Monday, January 20, 2014

BRAC trial


We went to a trial up in North Carolina.  I drove up that morning, its just easier that way.  Let me just say, it was freezing outside.  20 degrees and windy.  My fingers were numb while bringing my stuff inside and I had gloves on.  I know it was an indoor trial but you still have to walk your dogs outside. Yes , Im a wimp.  LOL 
 Anyway, Saturday started off great. First up was Java in T2B.
This was our best run of the weekend.  She waited at the start. Stayed on the teeter until it hit the ground.   She went wide after the teeter but I didn't want to cross and give her a reason to leave early.  We missed 1st place by .5 seconds.  Of course I didn't get it on video.  I didn't realize my friend had left the building so I didn't set up my tripod to film myself. ugh. That figures huh.

Next up was Miley in Standard.

Miley's runs was beautiful but she dropped at bar at the double at #10. So chance of a double Q was  out. And the person filming couldn't figure out my ipad, so this run didn't get filmed either.

Next was Java in standard.  Holy crap. She was crazy.  she wouldn't stay at the start , so I released her before I was ready and then couldn't cue that jump after the aframe, so off course we went. And then everything just went down hill from there. I should have pulled her after the teeter fly off but I didn't. MISTAKE!!  I don't like to pull my dogs but it seems to be the only thing they understand.


Then jumpers.
 
Miley wouldn't stay at the start line, so I changed my plan, and RC  2-3.  I have not idea why she took the #4 jump in the direction that she did, but then we were off course.
Java wouldn't stay at the start line. I just barely got pass the first jump, if that, and she broke. We left the ring.  Here are Saturdays run. Yea, I got all the crappy runs on tape.



So after this horrible day, I felt like I should  just quit agility. Why am I spending all this time , effort and MONEY, on doing this. Im not learning anything. Im not getting better at it.  I cant seem to figure out what is going to send my dog off course.  DP said its because Im looking in the wrong place. So because of that, I don't see it happening. I felt like I tried so hard to do it correctly this weekend, and we just imploded.




I stayed in a hotel with my friend and her daughter, who is an adult.  They had brought some puppies, 6 months to a year, with them for some people  to look at. The people took three puppies to their in-laws house to figure out which one they wanted.  After dinner that night, she gets a call, they lost one of the puppies outside. OMG, all the color drained out of my friends face.  Its dark and freezing outside.  I stayed at the hotel with all the dogs. Her and her daughter drove 25 minutes to their house. The ground was covered with snow. Which was a good thing, because they could follow tracks to see where the dog went.  The whole neighborhood came out to help look.  Some how  they found the puppy. It took about  1 to 1/2 hours. He was ok despite it being so cold and being a dog with hair and not fur.  Thank goodness.

So the next day, I decided not to put so much pressure on myself on doing everything correctly.

I felt like I had a good plan after watching the 20 inch dogs.  But I RC before 15 and I just didn't have enough push to get her out to 16.  I debated and walked it both ways , I guess I chose the wrong way. (See I cant see whats going to happen).  Java did stay at the start , so I guess pulling her helped.

Next up was Miley.  I decided not to ask for a stay.  It was an ugly run but some how we qed.



Next was standard.


Java stayed at start but I didn't lead out because it was a tunnel.  She still left the teeter early but I just decided to let it go.  Im not sure why but she turned into me after 15.  I guess I needed a "go on" or  more forward motion. Ugh.  But not a horrible run, at least she wasn't crazy.

Miley's run: Ok, I have not idea why I did this. She came over the a-frame and I thought she went into a 2o/2o. I said "Ok" and she jumped the contact. Ack.  I think there is something wrong with my brain. I would have swore on a stack of bibles that she did it correctly. I looked at the video and was shocked. Why did I think she did it right? And I released her. So no double Q again because of me. We are never going to get a double Q.  But it was still a very nice run.




So a much better day than Saturday.  It least it felt better.

5 comments:

Elayne said...

On that Sunday Standard course w/ Java I'll bet she turned into you because you were behind. From the course and your description I'm guessing you had a front cross between 14 and 15 putting her on your left to take 15. But this puts you behind her when you send her over 15 and her line is towards the #8 off course jump. I'm assuming that's what happened anyway, hard to know for sure without video. It's a classic 'box' trap and I see a lot of masters handlers in my area anyway not noticing it. I think by the time we get to masters we're not noticing the boxes anymore for some reason. If it was me I'd put a front or a blind between 15 and 16. I'd only do a blind if I could have the cross completed before he took off for 15 so for me it'd probably be a front. You could also keep the dog on your right and pull to 16 but you need to be far ahead and have a dog that will come into you because their natural line is to #8. Then rear cross 16. I don't like that as much because it puts you behind and sets you up to get the dogwalk instead of the tunnel but that's just me, I like to be ahead and my dog doesn't pull very well so I would do the front.

Sara said...

Sounds like you had a lot of good moments on both days.

What a scare with the puppy! So glad that they found it.

Unknown said...

i was double q almost all the time then i started running my new dog and it has totally messed up my sync with the other. being able to jump back and forth between 2 dogs is hard. we all have rough patches, stay tough it will pass.

Chris and Ricky said...

So the Mach 9 9 year old dog that I run in class breaks her start lines often in trials. I think agility is a lifelong process. It's like practicing viola - you learn things and relearn things and get presented with new challenges for your whole life.

Dawn said...

This seems stressful...and I think Chris is right - it is a lifelong process of learning, both for the handler and the dogs. Though I really have no clue! :)