I am tired… but here is some video until I can get some commentary up here!
I will add details soon!
This weekend – CPE L2/3 March 17, 2008
I had a fun but exhausting weekend at the Top Dog CPE trial. It is my home club and I was asked to be chief course builder. I really need to train some other folks to do that so I can work 1/2 days. I came home last night and went to bed until morning – 12 hours. But Elinda and Heather Leu were there and Dave and Jen came to visit so that was wonderful! I was glad that Elinda got to meet Dave and Jen – it brings parts of my life and very important people together for me. I had fun running Ariel. She was looking for mom all weekend but she did get through all the courses. One run should have been a Q but due to time set by the judge – it was not…. bummer cuz we worked hard for that.
Here are some videos from my runs this weekend. Rowan was quite fast… probably because I was confident in her abilities and these courses… I was not nervous. I went into the weekend wanting to work on speed.
This way one of my favorite runs – despite the teeter fly off… Elinda said that she hung on… but just not long enough. That is not a typical problem for us – I am not concerned.
The next run is jumpers – day end on Sunday. I was quite pleased with that run… she didn’t flatten out to get more speed and I am running faster now too! I never thought I could make it to the tunnel for the cross – but I did! I was commenting to the judge through the run. She had challenged me to layer the tunnel but I chickened out (which I told her while running) and then still made that cross (and I told her – “but I will do this!”) . I don’t have my time yet but I will edit this when I do. I am interested to see what her yps were.
The last video is of my friend Heather’s dog Sligo – her puppy in training. He wanted to be sure we knew he was there…. see how gently he taps that bowl? This is documentation for Diane.
I have two weeks off of trialing now but start my clicker class next week. That should be fun! I have to say that I am looking forward to a Saturday at home as much as I love to trial!
Last trial 2007 January 4, 2008
What a year! Rowan and I started trailing this year and I took my time getting her started. We did mostly CPE which I was very pleased to start in – It is a good venue for baby dogs. Here is a video of the Standard run which completed our legs for that part of the CPE Level 2 title… just a few more legs in the games to go.
What will 2008 bring? Well, I will write more about that soon.
Happy New Year everyone! Here’s to many wonderfully fast runs and success in 2008!
Another Video October 21, 2007
Here is Rowan’s jumpers run from last weekend. I was very pleased despite her dropped bars.
You can see at the beginning how excited she was to see all those people setting the bars for her – I would imagine that her sister, Jazz, is the same way! Her time was 20.35 on a 105 yd course.
Today I practiced full speed on 16″ jumps to correct knocked bars… she did very well collecting herself and picking her feet up while maintaining speed.
CPE trial this weekend October 12, 2007
I have a trial this weekend in Elma. I will be chief course builder for the Top Dog club. Rowan is entered in level two which I hope will be a bit of a challenge for her. I am confident that she can do all that I might ask of her this weekend. I am committed to working and rewarding her weave pole performance, varying my position at the contacts and getting the touches, and pushing to get to a tight front cross or rear cross where relevant. and to Run! I like the games at CPE and NADAC… especially snooker. It will give me a chance to use my “close to me” cue as well. Elinda and Heather L. will be there. Should be fun! more to come……..
Rowan doing agility September 27, 2007
This video is from April of this year at Rowan’s second agility trial. We have both gotten more confident since April. She is solid on all the equipment now and we will soon be doing our next CPE trial! I have set a goal to be ready to do USDAA after the first of the year. And we have competed in NADAC and AKC (because the Nationals were here).
I really like working Rowan. She is very serious and so far has not been phased in competition… not to say that we have not made mistakes…or that I have not been phased, it has been my handling or not having a comfortable level of understanding of the equipment here we have bobbled. We will continue to work hard – that is my commitment to myself and to my dog. I will document our progress here!
