Weekend Update

We had a two day trial at the GKC this weekend. I think it went really well actually. A lot of enthusiastic fast runs. Some were disastrous, some were quite pretty. Only one huge catastrophic run which was like 50% my fault.

The theme of this trial was trying to find a good pre-run routine for Gauis and I before stepping into the ring. Something that will make him excited and ready to run but at the same time keep him focused and concentrating on me. So he'll want to run hard but not be so over the top that he ignores me and goes nuts once we get out there. We used to do tricks before going into the ring followed by lots of treats. But I felt this made him concentrate on the food too much. He knew exactly when I didn't have anymore and it didn't get him excited enough to make him fast. So this trial we tugged using a tug it.

I really need to do a whole post on tug drive as it's been something we're working really hard on right now. But I'll save that till later. Basically the tug it has food on the inside. When Gauis really latched on and we got a good game of tug going I'd ask him to drop the toy and open it, then let him shove his head inside and get some food. I'm trying to transfer the value he has for food on to tug (more on transferring value, and how I'm puzzled by it, later). We tugged before every run this weekend and I do think it made him faster. With one disastrous exception.

So let's do our weekly run break down. But first here's the video tape!



JWW Sat: Beautiful run. By far the prettiest run all weekend, with the exception of that front cross right at the start. In Gauis' defense it was a pretty ambiguously poorly timed cross. In my defence that still didn't give him the right to blind cross me. But except for that little mishap gorgeous run. Look at how fast those weaves are. Much more like the ones we have in class. And I was the only one to see that serpentine when we walked the course. And he read it beautifully.

STD Sat: Was a mess. He ran off to star at the ring crew after the first jump but didn't bark and eventually came back. Then everything we relatively well until the weaves. There was a little kid stationed right by the entrance that he was obviously concerned about. It took us three tries to get it right be he eventually managed to do them and with no barking. Improvement defiantly. Then we ran into the wrong end of the tunnel (again my bad I wasn't 100% clear. I think he needed an arm there). All and all an enthusiastic and fast run.

I wet Gauis down with water a lot during the trial to keep him cool. It was very hot. I think this is our last outdoor trial until fall. Even if he can take the humidity down here in VA I certainly can't.

Sun STD: Was a disaster but I know exactly what went wrong. We were the first in the ring. I had just got Gauis tugging and we got called to go in. I wasn't ready and wrenched the toy out of his mouth and threw it a few feet away without him getting a treat. Now we do this at home all the time. Tug tug tug mom takes the toy and throws it. And it always means the same thing. Now it's time to race for the toy. When he gets to the toy we trow a big party play more tug and there are cookies. But now I was dragging him away from his tug toy into the ring. So basically he spent this whole run doing a few obstacles and then desperately trying to run out of the ring and find his toy. I can't be too angry at him. I've trained this behavior. (Though he should still run with me). Lesson learned. hand the toy to someone don't throw it onto the ground before heading into he ring. We're still figuring this whole trialing thing out. Anyway I left the course with him. No cookies for that run. Too naughty.

Sun JWW: Was a lovely run. Slower than his Sat runs but really pretty. Slower weaves then I would have liked but he came off the start line fast out of his stay which was really good when I look back at the footage from other trials. Read my body language, well seemed actually trained. He nicked the triple and I was sure he'd brought down the bar but some unforeseen force kept it up which was great. :P And it was a 1st place and our second leg in jumpers too so you can't complain about that :) One more leg and we enter the scary world that is excellent. I don't think we're ready for that.

Obligatory Ribbon Picture:

I may get more pics of this weekend. I'll post them if they come in. Three day trial this weekend.

All pictures from Club Creek Runs

Footage

Thought I'd post the footage of Gauis' Saturday runs at Winchester. My parents only came Saturday so that was the only time I could get video. The standard run is clean but about 30 seconds over time. Jumpers had one refusal but still way over time (OMG those weaves are slow I could have knit a sweater) . He was showing more pep in his step darning Jumpers though. So I like to think that is a good sign. You can see he's still nervous about the judges (check the dirty look he gives the judge on the A-frame). But I'm so pleased he managed to control himself. And his tail is up so he's not miserable.

Exciting!

Names were removed to protect the innocent

Well, its official. I have entered Gaius in his first agility trial in Maryland for July the 24 and 25. On the up side its an indoor air conditioned trial so I should get more spunk out of my little indoor pup. On the downside, male judges, so getting measured should be interesting.

Shesh, I hate filling out forms. I think that's my least favorite part of agility so far. And these trials sure are expensive!

The envelope is as big as I am...

Now I don't want to get my hopes up, because I'm entering the trial very late and there is a huge chance that there won't be a space left for my little man. In fact I heard two folks in obedience talking about how hard it is to get into trials in the summer time if you don't enter early. And this entry is FAR from early. But I feel that its a step in the right direction. I actually had the courage to fill out the form and write the check. :)

Now Susan Garrett says its important to define personal success. Now I don't expect to be getting any Q's in my first trial but I do hope to accomplish a few goals:

Goal 1: I do not want Gaius to bark at the judges when we are running. (He can bark at them when they measure him, that's understandable)

Goal 2: I want Gaius to stay with me the whole time (No darting off to bark at judges or sniff, or do whatever else comes into his little dachshund brain)

Goal 3: I want him to move at faster than a walking pace for the majority of his time on the feild. None of this slow poke bull he does outside.

If he does those three things I will consider the trial a success. (Well I'd be extra happy is he managed to hit his contacts and made his weave pole entry but one thing at a time right?).

I should look at this like the first time I took him to an Earth dog trial. My goal was: Show interest in the rat. And he did, by sniffing at the hole but not going in. On the second day of the trial my goal was: Go in the hole. And he did! If only for a few seconds before coming out. On his second trial my goal was: Go into the hole and reach the rat. And he did that too! Just not in the time frame needed for a Junior earth dog leg. Maybe next Earth dog trial he'll actually Q.

My point is that these things are gradual and they take time. He doesn't need to be perfect his first time out, and this will allow me to see what I need to work on (At the moment contacts. It's as though giving him a running A-frame has made him forget all about them). Cross your fingers that we get a slot!

Off it goes, no turning back now.