Rally and Agility

Roofus had a daytime rally class this morning. It went even better than the last one! He seems to be picking things up very quickly (unusual for him), which is no doubt because he is extremely eager to please. The only problem is that I have to have a treat in my hand the whole time, because he is very easily distracted at this stage. He saw we were being followed by a "judge," and proceeded to go visit her and root through her pockets looking for treats, LOL. He also doesn't like the door opening and closing at the building... He has a very strong flock guardian instinct, and he constantly has to know where everyone is. When people come or go, he feels like he needs to bark at them. I figure he's a bit annoyed that they didn't announce their plans to him beforehand.

One of the teachers told me Roofus is an awesome working dog and that he's going to do really well in Rally. I think he is too. :D In January, I'm going to sign up for Rally classes with Kym at Anything Goes for Dogs in addition to the informal classes at BRAG. She has such a positive, upbeat training style and Roofus responds really well to it!

Last night was week three of Popper and Merlin's agility classes, and they swapped good nights again. I'd love to have a good night with both of them, but apparently that's not to be. Last night was Merlin's great night. He had a crappy contact on the a-frame, but he did really, really well overall. Several instructors told me I need to trust Merlin more and give him some space. I'm really working on it, and I know I CAN trust Merlin, but I don't have quite the same relationship with Merlin that I do with Popper, so it will take some time on my part. I've also got to remember that while Popper may like me super close while he runs, Merlin would prefer I just let him do it without breathing down his neck. It's kind of hard to have dogs with such differences!

Popper's night was almost miserable. The highlight of his class was his beautiful rear crosses into tunnels. He used to be absolutely terrified of them, but I took a private lesson with Kym at Anything Goes for Dogs and we drilled them with tons of treats. I practiced big time at home, and they're just gorgeous now. He has no hesitation at all. However, that's pretty much the only time we can do a rear cross. I'd say 75% of the time, he's very scared if I try such a manuever with him. He'll stop running, put his ears down, tuck his tail, and look for all the world like I just beat my dog. Everyone tells me that with time he'll gain confidence and those reactions will fade. I sure hope so.

Popper also completely died on the weave poles. We've been having this problem, with 12 poles specifically, where he will speed up towards the end, and end up skipping poles. I've been working with him, but I can't seem to fix it. We got to class last night, and he did the poles once and absolutely refused to do them again. One of the instructors told me to reteach the weave poles, that it happens to everybody at some point. Sigh... I wish I had twelve poles of a matching set. Right now I have 2 sets of six - one is a very nice channel weave set, the other is a cheapo PVC set that doesn't channel, but bends. So I can't run 12 channeled poles at once, they have to be straight. And I think that's what I really need to do. I also wonder if having some word I can say while he is weaving would keep his spirit up and keep driving him. He has to CONSTANTLY be reassured and complimented while we run, or he loses interest and starts sniffing. Disengages. I think 12 poles may be too long for his beagley mind to go without something from me.

So, to sum up - Merlin's doing great, Popper's having some setbacks, and Roofus loves Rally. :)

Tips for your First Agility Trial

It was only in February that I first began participating in agility trials. I remember the first one clear as a bell - because I was completely, totally, a nervous wreck. I don't like not knowing exactly what to bring or what to expect. So I have formulated this little article with some helpful information for anyone planning on competing in their first agility trial.

What to bring
Keep in mind that this is by no means an exhaustive list, but merely suggestions on things you should plan on taking!

1. Dog Crate or Exercise Pen (some trials do not allow X-Pens - read the premium)
   
2. Water (you AND your dog) and water bowls
3. Treats. Stinky, yummy treats to keep your dog's attention away from the ring when you're getting him out of the crate, as well as to reward when you're back at your crate after a run. Don't forget snacks for you!
   
4. An extra leash and collar. Because something could happen to yours. It has to me!
   
5. Crate/xpen mat. Some trials require them. Read the premium.
6. Rule book for whatever organization you are running in. Folks are always asking me to borrow my rulebook. And it's good to make sure you know the rules before you run.
7. Notebook and pen/pencil to record how your dog did.
8. Poop bags
9. Toys - either for a quick game of tug/fetch well away from the rings, or to play with in the crate.
10. Chair - it's a long day.
11. Blanket - for covering your dog if he's a barker, or if there is a draft in the building.
12. Portable battery fan. Don't bother with those tiny crate fans. Get a big one that takes about $10 worth of D batteries. These are awesome for the summer.
13. Hat/Sunglasses/Sunscreen/Hair scrunchie - must haves for outdoor trials!
14. A book, crossword puzzles, etc. You probably won't want to sit there watching the other dogs all day long. It's good to have something else to do as well.
    
15. A good attitude! No matter how you and your dog do, have fun doing it

Other Tips
It's always a little scary taking your pooch to a trial for the first time. Here are some more tips for your day!

1. Get there as early as the club will allow you, so both you and your dog can settle in and get measured.
2. You may be able to have your stuff already set up - some clubs allow you to help set up the night before, and workers are rewarded with setting up their gear that night.
   
3. Relax. Even if you run into an obstacle, trip and fall, or misdirect your dog - everyone has seen it before. It's probably even happened to them. Laugh heartily and finish, if you can, or take a breather.
4. Talk with some of the other folks at the trial. There is plenty of advice to be had if you want it!
5. If someone from your home club is there, they may be willing to walk the courses with you (if the organization permits it - CPE does).
6. Walk the course until your time is up or you feel comfortable on it. Even if you're the only person left out there walking.
7. Your dog will probably react differently at a trial than at training class. Popper has a very nice and reliable sit stay in class. At a trial, he has no idea what that means, making lead-outs impossible. Merlin is a leisurely trotter in class, and a full-out marathon sprinter at a trial. Be prepared to react on the fly to whatever happens.
8. If someone can video the run for you, it's always fun to have. Even if you don't like watching it to see how you did (and possibly explain why Fido went through the tunnel instead of the tire), it's a great memento to have of you and your dogs' first trial run together!
9. The judges are generally very nice, especially to folks new to the sport.
   
10. You can tell when your dog has had enough. It's probably a good idea to only enter your dog in 2 or 3 runs unless you have this energetic ball of fur that can run and run and run without ever getting tired. If you enter in too many runs, and your dog is mentally *done*, you could do more harm than good by trying to do "just one more run."
11. Don't get upset at your dog or yourself! If this is your first trial, you're still very new to agility, and the more you compete, the more relaxed and better you will get at it. You started in agility to have fun with your dog - so go have fun, whether you Q or not!

I hope you have fun at your first trial! It was a fantastic learning experience for me, and even though they still scare me senseless (generally, right when I enter the ring, LOL) they are a lot of fun and the dogs really enjoy it!

Agility Woes and Yays

So, as you may have read, I'm doing a "fun" dog agility class with Popper this session instead of repeating the handling class we were in. I was having absolutely zero fun, dreaded going to class, and Popper felt my reaction and started being less cooperative and joyful in his runs. I could get maybe one run out of him, and then we were done.

This is our third week in the fun class, which is zero pressure, and after the second week I saw a huge difference. Popper works for me the entire time (although he wouldn't call it work, I'm sure!), and I'm actually sad when class is over. His response to my directions, garbled though they may be, is phenomenal. He's so amazing that I find it hard to believe we've only been doing agility for a year. At our last trial, he only went off and visited during one run instead of both of them. I think before he was getting so stressed (because I was getting so stressed) that he would run off to visit folks. He always comes back, it's just annoying when you're on a speedy course. :) I'm really glad we're taking the class, because there's no point in doing agility if it's not fun.

Merlin is in the "weaves and teeters" class. He could do a full height, ground to ground teeter before even entering the class. I just started him on upright weave poles, too. So passing the class shouldn't be a problem. The problem I am having is, right after we decided he would make his debut at an agility trial in August, he suddenly decided the backyard is an evil place to practice agility in. The inside is fine, but the backyard - no. He'll do the teeter, and anything else is like pulling teeth. He's very intent on agility in class, very aware of my body positions, very eager to do whatever obstacle I tell him to, handles everything like a more seasoned competitor - but in the backyard, he's like a lost little dog that's never seen agility equipment before. I have no idea what happened. I suppose I have to start back at square one to see if I can get anything out of him. I want to pack up some obstacles and take them over to my parents' yard to see if he'll do agility there. The trial is an outdoor one, so I really need him to work outdoors. I'm not expecting much out of him for the trial, being his first one and all, but if I try to run a dog that looks like he's terrified, well, I'll probably get kicked out of the competition. I'll keep updating what's going on with him and our progress...

New Dog Agility Store!

I am very pleased to announce the grand opening of Popper's Agility T-Shirts, located at www.PoppersAgilityTshirts.com. The focus is on agility, but you can find other dog sports merchandise there as well, like flyball, disc dog, herding, and more. In addition, I have a lot of breed specific designs, so if you want a tshirt or coffee mug with your border collie running flyball, or your corgi catching a flying disc (aka frisbee), I've got those too. I rounded up the best designs available and put them all in one location, easy to find. :) I hope you enjoy it!

Learning the Weaves - Part II

Okay, I've tried this new weave pole method - and it's awesome!! Popper doesn't have that "what the heck does mommy WANT??" look on his face anymore. I can just walk beside the weaves, and he automatically starts weaving now. Better than last week, where I had to lure in, lure out, lure in, lure out. We practice at least once every other day (I'm shooting for twice a day, it's hard with all the other dogs around) and he drastically improves each time. I can't wait until we're running through them!

The method I keep referring to is at BAD Agility, the bearded collie agility website. If you think about it, it makes total sense! I love that it's something you can do at home, that it relies heavily on YOUR body language, and that there are no stupid wires or guides required. Since I'd been using food luring, it only took Popper two times before he caught on to what I was doing and now he wiggles his way through, prancing the entire way. I'm going to work on stepping it up a notch now. Hopefully I can get a video on here to show his weaving skills! I'm so proud this is one agility obstacle I have taught Popper 100% on my own.

Learning Weaves

So I have been taking Popper out nearly every day, a few times a day, trying to get him to do the weaves consistently, and most importantly, on his own. He's caught on to the point where if he isn't quite sure what I want, will start weaving in and out of a few poles to see if he gets rewarded for it. He hasn't caught on, unfortunately, to enter on the right side. I found a webpage that had some great tips for teaching weaves, but I'm not coordinated enough at this point to follow them. I'm working on it, though, because it relied HEAVILY on body language, and Popper definitely follows my body language intently.

Since we've been focusing so much on dog agility, I made a bunch of general dog agility tshirts and other cool products. They're all cartoons, and the dog in them isn't breed specific (though I did base him on my Popper!). The crying dog at the teeter totter, in particular, is Popper... he really REALLY does not like the buja board so far! I'm hoping we'll have more success with the teeter since it only goes ONE direction.

So please, check out my cool agility apparel. Starving artist here! :D