had class last night and she was fantastic... we still had some problems with our rear crosses (that's where she is on one side of me and we have to turn towards that side... making me cross behind her to go towards the next jump) not only does she not understand it, i am having some coordination issues with it myself. instead of landing on the opposite lead, she lands on the near lead and spins a 180 b4 going to the next obstacle.
except for a couple of 'let's go visit with Marley' episodes towards the end of class, her focus was great!
11.28.2007
11.21.2007
NCA week 5&6
Well, we skipped last week 'cause I was sick and could not breathe with a head cold and chest congestion. But we made it this week and we're feeling oh-so-much better!
I don't know if it was the break, but she was very, very good last night... we started on the teeter - since she had spooked so badly on it 2 weeks ago. Our high-octane treat last night was steak. It was pretty funny when I made dinner last night... on one burner was hamburger helper for Dan and I, and the other burner was steak for the dog... it just seemed wrong...
Anyway, with great encouragement and lots of little steak bites... she is, once again, friends with the teeter. We also worked on the broad jump and a-frame - she did great on her contacts with the a-frame! After we switched sides we worked on obstacle discrimination again... this has been, and continues to be a big challenge... I put her right in front of the tunnel and she still tried to scoot around me to go up the dog walk. We've decided to start 'paying' her more for tunnel work (treats) to make them more enjoyable. Lynn did say that sometimes we take tunnels for granted and that can lessen their value to the dog.
After a few practice runs, she was doing better... but this still needs a lot more practice. we also did some weaves and combinations to the weaves... I really have to work on my handling skills there... if i stop or slow down, she misses a weave and if i get ahead of her, she skips a weave...
Above all, her focus was 98% better! She only started to run over to the other dogs once and i growled at her to come back and she did... of course she got steak for that too! (coming back, not running away).
There is a 'show 'n go' this Sunday which is basically a mock show. I think we'll try it to see how we do... at least it will be fun.
I don't know if it was the break, but she was very, very good last night... we started on the teeter - since she had spooked so badly on it 2 weeks ago. Our high-octane treat last night was steak. It was pretty funny when I made dinner last night... on one burner was hamburger helper for Dan and I, and the other burner was steak for the dog... it just seemed wrong...
Anyway, with great encouragement and lots of little steak bites... she is, once again, friends with the teeter. We also worked on the broad jump and a-frame - she did great on her contacts with the a-frame! After we switched sides we worked on obstacle discrimination again... this has been, and continues to be a big challenge... I put her right in front of the tunnel and she still tried to scoot around me to go up the dog walk. We've decided to start 'paying' her more for tunnel work (treats) to make them more enjoyable. Lynn did say that sometimes we take tunnels for granted and that can lessen their value to the dog.
After a few practice runs, she was doing better... but this still needs a lot more practice. we also did some weaves and combinations to the weaves... I really have to work on my handling skills there... if i stop or slow down, she misses a weave and if i get ahead of her, she skips a weave...
Above all, her focus was 98% better! She only started to run over to the other dogs once and i growled at her to come back and she did... of course she got steak for that too! (coming back, not running away).
There is a 'show 'n go' this Sunday which is basically a mock show. I think we'll try it to see how we do... at least it will be fun.
11.07.2007
NCA wk 4 - combined
class last night was nerve-wracking and fun...
Twice during each series we combine the advanced and novice classes and run a full course as if we were at a show. we did the F.A.S.T. class and had a chance to run it twice.
That stands for Fifteen And Send To. The object is to accumulate points within a set time frame, 32 seconds for the 20 inchers. There are 15 obstacles of varying values and a 'send to' combination. The 'send to' is a distance challenge. For novice this means a line on the ground 5' away from 2 - 3 obstacles that I have to, literally, send her through from that set distance. There are 6 bar jumps (1 pt each) that can be taken up to a value of 6 points and 9 other obstacles (2-10 pts) can only be completed 1x for points. Weaves are mandatory - 6 for novice.
The first time thru I tried to do too many obstacles, and ran into a few glitches - so ran over time...
We ran the bonus first. That was a tunnel to the tire at a 5' distance. She aced that. The plan was to turn left to the square oxer and we made that - after jumping 1 extra jump (no harm), then on to the tunnel... well, she shot over to the chute - backwards - looking for the entrance, silly girl - didn't find it so went for the tunnel, then teeter. She stopped half way across the teeter and jumped off... not sure why, but she just spooked. Since this was for time, we continued on to the a-frame and weave poles - she missed her entrance, so those 10 pts did not count. We tried the teeter a second time with the same results :( and then finished the course... 44 secs and 43 points.
We tried a different course 2nd time around. The bonus send to was great and we stayed on a left pinwheel of 3 single jumps to the tunnel to the chute and on to the weaves... missed our entrance again. :( then up and over the a-frame to the finish. The only glitch was the weaves which gave us a score of 53 (50 for a q) and a time of 24 secs!! woo hoo!!!!!!!!
After everyone ran their second course, we had a chance to school the teeter and weaves with not very much success... looks like we'll have to do some remedial work on both!
Overall, tho, I am very happy with her... she was even VERY well behaved outside of the arena. I hope to get some of the video of it posted on my blog over the weekend.
Twice during each series we combine the advanced and novice classes and run a full course as if we were at a show. we did the F.A.S.T. class and had a chance to run it twice.
That stands for Fifteen And Send To. The object is to accumulate points within a set time frame, 32 seconds for the 20 inchers. There are 15 obstacles of varying values and a 'send to' combination. The 'send to' is a distance challenge. For novice this means a line on the ground 5' away from 2 - 3 obstacles that I have to, literally, send her through from that set distance. There are 6 bar jumps (1 pt each) that can be taken up to a value of 6 points and 9 other obstacles (2-10 pts) can only be completed 1x for points. Weaves are mandatory - 6 for novice.
The first time thru I tried to do too many obstacles, and ran into a few glitches - so ran over time...
We ran the bonus first. That was a tunnel to the tire at a 5' distance. She aced that. The plan was to turn left to the square oxer and we made that - after jumping 1 extra jump (no harm), then on to the tunnel... well, she shot over to the chute - backwards - looking for the entrance, silly girl - didn't find it so went for the tunnel, then teeter. She stopped half way across the teeter and jumped off... not sure why, but she just spooked. Since this was for time, we continued on to the a-frame and weave poles - she missed her entrance, so those 10 pts did not count. We tried the teeter a second time with the same results :( and then finished the course... 44 secs and 43 points.
We tried a different course 2nd time around. The bonus send to was great and we stayed on a left pinwheel of 3 single jumps to the tunnel to the chute and on to the weaves... missed our entrance again. :( then up and over the a-frame to the finish. The only glitch was the weaves which gave us a score of 53 (50 for a q) and a time of 24 secs!! woo hoo!!!!!!!!
After everyone ran their second course, we had a chance to school the teeter and weaves with not very much success... looks like we'll have to do some remedial work on both!
Overall, tho, I am very happy with her... she was even VERY well behaved outside of the arena. I hope to get some of the video of it posted on my blog over the weekend.
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