Elliot only had two runs as I decided not to run him over the contact equipment as he isn't ready to do the whole thing yet (despite the fact he thinks he is!!)
Jumping:
Elliot
He was a really good boy and ended up finishing 5th :) He was only 1.67 seconds slower than the winner (21.95) and this probably had something to do with when I was pushing him over into the "wrong end" of the tunnel he was convinced he should go in the other end so we tripped over each other and then he gave me a look as if to say "what ARE you doing?!?" but then all was well again when I told him he could go in the tunnel, just the other end than where he wanted to go!! So all in all a very nice run from him (probably not from me though as I should have had the confidence to front cross where I had planned too!!)
Jemma
All was going great until we got to the top corner and as she got there a pointer in the other ring went racing into the tunnel in that corner of their ring (if that makes sense), anyway she saw it and turned into naughty flyball Jemma and went chasing after it, although was she realised it had long gone, and had a firm shout from me she came back, on course as well!! However this made me forget to front cross her as well and I stood no chance of pushing her into the opposite end of the tunnel so she got E'd :(
Agility
For some unknown reason Jem messed up her weaves despite the fact they were only the third obstacle and the two jumps before and the weave entry were in a straight line!! I don't know if it had something to do with the fact I left he and went to between the second jump and the weaves and so she was rushing too much, but anyway this made me less enthusiastic and so I completely forgot the course at the end which lead to an E - whoops!!
Time Fault and Out Agility
This time Jem managed her weaves, but I hung back and sent her from just past the first jump. She then worked lovely but second time round the course I forgot she had to do the weaves until after she had done the jump before so commanded her too late (it seems to work if I command her before the jump before them!) so she messed them up - however she finished 4th :) The judge also commented after that she had lovely contacts - the retraining has obviously paid off!! :D
Tunnel Torment
Elliot
He ran really nicely but on one of the corners I dropped my arm (I was told afterwards) and so he went under the jump - however as it was just the one I carried on and he carried on really nicely, until the second tunnel - bless him, it had all bunched up and he went in and couldn't go round the corner bit so came out, I sent him through again and it didn't work, same again but the the judge came and sorted it out and then he could do it and finished the course nicely. So again, I was very happy with him :)
Jemma
She ran really nicely, although is still going quite wide on her turns - something else to work on! She finished third on 21.345 - 2.15 seconds slower than the winner!!
Monday, 16 November 2009
Friday, 13 November 2009
Some training at Nuts
I am back home for the weekend and have managed to sneek in a lesson today :)
Jem:
She joined in the competition group and was really naughty!!! She was obsessed with doing the a-frame and wasn't really going on which meant I struggled doing a back cross at one point but she was runnig too fast for me to do a front cross, little minx!! I think that was the main prob, the lack of going on - definately something that needs working on!! She did however do the 12 weaves correct every time and did some VERY nice contacts!!!
Elliot:
Well we had a private lesson and he was a good boy. Pen mentioned about him tucking his back legs up loads but she thinks it might just be his jumping style so I think I might try some grid work with him but will still get a vet to look at him (Pen agreed, his legs feel very lop sided!!!). We also worked on me learning to actually run with him and not be scared of it going wrong and that it is better to have a fast dog that knocks the odd pole than a slow clear dog, so on Sunday I will be running my little socks off (well trying to anyway!!)!! We then did some four weaves and he did them straight off, clever little man, however when I started walking he was anticipating the toy being thrown and missing the last one. We also did a few 6 weaves and he did them too (after only getting them wrong once!!) and they were really fast too, I think we are on to a winner (hopefully!!). Now to the important bit - contacts!! We put him on the plank with the target at the bottom and let go and bless him, he drove straight to the bottom and nose touched the target! :) So I think I will go back to this method with him as he seems really clued in to it and really enjoyed doing it - I just need to proof it now!!
We have a comp on sun - will update after :)
Jem:
She joined in the competition group and was really naughty!!! She was obsessed with doing the a-frame and wasn't really going on which meant I struggled doing a back cross at one point but she was runnig too fast for me to do a front cross, little minx!! I think that was the main prob, the lack of going on - definately something that needs working on!! She did however do the 12 weaves correct every time and did some VERY nice contacts!!!
Elliot:
Well we had a private lesson and he was a good boy. Pen mentioned about him tucking his back legs up loads but she thinks it might just be his jumping style so I think I might try some grid work with him but will still get a vet to look at him (Pen agreed, his legs feel very lop sided!!!). We also worked on me learning to actually run with him and not be scared of it going wrong and that it is better to have a fast dog that knocks the odd pole than a slow clear dog, so on Sunday I will be running my little socks off (well trying to anyway!!)!! We then did some four weaves and he did them straight off, clever little man, however when I started walking he was anticipating the toy being thrown and missing the last one. We also did a few 6 weaves and he did them too (after only getting them wrong once!!) and they were really fast too, I think we are on to a winner (hopefully!!). Now to the important bit - contacts!! We put him on the plank with the target at the bottom and let go and bless him, he drove straight to the bottom and nose touched the target! :) So I think I will go back to this method with him as he seems really clued in to it and really enjoyed doing it - I just need to proof it now!!
We have a comp on sun - will update after :)
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Flyball
It was all round a really good training session day today, Elliot enjoyed finally being allowed back!!
Jem:
Box was good without ball, with ball we got some really really nice turns. I was working leaving her in a sit and then standing about a foot away from her and making her look at the box before she went and all with the other lane in her sights!!! She also did really well on the speed training - we started them chasing each other today, ie one dog went, then the next one when they were half way down (going the same way) and so on.. and then we got it tighter and tighter until the next dog was being released when the one before was just going over the first jump!! Think jem enjoyed it all bless her!!
Elliot:
Well he did nice warm ups, he also did some nice box turns when he let me set him up and let him go properly (I kept taking himself up and just kind of falling over the jump!!) Nat then got me doing the "toshy" thing - involves her letting him go and me standing by the box and then as soon as he was over the jump running away from the box calling him - Nat reckon his turns were much tighter with me doing this (I was too busy running to see!!) so it looks like we will be doing more of this and more with him really running at the box to get the speed so we can practise getting his legs high still!! With the chasing he did really well although a couple of times got a bit confused and went for the dog befores ball. We were also short of handlers and so I was supposed to pass him to someone once they had released their first dog but they forgot and so I only got a couple of seconds on him and needless to say he flew past me but then he got really confused where I was and was running round all the other dogs and then tried to go back over the jumps until eventually he ofund me, bless him!!! Nat reckons he was lengthening more over the jumps although he was still going higher than we would like!!
Jem:
Box was good without ball, with ball we got some really really nice turns. I was working leaving her in a sit and then standing about a foot away from her and making her look at the box before she went and all with the other lane in her sights!!! She also did really well on the speed training - we started them chasing each other today, ie one dog went, then the next one when they were half way down (going the same way) and so on.. and then we got it tighter and tighter until the next dog was being released when the one before was just going over the first jump!! Think jem enjoyed it all bless her!!
Elliot:
Well he did nice warm ups, he also did some nice box turns when he let me set him up and let him go properly (I kept taking himself up and just kind of falling over the jump!!) Nat then got me doing the "toshy" thing - involves her letting him go and me standing by the box and then as soon as he was over the jump running away from the box calling him - Nat reckon his turns were much tighter with me doing this (I was too busy running to see!!) so it looks like we will be doing more of this and more with him really running at the box to get the speed so we can practise getting his legs high still!! With the chasing he did really well although a couple of times got a bit confused and went for the dog befores ball. We were also short of handlers and so I was supposed to pass him to someone once they had released their first dog but they forgot and so I only got a couple of seconds on him and needless to say he flew past me but then he got really confused where I was and was running round all the other dogs and then tried to go back over the jumps until eventually he ofund me, bless him!!! Nat reckons he was lengthening more over the jumps although he was still going higher than we would like!!
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Jayphotos
At agility today we had the pleasure of being photographed by Carol from jayphotos (jayphotos.co.uk). I am looking forward to seeing the outcome on Monday and hopefully buying some of my nice pretty babies!! So how did the training go...
Elliot:
well it was quite interesting - we thought he was knocking poles because I spoke to him but it turns out he is REALLY tuned in to my body language to the point that he stopped with four feet of the ground after having taken off to take a jump, just because I had stopped to pull him round the wing - so long as i kept moving he took the jump but as soon as i stopped he stopped too, regardless of how close he was to the jump!! I think some more value for the jump is needed to get him taking them even if i am stood still!! We also discussed the fact that he has no awareness of his back end - he takes off with his front end and then jsut tucks his back legs up and hopes for the best - I am going to tray and do some ladder work (need to buy a ladder!!), jump poles in a star and the elephant trick some more to see if he can improve his awareness of his back end. I am also going to look into taking him to Smart clinic in cardiff - I am going to look more into this tonight!!
Jemma:
Her dog walk and seesaw contacts were amazing the first time, she then had a bit of a wobble and then they were good again - she flew down the dog walk straight into 2o2o :D She still shuffled down the a-frame although she did stop 2o2o. We did some work on this and she was better by the end - we discussed that the problem with it is that she knows where she needs to stop but not where she needs to brake (bit like when you learn to drive and are unsure when you need to apply the brakes and by how much to stop in the right place). She did the course really nicely - she got her weave entrance (90 degrees from the jump) every time but was missing one or two out towards the end (there were 12) apparently this was because lesley had been mean and put the next jump at an angle on the right hand side of the exit so every time she was on that side of the weaves she saw it and wanted to take it - tinker!!! We also did a little bit of work pulling her off the tunnel which she did very nicely. So all in all it was a good lesson.
I forgot to do a write up after obedience on Monday - both dogs did well, elliot started send away, something I need to work on at home as all the other dogs have done it before! Jem got up in her sit stay again - little terror!!
Elliot is back at flyball tomorrow, I shall update how it went tomorrow :)
Elliot:
well it was quite interesting - we thought he was knocking poles because I spoke to him but it turns out he is REALLY tuned in to my body language to the point that he stopped with four feet of the ground after having taken off to take a jump, just because I had stopped to pull him round the wing - so long as i kept moving he took the jump but as soon as i stopped he stopped too, regardless of how close he was to the jump!! I think some more value for the jump is needed to get him taking them even if i am stood still!! We also discussed the fact that he has no awareness of his back end - he takes off with his front end and then jsut tucks his back legs up and hopes for the best - I am going to tray and do some ladder work (need to buy a ladder!!), jump poles in a star and the elephant trick some more to see if he can improve his awareness of his back end. I am also going to look into taking him to Smart clinic in cardiff - I am going to look more into this tonight!!
Jemma:
Her dog walk and seesaw contacts were amazing the first time, she then had a bit of a wobble and then they were good again - she flew down the dog walk straight into 2o2o :D She still shuffled down the a-frame although she did stop 2o2o. We did some work on this and she was better by the end - we discussed that the problem with it is that she knows where she needs to stop but not where she needs to brake (bit like when you learn to drive and are unsure when you need to apply the brakes and by how much to stop in the right place). She did the course really nicely - she got her weave entrance (90 degrees from the jump) every time but was missing one or two out towards the end (there were 12) apparently this was because lesley had been mean and put the next jump at an angle on the right hand side of the exit so every time she was on that side of the weaves she saw it and wanted to take it - tinker!!! We also did a little bit of work pulling her off the tunnel which she did very nicely. So all in all it was a good lesson.
I forgot to do a write up after obedience on Monday - both dogs did well, elliot started send away, something I need to work on at home as all the other dogs have done it before! Jem got up in her sit stay again - little terror!!
Elliot is back at flyball tomorrow, I shall update how it went tomorrow :)
Monday, 26 October 2009
Not bad
Tonight was the dogs first time in their new classes at obedience:
Elliot
He did both his stays, he was a bit distracted a couple of times and gave the dog next to him a waggy tail but I kept talking quietly to him and managed to get his focus back. His heelwork was a different story, everytime we went near the other dogs he just wanted to play with them and he completely lost focus, however when on the other side of the room he did some nice bits (apart from when he was playing tuggy with his lead!!)! His recall was good but he was still crooked every time on his presents so we are going to not do finishes for a while and see if that helps as we didn't think it was my hands. Again retrieve was good but crooked but there was less skidding off with the dumbell!!
Jemma
She was a good girl, did her sit stay despite two GSDs being put beside her half way through (she is normally petrified of these, to the point she nearly ran into a road to get away from one!) and she did her down despite me going out of sight!! Her retrieve was nice but she didn't come in particularly straight. On her recal she got up as soon as I took a step away so I put her back, walked round her twice then away from her, then back, then round her and away again and then called her and she stayed sitting. I then did a "normal" one and she did it nicely although she isn't coming in very straight and when I try and straighten her she finishes instead - little tow rag. She did an a-recall as well which wasn't bad, she didn't get quite as close as I would have liked on the pick up but it was still pretty good bless her. At the end we did a little bit of weaving in and out of the other dogs for the heelwork and she was ok but not brill
All in all it went reasonably well I felt and am looking forward to next week!
Elliot
He did both his stays, he was a bit distracted a couple of times and gave the dog next to him a waggy tail but I kept talking quietly to him and managed to get his focus back. His heelwork was a different story, everytime we went near the other dogs he just wanted to play with them and he completely lost focus, however when on the other side of the room he did some nice bits (apart from when he was playing tuggy with his lead!!)! His recall was good but he was still crooked every time on his presents so we are going to not do finishes for a while and see if that helps as we didn't think it was my hands. Again retrieve was good but crooked but there was less skidding off with the dumbell!!
Jemma
She was a good girl, did her sit stay despite two GSDs being put beside her half way through (she is normally petrified of these, to the point she nearly ran into a road to get away from one!) and she did her down despite me going out of sight!! Her retrieve was nice but she didn't come in particularly straight. On her recal she got up as soon as I took a step away so I put her back, walked round her twice then away from her, then back, then round her and away again and then called her and she stayed sitting. I then did a "normal" one and she did it nicely although she isn't coming in very straight and when I try and straighten her she finishes instead - little tow rag. She did an a-recall as well which wasn't bad, she didn't get quite as close as I would have liked on the pick up but it was still pretty good bless her. At the end we did a little bit of weaving in and out of the other dogs for the heelwork and she was ok but not brill
All in all it went reasonably well I felt and am looking forward to next week!
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