Our first AKC

Tip and I have been trialing for about 2.5 years and we having a lot of 'firsts' lately. This weekend's first, was AKC. I haven't done AKC for two reasons in the past. Typically, they only have two, maybe three runs in a day. I do agility because I LOVE running with my dog. Secondly, Tip loves her distance and typically has not checked in with me enough during a run to keep her out of trouble (off courses). I decided to try AKC to see how we were doing on the later.





In the last year we have been working really hard on closing the gap of our distance requirements. A year ago, it was easier to push Tip out, rather than have her come to me. I have a lot more confidence in that skill. Although it is not were it needs to be yet. We did get into a little trouble for that very reason. In the course below, we got the tunnel instead of the table. Probably two reasons for that: 1) tunnels are more fun 2) I don't have a strong enough pull.









We did Q in this run because AKC allows an off course in Novice, but I would have liked to avoid it.

Our jumpers run was truely an odd one. The course started out with an 'L' shaped tunnel, 90 degree turn to a line of jumps. Once you were at the other end of the course, we literally did a zip zag pattern back to the other end, went into a six weave with another 90 degree turn to the end jump. We Q'ed here too, but boy were Tip slipping. Too many tight turns on hard ground.

Would I do AKC again? Yes, probably. But there is a reason I own Border Collies. Both my dogs and I like to run, and two runs a day is just a warm up!