Its been very warm this week. So we've been going to the river. Wednesday was great. We were the only people there. Thursday tons of college students hanging out on the rocks, drinking, smoking and yelling. I like going to the park because its usually quiet. Not Thursday. I just hope they picked up all their trash. I hate when people leave their trash behind.
Im sorry I havent blogging much. I think about it all the time. Just busy. Works been really busy. On Friday I was 60 kids and gave 30 medications. Ive never seen 60 kids before. I only sent 3 home so that tells you something there. I had 5 kids at 7:30 am, for things that happened the day before at home. What the heck??? If this trend continues, they will have to add a second nurse or I will have to get a new job. I cant do 60 kids a day.
Yesterday Stephanie and I went to the river. Its been 85 degrees several days in a row. The river is freezing but not to bad if just your feet on in it.
I thought this was really pretty and was going to try and get a good picture with the dogs on it.
Yea, the photo session didnt go to well.
I think Stephanie had a good time
Look at this cute bird who had a nest inside this tree.
Sorry the last two pictures were blurry.
I love this picture.
Stephanie kept asking me if there were alligators in the river. I told her no. Well I probably really said, "There are no freaking alligators in the river!"
Then we see this.
On Monday I took Miley to the field for the Co-op class. She was wild to say the least. I only let her do a few small sequences. Then when she did a full size dogwalk, she jumped the contact and ran around the ring several times. So I figured with all those extra laps she didnt need to do anymore jumping that night. She sure was happy. Several people made comments about how happy she looked. Ive been thinking a lot about if I should keep trialing. I dont really like going to trials. Its like a big party and I hate going to parties. But if you dont go to trials you cant keep up with course changes and development of sequences. So Id like to keep teaching my class and I really like going to seminars. Then I started thinking that I havent had a lot of positive reinforcement with trials. Well at least AKC trials. Two years and one Q in standard. No jumpers Q's. Makes it hard to want to continue. But Im not a quitter and I want to know that I can do this. So frustrating!! At least in USDAA we seem to be able to Q in Speedjumping , Grand Prix, gamblers and pairs. I guess thats why I like USDAA better. I sure hope Miley is ok. She sure been injured a lot. But it hasnt been all agility. August and September was the glass in her foot that she got at the park. Then the shoulder injury I think was from me letting her and Java run around like maniacs. Dogs have such short lives, I hate for so much of it to be rest.
I took both dogs to the field today. Ive been struggling with Java's running contact. But today at the field she hit everyone. I had lower the board a little because we had so many failures at home yesterday. Then Im working on Cik and Cap. I just cant get her to want to be fast about this. Ive been trying to get her to do this for at least 6 weeks maybe longer. And she has no enthusiasm for this.
Ive tried all different toys , games and treats. Nothing has increased her speed on this.
Maybe I should give it a break. Any advice would be welcomed. Well I have more to say but Im to tired.
10 comments:
Over time, titles have become less important to me. I've been reminded that having fun with my dogs and friends is really what it's about and so I have started doing more NADAC. It's just more relaxed. But in short supply and requires more travel so I still do quite a bit of AKC.
Have you tried using a touch-stick to teach the behavior? My dogs have a high history of reward with the touch stick, and I have used it to help retrain their box turns (and what is a box turn but a super tight, fast turn?).
Great photos! Miley and Java are great posers, they look like they love the camera!
What wonderful photos' love the ones with the green in the background.....that is just me who loves greenery though. I don't blame you one bit for being frazzled with 60 kids in one day - that would of freaked me out too!
When I watch that video, I see a girl who loves playing with her mommy! Java gives you such lovely attention.
Trialing can be so draining. I don't know how some people do it every weekend.
Loved the photo of the little bird about to take flight. Really cool.
I think the people who enjoy agility the most either run multiple dogs or they have really good friends they want to spend the day hanging out with.
Java looks good and happy to me!
I think the bird is a tufted titmouse. Very cute!
Yep the bird is a titmouse! Pretty! But not as pretty as your dogs and your daughter! Great photos, looked like fun! I think trials are stressful and you have plenty of stress already in your job!
You got some really nice photos. The last one of Java is magnificent, and I like the one of Miley in the grass--the lighting is really nice. Can't believe your daughter got in the water!
I also wanted to say that I don't think that Java is doing her cik & cap that slowly--at least it doesn't look like it to me.
I took the John Cullen mental management course a few months ago and it totally changed the last few trials for me-not exactly sure why exccept it gave me more of a plan on how to use the trials perhaps???? I know with the cik/cap the exercise where you go around the stantion and then run, me going the opposite direction-where you are running the same direction as the turn if that makes sense... and the dogs chasing a toy dragging on the ground got me a lot more speed, not sure it would work for anyone else but....it did make it more exciting for some reason for my little partners ;-)
I don't think her Cik Cap is slow. When I first shaped the behavior around a pole, Soleil wasn't driving into the turns with speed. Now that I've switched to a toy, she is driving faster out of the turn in order to chase me. I think the speed comes with time.
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