Building our Bond

Starting Small
I've been seeing a lot of the online community lately express the need to build a bond with your dog outside of the agility field. I've always had a good bond with my girls, but it's been mainly in low stimulus environments like my living room, backyard or in class. I'm starting to realize that once we get into the big, wide, world, Sam and I just don't trust each other completely. I'm always worried that she may see a dog that makes her anxious and start making a scene, and I"m sure she's always worried about the same thing! I have been brainstorming on easy options for us to explore, while keeping it something that I enjoy and I know she could handle.

In order to find something we can both explore together, I've signed up for a 6 week NoseWork course through Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. Rosey loves nose games and has been finding her toys in the house for years, but I figure I might as well learn how to teach the basics to Sam and see if she'll turn on to the game as well. Maybe if I can teach them to use their nose on cue, I can also teach them when not to use their nose (lost 2 runs with Rosey last weekend because of the nose!).

I'll try and share my experiences, mostly for myself to remember what I've learned, but also if anyone out there is curious about NoseWork. Class starts April 1st, next week!

Recap from weekend
This past weekend was the Golden Retriever AKC Agility trial and I was helping out the new Trial Secretary figure out the software and scoring process. Unfortunately its tough to always give 100% to my girls when helping out like that, but I gave it my best and was really happy with our results!

Rosey Qed in MasterP Standard on Friday and Sunday with 40 combined PACH points! Saturday I was happily shocked when Rosey turned on the speed and drive, enough to find an off course! Looking at the video, she was headed for the off course before I could even signal her to turn! She's going to keep challenging me, but this time in a good way - Faster!!! :)

                   Current progress towards PDCH: 2/20 QQs, 123/750 speed points

[Note: after helping out a friend this week by running her dog in class, I am starting to realize how late my cues are for Rosey and how great she's been in adapting to it! Thinking back on the weekend, I'm going to have to start learning to signal much earlier if I want to encourage Rosey to keep up with the new speed.]

Work plan for Rosey and I:
1 - Cue earlier
2 - Work distance
3 - Work verbal directions

I was pleasantly surprised with my Sam! Although we weren't 100%, I started to feel like she wanted to work with me and play the game. Our weaves were pretty weak, but we got 2 Qs in Novice JWW (got our first lucky Q last spring) and now moves up to Open JWW! I don't know if we're ready! I have my work cut out for me!

Here's my work plan to build our skill in playing the game:
1 - Work on weaves - Entries, completion (biggest issue), and speed (footwork)
2 - Obstacle focus - she has none. We'll start playing with some speed circles, and up the difficulty with angled jumps and maybe even a set of 6 weave poles.
3 - Work on our relationship - Maybe some drive games? Started working crate games into jump work, and she seemed to really turn on to that idea.
4 - Harness the crazy - I want to be able to direct her when she starts her Butt-tuck craziness, at least towards obstacles! Got a tunnel -> Jump -> Walk this week :) I might need to film this!

This past weekend was the first AKC indoor agility trial in the area. Its a one ring show with one judge and will often fill, unusual for trials in our area. This year we were able to get Linda Robertson (from TN) and I think the exhibitors were pleased with the choice, I know I definitely was! She was efficient, friendly, and had some great courses. My gauge of a good trial is the number of smiles in and out of the ring, and I saw lots this weekend!

The ultimate title that can be achieved in AKC agility is the Agility Champion (MACH, "regular" stream that has 24" jump height for my size dog) and Preferred Agility Champion titles (PACH, "preferred" stream that has 20" jump height).  MACHs and PACHs require 20 QQs (2 qualifying runs in one day - Standard and Jumpers with weaves) and 750 points (one point for each full second under standard course time). The path to a MACH/PACH is long and some people never get there, while others seem to pick them up every few months. It really depends on how consistent a team is and how often they trial. One of the top 5 flat coated retrievers last year had 19 MACHs, while another had 17 MACHs!

Rosey and I aren't aiming quite so high, I would be delighted to get to 1 PACH (we are in the preferred stream), and I hope one day we'll get there. This weekend was the second weekend to work towards this goal, and I think we did not too bad :). We were able to snag our first QQ and 45 points two weekends ago at a local outdoor trial, and it sure felt good! This past weekend Rosey and I managed to get another QQ on Friday with some beautiful runs. Saturday we were able to put together two more awesome runs, but I ended up not cueing a jump properly after the table and so ended up not qualifying in our Standard run.
( JWW on Saturday - 19 points! ) Sunday seemed to continue the luck of refusals, but I think we had two of the best runs of our lives on Sunday. :) I'm still beaming and so proud of her and all the work we've done!

Current progress: 2/20 QQs, 83/750 speed points

Another year gone by

Summarizing 2013. Seems like it went by so quickly! Between dog shows, teaching, new house and all the family that we had to come visit, I don't know where to really begin! So that I can look back and remember what 2013 really was all about, here are the biggest moments of the year.

Biggest learning moment of the year - Learning Dawn Weaver's theories and ideas. Incorporating her style into my agility handling has made an unbelievable difference in my dogs. Rosey and I were getting close to figuring each other out at the beginning of 2013, but we still had lots of sniffing and were frequently over course time because of low confidence. Even though I feel like we still have a long way to go, Rosey has had more "real" runs in the past few months than in all our years previously. We still had to work on a few little things to clean up our runs - timing to keep bars up and contacts on the walk - but it feels like I'm finally running agility with a partner.

Happiest moment of the year - Rosey and I finally getting our Open P Standard title, it was over a year to work towards and always with small issues. That run marked the beginning of us clicking together and having fun out there as a team.

Best non-dog moments of the year - Hanging out in San Diego with my folks and siblings, nothing better than a beach nearby and family laughing around the table! Moving into our house, and being able to finally play in a backyard and spread out in the house! Participate in an amazing Sri Lankan wedding last spring (love those two!). And of course, being able to spend another great year with my best friend by my side :).