We had a great weekend at the NASA trial close to home. First, the dirt was great–no running on the beach. Trip went 4/4, with two 1sts in Standard, and 2 2nds in JWW. Both dogwalks were gorgeous, and one had me stuck behind because of the handling before getting onto the dogwalk. The courses had several tunnel discrimations, and she handled them all, with no flicking back into the wrong end of the tunnel after the RFP as she’s done a time or two in the past.
I really worked hard on visualization of the courses, and picturing them going perfectly. Like I said before, I’m trying to get my mental game back in shape. I feel like it worked very well for us as a team. I didn’t feel like I had any surprises out on course. I’ll continue to focus on that the next two weekends–I’m looking forward to some fun courses at another local trial this weekend.
Ticket did very well also. Not perfect like her mom, but some great moments. She had a brilliant first run of the weekend, Novice FAST, and smoked it. She got another leg Sunday to earn her NF title. She also got an Open JWW leg. I thought that particular course was tougher then the Excellent JWW course that day.
As far as what we need to work on–weave pole entrances with speed. She missed several, so we will revisit that. I also need to work more on rear crosses and driving my line when doing them. Ticket also came off the dogwalk both days in Standard. She stopped, but had 4 feet on the ground. If I wait, she will back up and put her feet back onto the contact (a wrong course). I don’t care about the fault at this point, but I’m not sure that’s the best course of action in the long run. I have seen dogs that think their contact behavior is to run off the board and back up onto it, and it’s not good. So, I released her, and let it go. It was definitely worse the second day though.
I’ve tried the last two days to get her excited enough to do the same thing and come off her contact in practice, but so far, no luck. I think if she does it this weekend her first run, I will wait for her to “re-find” her contact before going on. She definitely needs some sort of reminder at this point. She also self-released her teeter one run, but her others were all gorgeous (holding onto the board while it bounced). Her aframes were also nice, and her stays were solid. Watching myself on video, I need to do a better job on her stays of pausing before releasing so I don’t accidentally add a motion cue to her verbal release.
She’s obviously still a work in progress, but I’m still thrilled with how she’s doing. She’s at on of fun, and a run is certainly never boring. 🙂
Haven’t had too much to post lately. Still working on Trip and Ticket. Definitely needs lots of decel work with miss Ticket. She’s having too much fun blasting over everything, though when I’m able to show her decel with motion in a timely matter, she’s doing pretty well. The stationary ones she doesn’t read as well, so need to work on that, as well as tightening up in general. Not surprising–she’s a baby, has tons of power, and her sole goal in life is to see if she can break the sound barrier 🙂
Trip is looking really good. Week 3 of dogwalk bootcamp, and I’m very happy with where her dogwalk is at–she’s doing great on her striding, and letting me do some difficult handling off the dogwalk. I’m also trying to work different approaches to make sure she maintains that striding. Of course, my being able to BE at the end of the dogwalk to handle is questionable at this point, but I’m trying. I have a few things I want to work on in particular before tryouts, but at this point, I think her handling in general is looking great.
One thing I’m trying to do better at is my mental management. I was doing pretty darn good with it two years ago when Trip made the Finals, but have let it go a little bit. I’m revisting some of what I learned, and will be applying it the next few months in particular.
We worked a course tonight from one of the WC judges, and Trip nailed it. It certainly wasn’t the most challenging FCI course we’ve done lately, but I’m still proud of how she handled it, and it gives me some confidence in her skills. I will be remembering that as I move forward. One month until Nationals, two months until Tryouts–the countdown is on. 🙂 Shows this weekend and next, then a day of USDAA, a match, and the Big Show.
Had a great time (and a great agility weekend), in New Iberia. I enjoyed visiting with my Baton Rouge peeps and seeing some competitors that I never see anymore since moving to Texas. I really enjoy this particular show–one judge, alternating rings, big field next to the arena, able to crate out of your car under cover. Love it. Wish they’d hold more shows like they used to, but it’s a small club and a lot of work.
My girls did great. Trip went 3/4, with a Double Q and another beautiful standard run, getting 2 1sts and a 2nd. She had two gorgeous dogwalks, and ran pretty well. Not to be outdone, Ticket went 4/4, getting her NA and NAJ titles. I knew it was theoretically possible she could get the titles this weekend, and she’s certainly capable of running novice courses, but I was also pretty sure SOMETHING would happen. She’s so green, it’s inevitable. And some things did happen, but just nothing that NQd her.
Her JWW runs were lovely. Both runs, she drove ahead of me much better then I expected (which was not much). Kept all her bars up. She didn’t much care for the pinwheel at the end of a course where I stood in the middle and called her around–not sure I’ve done much of that, I’m usually moving. Something to work on. 🙂
In Saturday Standard, I way overhandled the dogwalk. I was standing RIGHT next to it (which I never do), I didn’t really RUN it (which I always do), and she stopped way up on the ramp. I had to really work it to make her do her 2o2o, and she wasn’t having any of it. Sunday, her dogwalk was great. it came in flow, I ran, she stopped. Perfect.
She would not lie down on the table either day. Saturday she was very distracted, looking around, and gave me a kiss. Sunday I didn’t really try. BIG thing to work on for USDAA–I don’t train the table much since I don’t have one, and I want an automatic down, which we obviously don’t have.
Her running aframes were great. I was busy watching her aframe contact on Saturday, and when I looked up. plowed into the wing of a jump after she had cleared it. Caused a refusal at the finish, a little scraped up for me, but a Q. I’ll take it. I need to know when to watch her and when to run–took my eye off her on Sunday and she came around a jump and took a wrong course. It messed up her line for the teeter too, but she got on it and kept going like a good girl.
All in all, I’m very happy and proud. I’ll definitely have to do more “handling” in Open, but I’m happy to be done with 6 weave poles and huge spacing. 🙂
Here’s Ticket’s Runs:
And Trip’s:
