Sunday

So Sunday I woke up  and no pain. Yea!!  Big dogs were running first so I had some time to find something to do. I tried to find this really cool park but my GPS in my car needs to be updated and it didnt know where the park was. So I went to a friends house and worked on their agility field.   I worked Miley's contacts. I was able to make her break so she must not know them as well as I think she does.  I ran Java as well.  It funny. Last week I put a tunnel under the dogwalk and she would jump off the side, missing the contact.

So I put a wing there to prevent her from jumping off. Once we had run it a few times, I took the wing away and she was still good. Then the next time I went to the field, I set it up again and she was ok. But Sunday, at this new field, nope. Jumped off the side.  More work to do.

Then I let the dogs run through their nice yard.

 

 

These were taken with my phone so not the greatest.

 

Then on to the trial. First up was excellent standard.

 

 

I decided to forget the table. Just work on contacts. When she starts consistently getting them, then Ill add the table.  I talked to a friend about Miley's contacts, if he thought I should pull her if she jumps off. He said he didnt think so. He said Miley is hard because she stresses so much. He thinks I should really try to make stopping in a 2o/2o so rewarding, that its more rewarding to stop then to fly off.  (Im not sure how to do that but food for thought). So I went into the ring. I did a crappy front cross between 4 and 5 and she missed the weave pole entry. So I just flipped her around and she went in. ( not sure why making mistakes in the weaves doesnt bother her but the dogwalk and a-frame causes stress)  So she jumped  the a-frame contact, I said "hey" and she stressed and ran around the ring. Ugh. I just dont know how to make her understand what I want.  So big circle around the ring. She starts coming toward the chute. I told her  "chute" and she went into the chute. How she cut in and made it into the chute, Ill never know. Then her dogwalk, freaking awesome!!! She stopped and held it. Even when I said "good girl", she didnt break. But the amount of frothing at the mouth and drooling was unbelievable. I wish I could have taken a picture. Ive need seen a dog with that much slobber around her mouth when running agility. Do you think that means she over the top excited or over the top stressed? She was so happy after taking the last jump. Her face was priceless. Jumping up and down. Happy, Happy.  Had to reward that dogwalk!!  
Next up was Jumpers. I had to laugh. When I walked the course , I thought, "this looks fun".  And a friend of mind said to me, "Diana this looks like a course you would set up".  LOL, I guess thats why I liked it.

 So I had planned to do a post turn through the pinwheel (11-13) then stay on that side and rear cross 16. But everyone front crossed before 14. So I figured that must be the right thing to do. So I changed my plan when  I went to the line. I can show you this video because there is no running around the ring.



I dont even look like Im running. Im just trying to stay on course. LOL.  Thats my goal. We dropped a bar but so what. We stayed on course. I think the fastest time was 22 seconds and we were 25 seconds, so not bad.  I wish we could work on speed and tight turns but we just arent there yet as a team. But hopefully some day soon.
Im not really into trialing. I wish I were better at it but it isnt the most important thing to me. I really like training. I can feel mentally terrible and go train my dogs. Then leave feeling like a whole new person. Its like a vacation for my brain and life. LOL Like Sunday morning, I just wanted to go home. But my friend was trying to get her MACH. So I wanted to stay and watch. But after I ran my dogs at my friends agility field, I was renewed.  I probably need to get that feeling at a trial huh? Its hard when you only get one shot to get it right. 
Last night at our co-op class I tried to  get Miley really excited.  She stopped on all her contacts.  I had a guy run like he was the judge really close to the contact and she stopped. I had someone hold Java close to the contact, barking , Miley stopped.  So more thinking to do.
You know what was weird. I was sitting at the trial with Java and Miley on leash next to me. This lady came up to me, I didnt know her, and asked me which dog wont get on a table at trials. I point toward Miley and said  "this one". She laughed and said "oh".  And walked away. How werid is that???? I thought maybe she was going to give me advice or tell me about her dog. Or tell me she reads my blog, or something. Nope.