Agility Addicts Unaf

I had my first judging appointment today (well I did a couple a few years ago but both were fun classes), so today I judged elementary and starters agility – I set a couple of flowing courses which didn’t have much of a course change between so was quite pleased with the way it went. Therefore I missed both Cas and Rum’s jumping classes.

Open Connector was first and Rum was flying (he has been having a lot more exercise lately and he is really on fire!) and it was quite a messy round with just a pole down. Novice Agility was next and it was quite a tough course for a big dog, we got round it really nicely until we came to a tight pull through – I thought I had got him but didn’t bring him through quick enough and he back jumped. In his second run he ran superbly I was so pleased with him but his A-frame was marked, shame as he would have won it.

Cas ran Senior Agility first which was another tough course, I managed to get her round the difficult bits but pulled her off the weaves too much and she went round a jump – then she missed her A-frame so I put her back over. In the second run she carried on after the tunnel and I can’t figure out why as I did exactly the same as I did in the first run, anyway she went and missed her A-frame again so I put her back on. I don’t know what to do as I even tested her on my courses and reinforced the contacts and she still went in the (same!) ring and missed them – she is so naughty!!! Open Connector we went clear but didn’t go the way we intended to and made it very difficult for ourselves and lost a lot of time! Tee hee.

Oh well one of these days we might go clear again!

Baughton Unaf

Rum's first run was agility (all classes combined 4-7) and I went in hoping his contacts would be nice and fast and not make an issue of them. Well his dogwalk was lovely so I told him to stop and he went straight to the bottom and off (I use a wait command after the stop when I hold them), had a very wide turn and almost into the weaves but I managed to get him back, lovely see-saw, lovely tight turn before the tunnel and a lovely A-frame (again just with stop). I was so pleased he was soooo confident on his contacts and he ended up 1st! He had a lovely clear in jumping but stupid me went the wrong way and got us eliminated, it was clear for him though as that's how I had run it lol! Then Helter Skelter and he was going lovely but pulled off a jump I think because I turned too early perhaps.

Cassie's agility run was rubbish as per usual, we got eliminated before even starting as she took a signal from my other arm which was flapping!! Anyway she missed her dogwalk and A-frame and I realise having watched the video back that she is actually hoping off every time just before the contact and I think she associates that area with me faffing with her (ie putting her back on) and is avoiding it so I don't know what to do about that! She ran it nicely though. Then the jumping and she did the same as she did at the start of the agility and jumped behind me getting eliminated. Finally Helter Skelter and we went clear, ended up 1st! I cannot believe the difference in her jumping since she has seen the chiropractor this last week, she was measuring standard height so badly last weekend and having found her front leg, shoulder and neck were twisted and being put right she was back on form today!

Wye Valley Agility

I wasn't at the show but Charlotte (see Summerick Blog) has been training Ember for a couple of weeks and took her to Wye. They were clear in agility with held contacts, just had a pole in Helter Skelter and won Grade 5 Jumping!! Ember just needs one more win to go up to Grade 6 as she already has a Combined 1-7 Jumping win. Well done Char and Emz!!