Agility

I took the girls agility training this morning and had a great session. I have very specific things to work on with both of them and I managed to do everything on my list for today.

Wicca- we've gone back to basics, literally. No more than 4 obstacles in a sequence. I've been working at home on rebuilding, and making sure that Wicca and I are on the same page handling wise. Today I worked on one jump stuff, I did some lead outs, worked on her a-frame, and did part of a tough weave exercise everyone else was doing. She had great jumping today- all the work seems to be paying off. She only knocked one bar the whole session. I struggled with some timing and focus on my part with a push through to serp exercise but I persevered and we did get it. I feel that we are starting to get some of our working relationship back. I think that I am on the right track with what I am doing. Right now *I* need things broken down so I can really see what is going on with my handling. I was talking to my friend today on the way home about that- in the past we rarely run clean the first time in training. I would say 90% of the time we have errors the first (or second) time running a long sequence. How then do I expect us to have our shit together in a trial setting? So yeah. I am feeling good about my plan. I plan to challenge myself every session, and above all else stick to my own set criteria and plan.

Pixel did really great today. I've worked hard on pumping her up each time she does agility and it is really paying off. She is excited EVERY time she has a turn- which is what I want. I did about 10 repetitions on the a-frame, not always a full frame, but used the hoop and manners minder every time. She really doesn't understand what I want at this point. And I can really see that I've rushed through training on that. (bad me). Her dogwalk was awesome though- each time she nailed it and was fast and focused ahead. I am very pleased with her progress. I did just a few little jump exercises with her and she did well. She still is not as fast as I'd like- but I think that is in part to her being unsure still of some of the handling. I broke things down a lot for her and used the tug and ball as a reward. The weaves were great- she is getting quite speedy, and is able to find an entry and maintain that speed the whole way through. I am not helping her at all and he is focused ahead and not on me- which is perfect. And I spent some time on the teeter, I've decided I want her to stay on the teeter until a release rather than just a run off...so we worked on that for the first time.

So yeah, all in all a pretty wonderful morning!