Videos! Videos! Videos!

If you haven't already done so, you might want read the previous post. It sets the stage for the first three videos here.

Our Standard run on Friday started with a very happy entry into the ring, something I haven't seen since the unfortunate PA system accident last fall. That happy jumping is typical of her behavior in class, though. Mimi decided to go around the tire (not an uncommon error for green dogs) and we got an off course as she backjumped a jump as I was turning her back around. She was running slow (I wasn't quite sure she was going to come out of the tunnel at first) but the table in the corner was the hardest part for her. The sniffing and not wanting to remain in the down are signs of stress, as is jumping up on the judge after I released her. I gave her a very quick release off the dogwalk and the Aframe to keep the flow going. I noticed at the time and again when watching the video that her Aframe contact was pretty shitty, so that is something we can work on more in class. Still, a lot of the reason she jumps off like that is stress. Her weaves after the dogwalk were slow but she kept it together and we still completed the course under course time. The table fault eliminated the possibility of a Q but this was a long course and Mimi did a great job with it.

In the first run of Saturday, Mimi is happy as we enter the ring but begins to worry just a bit at that start line--the entry to the building was behind us and there was a lot going on in that area. I was planning to run with her on my right but decided to just start going with her on my left since she was getting a bit nervous. The rear cross at jump 5 was no problem. She slows on the far side of the ring when she sees all that commotion on the walkway but stayed with me. She went around the next to last jump but since that is not an error in USDAA Starters, I calmly rounded her around to a nice finish and a Q, the only dog in our class to do so.

There was a handler at the trial with a 15 year old JRT. She told me that she is planning to retire him at her club's trial next month. He is mostly deaf and has cataracts in both eyes. She was running him in Performance so he only has to jump 8". She said he could no longer do the dogwalk and that he struggled with the Aframe and weaves. I filmed their Snooker run on Saturday. She got the minimum number of points required in the opening, and completed all of the obstacles in the closing for a Q. He was the only dog in his class so he also got a first place! He was running with such joy, and the look he gives her at the end says it all.

Finally, about 2 weeks ago I started training Cap on the X for flyball. I tested my handling by first teaching it to Mimi, who figured it out in seconds. Cap took a bit longer but there's no question that he too had it figured out by the time we finished that session. All that barking? Yep, that's the other dogs. I always train with distractions: dogs barking, cats wandering around, toys all over the floor.