Today's practice

Well, we set up several courses with somewhat evil things like taking the back sides of side, several lead changes over three obsticles. I felt really good about how Tip did. It took her a moment to remember her wrap, but then she was great on 'wrap' and 'round'.

Split showed some of his green and I showed some of my "I forgot how to run a green dog". He did fairly well, which is usually does better on tight courses. But we came out of it with several 'to dos'.

Tip

• Work on wrap close up and distance
• work on just the contact part of the dog walk
• flip out from the dog walk to a jump

Split

• Reinforce a wrap (just a reminder)
• further proof a 'round', cause when there is some speed he literally goes around the jump
• Flip out from the dog walk to a jump
• Don't jump across my path, jump beside me
• Weaves
• Proof the dog walk more

Split's first trial

Split ran his first trial yesterday with my son. It was pouring rain! Split was scheduled to run 3 runs, but due to rain we only got to run one before they cancelled the trial.

Split ran the jumpers leg of the Trigility. He and Randy did awesome. They stayed on course, but had a couple of spins. Once they both get a little more seasoned, the spins will go away.

The team q'ed, and got first.

Tip's contact progress

A couple of months ago I stopped trialing Tip in USDAA. I had been thinking about it for a while, but the USDAA regionals was the last straw. Tip just couldn't not listen, get contacts, or even hop on the table. It was hot, which I am sure didn't help. It was frustrating because I could not hold her accountable, like you can in DOCNA and NADAC (ie, train in the ring).

So, I am taking a step back to retrain some of the items that have been plaguing us for a while--dog walk contact, table, and the teeter. On the dog walk she jumps from right above the yellow, she stalls when she gets on the table, and frequently she runs around the teeter.

We have been working on all three of these. I have visited ever dog walk in Denver to show her she gets to stop on all of them. I feed her breakfast on the table and try to put fun games into the routine. The teeter might be slightly different. Recently at a semimar with Stacy Peardot Goudy Tip blew off the teeter. Stacy thought it was about who is in charge. Stacy thought the problem started from the moment we entered the ring. Tip was pulling me (bad handler). So I have been really careful to be 'in charge'. We will see if this helps.

In general, I have been hand feeding Tip more, enforcing that I get to go through the door first, etc. My family is total awesome and on board with helping these things!

In mid-july we were in a NADAC trial. It took me 4 runs to get her to stop on her contact (2o2o).

I ran the North American Challenge today and I was amazed!! A totally different dog. She got her 2o2o dog walk, she hit the teeter and stoped (4 on), and listened really well on course. I, of course had to make the off course error. I will take that error any day!