Silaria
Forums Sage
I'm so glad the forum's back up. I've been wanting to post about this all week.
Last Sunday Edan and I participated in our first mock agility trial. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I never walked a course before and only recently learned how to perform a front cross. I had no idea HOW I'd be able to identify WHERE to use it on course. (More on this later in the post.)
The morning consisted of 3 courses and 6 runs; 2 runs on each course. There were only six people signed up for the mock trial so things moved pretty quickly.
The first course was a 15 obstacle Jumpers course. Our first run, while 'clean' - as far as no dropped bars, was not without some handling problems. I miscued Edan over a triple jump and the next bar jump. (He ran between me and the jump instead of taking the jumps.) I was able to direct him around to take both jumps without him going over them backwards. That run: 55 seconds; not to bad for our very first run EVER on an actual course. The second run was 10 seconds faster at 45 seconds and without some of the handling difficulties. With more handling experience, I could probably have taken another 5 or 10 seconds.
The next two courses were Standard courses including 6 weaves, and all contact obstacles. I don't have times for these courses because I ended up spending time training and rewarding on course for the behavior I wanted since we are still working on Weaves, Teeter and A-Frame comfort levels. Since we were told we could train on course, I took advantage of it. (I'm not doing this for Q's anyway; I just want to have something fun to do with my dog. Q's will be a bonus on top of our enjoyment.)
On the Standard courses, Edan flat out refused to run the A-frame.
NOTHING I did would get him up and over the thing, until the last run when I was able to bait him over by leading him with a cookie he wanted badly enough to focus on it over the A-Frame. This would be an on going theme for the rest of the morning. I think the older aluminum one we used in the last class we took shook his confidence in it.
After a few tries, we bi-passed it and continued on. The weaves, he ran along side instead of actually entering the weaves. I called him back and, on the third try, he entered the weaves properly and completed them successfully, and quickly. On subsequent runs, he took the Weaves like he's been doing them for YEARS.
Dog walk - FINALLY a contact he LOVES!
No problems here including a very nice 2O2O position.
Then we come to the Teeter and he stops at the pivot point and jumps off.
I bring him around and try again. He wouldn't even allow me to bait him across easily. Finally one of the ladies running the trial came over and held the teeter and lowered it down while I baited him across. BIG rewards for finishing it - even with the help. Baiting him across became another theme of the morning but he did allow me bait him across on the 3 remaining runs WITHOUT having to guide the Teeter gently down.
I haven't mentioned the Jumps, Table, Tunnels or Chutes because those didn't really present a problem. He took all of them very nicely and with no hesitation. (He LOVES Jumps and Tunnels.)
Overall, for a first time running an official course, I can't say we did too badly. I understand why we have issues with the A-frame and Teeter; no easy way to practice since I really don't have a yard to set them up in plus I think using some of the older equipment, more rickety, in the last class freaking him out a little. (The club has 2 of everything for practice but some is older than others so the more advanced classed tend to get the better equipment if they need it.)
I was also surprised that I was able to pick out places on the course to use a Front Cross. I may not have always picked the BEST places to use it, but I was able to see they were needed. I watched how some of the other people, including one of the people who was helping to host the trial, were walking the course to learn better ways to do it. I also asked questions when I hit areas I couldn't figure out the best approach; something I can't do at the actual trial. It's all part of the learning and the people in my agility club are willing to teach, guide and help you succeed.
I'm grateful that the instructor of my Introduction to Handling class allowed me to run Edan on the A-frame both before, during and after class yesterday. (We used the Dog Walk and A-frame as non-treat rewards for successfully completing the Rear Cross and Flip exercise we were working on. Of course, yesterday he decided he LOVED the A-frame; I didn't even have to bait him over it. The instructor knows 2 people in the 3 person class are registered for our first CPE trial next weekend so she wanted to give us every opportunity to re-familiarize our dogs with the two contacts we need for CPE Level 1. (Teeter and Weaves aren't needed until CPE Level 2.) She even took time after class was over to help me figure out why Edan was jumping off high in the contact zone on one side of the A-frame but running all the way down on the other. (I use a running contact on the A-frame because 2O2O isn't safe for Edan.)
Friday night, we'll go to the club's Run-Thrus for even more practice.
After all this, I'm a little more comfortable going to my CPE trial; still nervious but a little more confident that I CAN do this. Are we going to be perfect? No way. Are we going to have fun? YOU BET!
Last Sunday Edan and I participated in our first mock agility trial. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I never walked a course before and only recently learned how to perform a front cross. I had no idea HOW I'd be able to identify WHERE to use it on course. (More on this later in the post.)
The morning consisted of 3 courses and 6 runs; 2 runs on each course. There were only six people signed up for the mock trial so things moved pretty quickly.
The first course was a 15 obstacle Jumpers course. Our first run, while 'clean' - as far as no dropped bars, was not without some handling problems. I miscued Edan over a triple jump and the next bar jump. (He ran between me and the jump instead of taking the jumps.) I was able to direct him around to take both jumps without him going over them backwards. That run: 55 seconds; not to bad for our very first run EVER on an actual course. The second run was 10 seconds faster at 45 seconds and without some of the handling difficulties. With more handling experience, I could probably have taken another 5 or 10 seconds.
The next two courses were Standard courses including 6 weaves, and all contact obstacles. I don't have times for these courses because I ended up spending time training and rewarding on course for the behavior I wanted since we are still working on Weaves, Teeter and A-Frame comfort levels. Since we were told we could train on course, I took advantage of it. (I'm not doing this for Q's anyway; I just want to have something fun to do with my dog. Q's will be a bonus on top of our enjoyment.)
On the Standard courses, Edan flat out refused to run the A-frame.
NOTHING I did would get him up and over the thing, until the last run when I was able to bait him over by leading him with a cookie he wanted badly enough to focus on it over the A-Frame. This would be an on going theme for the rest of the morning. I think the older aluminum one we used in the last class we took shook his confidence in it. After a few tries, we bi-passed it and continued on. The weaves, he ran along side instead of actually entering the weaves. I called him back and, on the third try, he entered the weaves properly and completed them successfully, and quickly. On subsequent runs, he took the Weaves like he's been doing them for YEARS.
Dog walk - FINALLY a contact he LOVES!
No problems here including a very nice 2O2O position.Then we come to the Teeter and he stops at the pivot point and jumps off.
I bring him around and try again. He wouldn't even allow me to bait him across easily. Finally one of the ladies running the trial came over and held the teeter and lowered it down while I baited him across. BIG rewards for finishing it - even with the help. Baiting him across became another theme of the morning but he did allow me bait him across on the 3 remaining runs WITHOUT having to guide the Teeter gently down.I haven't mentioned the Jumps, Table, Tunnels or Chutes because those didn't really present a problem. He took all of them very nicely and with no hesitation. (He LOVES Jumps and Tunnels.)
Overall, for a first time running an official course, I can't say we did too badly. I understand why we have issues with the A-frame and Teeter; no easy way to practice since I really don't have a yard to set them up in plus I think using some of the older equipment, more rickety, in the last class freaking him out a little. (The club has 2 of everything for practice but some is older than others so the more advanced classed tend to get the better equipment if they need it.)
I was also surprised that I was able to pick out places on the course to use a Front Cross. I may not have always picked the BEST places to use it, but I was able to see they were needed. I watched how some of the other people, including one of the people who was helping to host the trial, were walking the course to learn better ways to do it. I also asked questions when I hit areas I couldn't figure out the best approach; something I can't do at the actual trial. It's all part of the learning and the people in my agility club are willing to teach, guide and help you succeed.
I'm grateful that the instructor of my Introduction to Handling class allowed me to run Edan on the A-frame both before, during and after class yesterday. (We used the Dog Walk and A-frame as non-treat rewards for successfully completing the Rear Cross and Flip exercise we were working on. Of course, yesterday he decided he LOVED the A-frame; I didn't even have to bait him over it. The instructor knows 2 people in the 3 person class are registered for our first CPE trial next weekend so she wanted to give us every opportunity to re-familiarize our dogs with the two contacts we need for CPE Level 1. (Teeter and Weaves aren't needed until CPE Level 2.) She even took time after class was over to help me figure out why Edan was jumping off high in the contact zone on one side of the A-frame but running all the way down on the other. (I use a running contact on the A-frame because 2O2O isn't safe for Edan.)
Friday night, we'll go to the club's Run-Thrus for even more practice.
After all this, I'm a little more comfortable going to my CPE trial; still nervious but a little more confident that I CAN do this. Are we going to be perfect? No way. Are we going to have fun? YOU BET!
Congrats on a great outing!