We are properly back at Flyball :)

I took the dogs flyball training last week myself for the first time since November, I didn't blog about it then because seemed like a pretty uneventful session, but after this weeks training I feel I can now reflect on it better!!

Since the Rocket Relay seminar I had been working on Elliot's ball obsession and he had been getting a little better at home. Last week I just spent his time at training trying to get him to focus on me rather than the flyball - it proved VERY difficult and ironically he was better when I put a ball in front of him than when he just had to not look at the other dogs, I guess this was because it made it more similar to the training we had been doing at home! Because of this he didn't get to do any actual flyball, he didn't even get to pick the ball up as I knew he wouldn't drop it for the tuggy. After that session and a lot of thought and discussion with various people I decided not to continue down this line of training for now as he will still be racing this season and a few weeks isn't anywhere near enough time to sort him out properly! So, this week at training he trained as normal, however we put a guide in, between the box and first jump, to make him put an extra stride in, thus giving him more power coming back, stopping him jumping the jumps so high and hopefully make some difference to his speed! I am sticking with the rule that he is not allowed to go again until he drops his ball and plays tug - he dropped it really well the first couple of times, then went back to how he used to be as he got more tired! I shall be continuing to work on devaluing the ball at home but don't expect any miracles at flyball until next season when I have had a whole winter to work on it!

We have decided to try and get Jemma running in the pack as we have too many dogs that have to go start in the team, any of you that have read this blog from the beginning will know this is a brave task to undertake!! Last week she managed to go from 20ft as the dog before was coming through the gate (I pushed it more than that once and she took a little detour towards him, so I stayed where she was comfortable!)! This week she was much better, but that is because we had two lanes up and so she was paying much more attention to the red lane than to our lane!!! She did try to have a go at the first dog in our team so I just stood well out the way until they had gone. She manged to get to me releasing her from 20ft as the dog was landing the last jump, I think I could have pushed it further as she really wasn't looking at our dogs, but I shall leave that for next week!! I am not holding out much hope that she will be ready by the beginning of the season but hopefully she will by the end if she carries on like this :) Am also not sure what she will be like in blue lane, but one step at a time!!

Neither dog is powering back quite as much as they used to which is to be expected as I am still only jogging away and not running, but Jem did come back quicker when I introduced a second ball (she takes too long to convince to play tug to make it worth it!) and she held on to her first ball until I told her she could drop it :)

So all in all I was really pleased with this weeks training, it was good to be back, just a shame Jem and I wont be competing much this year as I have exams in September (Elliot will go with Nat as and when he is needed :))

Rocket Relay Seminar

Now Nat has updated her blog I can write mine!

We went to the Rocket Relay Seminar hosted by the Flyball Fever team at the weekend and had an amazing time! All I am going to say really is thanks to the organisers for putting on such a great event, if you want more details on how we got on, follow the link to Nats dogs on the right as there is little point me repeating what she has said, especially as she worked my dog!!