Training Troop Trial

Well, I'm pretty tired today after two full days of trialing 3 dogs. As usual, it was a fun time, complete with Hallowe'en costume contests, lots of cake & goodies & lots of great dogs!

Boo earned his Silver Award of Merit this weekend, getting his 25th Master Standard Q. This also requires 50 Masters Games, which he had already. He had a couple of nice runs, but I managed to screw up a few times, still having trouble with our timing. He also earned a Steeplechase Q.

I was happy with Blast's runs this weekend - he did the entire trial. We only managed one Standard Q, but he was much more focused (although slower) on all of his runs until the last one - Snooker, where his brain was elsewhere. He almost got the gamble, but missed the DW contact by inches - his contacts are still a work in progress... He had two 5 fault standard rounds, a 5 fault jumpers round, ran clean in team, & had 10 faults in Steeplechase, so I guess that's progress. My goal for the weekend was for him to focus, which he did for the most part. We've still got weave pole problems, he wants to avoid them, but once he's in them, they're pretty good.

Bizzie had an exciting weekend. We've been working very hard on her start lines & she did hold them for most of the runs. She broke when someone held her puppy up to watch her & she caught sight of that, but came right back. When I led out (quite confidently..) for Steeplechase, she ran past me like a bullet, but took the entire opening line correctly, which won her a prize from the judges for most memorable starters run! Other than her first run, which was gamblers, where she was like a little ping pong ball running from tunnel to tunnel, she stayed with me pretty well. She didn't earn any Q's, but she had some really nice runs. She's very quick, so I can lose her on course in the blink of an eye! Hopefully I can improve my handling so that we can work better as a team.

I really need to practice weave pole entries at speed for both my young dogs, it was a problem all weekend, but the footing is so deep, it's difficult for the little dogs, they're having to jump over mounds of shavings & it's interfering with their footwork.

It was a fun weekend - it's nice that the agility folks are very supportive of each other & always are willing to offer advice & support for each other. Thanks to those who have helped me out!

Finally some successes!

We did a one day trial on Sunday(fortunately indoors since it snowed!)
My dogs all had some brilliant moments!
Boo was entered in Masters Standard, Challenge, & Masters Gamble.
In the standard course, I'm finding our timing is off & I pulled him off a jump that I thought he was committed to, then I sent him off course - not our best showing! I probably need to practice more with the little fella, but I've been spending more time with the young'uns.
The challenge course sure was a challenge! I really liked it & other than pulling out of the weaves early, Boo ran it very well. I think there were only 3 clean runs!
Gamblers was awesome - we racked up 80 pts, did the mini gamble (12 weaves away from me to a teeter), & got the final gamble - I still can't quite believe Boo can get gambles now since he was such a velcro dog for so long!
Bizzie did the starters standard, Adv gamble, & starters Jumpers. She had a brilliant very fast start on the standard course, jumped onto the table & had a poop! Wasn't expecting that!
She did some good things in the gambers course, but the final gamble was really difficult & she blew her contact on the Aframe & it was over! (There were no Q's in Adv Gamblers!)
She redeemed herself with a lovely jumpers run - we're still working on Rear crosses & sending ahead, so I was very pleased with her run. And yes, Amanda, I promise to praise her more on course - I just find I have to concentrate really hard running her!
Blast did the starters standard, Adv gamble & Adv Jumpers. He had a pretty good weekend, a few problems in the standard round, but he did awesome weaves after the first attempt (this has been a big problem in the past); did some good things in the gamble, but didn't get the final gamble either. He aced his Jumpers run, so that was a great way to end the day! He really did much better staying with me - less distractions running indoors than outdoors I guess.
He actually seemed more relaxed between runs, I let him hang out with me for a while & he was actually tugging & playing, which he does all the time at home, but doesn't often do at a trial.
All in all it was a great day running fun courses & I got to see some great runs from some of my agility friends!