Fourth Trial of the Season
South Jersey Agility Club
July 11 & 12, 2009
Saturday, July 11, 2009
It was kind of nice to have a second trial so close to the previous one to look forward too. Two weeks came and went, Niven and
I headed off for two days “by ourselves”. I thought I would have to crate in the larger crating room and decided to leave Torch at home.
I did not want to leave him in that room, howling his heart out because Niv and I were heading to the ring.
I was surprised to see that room was already full and finding a space for my larger crate was hard. Finally, I resorted to setting up
in my usual spot per the direction of the people running the trial and called it camped. Once again, I carried over the same type of
“walking schedule” for Niven that seemed to work well the last Sunday we showed. I had more then enough time to walk around the building
before walking the Jumpers course, leaving Niv to settle her self.
Novice B Jumpers
For once Niven and I were not the first dog on the line and it allowed for me to hang back, wait
for the first dog to run and then pull her out. This seemed to work well at Poodle Club and it continued to with this course
Niv did break her start line stay, which put me in a position of calling “over” while she hauled off to knock the #2 Jump. Ironically
I ended up in a better spot for the turn and we continued on with Niv picking up speed.
She was over the #5 Jump with me well behind and all I could do was call a tunnel command. I thought I did a good job of hand
signals ( up and out ) with an early verbal of ‘tunnel’, but that did not work and Niv started to spin. The spinning did enable me to
catch up and recover the run. From there we continued on, Niven getting the Pole entry and set perfectly, then on to the rest of the course.
The #11 jump was also knocked, a possible result of me cutting behind too soon, which can cause her to look back. Turning seems to be a problem
lately resulting in a lot of knocked bars.
Non-Qualify
Two knocked bars at #2 and #11
Open Standard
This was the type of course Niven does really well on. There were choices she had to make, but
most of them were not glaring to the point of me not being able to
convey what was wanted. What would be interesting is the Tunnel/Frame discrimination, something she had practiced in class, but can some times throw me off.
To be honest, I “thought about the #12 potential downfalls”, but never really gave it serious thought that I had Niven….until now.
My real goal for this run was to get her to perform all twelve weave poles, as we have yet to work these in competition. She has the six down, but even
in class there is a struggle after the sixth or seventh pole.
The run began with Niv holding the stay and keeping the bars up. After a front cross-turn for me in front of the Poles, Niven turned with me, only to
miss the entry and restart. We got about halfway through, me trying to remain patient with arms at the side when she popped out. A restart was needed
and a non-qualify gained, we made our way back and through, this time perfectly. I was beyond excited with her speed and accuracy, fueling us on.
Unfortunately, I turned too soon for the #11 Jump, causing Niv to turn to look. She did come around to #11, letting me complete another front cross.
Both bars did come down, but I was very pleased to be able to handle this way. Even better, I called for the Frame and she hauled straight up, the Tunnel
underneath not even a worry.
What did happen was the Frame contact was “jumped” high, something carried over from the previous trial that I was not sure was a result of me being
further out/away and not enforcing. In any case, the contact was made, the Table a Sit while she barked at me and the Teeter performed perfectly.
I have to say Niven did a really nice job of this course, no indications of having the run ruined by her going off to visit people like last time.
If anything, she seemed more focused…….
Non-Qualify
Two Refusals at the Weave Poles
Two Dropped Bars #10 & #11
Novice B FAST
I was very happy FAST went last, as I could design my own course and run Niven as fast or as easy as I wanted too. Normally, I am more excited when a class like
this is held first thing on a Saturday morning so the “the stupids” could be run out, but with Niv seeming to run out of steam as the day wears on,
I will take it as a new opportunity.
I thought the Send Out would be more difficult then it appeared and was not sure how she would handle the Frame contact with me being further out.
Add in the Tunnel refusals of lately and well, I was just glad to be able to run at full tilt.
There really was no way to run this course with “something flowing” and at last minute I elected to drop the second set of Poles and send Niv out to
cut the one Jump near it. By sending her over the Three Point Jump and calling her back to the Frame, I was hoping there would be a straight and speedy approach.
We started out with a super fast Jump Chute and Niv missing the Poles completely. Once she was back she slammed through and sent on to the Tunnel,
only to come out to find me running. I did NOT set her up correctly for the angle Jump and left it uncompleted since it was only one point.
She did go out to the Three Point Jump, turned right and barreled up the Frame, hit the contact and bolted for the Tunnel. I think I managed a
blind cross to the Teeter and sent her over the last One Point Jump to have the whistle go off.
By now, Niven thought she was done and was heading to the ring gate, but I managed to get her to come to me, while I was still moving and the whole run
just lost steam. She nosed the timer off and dropped the bar; a horrible way to end a course, but the run was exactly what was needed!
We ended up with one second time fault, losing…one point for a total of
sixty-eight.
Qualifying Run – 1st Place
Novice FAST Title
The day ended on the most positive of notes, a great and fast run with Niven really trying to haul around.
I believe the pre-run balance for her is to wait until the last possibly moment to pull her out of the crate
and have a game or two while the one or two dogs run. I did add in the “weave in and out of my legs” game,
as I remember I do this for the first run while in class. I think it did help with the “time for work” mindset,
but could be all wrong at the next trial.
I am not sure of what impact Torch’s being left at home had, but I did notice the one on one attention seemed to
really help. I know this does with Torch when we go to the Breed Shows and Niven gets left home.
What did bother me about our runs was the number of dropped bars Niven has been doing lately. I know that she
tends to run better when my arms are out stretched, but I could not say for sure if I was “jabbing” my arms or not.
I figured I would fall back on the “slow and steady” on Sunday and see what happens.
In the meantime, whatever she does is whatever she does. I really was not expecting to qualify purely because I had
shifted my focus to working other issue areas that we as a team have been facing. What I was happy about was having
Niven stay focused and not feeling the need to sniff or visit.
The next morning saw me getting up late……again and making that mad scramble out the door.
Niv seemed different this time, almost laid back in an odd way. I could not really place it,
but worried there was no excitement or want to go. I could not be further from the truth.
The morning began with the Novice Jumpers run followed by Open FAST about twenty minutes later. I figured to move her
up purely to get experience with a longer distance Send Out area. The third run, Open Standard would happened around noon.
Smacking two runs on top of each other would be interesting since we have yet to have this happen. I was not sure if Niv
would peter out on me or hardwire circuit short so I knew to remain reserve and ‘just go do it’.
Novice B Jumpers
After spending time trying to figure out what would run first, Jumpers or FAST, I decided to throw in with the lot running out of order and beginning after the judging change. This worked perfectly, adding a few minutes between runs.
This course was very nice, open and offering a fast go. Niven held the start line stay and I moved only as far as the first Jump before sending down the Jump Chute. I paid more attention to my hand motions and really did not put too much into what Niven was doing, only trying to remain calm enough to make sure she was getting the direction needed. I think this worked, but there were two knocked bars at #4 and #6, both with turns.
I started to wonder if I needed to take her back to 20” Jumps in practice and spent time during the afternoon thinking through different practice routines and what was done in class and at home last year.
As for the rest of the run, Niven stayed super focused, moved with me, missed the weave entry, but went back to complete all six at mach seven. Honestly, this was a really nice run, but the bar knocking was starting to bother me. This was not about “seeing the failures of Crumpet”, but about the why this is happening with a dog that clears jumps with four inches of clearance.
The #4 Jump bar drop may be a result of Niven not paying attention to her stride. A changed needed to be made and she did not change any body movements that would allow for a longer, higher jump over #5. Also, she could have been more attentive to the back of the #10 Jump, anticipating that call, thus not being in stride for the right turn. I may have also turned too fast, but I thought I had paid that extra attention and matched my movement to her speed.
For the #6 Jump, more then likely I began to move toward Niven to prepare for the Rear Cross way too early. This could have resulted in her “flinching” and dropping the bar.
What is also a possibility for both or all knocked bars is Niven’s tail. I do have backyard practice video that shows bars coming down because of her tail smacking down on the bar and I am sure comes into play while on course and at class.
For the next class, I decided to really watch what I was doing with my arms and just run.
Non-Qualify
Two Knocked bars - #4 and #6
Open FAST
I must have walked this course eight thousand times and I could not find one particular “path” that would work better then the
others. Part of the problem was that after the Send Out, the only option was to perform the Weave Poles. I was not thrilled with
that idea because I knew it was a time waster and more then likely we would have to go back to restart. It was while watching another
person run past the Poles to head to the Chute that I smiled. It was perfect and something too obvious. I elected to do the same with
the idea that at least Niven could haul butt after me.
Jump bars did come down despite my arms being out, but I attributed that to pushing for speed. The Teeter worked perfectly as a launch
for the ten foot send out to the Tunnel and I was more then pleased that Niv hauled straight up the Frame. The only problem was me being
at a longer distance and her jumping the contact, but she did go on to the Tire.
The Panel jump came down as I called the turn too early and was still back at the Tire. I have no idea of what happened after that as I
had turned to haul towards the Chute calling her as I went. When I looked back, Niv was in the Weaves. After a few poles she popped out and we continued on for the rest of the course. Unfortunately, we did not qualify because of the jumped Frame contact, but in my book she got the Gamble. I was MORE then HAPPY about how she handled my directions and did not hesitate, but only for the contact area.
I came out of the ring and we went back to where we were crated. Jackie was there, big smile as she complimented us on our run. She did
ask if she could suggest on thing and I took her up on the offer……my arms are out, but I have them too high. With me working Niven in
obedience, all hand signals are normally kept low and by running with my hand even with my head, it is causing her to look back and UP.
At this point, I was willing to give running with lower arms a try and was glad there was still the one run to do it with.
With the morning sun growing stronger and most of the building surrounded with deeper pools of water from the previous night’s
thunderstorms, the frog invasion began. There must have been a hundred tiny frogs hopping around the outside of the Novice/Open
ring and eventually to where we were crated.
Between the trapped birds flying overhead, flies, a few wasps and the frogs, I really wondered if it was worth having the trial
indoors. I was just glad that Niven did not pay the hopping guys any mind because from experience with her and frogs………………
I guess the thousand frogs at once created a strong enough short circuit to cancel out the prey drive.
Open Standard
I decided I liked this course and that it was also one Niven could qualify on. There were the traps that I know she would have problems
with, but by now something between the two of us started to form. I am not sure if it was returning back to Dream Park after Poodle Club,
Torch being left at home or a normal progression of “team building”, but I felt we were more of a team then ever before.
Over the past few weeks I started to think about how Crumpet and I spent nearly eight months in Open Standard and Jumpers before gaining one
Qualifying run. This time around, I decided I was having too much fun running without stress and trying to figure out the hows, whys, whats,
and what-ifs of Agility. Trying to figure out what Niv needs, is trying to convey or what we needs to be doing is bringing the spark back into
training and trialing.
My conclusion was that Niven will Q when it is time to do so and that is more then ok with me. My job for this course was to keep my arms out
low and again match her speed. Niven’s job was to get all twelve Poles done, no matter how many times it takes.
I put Niven on the start line at an angle so she was pointed towards the #2 Jump instead of the #8 DW. I was able to get a lead out and carry
her to the further end of the Tunnel and be ready for the Teeter. Jumps to the Table were accomplished with me having my arms low and steady
and Niv jumping higher.
For the Table it was a down and I did NOT want to make it seem that I was punishing her by putting her into a “lay down”. Instead I asked for
a Sit, then a down to mark that this was different. She slammed into position and started to bark.
I think she launch from the Table and into the Chute, re-launching herself up the Frame. She did hang back to make the contact and pulled to
the right to take the correct end of the Tunnel, but it was my lack of attention that allowed for her to retake the Frame for an off-course.
Moving again I was completely surprised to have her make the Pole entry and begin to weave. About the sixth pole she did hesitate and I was
able to “hand signal” guide her through the rest of them. I performed a Front Cross then, managed to keep both of us centered on the #15 Jump
and not the Teeter and it was over the rest of the Jumps.
While Niv was going over the Triple Jump it dawned on me that all bars were still up and………here is where one will come down. Again, I was
surprised to see her land with all three bars still in the cups.
Even better? We had only one off-course while resulted in a Qualify. Go figured.
I ran into Jackie a short time later and thanked her for the advice about the hand signal and placement. This win was just as much of hers
and it was mine and I was greatly appreciative of one comment made.
Funny how things work like that.
Qualifying Run
Second Place
One Off-Course after #12 Tunnel
The weekend was not that bad and Niven and I accomplished a lot. I loved having the extra FAST run for motivation and pure fun and was
disappointed that we could not pull it together in Jumpers. Then again, I really am having fun in Novice as I do not have to walk or
run courses with a technical mindset.
There were a couple of points I wanted to revisit after this weekend was completed.
Tunnels
The equipment used at the Poodle Club Agility Trial was the same as SOJAC’s. This was awesome for comparison since the huge difference
was indoors verses outdoors. Niven did not once refusal an indoor Tunnel despite the higher humidity. It may have been darker, but I
am starting to accept the ‘inner tunnel heat’ as a factor for refusals. It will be interesting to see if other outdoor shows later in
the year produce the same effect when the temperatures are lower and the sun not as strong.
Jumping
As I said earlier, I thought maybe Niven had fallen into a habit of knocking bars and was trying to figure out what to do for practice.
It was not until Jackie mentioned that my arms and hands need to be kept lower, that bars started to stay up and Niv ran so much better.
This is something that I will have to follow through on in class and at the next trials.
From what I can remember from last October, I believe my hands were kept lower and that is why she managed to jump higher. As class time
wore on, my arms started to be carried too high, thus causing a separate problem. Again, I want to continue this part in class.
Pre-Run Scrambles
I was very surprised to see the number of people who actually scrambled doggie brains just before a run. Although the practice of
Tug-Toy and variety of tricks has always been around, I was slightly horrified by some of the ‘team’ behaviors before a run. I would
never think to let a dog fall into a neurological meltdown before going into the ring and then ask it to literally slam into a focus.
Maybe a seasoned dog could handle this, but first year dogs need a longer pre-run time frame that allows for them to learn how to handle
their excitement.
Poodle Club and the Double Jump
Shortly after the Poodle Club trial was over I found a link for the Photographer at the show. Some of his photographs were awesome,
but I decided to wait for another batch before spending more money.
What these did offer was insight into what was going on with Niven and the Double Jumps. She was crashing them hard and I thought maybe
she was not getting enough height. The photos proved me wrong and I could not have been further from the mark. Niven was not knocking
the bar while in the air, but knocking them UP with her front feet while taking off. It appears she was not adjusting stride and her take
off point was too close; front feet lifting and the front bar was in the way.
In the past I would have jacked the bar height to 26” to compensate for Niven’s lack of lift height when this was an inexperienced stride or
gait issue.
Had I done that:
• Two extra inches on the Jump would have cause an adjusted stride further out and taught a different take off distance.
• Now there is a closer landing point.
• If the dog tail is an issue for knocking bars, this becomes another point to train around.
• …………and poor Jumping spins on itself as the Handler tries to correct something that needs to be learned at the correct jump
height with more stride experience while the handler runs with calm hand signals at the correct hand signal level.
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Jumping is just plan evil. Poor doggies.
I handed my entries in for TBAC’s September trial and have started to balance out the Fall schedule. Looking forward to getting
Torch entered in Breed and continuing on in Agility with Niven. I did find two Retriever Hunt Tests being held during August and
am going to make the attempt to go to at least one. At least the dogs can be left at home in the air condition while I try to figure
out what I really need to be training with Niven.
Until then……………..
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Last Updated on
July 15, 2009
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