Not a whole lotta Q's this time around but some nice runs and a fun trial. Strum did very well as far as his self control issues go and he was running with his brains on which was the main thing I was hoping for. Lola picked up some much needed Jumpers Q's and a Strategic Time Gamble Q. I don't enter her in Jumpers that much any more and we'd fallen behind in the number of legs she has. I wasn't initially planning on shooting for a MEX (DOCNA's big championship title) with her because of the sheer number of legs involved and her starting the venue as a vet on limited runs per day. But I checked her records and she's closing in on it. She's got 11/15 Standard legs, 7/10 Jumpers legs and, ahem, 3/10 Gamblers legs. Not sure if it's doable because of the number of Gamblers legs required, we'll see how it goes. Her 3 Standard runs were nice but each one had a little glitch here or there.
Strummer only picked up a Strategic Time Gamble Q with a not so very fabulous run. It's such a stupid class I've decided. I think I've worked out a way to make it more interesting for me though, maybe some more on that in another post. His Standard runs had mistakes but they were due to training issues and green dog issues rather than crazy running amok off his head issues. Joy said he needs more exposure to trials and trial like environments and she's right. There are 2 drop-in options in indoor arenas for me but I'm watching my funds so we'll see. I joined a couple of agility clubs so one of the drop-ins is only $4 per run for club members, not too bad, and it's only 20 minutes away at the same venue where the trial was held this past weekend.
His Jumpers runs were so nice but again 1 stupid bar down in each so we're still in Starters Jumpers. One of his runs came in at 6.66 yps, heh.
Dogwalk contacts were about 50/50, not great. I think the only A-frame he missed was in the regular Gamblers class because the A-frame was in the gamble and just before the last jump. It shouldn't matter but apparently it does so we'll have to work that set-up and same for the dogwalk. I've got some video of both dogs below. The dogwalk in Standard is interesting, he hesitates on the flat plank just before getting on the down plank and then misses the contact and I've seen him do this in competition before. It makes me think that he knows he's supposed to do something on that down plank but he's either unsure of what it is or he's not sure how to adjust his stride to make it happen or maybe a little of both. I've not been able to work on my table/plank set-up in the backyard because that area still has snow but we'll get back to that in the next couple of days when it melts.
If you click on the link for the video it takes you to the Vimeo site and the video screen is larger than watching it on the blog.
Lola video (2 Jumpers runs & Strategic Time Gamble, all Q's):
DOCNA NOV. 2009-LOLA from colliebrains on Vimeo.
Strummer video (2 Jumpers runs, 1 Standard and 1 Strategic Time Gamble):
DOCNA NOV. 2009-STRUMMER from colliebrains on Vimeo.
I put in a slow motion version of his 6.66 yps Jumpers run at the end just because it fit in nicely with the music.
That was our last trial for the year, now it's time to get down to practicing. Next trial is New Year's weekend, just a few runs with each dog in a USDAA trial.
Knocking the first bar: Boost knocked the first bar a lot more before I paced out what's a good starting couple of strides for her. I tried to watch her stride (video helped) at distances like 8, 10, 12 feet and at 10 feet from the 1st jump she seems to not knock that first bar. Tika it seems to be about 12 feet. Sometimes I really have to get aggressive with the space before the first jump; if there's only, say, 8 feet before the first jump inside the ring rope, I WILL ask people to move back away from teh gate so I can start her further back. If it's up against a hard fence, gah, I sometimes do odd turns over the first jump to give her room to get her pace going. CPE trials seem to be very bad about giving the dog enough room before the 1st jump. Even my own club. I'm thinking it's the judges' courses.
ReplyDeleteAnd, oh yeah, 6.66 yps, woot!
ReplyDeleteI love that rear cross in your jumpers run. Beautiful. Congrats.
ReplyDeleteMy dogs' best ever yps was 5.5 by Lucy in a Jumpers run and the run felt like it went by in one crazy chaotic flash. 6.66 yps?! Don't think I could "handle" that but what a "rush" it would be if I could!
ReplyDeleteYeah, 'rush' is one word for it. 'Heart Attack Waiting To Happen' is maybe another.
ReplyDeleteI have Joy to thank for helping me with my rear crosses. Cody understood them with no training at all but the Trouble Twins both have issues with them so we've been working on them.
I do need to figure out a start line distance for Strum. He doesn't typically knock the first bar, it's usually the last bar because I'm behind in a long line of jumps or a bar on a turn for whatever reason, who knows. But it would be good to have that worked out and after he knocked that first bar I realized it's something I need to figure out.
Strummer is really looking good! He has such a nice stride. He may need more room on the takeoff for the first jump.
ReplyDeleteI usually try and set up my dogs at least 15 feet behind the first jump. That way they can get a stride or two in before the jump.
Joy is awesome! I take private sessions with her.
Nice job Elayne! Strummer is really looking great!
ReplyDelete