Fun Weekend

We had a great time at the Training Troop Trial in Blazsac this weekend. I had Wicca entered in the whole trial and Sam in four games- Snooker, Jumpers, Gamblers and Team.

Wicca had a great weekend- she ran really well for me- getting the masters gamble but not enough points...She had some moments of Frenzy but I only took her off early once. Her best run was a standard- We had a great start line (the no leash thing works amazing!) and made it half way around the cours with no faults and the whistle blew- the timer malfunctioned- so we got a re run- we had some faults (two bars I think) and I made her redo her dogwalk but it was smooth and felt good. She had a good jumpers run aswell but I was too far behind from where I had planned to be and didn't handle it very good. Snooker was a bust (as per usual :o) ) She right off the bat changed my plans but I thought quick enough and salvaged the opening- we were just starting the closing when instead of taking the tunnel she took a jump that was beside it...too bad....The last run of the weeekend (literally)- Std 3- She and I worked really, really, well together. I was where I needed to be and I thought that we did really well. Her bar knocking this weekend wasn't bad at all- maybe one or two per run but she is getting much better about it.

Sam had a good weekend aswell. He got the Gamble but ran out of time so didn't Q- but it was still a great run. Snooker was really fun- He did really well but dropped a bar in the closing...
His Jumpers Run was amazing- he ran fast and took direction really well. He had a bobble at the tire (refused it two times before taking it) but he still had the third fastest time in the class! So now he moves up to Advanced Jumpers at the next trial. Team he was a little wild! He ran really wide over jumps and out of tunnels so had a few off courses- but.....he weaved 12 poles! I was amazed...he did it with very little help from me and was pretty quick about it!
I am going to start entering him back in standard runs soon.

Things I need to work on:

Sam
- tight turn on jumps
-tunnel/tunnel discriminations
-tire
-weaves

Wicca
-contacts (sticking)
-weave commitment
-spread/double

...

The dogs have been doing great lately. I changed jobs a while back and now work at the Boarding Kennel where we keep our agility equipment- Which means a) that the dogs get to come to work with me! and b) that we get to do even more agility!

In even the short time I have been here I have seen noticable results. I work the dogs every time I bring them for about 15 minutes. This is on top of our regualr practices.
Wicca's weaves are very much improved- no frustration, hitting entries and she is nailing contacts and we also practice "stay" she has to stay while Sam is working and it almost kills her but she does it....mostly...I think that this will really pay off at trials.

Sam is doing really, really, well- he is such a neat dog. He is in advanced standard now- which means he has to be able to weave without me- so he didn't get to play at the last trial at all and only gets to do a few games at the next one....So weaves have been a major project but I am happy to say that with the extra practice he's finally getting it....I have him entered in Nov in one advanced titling so we'll see how that goes.

We are off to a trial this weekend in Calgary and then there is another one In November, and I entered Wicca in an Obedience trial at the Canine Center for Nov29.....aaagh! We have been practicing alot and she is doing really well so hopefully we can keep it up and come away with a leg or two!

-amanda

Start Line

Sarah and I ventured to Medicine Hat for the day on Saturday- I had Wicca entered in just three standard runs. Sam is still figuring out the weave pole thing so until he gets it he won't be running much at trials anymore....

So- our first run was pretty bad. Wicca was frantic at the start line- didn't knock the first bar however....She did blow the contact on the dowgwalk- so i made her do it again- she ran the first half of the course pretty well after that. -And then she blew the wall...so I picked her up and ended the game. Wicca was a little annoyed I think....
I have been playing around and testing different things at trials- we have our warm up down pat and it seems to work fairly well.. We do heeling, attention, weave through legs, over a few jumps, stretching and stays.
The next run (Std#2) I took her lead off before we got in the ring and took advantage of a timers delay and set her up and made her wait- I walked away- and rewarded the stay, came back to her and released her and played with her. and then set her up again. It was amazing! I did it two times before they were anywhere near ready for me and we actually had a solid start line! It was a good run- except for the dogwalk and wall contacts she didn't stick- (I made her redo them...) but otherwise I felt good about it. She took my direction really good- and wasn't too frenzied.
Std#3- I did the same thing at the start- no leash up to the line, down, stay, release and reward, set up- lead out and Go! It seemed to work really well. This run was a bit better- She still broke her contacts but she was very controlled- and listened really well- she even almost had perfect weaves! She blew past the entry but the second time I sent her in she went in no problem....

So I think some key things I learned-

Long Warm Up- which is hard sometimes with her being the first dog.
No rushing at the start line....
Leash off before I get her in the ring- I am confident she won't leave me and take off onto equipment.
Be confident in the lead out....

Sarah had a great day with Bird- his first time in Masters Standard and he Q'd Bang, bang, bang...to get his MAD! What a great guy!

Gyp and Wicca got to have some girl time and played well together for the most part- Wicca is pretty selective as to who she'll interact with- she's very much a dog snob....

-amanda

Pictures

Here is two new photos of the corgis'!!!! Sarah took these in Kimberly at the AAC trial. They are just too cute together!

Sam ADC!

Well- I entered Sam at his first full AAC trial and he earned his Agility Dog Of Canada! I can't believe this dog! I entered him even though he still isn't weaving properly but thought that the ring experience would be good for him....Well- he weaved for me (with some help) and managed to qualify in five runs! Three standard Q's - which gives him the ADC and a Snooker Q!
He worked really, really well for me...

Wicca was great this weekend too! We had our best run ever and almost had the masters gamble (the buzzer went before she could hit the table) but wow! she worked really hard- we had one awesome weave entry- great contacts (except for two runs- which i reinforced and made her do correctly), great tables and even had a few start lines...

The funniest part of the whole weekend is that with Wicca and I it is apparently impossible to get a Snooker Q and Sam did it on his first try!

What a great weekend!

End of Summer

Well it is almost the end of Summer. I have been very, very busy. Every weekend I have either worked or attended some sort of dog event. The dogs are all doing great- and they have all done alot over the summer. I will just sort of highlight what has happened.
Starting with the most recent
August long weekend- AKC Show
-Sam earned a leg on his Rally title with a 205/210
-Sam earned a NADAC Tunnelers leg
-Wicca ran both NADAC and CKC- was a raving lunatic mostly but we had some really good runs.

Paws N' Effects Trial- beginning of August....I think
Wicca ran pretty well. I need to be a better handler for her but we are working better over all as a team. Sam did really well. He is very consistent and is learning what dog shows are really about- fun!

Shannen Jorgensen Seminar July sometime
Awesome! It was a very good seminar and I learned alot about my dogs. It was a great weekend and it was really nice to have some feedback on Wicca and Sam. She had some really great advice that seems to be helping a bit with the bar knocking and teaching her that there are consequences for her actions. Also learned some really handy things for teaching weave entries and such....

Kate has been really good- she hasn't been out to any of the above events but I have taken her a few times out to agility and have jsut enjoyed being around her. I'd like to find something that her and I can do together but unfortunately I just don't have the time or the means right now...


Those are the highlights- And the stuff that I can remember off hand. Now that my life is hopefully slowed down a bit I will be back to keeping track of stuff here.
When I have time I will come back and type exactly what the dogs did and stuff.

May 20 something....

How time flies!!!

I can't believe it is already the end of May....Summer has just begun and already every weekend is crammed full of dog stuff!
Here is some doggy news....

Wicca earned a leg on her CD- she did really well but was quite stressed about half way through our routine...I think that although I thought we had gotten past her obedience ring nerves she still has quite a bit of growing up to do...I am going to wait probably another year or so until ptting her back in- In the mean time I am going to get her out to as many fun matches as I can.
Agility wise we have been working hard. Regionals is coming up in a few weeks and there are still quite a few kinks to work out. We are working really well together- finally. But there is still a lot of training on both our parts...I have been working on my handling, and being able to get where I need to be and have stopped worrying about her- She is learning to listen even when she is excited and is consistently holding a start line, not popping of the table and is less frustrated about the weave poles.
We are having a seminar the first weekend in July and I am hoping she will have some good tips and suggestions for us.
Here is a cute picture of Sam and I- at a Rally seminar...Whenever I reward him he jumps straight up like a Kangaroo!
He is doing great. His heeling is getting better and better. He is a very happy, up beat heeler and I'd like to keep him that way. I am also working on his weaves. i have decided to try Susan Garret's two by two method and it is going really well. The rest of his agility stuff is going awesome. He is much more confident on his contacts and and is a great jumper. I have started doing harder sequences and am hoping to enter him in August at the AKC show...

Kate is awesome. She is coming "out" about once a week either to obedience, agility, or just to run around the training yard and seems to be enjoying herself. She is really turning grey these days....but is still acting young and being cute.....
More updates and new pictures coming soon!!!!

update

We have been very, very busy over the past month. The dogs are all doing great and are enjoying our mild winter (we have only had a few cold, snowy days)
We have been to two trials in the past few weeks- in the middle of the month we went to an AAC trial in Calgary where Wicca ran very well- she earned two Q's- one in advanced Gamblers and one in Team....her other run were pretty good but her lack of a solid start line and my lack of control did us in on the other runs. This past weekend was a One Day NADAC Games trial and it was a lot of fun. I have never played tunnelers, touch 'n go or Weavers before so it was really neat to see. I of course didn't enter Wicca in tunnelers- I feared her little brain may explode by the third tunnel...but Sam played! He did great. It was his first competition ever and he had a blast. The first one he was a little hesitant but still Q'd, but by the second one he was way more confident and dove into the tunnels like a mad man- earning a second Q!
I had Wicca in two touch n go games...touch 'n go is just tunnels and contacts so I figured Wicca would love it...she did....a little too much....
The first course she did pretty well....her "oops" were my fault- I didn't give her clear enough directions...the second one Wicca was pretty wound up...blew her start line out right and by the middle of the course was a crazy beast and I picked her up to take her off......I am sure we'll get our act together someday....I hope....

In the mean time we don't have another trial for a few weeks now so I am going to take that time and work on start lines...at this point with her all I care about is that she stays on the line...I have to change my criteria and be tough about it...no couching, no whining, no scooting....no breaking....I'll keep you posted....

With Sam I am going to start working on weaves. This past weekend he proved that he is ready to be out and handled being in the ring like a pro...we just need to improve his contact equipment performance and start those weaves.......

Kate stayed home both of those weekends but I did take her out to practice last week. She had a great time...I kept things really short, only ran her about 4 or 5 times and quit as she was showing signs of being bored....hopefully we can get her back into the groove sometime this summer.....

news

Well I am glad the holiday season is over....it always seems like an awful lot of work for one day....

Anyway, we are back from an AAC agility trial this past weekend and boy was it fun. Wicca was a dynamite! This was the first full trial and her first runs with weaves and she did great. She nailed her entries and only popped out when there was 12 and a tunnel after but I made her work through it and I was very proud of her. Her pole knocking was minimal- and overall I was very impressed with my little girl she ran fast and listened very well.

We have yet had the chance to run Snooker- she breaks the line and we end up getting whistled off right away- this was our third try and we blew it yet again...what a goof she is....

Her jumpers round was amzing she had the fastest time- of 19seconds! She was flying AND listening.....

Team was so fun- Kaleb and her were team partners and it was a blast.....Wicca ran her half clean.....Her first clean anything.....Kaleb was showing off for her and had a few faults but it was still a really great run....

Her standard runs on saturday were okay- she held her contacts but I wasn't paying attention and didn't handle her very well....
Her sunday standard was awesome- we layered part of the course, nailed 12 weaves and if not for the end jump/chute discrimination we wound have Q'd....I told her chute and wicca took the jump instead....It was my fault- I should have stayed in her head more instead of just assuming she would take it....

Overall it was a fun weekend....We slept in the barn which was an adventure (but not as bad as you would think) and even though It was an exhausting weekend I am very satisfied with how my dog and I did....

We do have some things to work on though
-staying down on the table- she likes to hover and is a bit slow going into the full down
-start lines.....I didn't have them for much of the weekend....

lots to talk about

Well...still no home computer...it sucks....

anyway last weekend we went to calgary for another ckc agility trial. Wicca was a maniac!! She had a great time but I definatly have to work on self control with her. We had a hold up at the start line so we had to wait for quite a while and by the time we were ready to go Wicca was so wound up she was screeching before we even started...I ended up pulling her right off the course when she blew her contact on the wall...I have never had to do that with her...Wicca is a work in progress...
We did have some really good runs though- she earned leg #2 for her novice title.
Scent hurdle was fun- we earned 35 points.....

I have Wicca entered in a couple AAC trials coming up soon so that will be fun- her weaves are awesome and I have been working on building some self control with her-
I have a revised list of things we are going to work on over the winter
-table (fast approaches, no flying off)
-start lines
-tunnel entry discriminations
and jumping
she was really good at the canine center- she had to jump safer and the 12inches made a difference to her...she barely knocked any poles....but I think AAC 10inches will be a lo of knocked bars to start with....
what can I say...I got what I wanted a high drive dog that loves agility....

update

Well- my home computer is still busted.....it sucks....
anyway- thought I would update the blog with news about the beasties.
Kate is still enjoying being a house dog- she hasn't been out to agility or anything for a long while- she is jsut hanging out- keepin' the corgis' and the kitties in line...

Wicca is doing fantastic- I took her to the barn last week- well the week before and got a really good practice with her- Her weaves are fantastic-very consistent. I am excited about trialing her thi upcoming year. I have her entered in another CKC agility trial next weekend that I am pretty excited about- I will take her to the barn next week and work on jumping- with tunnel distractions- she seems to knock bars mostly when there is a tunnel as the next obstacle.....

Sam is so fun- he is such a good boy- a hard worker and really enjoys being with me. I took him to the barn this past week and worked on his contacts- they are coming...his jumping and directions are really great though- I will work with him all winter and have him ready by spring to trial-

We (Go! Dog Go!) are having a christmas party tomorrow which should be a lot of fun....

-amanda

Wicca Can WEAVE!

After months, and months...and months of practice and training Wicca can weave. I took Sam to practice last night instead of Wicca and brought home the "grown up" poles to work on this week with Woo- I was expecting to have to put the wires on a few times and gradually wean her off the practice poles to the real thing- Wicca said no problem and off she went- like a pro...
I was so proud of her I was jackpotting and jumping up and down like a fool...But wow did it feel good. Her weaving style is very neat- she bounces through the poles- and is fast and accurate. I can't wait for next week to practice at the barn with her....
What a great dog!

CKC Agility and First Title!

Wicca earned her first title! She got her SHD or Scent Hurdle Dog title this weekend. She was great- we haven't practice since august so I was a bit worried but she did great. We did agility aswell- her first CKC trial and her first time at 12inches....what a difference those two inches make1 Wicca only knocked two bars all weeekend- the extra inches make her pick up her feet....she had great contacts and only one "tunnel suck" moment. She came away with one leg towards her CKC Noice title. What a good dog!
I took Sam along for the weekend and he had a great time being admired by everyone. I got a chance to work him a bit in the warmup area and he was great- not the least bit worried about the other dogs and new place...

Computer Problems....

So my computer has been down for almost two weeks now and it is driving me crazy...I still can check my mail everyday at work but miss everything else I do on the computer...you don't really think about how important it is until you don't have it...
Anyway- I have a few spare minutes at work so will catch up on everythin around here...

News

I have been slacking off a bit it seems. I have been really busy with work, and boring real life stuff but Everyone is doing awesome. Kate is still just hanging out- she is enjoying her change of routine I think. Wicca is doing fantastic. Since the "weave pole breathrough" she has been getting better and better as the weks go on. This morning she nailed an off side entry out of a fast pinwheel, tunnel combination. We have a CKC agility trial coming up on the Nov.11th weekend that I am pretty excited about. CKC has no weaves but it will be really good practice for her contacts and jumping. She has to jump 12inches (compared to her usual 10) so I have been really working on her jumping.
Sam is learning a ton and is doing great. I have been working on his obedience a bit more lately and his heeling is coming...he is very exuberant and happy when we work and i love it.
Well- off to work I go...

She's Got It!

Well Wicca can finally weave- she is not 100% by any means- but she is reliably weaving! My backyard poles are straight up- no gaps. No Wires....Nothing....She is stronger on the left side- but that's my fault and I have been working to fix that. I am so excited.
Her weaving style is quite cute- she is a hopper. This morning I did jump, jump, weave, tunnel, come back and weave- and she nailed it. I am so excited!

Dis-obedience

I have been working more and more with Wicca and obedience lately. I haven't done a lot since the lethbridge dogshow and when she was sick but have been puttering around the yard alot with her. She is doing awesome. Her heeling is improved quite a bit from the summer and she is able to work with harder distractions. She is still a bit "I'm a Princess, Make Me" but for the most part she is pretty good. I do have to work on her recall though- something I took for granted. We work on fronts- not alot but at least every few days...she is always really eager and is very reliable- I took her out to a different park this morning and she was a bit weird about the actual recall part though...not too sure what exactly she is thinking. I always leave her with a quiet- "wait" command. And call her "Wicca Front!" but today - every time I did it (about 4times) she kind of started coming and then would either stop or look away- very stressed about it....hmmm....I thought maybe my body language, maybe my tone of voice...so I tried it without making eye contact with her- with a toy, running as soon as she started towards me...as soon as the toy came out she forgot about her stress but it is something I will have to figure out and fix.......

Hold

Wicca is holding her dummy! Yahoo! I was a bit worried about teaching a hold- I had such a hard time with Kate, even getting her to pick it up. But Wicca's got it! She has always loved the dumbbell- I made sure that as a puppy it was the most cherished, special toy. A few weeks ago (actually when she was recovering from Parvo and couldn't be too active) I worked with her for about 15 minutes or so trying to get the duration of the hold up- in scent she spits it at me and that's fine but in obedience she is going to have to hold it until I take it from her. This morning I worked again with her for a few minutes and wow- she is so clever. I started just giving it to her- Take It. Then I moved in front of her (in the "front" position) and asked her to take it again. I got her to hold it for about 4 seconds or so. Then I Stepped a little farther away and asked her to "front" - what a great little worker...She just amazes me!

I worked with Sam a bit this morning aswell- he has been really great with his attention and can almost do a full heeling pattern look at me- now that I have his attention I am going to start teachin him to heel. His natural position is not too bad- he just tends to swing his but out quite wide.

fun, fun...

-amanda

Busy, Busy...

Well- the last week or so has been really...The dogs are doing great, but becuase life has been so busy I haven't had too much to report or write about. I am still working with Wicca on weaves- every day. She is doing really great- the poles are right close together now and she is about 75% accurate- she will still occasionally pop the last pole- so i have the wire back up on that pole. We went to the Kathy Keats seminar last week and it was awesome! Kathy is a great instructor- and worked really well with all types of dogs. We worked on a jumping exercise with a pinwheel on either end and a jump in the middle. We worked alot on front and rear crosses- timing- trusting your dog, obstacle commitment. Wicca did really well until we started added discrimnation with tunnels...oh my...she is a true tunnel suck...So Wicca is "grounded" from tunnels for a few weeks while we focus on jumping- making the jumps a reward themselves(like the tunnel) anyway it is working really well. Kathy is coming back in february and I am definitely interested in going again. Sam is doing awsome. His contacts are coming- he is just a bit slower on learning he can do it himself....I have barely done any weaving with him but am in no hurry- I will maybe focus more on that this winter. For now I am teaching him front/rear crosses on jumps and some simple discrimination. Kate is still enjoying her holiday- I haven't had her out to agility since the trial and have just been doing lots of regular dog stuff. - playing fetch, lots of walks and just letting her be...

Tribute to a great dog

Tribute To A Best Friend
Sunlight streams through window pane
unto a spot on the floor....
then I remember,
it's where you used to lie,
but now you are no more.
Our feet walk down a hall of carpet,
and muted echoes sound....
then I remember,
It's where your paws would joyously abound.
A voice is heard along the road,
and up beyond the hill,
then I remember it can't be yours....
your golden voice is still.
But I'll take that vacant spot of floor
and empty muted hall
and lay them with the absent voice
and unused dish along the wall.
I'll wrap these treasured memorials
in a blanket of my love
and keep them for my best friend
until we meet above.
Author Unknown
------------------------------------

On Tuesday, September 27, 2005 my family and I said a final goodbye to a great dog. Tina will be greatly missed and leaves a huge hole in my heart. She reached the age of 15 before her body could no longer keep up. Tina was my first dog- one that I will remember forever. She taught me so much about dog training, patience, and love. Growing up she was the best friend that you could ever ask for. As she grew older and I moved out- she stayed behind as the family dog- but she was so much more than that. I will miss her cheerful grin and the gentle wagging of her tail. She will be missed forever.
Goodbye old girl, I miss you.

-amanda