site, we were able to recover that Q.

So now Macy has 3 games towards a Teacup Game’s title, and needs 2 more.

Dulce just finished her Teacup Game 2 title, making her: Tesoros Sweet Tempation TG2 — she also has had some Qs in AKC (Correction – Dulce still needs a Q for TBAD)

We got up early and drove to McGregor Texas, which is south of Waco. Object Familiarization was a good thing, as Dulce did her famous dash out of the ring when I took off her leash. Everyone else panicked, but I calmly called her, picked up some cookies on the way and called her to the truck and her crate (she’d made it outside the building and was sniffing near the truck). She ran away from anyone who wanted to catch her, which I predicted, but was happy to get in her truck. I put her cage in the building later, but she didn’t take off again.

She was quite silly all morning but was better each run. I wasn’t even sure she had gotten the last Q, but I can never remember the rules and have to rely on the judge to tell me Q or not.

It was quite warm and Macy made one or two mistakes each run – not good since we’re in the top level (Superior or Games 3).

All in all a productive trip and we’re going to make a run up to Norman, OK next weekend if it is still there by then.

I almost had class beagle in Excellent Standard.  She did some fabulous distance work. 

After that, we were all exhausted and couldn’t go a full course going in time.  It’s been a long time since we’ve done a trial and it showed.

Especially poor Dulce as she has to take care of mom AND run agility.  She stopped two lows in one day – GOOD GIRL!

However, she didn’t run out of the ring.  I won’t count that demon completely gone yet, but I am feeling good about it.

Q ratio 0/0 but that’s okay

It’s been awhile but we went back in the ring today. I took a break because Dulce was having problems staying in the ring, Macy is still having health issues and I was busy with the robot kids. I’ve also been uncomfortable showing since we were suspended.

Good news – I know now which people are friends who aren’t. I will admit to being surprised by a few. One person told me that I deserved the suspension because I was too loud in the ring. Gee, I didn’t know the AKC was using a decibel meter. Don’t like my runs, leave the room. I’ve gotten a Q not because the judge remember the run but because she remembered I was loud.

We had fun but it wore me out. If I would have had to crate in the building, we wouldn’t had made it.

By the way, the building we were in was great. Everyone I talked to remarked on how laid back it was. I also liked that it was easier to get to.

SO, finally the news.

Dulce finished two runs! She took some extra obstacle in JWW, so she didn’t Q, but she DID Q in Novice Standard. Had trouble at the start line starting, and had trouble with the weaves, but we got it.

Macy got the send but was two points short of the Q. That was interesting, because she did the send differently than how the judge intended, but was legal according to the map, so he had to correct her score. I still wanted it in the record books. I think she is still having some issues with her stress fracture as she still isn’t running as well as I would like, but she had some good moments.

I learned something I didn’t understand about the new weave rules and I am glad I asked – the dog can stop and eat something, sniff something during the weaves as long as they stay moving in the same motion. I thought you had to start over. Which I started Macy over when she stopped today and didn’t need to <pout> She did do good weaves the second time though.

Q Rate: 1:5

For the first time in I don’t know how long, Macy ran both the Standard and JWW courses. She’s been refusing to run the second course, and we usually walk out of the ring. Today, she did both rings.

We had a lovely judge in Novice Standard who let me work with Dulce. She ran out of the ring before the run but came back in and he allowed her to run, taking a couple of obstacles before going nuts again. We had two more opportunities before I had her go to the table and picked her up and walk her out.

We can’t decide what is going on. Some people think she is having fun. There was a time she was looking for food but I think she is over that now. I think my friend Roberta was closer – that it has something to do with being stressed by being asked to do tasks away from me. However, she enjoys agility class. I think having a decent blood sugar today helped somewhat.

We’ll try again next year (January).

Between the plastic bag outside the ring and my brain failure we most too many time faults for the Q

Sent from my Windows Phone

Macy and I are competing together for the first time since we were suspended. Our first run was in JWW, and she had trouble getting her head out of the dirt, but ran fast. Had bobble in the weaves, wasn’t real sure I wanted her in the tunnel and then we disconnected in the pinwheel.

FAST better but Macy got distracted by a piece of plastic outside the ring. She did get the Send, but I forgot my plan in the confusion. We lost too many points getting out of the ring.

Standard was best, she got everything but didn’t get into the tunnel, I sent her, she went towards it but didn’t commit. Got everything else though.

Dulce even got in a few obstacles before she left the ring. I’m not sure why she left this time. She wasn’t headed for the treats.