USDAA Nationals - It wasn't all about Agility

Okay, it was......but there were other things to see and do!  

For instance, we went car shopping for Meme!!

We didn't even have to go far!  

This one was parked just a few vehicles away!

Talk about making our silver van easy to spot!

 We went to Churchill Downs.

What a HUGE place that was!

  

Here's Barbaro!!

What a spectacular Statue!

 Then we went for a walk at a beautiful park 

across from the Louisville Zoo!

Did I mention how awesome the weather was!!!

We even had some time to tour the lot for RVs. 

Not that we'll ever get one, but it was fun to look. 

Is it just me....or is there just something WRONG

with this PICTURE!!  G

Now, this is ROUGHING IT!

RILDA STYLE!!

OH, This is NOT good!!

RV with UM... back up......

Van camping is looking better all the time!

Kruz would like to get back to agility NOW!!!

He was in his element!

So many rings....so little time!

Here's another video from Kentucky.  

Some clips from walks, there were 5 groups (A-G)

There was some electronic difficulties on Saturday night, 

so the gate steward and crowd kept us entertained.

With Clapping, Waves, and those crazy bleacher runners!

There was a Canine Cancer Lure Coursing.
Seeker really wanted to play!
You can hear him crying as the Rott
is chasing the lure!
Fun to watch!!

 We had fabulous weather on the way home as well.  

Here's the bridge from KY to IN.  

(the ambulance wasn't for us!)

 The Scenery was pretty!

FINALLY HOME!

Seeker got to play with his new Wubbie!

THANKS JOANN and SPORT!

USDAA Steeplechase - A-Frame and Weaves

The best part of the week at USDAA Nationals, other when running Seeker, 

was the Steeplechase Saturday night. 

Handlers and dogs were running all out in order to WIN!  

How much fun is that! 

Bill happened to pick the perfect seat!

  Right on the decent of the A-Frame!  

I wanted to see how dogs handled the A, 

and how they were going to handle that tricky stretch right after the Frame.

I really liked how Daisy Peel and Solar handled that jump sequence.

She wrapped Solar around jump #11 and that gave him a

nice line to the next sequence. 

There were others that had a nice push up that line,

but it didn't look as clean as Daisy's.

That being said, Daisy and Solar didn't win the Steeplechase.

It would be interesting however to see if handling it this way would have made 

the first and second place dogs, Feature and Scream, any faster.

Regardless, it was sure a LOT of FUN to watch!

So, the question is:

How will you train your next dog?

Steeplechase Video - USDAA - 10/16/2010

Here's a video put together by Marty, our crating neighbor in KY.  

She did a great job with it!  She was on the opposite side of the ring. 

I'll try to put one together tomorrow morning!

We're BACK!!! USDAA NATIONALS!! FUN! FUN! FUN!

We are HOME!!!  YIPPEE!!!!  We had a great time in KY and we'll be back next year!  

We learned a LOT of valuable lessons that I'll share with you over the next few days.  

I'll admit, if you like Border Collies, you'll see a LOT of them!  Aussies, Shelties and Mals as well!  

In the 12" classes, Corgis seem to rule, both the tail and tailless varieties.  I spoke to two yellow lab owners, they had daughters of Preacher!  Also, a couple Louisiana Cataholas!  One even made the 26" Steeplechase finals!! 

All your walk-throughs were completed first thing in the morning.  They started as early as 7:00 am, or as late at 8:45 am.  It was actually nice how they had it laid out, I was in group D, so for the most part, I walked with the same people.  If you did well, you continued to run...so, you could run as many as 3 times a day.  This meant that you had to walk 3 courses in the morning and then run them through-out the day.  Yes Rilda, I know...You'd be having a FIT!!  It wasn't bad!  HONEST!!  

Here's how I kept it straight!  I tried a piece of paper, but I kept misplacing it.  My hand was with me....all the time!!  Of course, it washed off later, but I was done with it by then.  On this day I walked Grand Prix from 7:15 - 7:25 in the Main Ring, then Ring 3 from 8:00 - 8:10, then Ring 5 for Steeplechase Semi-Finals from 8:30 - 8:40.  Running started at 9:30.  On this day I ran at 11:00, 2:15 and 4:00.  You had plenty of time in-between to go watch other groups run, so you could remember your course.  

Here's the course for the Steeplechase Quarter Finals.

I'll admit, this is becoming my favorite class!  

It's not just because you can win MONEY!!!!

It's FAST!

 

The photo of the ring below is from the far side, so the #10/#17 red tunnel is closest to you.

You'll just need to trust me when I say there was NO WAY to manipulate your dog into that #10 tunnel when you're hauling the mail down that line.  Okay, I'm sure some of those guys with the 6' legs could do it, but it sure wasn't happening for me! 

(Steeplechase Quarter Final Course) 

Seeker made it into the Steeplechase Semi Finals, (pretty awesome since the A-Frame was twice in the Quarter finals), and if his handler would have told him to take the A-Frame the second time, we would have made it to the Finals!!  RATS!!!  Live and Learn!  Sometimes you have to learn by doing I guess. 

I'm very proud of Seeker and how he did over-all.  No one likes to go into a big competition like this knowing you had a 'major' issue with particular piece of equipment.  Especially when that piece is in every class but 2 (Jumpers and Reknooks).  The A FRAME!!! UGH!!  But, we micro-managed it and we able to look respectable.  That will be our winter homework.  I'm still not sure whether we'll go back to the 2/2 or work more on our running.  I'll need to digest this a bit more before I commit.  I do know he's very confused and so, I'll need to do what's best for him.  

Our DAM Team - Three Sheeps to The Wind finished a VERY respectable 32nd of 205 teams and just missed the cut off of DAM Team Relay finalists.  NEXT YEAR!!!!   Great Job Seeker, Shenna and Shiver, Carol and Rio!!!!  We ROCKED!! 

Below on the Right, Stacy Peardot-Goudy said she wanted to be blog fodder!!

She said to tell all those IOWA PEOPLE "HI"!!!! 

I have several videos to share, but will need to edit them.  

The Steeplechase finals Saturday evening was a blast!! 

I'll write up a separate blog for that.  What FUN!!! 

5 rings, endless running and a lot of fun!!  

Plan to qualify and go next year!!!

Off To Louisville,KY!!

Tomorrow we're off to Louisville, KY and the USDA A championships!!

This is the first time we've attended this event and we're looking forward to it.

I'll try to send updates, but I'll confess right now, the  letter 'a' on our laptop isn't working, thus, you might need to fill in the 's long the Way!!  VBG  Unless spell check picks it up, you're going to have to live with it.  G

For now, the coolers re ready to be filled, the dog's raw food is frozen, nd I'm currently making bnn nd blueberry muffins for our breakfast. 

USDAA.com for the details.

I might have to re-employ the gile reporter!!

Right now I do know that the walk throughs re in the morning, so you might have 2-3 courses to remember throughout the Day.  The walking seems to be between 700 - 830, then we start running.  It should be interesting!!

http://projectgodog.blogspot.com

You'll likely get better - quicker updates from Shenna nd Shiver's blog!!

When A Title's On The Line!

Things change!  Handlers change, Dog’s change…..things that were once easy, seem to get tougher!  As crazy as it seems, it’s true!  It’s MENTAL!

Even moving up from Open to Excellent can result in a high percentage of NQs.  Why?  Well, everyone knows that Excellent is MUCH harder than Open.  It’s honestly NOT!!! Yep, there’s that mental thing again! 

Maybe you smoked right through Excellent A, but as soon as you move into B, it all comes crashing down?  Why?  “I’m not this good, I don’t belong here”….. MENTAL!! 

Let’s face it, we put a lot of pressure on our dogs, and ourselves!  The courses haven’t changed, you have!  Walking the course you hear things like; “What out for that off course.”, “That weave entry is horrible.”, “I need to be CAREFUL!!” 

You want to also avoid ‘Over Trying’.  Over Trying or Over Handling is when you attempt to assist your dog in ‘hitting the yellow’ or ‘finding that weave entry’.   This often results in your dog jumping over the yellow or getting a second weave entry.  Your dog is just wishing you’d “STAY OUT OF THE WAY!” Of course we honestly think we are helping.

One thing you should ask yourself is, “How did I get here, to this level?”  Chances are you found a nice balance between doing your job, which is directing your dog, and letting your dog do his part, which is performing the obstacles.

When we try to overstep our job when it comes to being a Team, is when things can go back.  This is a two way street, it’s give and take.  There are dogs out there that would LOVE to LEAD the dance!  There are also handlers out there that would love to WEAVE for their dog!  We need balance and we also need to be respectful of each others ‘tasks’. 

So, if you have when you have a title on the line, keep in mind that you’ve earn it!  It will come!  Enjoy the Journey and your time together!

 

All last weekend in DSM this song was just stuck in my head.   

I do love my Rock Music,

and Papa Roach is one of my top 30 artists. 

So, here are some of Seeker’s Runs along with the song I just could NOT shake. 

“Kick In The Teeth” –….what doesn’t kill me will make me stronger in my head……

IT’S MENTAL!!

Are you missing out on a Key Training Tool?

 What if there was an amazing training tool, that didn’t cost you ANYTHING!   What if this tool was something you HAD to do everyday any way? What if you were actually missing out on what of the best training tools around? I believe it’s possible that a lot of you are! 

What is it?

I call it, 

‘Working for your Supper' 

 

Okay, I’ll admit, it does cost you something.  You do have to buy your dog’s food.  So, it’s not really free.  Then again, it’s something you’d have to have anyway, so it’s not an added expense.  Are you missing out on this totally AWESOME opportunity to train your dog? 

Do you just mindlessly poor your dog’s food into his bowl, and let him mindlessly eat.  Maybe you have him sit and wait until the bowl is on the floor and you release him to it, this is at least a start.  If you are not using this time as a training opportunity, you are so missing the boat!

Once or twice a day you have a fantastic opportunity to train your dog, for something he really wants!  Take advantage of it!

Here are a couple of the more common excuses I hear when I make this suggestion. 

1 ) “I don’t have the time.” 

Let’s take a look at the ‘time’ excuse.  How long does it take your dog to consume a meal?  More than likely, not very long.  How long does it take to drive to and take a class?  A couple hours?  I can guarantee that “Working for your Supper” will NOT take that long!  It will take only a few minutes.  Not to mention you get to do it EVERY DAY!  Maybe even TWICE a day.

I have to get to work in the morning.  Most of us do.  If we were independently wealthy, it would not make this tool any less valuable.  This will literally take a few minutes.  I’m sure there’s time; you just need to ‘make it’.  I would challenge you to get up 10 minutes earlier, skip checking your e-mail in the morning, skip that morning news on TV, make your lunch the night before.  Maybe cut "Survivor" or "Dancing With The Stars" a little short?  There’s some way to make the time, if it’s important enough. 

Our first agility dog, a Bichon named Molly, really struggled with weave pole entries.  Molly really LOVED her food.  So, guess what, that’s what she did for her breakfast and supper.  We WEAVED!!  Our rule became, if I didn’t take her out to weave for her meals, she wouldn’t eat.  That of course was NOT an option, so it made me take her out to ‘play’ in the weave poles.  I simply divided her meals into 1/3’s and we’d weave for her supper.  It made a HUGE difference in her performance, and I believe was a major contributing factory in her achieving her MACH. 

Sorry, Time is an excuse that just doesn’t cut it. 

2)      I don’t have a building to train in.

Do you have a yard?  I know, it’s dark in the morning and dark early at night.  Do you have a porch or yard light?  Trust me, you can make it work.  What about a living room, family room or spare bedroom or basement?  You don’t need a large area! 

Working contacts, use a plank and a cinder block for your 2/2.  Use the stairs.  Weaves, work entries with just 2 poles!  Maybe you have room for 4!  AWESOME!  One jump exercises works in a small room.  Don’t forget your trick training!  It’s mostly about relationship anyway!  You can’t train your dog if it doesn’t want to play with YOU!!

Sorry, you don’t need a training building or a big yard!  You don’t even need agility equipment!  Be creative!!!

3)      I feed raw, so I can’t work my dog for it’s supper. 

Seriously?  I feed raw, and it doesn’t stop me.  Again, you need to be creative.  Muscle meat is really easy to work with, so are cut up chicken hindquarters.  If you have larger meaty bones, trim as much meat off as you can and work with that.  Then they can have the bone. 

I don’t want to touch it.  Again, seriously?  That’s what soap is for.  Okay, use latex gloves if you really don’t like it.  Use a rubber baby spoon and let them eat off that.  Where there’s a will, there’s a way!  Don’t look for excuses, look for solutions!

4)      My dog doesn’t really like his food.

You might be surprised that a picky dog might just become UN PICKY when he gets to work for his supper.  Dogs really do want to please us and if a fun training session involves food, bring it on!  If you have a dog that really isn’t into his food, put it away (the food), for 10 minutes or so, and try again.  If your dog is alive, it’s because he’s eating!!  So, you just need to create that desire.  Don’t give up!

Given just a few sessions of working for your supper, I really think you’ll see an amazing change in your dog’s performance and your relationship!

Train like you Play, and Play like you Train!!

Happy Playing!!