What a great weekend and what a difference getting to train on a regular basis makes. Baby-D was 2 for four getting two legs in open standard. We still didn't get any legs in Open JWW but I felt like we were almost in sync for both runs. I am gaining more confidence running a fast dog and I am getting my timing down a little better. Positive points for the weekend are: GREAT weave poles all weekend. I got speed and wonderful entries every single run. I also got crosses coming off of the poles, both a front and a rear in separate runs of course. The obstacle focus is getting a little less and we are paying a little more attention to the momma and not taking what we want to take (cause it is way more fun to make up courses). Both legs were CLEAN runs YIPEE! I did a rear on a triple and he read it like a pro. I also did a turn into the weaves which he read like a pro. Those who know me know that i severely LACK rear crossing skills and defer to fronts so it is nice to know I am getting better at them. I still need work though:) I am feeling more confident on the wide open run your ass off courses. I was severly lacking confidence on them as we don't practice that sort of thing and now I feel a little better about them. Still need work on timing, off course jumps got us on both JWW courses this weekend.
Negatives for the weekend: Well the list is getting shorter finally. My timing is off, need to learn to call him sooner and get his attention sooner. I don't want to overhandle him but maybe a few more and better timed heres or his name would be better. The creepy contacts are back. Thought we had gotten over this but it seems to rear its ugly head now and then. Lots of thoughts on this one. I have always only rewarded driving to the bottom. I have used targets and other methods to get this driving, along with shaping this behavior on a plank when he was a pup. I have heard many schools of thought from I am saying "toes" to soon or he is relying on my motion as to when to stop or it is a confidence issue to he is pushing my buttons and seeing what he can get away with. Now that the weather is nicer (i think, it did afterall dump 4 inches of snow on us last night) I can start working on influencing his striding on the a-frame. I am just going to keep sticking to my guns in trials and try to drive more from behind. I like running, have had to run by butt off with Miller so I seem to always be ahead or finding ways to get ahead. Maybe I need to do more driving from behind. We shall see. I just don't want to muddy any of my criteria. It sucked getting second on both runs because of my dang contacts but again, we are in open, placements really don't matter (other than to my ego), and what I do now in the ring will impact me and impact my quest for a some day MACH.
Here is the video of the weekend. Notice it is getting longer and I am leaving in the bad stuff as it isn't near as bad as it was. Our next show is USDAA in Mckinney so need to find out what spacing their weaves are. He is having difficulty going back and forth and I finally feel like we have our 24s down pat, so here is to hoping i don't screw him up by going back to 22s for USDAA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZqoFD4rVp0
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