Go ape...!!!

Went 'Go Ape' this weekend - a birthday activity organised by a friend. It was a mix of emotions from 'nerve racking' to 'exhilarating' to 'why did I worry about doing that?'. My language did turn the air blue initially. Although I did try to say "flipping nora" instead. But I got calmer and more rational as I completed each course. My senses were heightened literally by the height, the tiny ropes, hoops, logs and barrels that you try and use to get from one tree to the next. I really had to talk myself through a couple of them.



But now looking back I have to look at the video as I can't believe I have done it. Especially knowing what I am like, I think Marc was surprised too.



 
What a great way to spend a few hours with friends, and then walk the dogs afterwards :-) what next???????

Running Contacts with Rivi - getting started

Well, it was hard to be good at Chippenham, Rivi worked beautifully in the champ jumping. Oh the temptation to run her in the champ agility - but I was strong (methinks like being on a diet!) and did not subcumb.... I know it is really important that I remain focus on my goal to retrain - it is really critical if we are going to be even more competitive next year...



The outline retraining stages so far are:-
1] introduce to MM
2] run to MM running over a bit of carpet
3] to running the carpet to MM with me in differing positions
4] to angles on to the carpet and maintain criteria on carpet

And that is where the complexity creeps in there is the speed, the judgement, can you say well that one was a bit high or the paw pattern not quite right, can you try again please. Can I try and train the dog, watch the dog, run at the same time, click and reward spot on and not be in a tiz? ha ha could make you dizzy just thinking about it.



Once over her shock of meeting the MM - Rivi has 'cottoned' on to the fact it involves running and she loves to run. She is really enjoying the training, and that is always my overall goal. I signed up with a Daisy Peel - classroom and that is quite a nerve racking thing to do i.e costs/group mix/trainer approach. A bit of a leap of faith - but I like what I have seen on her blog etc.,. and took the plunge. So far it is really good, following the steps that I expected and can work with.
- Plus there is the sharing of the learning curve which is really cool even in a virtual world.
- Plus it made me buy a MM and it is a brilliant tool which had been on my to buy list since Zev was a puppy! I wish I had got it sooner now I just need two of them ;-)
- Plus Zev has just as much fun joining in although he already does running contacts

Chippenham - the 2011 Agility Season finishes

DAMM, what a good way to finish the agility season. Final ticket show of the year and I had the good fortune with Zev to be awarded the Reserve Challenge Certificate. Sure I am totally human and would have preferred to have won it, but being corny but true I am just so chuffed to have the opportunity to share my life with such a fabulous sheltie. Sure at times I am a wee bit frazzled as previously mentioned he sure does know how to press my buttons. Which is a great thing or life would be a trifle dull ;-) So this year two RCCs and also I need to sort out claiming our Agility Warrant Gold, as Zev he achieved enough points at the beginning on the season.

This is the video of the final round:


I want to fine tune his contacts - this season with lurching from wood to rubber surfaces has been at times 'hair raising' and disconcerting. Whilst I like the rubber - I do feel it would have been safer and better for the dogs if it had been a overnight change to one type of surface. Hopefully next year all the agility shows will do rubber contacts.

I really don't think there should be another year of 'mix and match' it is a risky situation especially when its wet weather. How the heck to you tell your dog that is going like crazy, "watch out the contacts are wood this time!" On the plus side its been good as it made me convert Zev to full running contacts. It is such a buzz not to think about having to stop and go, it is just so exhilarating.

Dixie Licks Does Good.....And Marc too;-)

We headed to Bromsgrove for the weekend, it had a Adams Derby Qualifier which is a nice final for young dogs if can qualify. It is power and speed, so the first section is contacts and maximum spread and long jump. The speed is poles and jumping. Then crikey I missed Dixie and Marc's run, as our runs clashed. Bummer, not only did I miss them run, they did a good 'un' and won the qualifier. No mean feat for Dixie, who must be one of the smallest 'large' dogs in KC agility.

But look at Dixie, she says she born to pose too
 :-) She is now 21 months and is well cute.

All the guys did good, but this is Dixie's time to hog a blog posting as I know it is usually my guys that I write or should I put rave about?

Rivi second champ final and the stutter strikes!!!!

Well, the Rivioli was not gonna be left behind at Wyre, and I was so pleased to get her through to the final too. I don't like to leave a dog behind, in any sense. I want to get her through to the finals at much as Zev. Heres the jumping round (the twiddle being entirely my fault - wrong directional cue):-

However, what has been looming and despite my best efforts I have not cracked her aframe performance. Her see-saw is good and her dog walk performance has really come on. This is the agility qualifying round


With the aframe, the stutter has come back affecting this final and the one at Prestbury - it is so so frustrating.....

I am now conscious of it, can you imagine having such a gorgeous dog, that has one performance issue. It is like a loathsome acne spot on one's face!!!! So at Wyre I made the decision to devote from Oct to Dec 11, to retraining the aframe and the dogwalk. I even declined a call up to the semis, for the same reason. We have improved so much performance wise in other aspects I just need to sort this issue out.

No semis. No WAO tryouts. Yes to developing a contact that suits Rivi and enables us enjoy it even more. And who knows a side benefit of being a more successful partnership?