Monday, April 19, 2010

Snookered out

This weekend Ive entered a USDAA trial. Only classes without a table. Ive also entered several classes that I haven't done before. Snooker, pairs and Grand Prix. So yesterday I went up to Charlotte because Meagan was offering a snooker class. Miley was kinda crazy in the beginning. She was also barking at me in the car on the way up. Thats not something she usually does. I didnt complete the snooker course once without being whistled off ( but you didnt have to leave, you could keep going). I dont hold high hopes for this class this weekend but you never know. Miley was not good at long lead outs. She held her stay but would bypass the jump I was near. I guess we need to work on that.


After the snooker class I took a lesson. I walked the course ( map above) but I never seem to get that quit right. So first I ran it, and I think we did it right. ( I cant remember). What I did was an oppisite arm cue at #2, then sent her over #3, then rear crossed to get her in the tunnel.But then Meagan had me use an off arm cue at #2 and #3one time, then the next time a front cross after #3. Both of those worked much better then me pulling and pushing. I really need to view courses differently. See where a cross could be and try it differently to help me get the flow better. I get one way set in my mind and thats what I do. And of course I think Im right until Meagan shows me differently. LoL It definitely felt better doing a front cross. Then the same with #6 to 7. The front cross really work, I kept pushing Miley off course into the tunnel until I did the front cross. What was weird was, Miley wouldnt get on the dogwalk or the teeter again at this building. She did that same thing the last time we were there. Weird. The contacts dont have any grit to them and one side of the dogwalk is slatless. But I think is the lack of grit that is causing the problem. ( but with Miley, who knows).


As far as the table. Meagan doesnt want me to do any tables for 12 weeks. Just work on mat work near agility stuff and at trials. Also to click and treat when she is going to the mat, not after she gets on. Im also going to do crate games. First with a crate. Then someone on the agile teach list, had suggested using crate games but with the table. So I will go to that after Im done with the crate. ( thanks Kathy for suggesting the agile teach list).


And as far as the a-frame , Im going to keep teaching the box and grid work for a running aframe. Once I get through all the grid work and we are ready to start on the a-frame itself, Meagan will help me evaluate Miley and see if it will cause her to jump the contact. (I hope that makes sense).
My neighbor is trying to sell their house. They have a tiny back yard. But they said people told them that my agility equipment is a negative. Well , sorry. I dont have any place else to put it. Its not like I have garbage in my back yard.
Ive been really tired lately and just feel negative about life. I feel like Im killing myself to do everything I need to get done. I feel like both my kids are not stepping up to the plate. Why? I always thought I was a good parent but apparently not. I dont know how to motivate them to do what they need to do. I feel like giving up. Im tire of being in charge of all this crap. I cant even get a dog to get on the table at a trial. Sorry to end of a negative note but thats just life sometimes. And works not any better either. All these kids lying all the time. I just cant take it anymore.

11 comments:

Marie said...

I'm so sorry that things are getting you down. I know it probably doesn't mean much coming from someone who doesn't even have kids herself, but I certainly don't think that a lack of effort or parenting skills on your part is to blame for any of these problems!

Sam said...

I hope you have some fun at the USDAA trial. I think it'll do you both some good to not have to worry about the table at all.

I've always wanted to try Snooker. We're having a CPE trial here in July, and I thought of entering Marge just in the games classes. I just don't really want to put her through the whole measuring thing again.

Sara said...

Snooker is so tough. I just don't get it when people say, "I LOVE snooker." They must know something I don't know. LOL.

I hope things get better for you soon. Teenagers are tough. Believe me, I am so glad when the bell rings at 3:15 and I don't have to bring them home with me! I don't know how you do it.

Oh yea. If I was looking for a new house, I would be soooo excited to move in next door if I saw your agility equipment! Definitely better than a swimming pool.

Diana said...

Sara, your comment made me laugh about the swimming pool. Those people are in trouble, the house behind them has a pool. lol Diana

Chris and Ricky said...

Good luck with the USDAA trial and the snooker game! We haven't even thought about trying USDAA - more measuring and mom doesn't understand any of their games!

That's a tough sequence Megan set up for you - I guess I see that the front cross after 3 is like a wrap to the tunnel and then the next FC is between 6 and 7 or after 7 to create a wrap to the DW? Confusing and must be super difficult with a fast dog!

Sorry you've been feeling bad about lots of stuff - maybe it's partially the end of a long school year and you'll feel better in June.

My neighbors sold their house in 4 days - even with all of my agility equipment!!!

Anonymous said...

That thing about the agility equipment makes me mad. What about kids play equipment? Those bright plastic swings and slides are waaaaay uglier than my agility equipment!
Good luck with snooker. I've played it, understand it, still don't like it much. But I'm not big on courses that I have to design myself and this particular game incites too much "handler panic" when things don't go well. I don't think that's good for soft dogs who don't have lots of confidence to begin with.

Morganne said...

Great that you're trying out USDAA. I hated Snooker until I played it enough. Now I like the challenge. Miley's going to love GP! A standard course without no stinkin' table.

Don't blame yourself for your kids' behavior. At some point, they are old enough to make their own decisions and sometimes you have to let them make mistakes (I know, I have two daughters who have made many mistakes - but they certainly learned from them).

Nicki said...

I can't believe they told you that about your equipment. How freaking rude, when there are so many trashy places around!

Anonymous said...

So sorry things are not going well for you right now. I am having problems with my son, too. It makes me sad, everything seemed to be going so good and now he gets himself in trouble again. Sigh. I LOVE Snooker. Even though we aren't great it is so fun when you get it. Just try to go and have fun.

Diane

Kathy Mocharnuk said...

kids and dogs sometimes are who they are and they have to figure out things for themselves. You have been a good mom but they are at the age they get to take over and figure it out.

I would think you having agility equipment in your back yard would be a plus if I was looking at the neighbors house, LOL. Guess it all depends on who is looking

Dawn P said...

What Lora said about the agility equipment. Honestly, I think it's a pretty crappy thing for your neighbor to put it on you for them not selling their house. And I'm sorry about your kids.

Snooker is great. Starters snooker sucks, it just does. It's not easy to make flow. For Miley, think about flow and don't go for points to win. You'll get enough points if you go for at least on 6 or 7 or even a 5. I won a class and I didn't even correctly complete the final 7 combination. You can come up with fun handling and don't worry about call to heel or around obstacles until you get into masters (heck, we're not in Masters snooker). I swear, Whisper thinks snooker is hilarious. Here is a video of one of her runs. We came in first and beat someone who tried to get higher points and failed. So don't worry about that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SGQlE3hDOM
Try looking for video of starters snooker so you can get a feel for it. Starters snooker was a BAD idea for Shasta.