Oh boy is a good word for today. Just when I kind of had gotten use to mature deuce on easy AKC courses, I got to see how much a baby deuce really is, and you know what, I am okay with that. I knew the courses would be tougher but dang it, these were the toughest courses I have seen ever in USDAA and I have been to three nationals. I would have issues, even with Miller running these courses. We started with gamblers and I swear the air was electric when we started. Dogs were barking, everyone was nervous and boy did it feed into deuce. I got a grand total of 9 points! Yes, you heard me right, not a typo, 9 POINTS! Let's see, he got the 7 point dog walk and two ones and that was it. He was PSYCHO! He jumped off the dog walk the second time, ran around the tunnel, jumped off the teeter, ran around the jump, missed the weave poles and then the buzzer sounded. We had a neat gamble as in the center was a box of jumps. You could take each jump once and as you took one you got 2 points and then the next 4 and the next 6 and the next 8. You couldn't knock a bar or the gamble was over, you couldn't take an off course as the gamble would be over, and you had to get out before the buzzer sounded the second time. I love these types of gambles but because he was so psycho and not listening, he didn't get out before the buzzer so we lost our 8 points for the gamble. Major bummer. I was NOT happy with the bounced contacts and i couldn't really work stuff as i couldn't pull him, could only give him a verbal correction. It was very reminicent of our last Open FAST run for sure. The good thing was, it was a super small trial so we had to all help so I didn't really have time to sit and cry.
Next run was snooker and let me tell you, I could not find flow at all in this course. I have never looked at a snooker map and had absolutely no clue but i really didn't. Managed to put together something (thank god he sends to stuff) and manged all four reds, two fives, a six and a two. I know i said his name 50 times or more to keep his head. I made it all the way through the 4 in the closing and i think i had an oh shit moment where i was like, we might actually make it through this and miss-handled the first jump of the serp. Oh well, he listened and ran like I know he could so I was super proud.
Next was standard and oh boy, those busted contacts. Decided to stomach those nagging feelings and handle them like i normally do. Did make sure to say toes a little bit louder but still drove to the end and expected him to do toes. Got a good contact on the dog walk, a good teeter and then a stop on the a-frame with a second or so before driving very nicely to the end. We had a very tight tunnel to the weaves and he got his entrance but did about four poles and stopped. Started him again and got the same thing. Shit! Just kept on running, figured he wasn't going to do them so got an E:( Got off the course and then remembered, they have 21 or 22 inch spaced poles. I think he just couldn't find his rythm. Oh well, still had an overall good run on a tough course.
Jumpers was next and again a very twisty turny course. I did 7 front crosses and one rear. He missed his poles again, for some odd reason ran way out to a chair that was behind the weaves. No clue what that was about other than maybe we have been working out with a chair since we are snowed in constantly. Got him back, did his weaves and somewhere down the line, he ran around a jump and got the next one before i could get him back. Oh well, another E for the baby-D but overall a very nice run. Relay was last and I got yet another awesome dog walk contact and a great clean run. The funny thing was, my first obstacle was the tire jump. I knew the dog before me on that course had jumped 26 inches and I knew that tire was set too high. I went to adjust it and was told it was correct so said okay, no big deal and he ran under it. The judge blew the whistle but i continued on the course as I was sure it was set wrong and of course it was. Got the E taken off so that made me happy!
Overall, our team was the only team in the whole show not to Q but I am totally fine with that. We had three baby dogs that ran their butts off and tried really hard and that is all that matters. I am so proud of him for coming back and getting his contacts and listening after the horrific run in gamblers. I just have to remember to design a course with lots of tight and have his head and not so much GO GO GO! I was really surprised, thought with his distance skills that gamblers would be his class so interested to see how he handles starters tomorrow. I am also a little concerned because he measured 21 inches today. He has never measured that high ever. I hope we don't get that measurement ever again:) Signing off now to get some sleep. Didn't sleep much last night and have to get up at 5:30 tomorrow to get there on time.
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