Blinds and stuff

Summer , for me, is almost over. It hasnt been very nice.  So much rain and  many cloudy days. Im over it. Walking the dogs at the park just hasnt been the same this summer. I love going here. Its relaxing. But not this summer. Yes, its hasnt been 100 degrees once this summer but who cares if I cant do other things I like.  The mosquitoes at the park have been the worst ever. If you dont have bug spray on, forget it, you will turn around and go home.  Ive seen people do this too. When you stop for your dogs to go to the bathroom or take a picture,  they swam you. The poor dogs, mosquitoes flying all around their face. Ugh!! Irritating!!  Then I havnt been able to walk the dogs through the river once this summer. Because of all the rain, the river has been very high.  Today was the first day all summer that  I could see the logs that sit low in the water.

Then there is Miley. We start out walking just fine. We go across the bridge to get onto the main path and she starts walking behind me. She is worried about something. So for the next mile, she is lagging behind. Her leash keeps crossing behind my legs, first one side then the other. I have to keep switching the leash behind me. Ugh!!  Im not sure what she is worried about.  This isnt even close to the area where she thought those dogs were chasing her.  Today was the first day in weeks she was slightly better. But lots of people must be off work today because everyone was there riding their bikes. Ack!!!!  Java and Guiness were maniacs.  I didnt get pass one bike without them loosing their minds. Irritating.  I just wants to drop the leash and say "have at it".   But I didnt do that. So the two of them have worked themselves up so much that were over heating.   So I took them to the river and made them get in to cool off. They were not happy with me. To bad, I wasnt happy with them either. LOL.
Next week I got back to work. I have to work registration for 2 days.  Then the next week I go back for real. Ack!! How did this happen????
Also next week Im going to in indoor AKC trial. Its going to be packed because everyone likes going there. Well, everyone but Miley. She hates that place.  So I didnt enter her, just Java.  They are also having a b-match where I hope to work Java's dogwalk and teeter.

Ive been still working through the Daisy Peels blind crosses.  Im doing the week 7 stuff.  All of a sudden Java started cutting behind me when  ever she wanted to . Good thing I video tapped it because I knew it was my dogs fault. She was just doing what ever she wanted. LOL, now we all know thats not true. After watching the video I know why she was doing it.   I really wasnt clear what I wanted and  multiple times my arms were back like I was cuing a rear cross.

I also signed up for Daisy Peels rear crosses class. Its shorter with more time between lessons to get the class work done.  But when I signed up, I put the code in  that she told us to. But for some reason it didnt take it. And I was  charged a 1000.00 for the class. LOL. I didnt even know it until she sent me an email and told me my acct had been refunded. I dont know what I did wrong. So I signed up for the class, not because I need more help with rear crosses. But I figured since the blind cross class showed me lots of holes in my training with Java, this class probably would too.

Sad things keeps happening.  My friend's dog is really injured and will probably need surgery.  So she is out of agility for a while. She is the one I always go to AKC shows with and room with at hotels.  She always makes sure my runs get taped even if I dont ask. Just a nice person and good friend. So now I will being going to the show next week without her. Sad.
A lady at work, her 30 year old son died of a sudden heart attack this week. Just so sad. He had a new born baby at home.
Then a friend of my husband, who he rides bikes with, wife is really sick. About 2 years ago she had recurrence of breast cancer with mets to the bone. She had been doing well. They went to Orlando for vacation. They have 2 small kids. She is now in the hospital down there. They are giving her 2 weeks to live. They cant transfer her back home, here, where all their family and friends are. Their poor family.  How horrible.

Blind Cross Class

I think I told you I was taking Daisy Peel's on line class on blind crosses.   Im really behind but its ok because its a self study, go at your own pace.   Am I getting better at blind crosses, probably not.(Not due to the class)  But I am seeing holes in my handling,so thats a good thing.

Set up A.  She just kept pulling off Jump #1. Ugh. I feel she has a good send but she just didnt want to do it. Something to work on.

Set up B.  She needed to really collect coming over jump #7. Many times she wouldnt and either landed behind me or dropped the bar.  We've been working on this. This has shown up at trials too.

Set up C.  This set up you push your dog through the threadle (between 10 and 11) then you picked your dog up with a blind cross between 11 and 12 , so your dog is on your right. Man I was so late, my dog would come over 11 and I would have to rear on the flat to get 12. Ack. I tried it with Miley, same thing. Man, Im really hanging out between 11 and 12.  I finally managed to get it. Although Java, not reading the blind well.  

Im attaching a video.   Mostly to show you the app Coachs Eye.  Its very cool.  You can slow everything down, pull the video in close and do side by side comparison.  Im still working on Java's running contacts.  She had one miss this week at home. The rest have been good.

Learning

 Im pretty sure this owl thinks Im annoying. LOL  I cropped this picture trying to see if that was fuzz on his head, any maybe he is a young owl.

The mosquitoes at the park are huge this year.  As soon as you stop they fly all around your face, buzzing and making me crazy.

They water level has been to high to bring the dogs thur the river except for yesterday but there were a bunch of boy scouts all playing in the river so we couldnt go down there. Miley was freaky for the first few days back at the park. She walked behind me and just didnt want to walk. But today she was back to normal.

Ive been working thur Daisy Peels Blind cross class.  Its  a self study class, so you can work at your own pace. A good thing about the class is it isnt just teaching me about blind crosses, Im learning other things Im doing wrong with my handling.   Like if Im in my dogs way when she is coming into  to me over the jump, she drops the bar. I know that seem logical to anyone reading this but it took me a while to figure out why she kept dropping the bar. Then once I figured it out and then watched  Daisy do the sequence, I new see it!!  LOL,   Then the next weeks sequences, Im still working on, I couldnt figure out why my dogs were missing the last jump. They both got it the first time, but missed it the next time. Hmmm....



So what I think Im doing wrong , is driving to far into the  #4 jump.  I must have just got lucky the first time with each dog.  When I watch Daisy's video, she is way passed that jump by the time her dog takes it and is already showing him/her the next jump.   Its been raining, so hopefully, I can try it again soon and see what happens.

I was going to change Java to a 2o/2o from a running contact. But she started getting confused.  She would just stop and stand there on the down ramp. So I decided to just go back and work my running contacts again.  She is hitting deep enough for AKC but not USDAA.  I set my dogwalk back up along the fence.   I could never put it there before because of the beagal next door. Our dogs fence fought.   But they put him to sleep. So now I can have the dogwalk there. (He was really in bad shape. His back legs kept giving out when he walked and he had these tumors hanging on his body in several different places. Some were bleeding.)  So now instead of the dogwalk being right in the middle of the yard, where the most space  is, I can have jumps and tunnels.  The dogwalk doesnt have as much room off the end but enough to work on it.

My husband got a new job. So now he works farther away and doesnt come home every night. I think we are going to have to move because I dont want to live this way. The thought of getting this house ready to be put on the market is over whelming.  Its kinda lonely especially since Im off work for summer and Im not teaching any dog classes.(its to hot)  My son is here and hasnt been able to  find a job.  I have my fingers crossed that the AT&T job might come through.
Stephanie is doing well. She was hired by Coastal Carolina University to work part-time doing graphic design work. She did all the items for the freshman orientation (pamphlets, t-shirts, invitations, magnets ect..)  She is also working as an orientation leader for freshman. She seems happy.