Apr
18
Moving forward
So, lately we’ve been doing USDAA trying to get Trip qualified for USDAA Nationals. She’s qualified in Steeplechase and DAM Team, but still no Grand Prix Qs. Something always seems to happen. And, the last remaining leg she needs for her ADCH–Grand Prix. Very frustrating. We don’t have a ton of shows coming up, so we have to take advantage of the opportunities when we have them. Still, she’s been running well, though her less then perfect fitness is emphasized at 16″. Still working on that.
World Team Tryouts are 3 weeks away. I’ve been doing my best to get prepared. We are light years ahead of where we were last year, and I’m excited to get Trip on those courses. I’m doing all the dogwalk maintenance I can, in the hope that it gets her back in the groove hitting that contact. Other then that, she has looked fantastic. We have an AKC trial next weekend, and then one weekend off before Tryouts.
Ticket has been looking great. She is now bigger then Trip, but not by much. I would say she’s a hair under 14″, but don’t have an official measurement. She will be 24 weeks this week. I don’t expect a whole lot more growth from her, but she could surprise me. Her work on the plank for her dogwalk contact is going well–putting a cue on it, and I’ve played with her on the bottom of a dogwalk at class. She’s scary smart. Started working on a stay (finally), as I remember that was the limiting factor when I wanted to start to work on “handling” flatwork with Trip. THAT is much more of a challenge for her, though I think a lot of that is in my head. We’re also working on her spins to the right and left, and a foot touch to a closed hand. Her outside circle work looks great (this week). I admit, I haven’t done much inside circle work. It’s just not fun. 🙂
Anyway, it’s been a challenge, trying to balance what I need to work on with Trip, vs. what I want to work on with Ticket. If we make the Team, I’m afraid Ticket’s training will take even more of a backseat, but that’s ok, we have lots of time. We are in the process of closing on a new home, with room for a full-sized agility field, so training will hopefully be getting easier a few months down the road. Can’t buy contacts until we sell the old house, but still, it’s in the forseeable future. Very exciting to think how much more I will be able to work on things, in the comfort of my own backyard. I like to think my girls will get even BETTER!
Here’s the latest picture of Ticket, stacking on a table, and a video of her contact work…
