Friday, October 24, 2014

AKC trial last week






So last Friday I went to an AKC trial.  It was kind of weird but people weren't helping at the trial. They were begging for help and people wouldn't step up. Very , very sad.  Lots of those people trial every weekend and not to help???  How do they think trials will go on if they don't step in and help. I felt bad for them.  I worked both 20 inch classes and got double coupons. Whoohoo!!    Then this person that I know, her dog peed right there in the building. She saw her dog do it and she saw me looking at her.  She just walked away and left it there.  So disappointing.  So I probably didn't have the greatest attitude after all this.

Java's standard run:  I meant to FC before the a-frame but didn't make it there , so I RC after. You will see she almost went off course. Then I had planned to RC this jump to the tunnel. As soon as I started to push, just a slight turn of my shoulder, boom -off she went to the tunnel. Akc!!  So we were off course and then I  didn't think she was going to make the weave pole entry so I RC her and stopped. She made it but after I stopped, she pulled out of the pole. Ugh!! 
Then JWW.  I really thought we could do this. And we almost did.  She was running a line of jump. I said tunnel but she went straight, and then turned to the tunnel. So we got a refusal. I was confused why would she do this. There were no obstacles where she was going.



When I left the ring, after the jumpers run, someone told me it looked like she was going for the jumps that where outside the ring. ( her dog once jumped into the orange ring gating when someone put a broad jump right outside the ring. He was suppose to turn to the a-frame but went straight. Thank goodness Java didn't jump into the ring gating).  When I watched the video, you could see that's what she was doing.
When I went to walk the course for Miley's turn, then I could really see what the problem was.


It looks like its a pin wheel with the practice jump also there.  Plus, because no one would work, that chair, for the ring crew, was empty. If someone would have been sitting there, it may have made a difference.   Also, someone who work  the big dogs, who was sitting there, said several dogs ran straight there to. She thought it was because someone had a Frisbee and was playing with there dog outside the ring. Maybe it was because of the jumps.  I had them move them for Miley's class.

  Miley Qed in standard and I was hopeful we would Q in JWW. But no, she went off course.  I guess I shouldn't have had so much distance from her , so I could have shown more motion in the direction I needed her to go. Ugh!  Will I ever learn to do this right??? LOL



I only did one day at the trial. The next day I went to Savannah to spend some time with my mom and sister.  We had a nice time and went to down town Savannah.  The weather has been really nice lately. 

Mickey has a staff infection all over his body.   Because I didn't recognize it right away, it got way out of control.  I first noticed these sore on the back of his neck. I thought one of the other dogs bit him.  Then I noticed a few more and started thinking it was weird.  If they bit him that much he should hurt when I pick him up.  I pick him up at least twice a day to give him his liquid phenobarbital.  Then a few days later I flipped him over and he had sores everywhere. Ack.  It looked like he had the chicken pox.  So I posted a picture on face book and everyone told me he had  a staff infection.  So I took him to the vet.  When the vet first saw him, he said "Wow, your dog has chicken pox".  LOL , then laughed and said "Just kidding. He has a staff infection".  They gave him an injection of antibiotics and some shampoo to wash him twice a week.  Its been a week and I felt like he was getting worse. So I took him back to the vet.  The vet said he only wrote in his notes that it was every where so it was hard for him to tell if it was worse. But he  said usually the owner knows. So he gave me a different shampoo and now he has to be washed everyday. Ugh!!  Thank god its not a sheltie.

In a couple of weeks is the UKI nationals. Its being held in Fletcher, NC.  So, about 2 hours from here.  These friend of mine are in charge. When I talked to them last weekend, there were 1800 runs scheduled for Friday.  They were stressed.   Shortly after that we got an email saying that they are starting on Thursday, to take some of the runs off of Friday's schedule.  I think there will be 5 rings going. Way bigger than last year with only 2 rings.  Now Im not sure why I entered.  There is no way Im ready for this type of competition.  Oh well.  I already said I would be in charge of hospitality.  Hopefully I can do an ok job at it.

Thank goodness for little trials. Next weekend Im going to a small AKC trial. There are 30 dogs in all of masters.  It will be a nice, non-stressful trial.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Seminar weekend!

I went this weekend to a Daisy Peel seminar.  I only did half a day on Saturday and then the whole day Sunday.  I left my house with plenty of time to get there. I was even planning on stopping to get lunch. Well there was an accident on the highway and we only moved 2 miles in 30 minutes. Ack!! Now I was going to be late because I did stop to go to the restroom. I got there about 5 minutes late. I felt bad but there was nothing I could do.
Saturday was on blind crosses.  Very fun!!.  I wish there had been a whole day on this.  Ok, I know most of you probably know this and Im the only person who didn't but here is goes.  Its what you do before you blind cross that cues the turn. OMG!!  LOL, I didn't know this.   So your lateral motion, or your deceleration ect. cues the turn. Good to know!!  LOL



Only 5 dogs were there, so we got a lot of running time and it was great!!!  After the day ended I drove down to my parents and spent the night. It was only an hour from the seminar so a lot closer than my house.
The next morning I made sure I had plenty of time to get there. I wasn't going to be late again!  I got there with no problem.  This day was on cueing combinations.  We aren't allowed to post any video from Sunday.  You would think I would  have been perfect since I had seen these before went I went out to Oregon  to the DP camp. But I wasn't. Ugh!!   One of Java's relatives was there too.  And then several other people I knew.  That was nice, to know people at the seminar.   Today was full with I think with 11 participants so not as much working time as yesterday but still nice.  It was nice out, until you were running. Then the sweating came on. LOL    I think Java has definitely improved since the last time I saw Daisy in person.  She is no longer driving all on her front and not stopping when asked.  Before if I stopped on course, she would just fly on by but now she engages here rear end and can stop.   (although still needs to be reminded sometimes). Several dogs had this problem at the seminar and they had to do the stopping on course thing and reward the dog if they actually stopped. We did one more very short easy set up at the end of the day. I was tired and just wanted to stop. So I didn't do well on an easy course. Ugh.  So Daisy suggested I listed to this book on tape called, "The Sports Gene".  (its not an agility book).  But she thought it would be insightful for me to read.  She said I have good foot work,  and motion and training on my dogs. I lack figuring out timing. When to do the footwork and the motion. (its true and Im not offended by this at all).  Ive never been good at any sport.  My timing was horrible. Always. Ugh.    Oh well, all I can do it keep working at it. I think I am getting better.  Miley finally got a double Q a couple of weeks ago and Java Qed all three runs on that last Saturday. So I hope Im going in the right direction.

I had new carpet put in my bedroom. Holy crap, what an ordeal that was.  I had no idea how much junk was in my bedroom. Then in the closet, they thought they could just remove this bar that was attached to the floor and the clothes would be ok. Nope, everything fell to the ground. Ugh!!  So now all the clothes had to be removed from the closet too.  What a lot of freaking work.


Its does look nice!!

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Beach trial


I went down to Charleston for a USDAA trial.  I decided to go to the beach before the trial. They were running team first and then at the end of the day was Steeplechase and Grand Prix. I was only entered in Grand Prix and Steeplechase. It was suppose to thunderstorm all day but the weather held and didn't start raining until after I ran my last run. How lucky is that??

Anyway, we went to Beachwalker park.  Its a public beach on Kiawah island. They allow dogs. It was great to be at the beach but felt sad too. I really miss going to Seabrook island.  Its so peaceful and quiet.  This beach doesn't open until 9am. I like to be out on the beach at 6:30am -7am.   There were lots of people and dogs for the middle of the day.   Lots of off leash dogs who don't come when called. Ugh.   My dogs didn't really want to play they way the would at Seabrook. They just walked right next to me.  I finally  had to throw a pinecone to get them to start running.












No dolphins were out today.   After spending a few hours at the beach we drove to the trial site.

I just put all the video's of each dog together on one video. It was just easier that way.  Miley Qed in Speedjumping with one dropped bar. In Grand Prix I pushed her off the jump before the tunnel when I rear crossed.  Then next day , we got into the second round of Speedjumping.  I didn't get the front cross in before the A-frame and decided to blind after the a-frame. I pushed in and decided I didn't have enough time to blind. She read the blind, blinded and I didn't, so we went off course.  I didn't put the jumpers video in there. She was just kinda crazy, running her own course and we left the ring.
Gamblers was tough, at least I thought so.  But actually lots of dogs got it.  It was tough because of that tunnel being right there.


It was also hard because you had no momentum going into the gamble (the number 1 jump).  We were so close. We got all the way  through #3 but didn't take number 4.  Then in standard, it was a wrap to the DW from a tunnel. She came out of the tunnel and I thought she had the DW, I started running and she pulled away and came with me. Oops.




Java , in Grand Prix, she went around the first jump. Oops. Then I put a RC in the wrong place (at the tire), so it pulled her off a jump. But otherwise very nice run.  In Steeplechase, there was a 90 degree turn after the a-frame.  She didn't turn, I called her , she stopped right before taking the jump. I thought I had saved it. I turned to put her over the correct jump and she went back over the a-frame. Oops. LOL.  The next day she had a beautiful jumpers run with a dropped bar.  She got the gamble in Advance gamblers. Then the biggest surprise  was we Qed in standard.  I figured the judge called her teeter.  The judge was very tough on teeters  all weekend and it wasnt a perfect one. So after that I figured run like heck and see what happens.  When I watched the video the next morning, the judge didn't call the teeter and we Qed. WhoooHooo. We might get out of starters standard yet. LOL