Trial Update

First off, Roxy is much better. The vet kept her Friday too and then pulled her IV.  She has been good all weekend.  Not eating much and sleeping alot. But when I got home she seemed back to normal to me.

The trial was 3 long days.   I was usually there by 6:30am so I could park in the shade. There were very few shade spots.  We finished around 6:30 at night. We were usually done earlier than expected so that was nice.  The trial was very well run.  People were all very friendly and supportive of everything.  The crating area was cramped but people really tried to be helpful and move around to make space.  There were some negative things.  Dogs would start barking it was would just echo thur the building.  And it could be over whelming at times. It wouldnt be a good  place for a sensitive dog.  You couldnt warm up at all in the building except at the small practice jump area.  That was ok for me. But outside there was only a 50 X 50 foot spot of grass  to warm up and walk dogs.  The rest was a huge parking lot.   I kept thinking if it rained, I couldnt run my dog because there would be no where to warm up and she hates rain.  But it only rained at night, so that was good.  

I only have a few videos and they are all of bad runs.  The few good runs I have, I dont have on tape. That figures huh? 
Our first run Friday was the easiest jumpers course ever.

On jump number three and slipped and fell over the jump and face planted.  I saw her face just sliding across the turf.  Ugh.  But she got right up and flew into the tunnel. When we came out of the ring she kept rubbing her face.  She dropped two more bars and those she took off way to early.  What the heck?   We did manage to stay on course.  So we are finally on course and the bars get us. Figures.   I was timing the next class and sitting next to this lady who was also a judge and teaches agility.  As I watched the dogs run, bars were just coming down like crazy.  I said, " wow, lots are bars are coming down".  She said that the course is very visually challenging for the dogs.  Between the white numbers , line and writing on the turf, the ring gating and the bars all being white, its hard for the dogs to figure out what is what.  I hadnt notice that when walking but sitting there at a lower level, it looked very difficult.  I tried to take a picture when they were course building to show you. Im not sure I got the effect.

 Hopefully everyone is blurry enough that you cant tell who they are.

Gamblers was next, we didnt get the gamble. I think I rushed it and didnt send her correctly but still an nice run. Great weave poles and contacts.
Our pairs run, which is usually our best runs didnt go well. The lady I was paired with really wanted a Q for her title. She was willing to miss her two Masters jumpers runs, to do this pairs run.  She shouldnt have told me that.  It put a lot of pressure on me and I guess I cracked.

I ran the white circles and I was trying to beat her out of that #7 tunnel so she wouldnt go off course.  I guess she wasnt committed to the tunnel and she came with me. Then when I treid to bring her around, she took the wrong end of the tunnel. Ugh! So we were off course and that was that.
Snooker was last and Miley was excited and relaxed.  She came into the ring barking and wanted to tug on her leash.  We made it thur our first snooker run ever but only got 35 points and you needed 37.  She dropped a bar for the #7 points in the opening.  Ugh!!  But we did make it thur and she was coming into to me and staying with me. So that was awesome. Friday night I really contemplated if I should continue doing agility.  I wasnt mad or upset.  I guess Im just frustrated that I just cant seem to get a handle on running my dog.  Maybe I just dont have what it takes to do it. I dont think thats a horrible thing to say. It is what it is.  People arent good at  everything and sometimes it just time to call it quits. 

Saturday we did win a worker raffle and won 3 tug toys.  At least we got something for coming.
First up was gamblers.  We had  a great run and got the gamble.  But my foot must have been on the tape because he blew the whistle.  But we still got the gamble and that was nice.

Pairs was next . I ran the white circles  and I pushed her right off the number #3 jump.  I have this run on video and Im right next to the wing with my arm fully extended out from my side. Which told her to go out. Ugh!

Next was Speedjumping/steeplechase.  We had and awesome run which I had someone video taping. But she must not have pushed the red button because I only have us at the finish line on video.  LOL. I did push her off the number 4 jump when I rear crossed but otherwise it was great.

Last up was jumpers and I didnt push her out to the #5 jump so she missed it. Then coming out of the tunnel #13, I thought I had her but she took the #12 jump. But I got her back on course.
So even though I stepped on the tape, and pushed her off jumps and tunnels.  She ran great with no stress when I made mistakes.  She had solid start lines all day. WhooHoo!!

Sunday started out bad.  We started with snooker. Ugh.  I decied to be aggressive so I would get enough points if something happened. After the first red and the #7 obstacle,  I called her in close to pass the weave poles and a jump. She got pass the weave poles but took the jump.  That was the end of that run. Tweet.
Next was gamblers. She was freaking crazy in this run.  When we got to the dogwalk, she took a huge leap off the dogwalk and then couldnt weave 6 poles.  I brought her around to do the dogwalk again, another huge leap. What the heck was wrong with her. I could see it in her, stress crazy. Tried the weave poles again and she couldnt do it. I brought her around and tried again. That time she got the weaves.  I decided I had to get that dogwalk under control. So I brought her around to the dogwalk and I slowed way down and in the calmest voice I could I told her to walk it.  She finally slowed at the bottom of the dogwalk and stopped.  The the buzzer sounded to do the gamble.  She couldnt get the send to the weave.  After all this sending to 12 weaves with the weave pole challenge.  She was just to high. I felt terrible when I left the ring. It really makes me feel bad when she is stressing like this. Its not fun for her or me.  I really didnt know what was going on. I talked with Meagan and she said that because they were running the 2nd day of Steeplechase in the other ring, which is for money, that the atmosphere in the building had really changed. People were really pushing their dogs, people were cheering and all these dogs were barking.  I didnt realize how noisy it was in the building.  I took Miley to the car and we rested there for and hour or more. Ahhh peace and quiet.
Here was the noise outside when I was at my car.



I decided the if our next run was crazy that we were going home.  Maybe three days was to much for her. Next up was Grand Prix.

I did a lead out with a lateral send to #2 and then RC between #3 and #4.  Next I was going to FC the opposite side of the #5 tunnel. But lucky I realize that it would probably push her over that  #16 jump. So I  stayed on this side of the # 6 jump.  I was going to do a serp from #7,8 and 9.   Which I did but I was right by the teeter when she came off , so a few lost seconds there but no off courses.  Another lucky thing was I realized I needed to FC after the shoot to keep her off the off course jump and get her into the weaves.  My dog was freaking awesome on this run.  Stopped on all her contacts and how she made that weave pole entry I will never know.  She held her DW contact so I couldnt get out to front cross after #15.   We had a smoking fast time of 36 and some seconds.  Whoowhoo. I was so excited to Q.  Then I found out I took 1st place. I realize we are in performance but it was still a great run.

Next was standard. We started out good but then the judge was in my way on the A-frame. She was trying to see Miley's contact and I was trying to pull miley over to the jump and I ran into the judge. Miley missed the jump but I was able to get her around and take it without an off course.  I havent watched the video but someone told me she missed her contact but the judge didnt call it.  Then the table. Miley jumped on and then off, circled around and got on the table. She sat but she would lie down. But her front legs were shaking.  So I decided to just release her.  She had an awesome dogwalk contact.  Right after her run and news paper photographer came and asked me about Miley.  Just my name and Miley's name and how old she was.  She made the paper.
Here is the link.
http://www.news-record.com/blog/60759/entry/122317
Last up was jumpers.  Again she was awesome. She tried to push her start line, and I had to say "hey" in a stern voice to get her to settle.

I did a lead out with a lateral or forward send to  #2 so I could run to #3 and front cross.  It work great.  We had an awesome run and I remember to push her out to #8 and pull her back in and call her for #9.  Whoohooo for me.  To bad she dropped the bar on number 12.  But otherwise it was awesome.

So this isnt a blog where you get to read we Qed 8 out of 10 runs. In fact, we Qed one out of 12 runs.  That doesnt sound very good but there was lots of good things happening.  And only one run that she had stress in, so that was very nice.  I guess Im just a slow learner. LOL