New Plan

So after last weekend and my dog totally loosing her mind in standard, I have a new plan.  I think that I looked confident at the b-match when walking to the line and leading out. But when at the trial, I dont think I look as confident. I dont trust my dog to do her job which is maybe why Im having trouble.
So here is  a video of lead outs from last weekend. I ended with our T2B video. I felt like I was confident in that one and we did well except for the dropped bar.


After this trial I wasnt going to do AKC anymore.  Whats the point if she wont get on the table.   But I have a new plan.  Im going to use my AKC standard runs to work on me.  Im going to work on looking confident when leading out. If she breaks, then we leave.  I will mark a missed contact.  I will take chances that I normally wouldnt take.  AKC standard will be training runs.    The other new thing Im doing is not carry treats with me when I train.  Now if Im training a specific skill , then I will . Or if she struggles with something, I will go get treats to help her learn what I want. But for just running something I think she can do, no treats.   Reward with a "good girl" if she holds her contacts ect.  We'll see what happens.  Miley is a dog who likes everything the same all the time. So I need to make things from training and trialing more the same.

Today we spent the day out at the clubs new agility field working to get it ready.  We moved the contacts onto the field. We had to take the shed apart because it was missing pieces, moved it inside the fence area and put it back together.  The fence is still being build but the post are in.  Then we moved all the equipment inside the fence too.  Made new jumps, wobble boards and planks.  And painted the pump house for the field. There is a huge pond, river or lake behind the field but there is an alligator in there. So we had a pump put in to pump water up to the field so we can cool dogs off.

This is Britany, she paint the pump house and put the dog paws on it. It turned out cute.

 Here is the new field. Nice and big.
I was the first one to use the field. Here is our run.  Miley self released the first time over the dogwalk, so I made her come back.  I have no treats and the next time I said "good girl" when she got it.

The beach

Dont worry no birds where hurt in the making of these pictures. I guess the alligator wasnt hungry.

This was at sunrise and the lighting was making things pink. Very cool.

Then the  dogs kept running through this stuff.  Its only there during low tide so its not hard, hard but I wouldnt think it would be nice to run through.

I could sit on the beach and take pictures all day. LOL

This is my favorite picture.

I of course have a ton of pictures but I wont post all of them.  LOL  It took me 3 days to figure out why I couldnt post any pictures.  Its was weird but when I saved  the pictures I thought it was in Jpeg.  So when I looked under properties of the pictures, it said jpeg . But then I noticed today that when I was looking at the pictures, windows live photo program has this little information bar at the bottom and it said Tiff.  So that was the whole problem.  I resaved the pictures and now I could load them. I thought I was loosing my mind trying to figure out what the problem was.  I transferred all the photos on the another hard drive. My husband reformatted my computer and updated a bunch of stuff.  Ugh, what a waste.  I so glad its fixed.

Hey Lucy!

Well if you are on facebook you already know how my standard run went on Sunday.   It was our first run. I wasnt nervous.  Im not sure why Miley did what she did.  It started with tire to the dogwalk.   She jumped the dogwalk contact and took the wrong tunnel entrance. OMG , I was so defeated when that happened.  I wasnt expecting her to get on the table but she just acted like I hadnt trained her at all. What the heck???  Then she jumped the a-frame contact, popped out of the weave poles and jumped on and off the table. Did a big circle around the ring and then got on the table.  After that, she was perfect. LOL, the only contact she didnt jump was the teeter. That one was perfect.  So as we were driving home that day I started thinking, running Miley sometimes is like being Charlie Brown and playing football with Lucy.  Sometimes she just pulls the ball out from under you.   And thats exactly what it felt like.  I take what Miley does way to personally.  And I just need to remember that sometimes she is just going to act crazy and just remember that is Miley. 
Both my walk thurs were at the same time.  So I decided to just concentrate on Standard. I only walked jumpers a few times. There were only 6 dogs in open standard so there wasnt much time to worry about jumpers.  It was only a few minutes from standard to jumpers. I just wasnt sure my head was in the game after that crappy standard run.   So here is our run.



I thought maybe I left the poles to early in standard so I  made sure I didnt do that here but she still pulled out.  Ugh. We were so close but yet so far. LOL  I didnt stay for T2B or FAST.  I was just over the whole thing.   Plus my son was with us at the beach and needed to get back to college and I still had to clean the condo.  So leaving wasnt a bad thing. 
So what do I think happened.  With the weave poles, Ive only been practicing 6 poles at home to work entrances.  The last two or three classes we've had its been raining or wet and I didnt want to run weave poles.  So we have done no 12 since our trial 3 weeks ago.  Really I havnt had a full run anywhere except at trials since August.  Most of Sept. she didnt do anything because of the glass in her foot.  Then here its been raining a lot so its been hard to fine dry time to practice expect in my yard.  The new field for the club is suppose to be ready this weekend.  Weve had no place to practice since April.  So maybe she just isnt getting enough practice. Some other things which Im not sure make  a difference or not.  Saturday Miley and Java ran on the beach for a long time.  Im mean a really long time.  I remember thinking that maybe it was to much.  I guess not.  Then Sunday, I had to be at the trial earlier.  The dogs didnt run as much.  Java seemed tired and didnt want to run as much.  She walked weired up the steps.  The night before I checked all her pads because she also walked weird up the steps.  Now it was worse.   When we go to the condo I checked her again. OMG, there was a huge sand spur stuck under her arm.  I dont know how this dog was walking at all. I felt terrible.  I had to hold her down and my husband had to cut it out.  (I was thinking  this would have taken Miley over the edge. Good thing it wasnt her)  She had two more sand spurs . One in her neck and the other over her groin area. Poor dog. Ive never seen sand spurs this big.  I dont know how she got them.  
Anyway maybe Miley needed more "burning off energy" time.  I didnt throw the ball before going in the ring either.  Saturday I also worked Java  before going in the ring with Miley.  The last thing that was different, and I cant imagine this was anything at all. I went next to the ring , before the b-match, the table was right next to the ring gating. I touched the table, said table and when she looked at the table I would say "yes" and give her a cookie.

I took lots of pictures but Im running out of time. So Ill have to post them later.

Success

Went to a trial this weekend.  We had a great day.   I would love to load some of the pictures I took of the dogs on the beach but the Internet is acting weird and I cant.  Sad.   Anyway, I only entered Exc JWW and T2B.   I also wanted to do the b-match to work on Miley's table.   We didnt Q in JWW or T2B.  In T2B we were the fastest but she dropped a bar. Ugh.  In JWW I again worried about sending her off course and over handled it. I caused a refusal.  She was coming out of the tunnel and there was a discrimination between the weaves and a jump. I called her to me after the tunnel and then got a refusal into the weaves because she was unsure and came back to me. But otherwise great run.    So here is the exciting news.   We did the b-match and she got on the table all 4 times without a single problem.  I wanted to reward her , so I petted her.  You can see in the video how much she enjoyed the touching. LOL silly dog. 



Anyway, how exciting is that.  So she gets on the first time, and I almost fainted.  So I thought, put her thur the tunnel and try it again. See what happens.  She got on again. Whoohoo!!  The second run we made mistakes going to the table and she still got on. WOW!!!  Im so excited to see  if it continues tomorrow. So why do I think she got on? I have not idea.  I have been running Java to the table at home and making Miley sit in a crate an watch.  But Ive tried doing that with Guiness and it made no effect. But Guiness didnt come to trials. 

Wordless Wednesday

Wonderful day!

Today I woke up and felt soooo much better.  The pain is almost completely gone.  Just some left in my ankles,feet and toes.  I can deal with that.  So because I felt so much better I didnt want to waste 4 hours in the car driving to a trial.  So I didnt. LOL  I just want to say that Im not mad at the club who's trial I was suppose to go to.  I realize what happened, the dirt being sand and to thick to run in,  wasnt their fault.  And having to move the rings and set up all over again must have been over whelming. I probably would have had a nervous breakdown if that was my club.  My only complaint, and Im sure they got tons, was communication.  For anyone not at the trial on Friday, we  had no idea what was going on.  I do think they should have sent out an email of apology and reasons for why they did what they did. It would have only taken a few minutes.  And I still dont understand why they moved FAST from the beginning of the day , to the end of the day. I even sent an email  on Friday asking why the change in the running order. I got no reply.  But it is what it is.  Live and learn.
Instead we went on the boat. Good thing to.  The tarp on the boat had fallen in and a lot of water was pulling on the boat cover. All the carpet was wet and now green from not getting any sun to dry it out.  Its now drying out.
We went to the beach that you cant park your car at but you call pull your boat up to.  We had a nice quiet spot all to ourselves.  Well at first.  Then a bunch of people came and started setting up easy-ups and  playing loud music.  So we left.  But I got some great pictures.

My teeth  hurt so I have to chew on all wood I find.

"La la la la la, I cant hear you calling my name."

I love this pictures. She isnt high up like the picture makes it look.

Guiness is running by and that why Java is looking that way.  Guiness isnt in may pictures because he was to distracted chasing waves.

Moody!

"What, Is this still not right?"  LOL

I was so looking forward to this weekend.  We were suppose to go to an AKC trial that was just over 2 hours from my house.  I thought I would go because my runs would be in the afternoon and I didnt have to stay in a hotel. I could just drive back and forth.   I also wouldnt have to get up at the crack of dawn to get there in time.  I was feeling so good about going to the trial yesterday when I was at work.  I usually dont feel that way right before a trial. Usually I start worrying about everything we may not be ready for. Like that she hasnt done weave poles since the last trial.  But I wasnt worried at all. It was such a great feeling. Then everything went south.  I see posted on a list that Im on that they changed the running order.  I just couldnt understand how they could do that once it was printed in the premium.   The AKC has huge rules about once the premium is printed, you have to follow it.  Once when our club had a judge change 4 days before the trial started , we had to offer refunds if people wanted it.   I just didnt believe it. So I texted my friend who is in the club and had picked up one of the judges from the airport.  She said she hadnt heard anything but would get back to me.  So around 6 or 7 pm last night I get an email.  It says they moved the trial from undercover on dirt, to no cover on grass. It was now one ring and not two. And they changed the running order. Instead of FAST being first,  they made it last. Ugh!!! So now I need to be their much earlier.  And you know what really burned me up?  They didnt even explain what happened in the email. They didnt say sorry or  why they made the decisions they made.  Now people at the trial felt like everything was handled nicely.  But I think thats because they were already there and were asked their opinion about things. But those of us who hadnt gotten to the trial yet, knew nothing. If you are making huge changes to your trial, you (the trial chair) need to let your customers know what is going on.  And yes Ive been the trial chair for the last 6 trials our club has held so I know whats involved and how much work all this is.  Now I will tell you Im really feeling bad today.  I dont know if its fibromyalgia  pain or if  I have a virus. Im pretty misierable. Ive had a tough week trying to keep the pain undercontrol. If  I take Lyrica twice a day, it makes me so sleepy I cant function but the pain is so much less.  But I have to be able to function. Then today the pain is so bad, I cant function. It really sucks!!  Its a beautiful , sunny day and Im suck here. So that may be adding to my attitude problems about the trial. 

Miley and Java played  1 1/2 hours this morning.  Running around and around the yard.  Java was tried after all that but not Miley.  When Java layed down, Miley brought me the ball to throw for her.  I think Java has given Miley more energy.  How is that possible???

All these pictures were taking early   in the morning and I was inside the house. So they are kinda dark.

This picture was cool. I tried not getting that crate in the picture but it changed the  lighting in the picture to much.
( also I cant get spell checker to work. So Im sure there are misspelled words. Sorry)

Over Tunnels

Under Dogwalks

Oh My!

Catching up

Last night I went to teach an agility class.  We worked the "J" exercise in the Alphabet drills book.  Miley struggled.  The novice dogs in the class did so much better than Miley. Hmmm.  There are 4 jumps that are close together in a pinwheel fashion.  She kept missing the fourth jump by going wide. Ugh.  Then she kept dropping bars like crazy.  What the heck??  I dont think she is hurt, at least I havent seen any signs. Then last night she took a flying leap in our room. I bet she jumped 5 feet high.  She cleared the dog bed, the hope chest and was flying 2 feet above the bed as she came up. And our bed is high off the ground. The only thing I can think of is the "J" drill you are suppose to start the bars low and work them up to competition height.  But I didnt do that because you know, I know better. I dont need to listen to the instructor in the book because I know better. LOL. So I had the bars at full height. Well, I hope thats all it was.
I took Java with me to class.  We worked crate games and she did well. We also worked on retrained recalls. She was awesome.  Really trying to get to me. whoohoo!!

Here are some cute videos of Java that I already posted on facebook.

I cant believe she stay on this tunnel.  Its been raining so its wet.

 

Wordless Wednesday

A new beach

Someone at work told me about this beach that you can take your dogs to. She said you can get there by boat or you can walk in.  We wanted to go out on the boat today and we were going to clean up that beach with the trash on it. But there was a "lake wind advisory" so we didnt go out on the boat. I decided to try this new beach. We we drove over their, I guess it took at 20-25 minutes.  When you get there, there are signs everywhere stating "No Parking" and you will be towed.  I knew we could walk in, I just didnt think they wouldnt have parking outside the beach.  First my husband walked in to see if it was worth it.  Then he came back and told me to take the dogs and he would stay with the car. What a drag. First I wouldnt be able to take my time and also I wanted to do stuff together, not by myself.  


The beach was beautiful.  None of my pictures captured how pretty it was. I thought I had changed the settings for different shots but when I got home and brought the pictures up. I had messed a lot of them up.

It was very cloudy so I dont know if that was it. But see how the beach and water are washed out. Ugh!
Guiness isnt in any of the pictures because he just kept acting like a maniac trying to get the waves.  So I didnt let him off leash.

Then my husband called and said the police came and told him he cant even wait out on the road for me. ( its a dead end road).  Ugh. So I was talking to him on the hone and trying to take this picture.  First I cut Miley off.

Then I cut Java off.  So frustrating.  I finally had them both looking at the camera. Looking happy and Miley has her eyes open.  I blew it. Ugh!!  I walked back to the  car after this.

The colors were beautiful and everything.  Darn it!

Here is the video of Java running into the crate.  From some reason she ran into Guiness's crate and I couldn't get her out.  Guiness was in there too.  Good thing he is a good sport especially since he doesn't like the puppy yet. (The video isnt as cute as it seems to me. LOL)