August 10, 2008
TBAC Show�N�Go
Niven�s First Agility Runs
For the first time in a long time, I entered an Agility Trial with a new dog. Having lost Crumpet in January and not having him there today was really felt, but in an odd way, it felt as if �something new� needed to be started.
Niven and I have been attending Monday Night Agility Class since January and barring class cancelations due to extreme weather, holidays, and me falling down the steps to severely strain a foot, we have been progressing really well. The only concern that did give me pause was that Niven is limited in �working in new places� experience. I was not sure about the Frame, as we had come back to class after not attending for three weeks and she struggled with the whole concept.
The only thing I could concentrate on was remaining focused on handling and going with whatever was offered. That is the problem with Training and Running; one is never quite sure of what will be, as most of this is situational. Having a totally brand new dog to the sport means that every thing needs to be taught, leaned and applied and that means one day at a time. There can be no pressure when it comes to having fun. We will get where we are going when we get there.
The one nice thing that was certain? I really did not have to worry too much about dropped bars and that is something I never had. LOL I guess it will be something else instead.
The course that was set up was really nice�..once I walked the correct one�which I never did. Seems I got my colors mixed up and walked the �pink cones� instead of the blue ones. I thought the Novice course looked challenging, but was prepared to run it anyway. Good thing someone else kicked the morning off because we would have NQed with Jump 5. Sandy did offer to let me walk the correct course, but since starting training again, I have adopted the philosophy of �whatever� and �just do it�. How many times have we missed walking a course because we are in another ring or there is another conflict?
Since Niven is completely new to the show thing, not being a pup that was walked around and handed off like a baby at a family function, I really did not know what she needed �pre-run�. This is the hardest balance for any handler to figure out and each dog is different in handling its own stress. I elected to not do anything other then a few outside the ring games of Sit/Down, Focus, Leave it, and Weaving in and out of my legs. I rather not have to go to great lengths with toys and long distance hauls out in the field. I have not had great success with this in the past anyway.
In between the start of the morning and me getting ready to run, I did get some pictures and video of the course. All of the limited video I have of Crumpet is still on High Eight tape and with all of these notes I am taking, I wanted to add visuals to the archives. Unfortunately, I did not get any video of Nivie, but that is ok.
The course that Sandy set up ran very well and provided training challenge using Distance and Angle Direction Changes. There were parts that I thought we would struggle with, but one does not know until one tries. Where we did boggle, I was not ready for.
I set Niven up on an angle for the first Jump to the Tunnel and stepped out in front of the Jump to call her over it to send her on. She instead decided to skip the Jump and head to the Tunnel, which resulted in a Call-Off. I chose to restart her from the Sit and moved to be more �in front� of the Jump. This also resulted in her tearing off toward the Tunnel. By then, I got smart and moved to stand off to Niven�s right, send her over the Jump and then turn.
Once we got started the rest of the run fell into place. The Frame at full competition height with a sharp toward into it did not seem to phase Nivie and she completely a �Two On � Two Off� contact which is not being asked for on the Frame, only rewarded if offered. Over the next Jump to the Table where she slid to a grinding halt. The sad part is that she was seated and I moved to pull out a treat which caused her to stand. The count had to start over again.
Niven managed a Stay on the Table and hauled off to the Teeter, where she calculated the board� movement, controlling the whole drop before moving into TOTO. This was something I was really surprised about and VERY excited to see her perform. Eventually the TOTO will disappear for the Teeter as the �Wait� on the Drop Point will be enough to have her hit the contact area, but for now it is encouraged. It works to help keep the Dog Walk Contact consistent while Niven continues to learn.
Once off the Teeter, it was onto another Tunnel and the Dog Walk where Niven once again controlled the Contact with a perfect TOTO. The Panel Jump that followed caused her to balk a bit, seeming to shorten her stride, but we have never trained the Panel, so I was not surprised. What was cool was that she just continued on and acknowledged that jumping was jumping. If there needed to be an obstacle reward, the Chute was next, followed by the Triple Jump, which had not been set up in two months. Niv did realize this jump was bigger and really tried to change her pace, which was done without knocking any of the bars off.
Finding the third Tunnel was not difficult, but I had chosen to perform the Twelve Pole Set that was an option. I wanted to see if Niven could make the turn out and find the Off-Sided Entry, but her nose was already in the ground trying to locate����.a bag with treats that had fallen out of someone�s pocket. Eventually I managed to get her re-focused which entailed changing sides, but once moving, Niven did so with speed and accuracy. The Double Jump finished the course.
Depending on how someone would judge the first jump, Niven would have easily qualified with a Table Fault. In all fairness, I had also entered her in the 20 inch class mainly because that is where we are currently practicing. Once running in competition, she will be a 24 inch dog.
For the second run, the same course was still set. Only by now a huge Thunderstorm was rolling in and periodic lightening was making strikes. It was decided to hold the TBAC General Meeting and then see where everything still stood. At that point, the call out for anyone willing to run go ahead and do so. I grabbed Niven and hauled to the ring in time to be the first person to run a second time.
If I thought there was no pressure before in whatever she did, there were no expectations now. The thunder had grown louder and I was pulling a totally Novice out of the truck without warming her up mentally. She was still struggling with the idea that she as running Agility in a new location�.this would be completely unfair.
Niven did not repeat the Start Line drama and hauled over the Jump and into the Tunnel faster then I could move. TOTO on the Frame should have been let go as she hauled over it and all but continued on. Trying to get her back to the bottom to �do it correctly� brain-slammed her and she barreled off to the Table, thus creating a Refusal with the number 5 Jump.
Once we were back on track the Jump and Table were fine, the Teeter, Tunnel, and DW near perfect, followed but the Panel Jump and Chute. If I remember, Niven decided to baulk at that Tunnel entrance, but I think this was more from air scenting whatever she remembered from the first run. I picked the shorter of the two Weave Poles because of the easier entry, but still had problems with pulling a focus together to find it. This time she mis-stepped around Pole Three and popped out, but once put back through, there were no issues.
The funniest thing happened for me during the second run. Coming from the Teeter and after Niven disappeared into the Tunnel, I found myself performing a Blind Cross. Yes, a Front Cross would have been safer, but it just magically happened all by itself. I think all of the Front Crosses I have been forced to endure in class has resulted in my pulling off Blind Crosses more often.
For the first time running in a completely new location, like not in the yard or the Riding Arena where we practice, I have to say Niven did a really nice job. The mistakes made were ones I was not expecting, as I was focused on the Frame and Poles. Having the other stuff happen is purely training and experience and the least of my worries and concerns. Just have to be more interesting then the Trees again.
As is always how it goes for me was the incoming rain storm. On the day Crumpet received his injury, an unexpected Thunderstorm slammed through the area. It seemed that every weekend during the previous year and appearing to repeat the same, it rained. Not just rained, but poured. So there we are huddled in the truck, doggies in crates and me on the front seat, happy to NOT be wet and all I can think is �its raining again�.
Nothing changes�������.
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Last Updated on August 10, 2008
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