Rivi's Running Contacts...the Project Continues

The project for Rivi's running contacts has rested, recharged and continues. As my view long term is that I think RC are the best option for Rivi. As I said in my posting on the 18th March 2012, I was down but not out. And this past two months I think we have made significant headway on the plank and it is just (late May) starting to appear on the DW. I think she is starting to actually understand what I am striving to explain to her :-)

My action has been to put the plank in amongst the other agility equipment and placing a sequence of obstacles do to before and after. This took a while for her to adjust to, but I think it is really helping Rivi to do the plank in that context. As to get her reward she had to do the next obstacle. The complexity of the performance for dogs is really very high, as the no stopping means not only moving at speed with an accurate performance but following additional cues at speed.

The most important concept for Rivi to grasp was to let go and just run either when all the stimuli indicated that she should offer her previously learnt 2o2o behaviours. A weird and alien concept for Rivi!!!! but really good for her and my mind set and I am so thankful to Nicky Garratt for supporting and providing encouragement in how I am going forward with Rivi on this.

And over the actual DW there is now video evidence of the improve moving across and through the contact zone.  Rivi's thoughts of what she is doing is changing and the video shows how much she is enjoying the retraining. 
The DW is still high but I am focused on the moving, the refining will come later. And I am also getting more 'thunder' behaviour on the plank. I think with the DW there may be at least another years worth of training to achieve ideal performance levels.
Perhaps they will become like Zev's?

However, I am so relieved I found the way forward with this project rather than quitting :-) it would have bugged me if I had quit...

Mr Bigs..gets his 2nd Agility CC

OH my gosh, I had to stay home and study last weekend and miss a trip to the Scottish KC show.

Marc and his guys went up as I needed to be focused on my study and there was no point on them missing out on this event.  And it was a great weekend for Marc and his guys on the Friday, Marc had a rare opportunity to watch the Vanitonia show team in action and they won the best toy poodle overall. Our congratulations to the Vanitonia Team  Also we learnt that Big's sister is now Show Champion Vanitonia Betty Grable.

Mr Bigs had to go poodle shopping as the inclement weather meant his wardrobe was insufficient. I think he has more rain coats than Marc and I have. Saturday was an R&R day, there was plenty of space for free running the guys :-) And the weather fortunately improved as Sunday was Agility day.

The championship agility was  judged by Peter Elms and I am so excited that Marc and Mr Bigs did it again...CC number 2, that is so brilliant, I am so so thrilled and chuffed with Marc and Mister Bigs for doing this a second time.

p.s To the Scottish KC it was a fabulous show, and what would make it even better is rubber contacts

Mr Bigs..gets his 1st Agility CC

Wow what a weekend of agility:

Marc & Vanitonia Mister Big
- Vyne 2012 - Agility CC

• Mr Big and Zev qualified for the CSJ Final at UKA Finals in Dec 12
• Dixie qualified for the Tuff E Nuff Final at UKA Finals in Dec 12
• Rivi won Senior gamblers - taking her into champ at UKA shows
• Big won into champ at UKA shows
• Zev won into Senior at UKA shows
• Dixie won into Novice at UKA shows

Then the icing on the cake was Marc and Mr Bigs winning their first challenge certificate (or ticket or CC as it also called) at Vyne Kennel Club show under the judge Arthur Rogers.

I am so so thrilled and chuffed with Marc and Mister Bigs for doing this.

What a fabulous start to the agility season  :-)

But no videos!!!! oppps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!