Wazzu loves the cold weather but unfortunately the first run was Hoopers and we weren’t entered in that. Thre are a number of factors that seem to determine how well Wazzu will run: 1) Weather 2) Her medical condition 3) Value of treats - which changes in her mind each run, and 4) The alignment of the moon and the stars!
Today I guess all four factors were just right as she was extremely happy and very motivated. Today’s treats: Pizza! Who knows why but today she was bonkers for pizza. She was as fast or faster today than she’s been in the last couple years. And she had a huge smile. Most of all she made a mad dash after each run for the pizza in our tent. Unfortunately, this much enthusiasm leads to missed contacts. We missed one contact in each of two different runs. But I didn’t care as she was just so darn proud of herself. And her distance was great. Unfortunately, the Chances run was just too difficult. You needed a skill we just don’t have. She did the whole thing beautifully except for the side by side jump discrimination which required an “out” – if there are two obstacles together at a distance, 90% of the time Wazzu will take the obstacle closer to me…especially if it is a jump. Shucks.
Sparkie let it be known that she really missed agility. She had a stellar day. She and Mike even got another Q in Hoopers. Seven runs were scheduled for today but due to darkness Sparkie only got to do six runs. But she'll pick this one up first thing in the morning. Today she was extremely fast and accurate. She got first place against some very stiff competition! Her only error was an off course on her 2nd Regular run at a very difficult spot for the large fast dogs. Other than that, Sparkie put on a clinic and was wowing the crowd.
Slugger got to do four runs today – the most he’s ever done in a day. The cute little guy was head bopping in each run. While Sparkie is just so fluid and beautiful when she runs, Slugger can never be described that way. But there is nothing more cute on the agility field than watching Slugger run when he is trying so hard that his little head bops up and down and his legs are going every which way. It really does melt my heart to see our special needs boy giving it everything he has. Out of his four runs, he managed two Q’s today. The Chances course was just totally beyond his capabilities. Like Wazzu, he doesn’t have an “out” command. But he tried really hard and did what he knew how to do. In his Touch N Go run he missed a contact…but he’s never been taught to touch the yellow zone so that is always just the luck of the draw.
So agility wise, we had a great day. All that left was Boogie. I had to figure out ways to make sure he got some attention today. For one of the very few times, we decided to set up our canopy instead of working out of the RV. I’m really glad we did as the weather was so nice it was fun to be out enjoying the weather as well as all our friends. Other than in the PNW, we know more folks here than anywhere else we go.
Since we were spending most of our time outside it was only fair to have Boogie outside with us. He was being a good little boy in the x-pen along with the big dogs. This gave me the opportunity to go over to the small dog ring and watch some of the many border terriers that were running. Even before I got Boogie I always said that I wanted my next agility dog to jump into my arms at the end of a run so that I wouldn’t have to bend over all the time to put the leash on.
Since Boogie doesn’t really like being in the x-pen I thought this would be a great way to teach him how to jump in my arms. So I stood on the outside of the pen while he was on the inside. I gave him the command “up” as I held out my arms. Wow, who knew he could jump so high from a stand still. The x-pen is 36” tall and he probably made it about 30” high right into my arms as I leaned over the cage. Cool. This was an easy way to teach him to jump into my arms. I tried it once more to make sure he really understood. Yup, he understood all right.
So I put him back in the cage and started to walk away to go get a bottle of water. I hadn’t taken two steps when suddenly Boogie was at my feet coming with me. What, how’d he do that! I had to lean over the cage to get him before. Oh, he was so pleased with himself. I took him right back and put him inside again. This time before I had even got the gate all the way shut he was up and over the cage. Oh no, now I’ve got big trouble.
Now we had to go get a crate to put in the x-pen to keep him in. This was not convenient at all. Arg. What a brilliant idea it was for me to teach him to jump out of the x-pen. How is it that I try to teach him to heel and it takes months of work and he’s still not that good at it? But in one try he learns to jump out of the x-pen.
Later in the day I had him out of the x-pen and I decided to practice having him jump into my arms. I gave my “up” command and he just stands there looking at me like he’s never heard that word before in his life. I must have said ‘up” six or seven more times. Nothing. I hadn’t taught him to jump in my arms – I just taught him to jump out of the x-pen. Great.
So who is smarter here, me or Boogie?
Debbie
1/12/08
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