just another manic wednesday

well, yesterday was the day from hell :) i operated on destiny and took off three more mammary gland tumors and spayed her, so she's sore as hell and whining from her fentanyl patch (but flying nice and high!)...

on a total side note, berlin is currently being tethered to me and we're working heavily on her pet dog stuff.

almost didnt make it to agility class - but it went well. worked berlin well before our runs and in between runs, and she was better. i still have some questions in my head, but she's working well.

started with weaves- berlin was spot on, but not as fast as she can be. debbie wants me to go back to verbal marking each correct pole for now.

rah had a superstar moment and was FAST and absolutely correct with the poles and single stepping. debbie said when he gets speed on him he's going to FLY through them! and he even threw in a foot target for old times sake :)

then moved to doing some sequences from USDAA nationals this past week (my trainer was out there). rah handled the first sequence really well, even though i threw my front cross in late, but it really helps to have dogs that you can send to the tunnel from a distance - and rah loves me using my "oh shit arm" (offside arm) to pull him in, worked great with the threadle!

berlin did well too on that sequence- im trying to run her like she would be in the trial, instead of taking huge lead outs, just giving myself a jump or so. need to work on those stays at the same time :)

second sequence was much harder for rah, because we had to run past the tunnel 3 times and NOT take it - so because of that, i had to position myself in front of the tunnel and it made it hard for me to get to the places i need to be to push him out and round the jump line. berlin had an easier time, but she's not AS ocd as rah is about the tunnel - she's close though :)

hung out for a long time until rah's utility class - i pulled him from the heeling class because it's not at his level right now. its actually an open/utility class so we call it the versatility class :)

we started with db retrieve games - restrained retrieves into fronts, other games, etc - he actually controlled himself really well!

then we played a glove game - quick succession each of us went in and got a glove then left. rah for some reason thought we were doing go outs and kept trying to target the stanchion :) silly boy - but he did fairly nice gloves.

moved to signals- rah broke. of course, he broke because his first one was perfect, so kathy had me do a crouch and run game - so he walked every other stand after that - kathy worked him to try to fix it, but he needs to understand the constructs of the crouch and run and maintain his own position until i truly release him. training point for the next week :)

articles - rah was perfect. PERFECT. worked a pile of 12 articles out, and kathy was RIGHT THERE and he did 4 perfect retrieves. im so thrilled with that.

then kathy and i worked on his bj and him cutting him and him arcing so much on the front - im meeting him out at the spot i want him to land in, and playing with him there - then im also immediately showing him where front is. it actually causes him to power over the jump LESS which is fine - he jumps it so hard and with such extension that *that* creates part of the reason he overshoots. of course, part of my body language is the cause as well. as always.

speaking of db retrieve games - we were discussing all stars this year and they may allow people to compete as "teams" too - one dog at each level. rah wants his team to be called SIX FLAGS. and he cannot wait - CANNOT WAIT - for the db retrieve relay game. he was made for that relay.