I really wish we had more USDAA in our area. I would seriously quit AKC and just do USDAA. I think I have said this before but I just prefer the courses and the games to any other venue. Went into this weekend needing two standard Qs for baby-Ds starters title. We had one of all the games so I entered him in a couple of runs a day plus steeplechase and grand prix. I know he is too young to do those hard courses but I feel like it is good experience for us to be with the big dogs, even if we have no hopes of a Q. I try to pick a few parts on the course to focus on instead of the big picture. I am happy to say that we picked up another snooker leg, another gambler's leg, and another standard leg. While I had hoped to get both standard legs so we could move up to advanced, it just wasn't to be. He knocked the first bar of the run after we had stayed till the bitter end to run standard. Oh well, wasn't meant to be so another show in starters. We can finish up the rest of his starter's titles I guess. Overall was SUPER happy with his contacts. He was driving to the bottom and I was releasing him as soon as his little feet hit the turf. The last run, after he knocked the bar, I decided to keep running but not release him and make him hold. He did, releasing on my okay and not my motion so I was very happy. For some odd reason, he seems to love the higher A-frame and did not slam into it once.
The funniest part of the whole weekend was in starter's standard on sunday. After the a-frame, the dogs had to come to a jump that was almost 180 degrees from the bottom of the a-frame. You had two options, you could come to the end of the a-frame and baby sit it (there was an off course tunnel down there too calling their names) and do an ugly rear to get them over the next two jumps into the weave poles OR you could trust their contacts and go get a nice front cross. Well, I had decided to the do the later and trust him. Well, he came down the a-frame and I guess expected me to be there, but instead of me, the judge was there watching his contact. He gave her the funniest look, like "you aren't my mom, where is my mom!!!!" The whole crowd was laughing at him scanning the course for me. He finally found me and released himself from the a-frame and we continued on the course.
Positives for the weekend: GREAT contacts. Speed into position on his part, no baby sitting them on my part. I am doing 110% better on running them like we run them in class. It's all about trust:) Not as much reactive handling, still some wide turns but we can tighten those. Did a threadle and a tight front cross in snooker to get two 7s. It was fun and I liked having him tight and then letting him loose to run full blast through the closing. He is certainly a distance dog, just need to learn how to get through the opening without him running wide open with wide turns. His turns on the flat were amazing, so much so that in grand prix when I said turn over, he just did a nice tight turn and no over but great turn. all i could do was smile and his beautiful turn!
Negatives for the weekend: Bars before tunnels are starting to come down regularlt. Starting to see a pattern here. Am no longer saying go tunnel when it is the obvious next obstacle. Will work on this for sure. Not getting collection anymore into the weave poles which is good and bad problem. Good that he is speeding up on the course, bad that he has forgotten his job of collecting into the entry. 2 jump lead outs where 50/50 again. One was really good and one where I did a moving front cross was crap. Apparently steeplechase is a not our thing, which is a bummer. I am hoping with time, this will change. I have had two times where this was our worst run of the weekend and not sure why. When I walked the course this weekend, it was very fun and very doable. I only saw one spot that I was concerned about it. We missed both sets of weave pole entries, had one wrong course and he ran past the a-frame. It was another the wheels fell off run. I hate those but he is a baby so we still have them. Seems to have to have one a weekend.
Have a show next weekend in AKC. Ready to get back on some excellent courses but really ready for some more USDAA. May have to travel down to TX or to CO for some shows, don't know if I can wait all summer for another one!
The funniest part of the whole weekend was in starter's standard on sunday. After the a-frame, the dogs had to come to a jump that was almost 180 degrees from the bottom of the a-frame. You had two options, you could come to the end of the a-frame and baby sit it (there was an off course tunnel down there too calling their names) and do an ugly rear to get them over the next two jumps into the weave poles OR you could trust their contacts and go get a nice front cross. Well, I had decided to the do the later and trust him. Well, he came down the a-frame and I guess expected me to be there, but instead of me, the judge was there watching his contact. He gave her the funniest look, like "you aren't my mom, where is my mom!!!!" The whole crowd was laughing at him scanning the course for me. He finally found me and released himself from the a-frame and we continued on the course.
Positives for the weekend: GREAT contacts. Speed into position on his part, no baby sitting them on my part. I am doing 110% better on running them like we run them in class. It's all about trust:) Not as much reactive handling, still some wide turns but we can tighten those. Did a threadle and a tight front cross in snooker to get two 7s. It was fun and I liked having him tight and then letting him loose to run full blast through the closing. He is certainly a distance dog, just need to learn how to get through the opening without him running wide open with wide turns. His turns on the flat were amazing, so much so that in grand prix when I said turn over, he just did a nice tight turn and no over but great turn. all i could do was smile and his beautiful turn!
Negatives for the weekend: Bars before tunnels are starting to come down regularlt. Starting to see a pattern here. Am no longer saying go tunnel when it is the obvious next obstacle. Will work on this for sure. Not getting collection anymore into the weave poles which is good and bad problem. Good that he is speeding up on the course, bad that he has forgotten his job of collecting into the entry. 2 jump lead outs where 50/50 again. One was really good and one where I did a moving front cross was crap. Apparently steeplechase is a not our thing, which is a bummer. I am hoping with time, this will change. I have had two times where this was our worst run of the weekend and not sure why. When I walked the course this weekend, it was very fun and very doable. I only saw one spot that I was concerned about it. We missed both sets of weave pole entries, had one wrong course and he ran past the a-frame. It was another the wheels fell off run. I hate those but he is a baby so we still have them. Seems to have to have one a weekend.
Have a show next weekend in AKC. Ready to get back on some excellent courses but really ready for some more USDAA. May have to travel down to TX or to CO for some shows, don't know if I can wait all summer for another one!
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