Category: Blog

No excursions, made very few mistakes, and was a very good dog.  Most of the mistakes were mom doing advanced stuff (a blind cross), or a send to the other side of the jump.

We also have a little surprised planned for next Sunday morning ….  We were working on it when we weren’t doing courses (oh, and we’ve been working on this surprise for months, but finally put a name on it tonight).

Very bummed that our class is dissolving and it’s hard to find a place for her.

I took Dulce with me tonight and brought her in the building.  When I wasn’t working Macy, I worked on Dulce’s conformation – I am trying to get her to self stack.  I am not ready to put it on cue, because it isn’t 100%, but we’re getting there.

It was funny, because I didn’t reward several times, because her back feet weren’t lined up. Witnesses swore they were, but the guy next to me realized I was watching her spine (I wasn’t aware of that until he pointed it out), and that told me when she was aligned. Something to remember when showing (along with 100 other things).

I still think if she can walk in the ring, pose herself both on the floor and the table, we’ll make up for the fact that we’re an 1” shorter than our relatives.  She’ll look as put together as she really is.  However, I’d like more of a casual stance, where she is tending to pop into it.

Macy and I went to our beginner’s Rally class that meets on random Tuesdays.  I actually LOVE that.  The fact that the class meets randomly.

First run, we did foodless, and we got everything the sits in front.  The instructor didn’t get it when I showed her my open palm without food, so I had to tell her.

Second run, Macy said, “nope, no pay, no heel”.  Had to stop, get a small piece of food and she was perfect!  We even got applause and praise.

GOOD MACY.  However, we have to do it in a distracting environment without food.  Maybe Market Hall this summer.

Macy was NOT in the mood for agility today.

 
 

JWW

 
 

Stuck her head in the dirt and just didn’t want to run.

 
 

 
 

Standard

 
 

Trying something different. Leaving her in the crate in the truck until the judge is ready. Also had Dulce out and training.

 
 

 
 

No Qs, but highlight of the day was doing the teeter like a normal dog.

 
 

 
 

FAST Open

 
 

Plan

 
 

6 Jump

1 Jump

4 Jump

Send

5 Jump

10 Tunnel

. 20 + 20 send

2 Aframe

7 Jump

1 Jump

1 Jump

9Chute

18 without teeter

 
 

Plan didn’t work — she stuck nose down into dirt as soon as I left her. Need to give more energy out at the beginning of the run to be successful. Also didn’t scruff.

 
 

Open JWW

 
 

 
 

 
 

Missed weaves (3 times!) and sent to the tunnel and went to the wrong end. Everything else was good.

 
 

 
 

Got teeter and weaves! However, I thought she would take the 8 tunnel and she took the aframe instead. Got everything else, but a tad slow.

It was mostly jumpers tonight and stuff. Thanks to Donna Ward.

She was very silly and I really need to come a bit earlier and see if I can get some focus – this Sunday was quite full.

Did nice weaving and settled down a bit more on each sequence

Sent from my Windows Phone

Overcast and fairly humid day.

 
 

No Qs, but she was a bit faster, got the teeter and the send in Fast.

 
 

Open Jumpers

 
 

 
 

Did not start out well but focused on getting speed and got it. Missed one jump at least. Did not do much talking.

 
 

Open standard

 
 

Got everything but had a refusal at the teeter. score was 70 but needed 85

 
 

Open FAST

 
 

Got send but missed 7 and ran out of time. We had 48 points.

She can’t do it without food but she can do a whole course and get only one small piece.

So, make the piece of food smaller each time and reward outside of the ring bigger.

Sent from my Windows Phone

Seriously. 

I had entered Macy and brought Dulce because my husband asked me.  She only got out of the car twice the entire weekend though.  Another note to self – Macy does not really like massages, but Dulce does.

All the teacup people had told me about a lady in Oklahoma that had rescue beagles.  They were there – she brought three, not sure how many were entered.  It was a hoot, as not only were there 5 beagles there, they were all under 13”.  She runs hers at 8”, which makes me wonder why I am running at 12”, but I don’t have time worry about that.

Her name is Kris Hurley – which fits right in with the “k” in my family.  I have a cousin, Kris.

So we sorta had a beagle agility specialty.

We defeated the last obstacle – only because we haven’t had access to one.  The chute, in fact, once she figured it out, she kept taking it, winning the title “Chute Whore”.

Honestly, last week was her best class, and she was pretty bad tonight.  Someone had some toys on the ground and instead of running course, she had to steal one.  Punishing her wouldn’t work, as chasing her would have just reinforced the activity.  I just stood still had cookies, and calmly called her, and reminded her that I did have cookies.  Didn’t take long as no one was chasing her, and she got bored with the toy.

She ran off a few times, primarily because the field was SO distracting.  I think there were more lights plus there was food on the ground.

She did a couple of nice courses though and beautiful weaves. 

If she would just focus!