week 6

class was great, as usual... we started on the teeter from the low table to the ground and she did not like it... she started jumping off it again... :( so, we went back to 2 tables; from the large one down to the small one... we encouraged her to stay on... Carrie thinks that if Waste' runs it and it drops right after the pivot, that kinda freaks her out... so we are teaching her to "hit it" which means to stop right after the pivot and ride it down, then release her. That worked better b4 and so we'll go back to that. we finished by dropping the small table and going from big table to the ground. Next week we'll start w/that and move down to the small table.

Christie set up another course for us... there are 3 levels of courses for the AKC: novice, open and excellent. Last week we did a novice course... this week, just to test us, she set up an excellent course... this includes what is fondly referred to 'city driving' and 'country driving'. City driving is a bundle of obstacles very close in proximity w/lots of tight turns and country driving is running like hell to keep up with her! Since she has a great 'wait' (that is where I leave her and 'lead out' over the first few jumps), I decided to lead out past the third jump - a gamble for a novice dog, but, as long as I can keep her eye, I thought she'd do it. She did, but then I directed her towards the broad jump as the 4th, instead of the vertical... oops! I was so worried about the first 3, that I blundered the 4th... LOL. So, we started back up at the vertical to the A frame, nailed the contact and made her wait there while I lead out over the tire and the next 'bundle'. This was the tire forwards to a vertical, hard right and jump towards me over another vertical, another hard right and out over an oxer to the tunnel. Coming out of the tunnel, I did a front cross and sent her over the dog walk and another 'wait' on that contact. After that I lead out over the broad jump, a hard right turn over another vertical and slowed down for our entrance into the weaves. Out of the weaves forward to a vertical, a hard left, skip the teeter and on thru the shoot and forward over the final vertical. Damn, I was a bit winded by the end!!

Then we split up and worked on the tire combination. She keeps pulling a pole over the oxer... guess we need to work on more spread fences!

After the class some wanted to run the course a second time... this included Carrie... she asked if she could run Waste'... it was fun to watch her run for someone else... I also got both courses on video... hopefully will get them posted to the blog.