tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11345288.post1438253811670485297..comments2024-01-08T01:20:20.736-07:00Comments on Days of Speed and Slowtime Mondays: Strummy Grows A BrainElaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02734583197185810124noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11345288.post-18369063314345495682008-01-22T11:45:00.000-07:002008-01-22T11:45:00.000-07:00Wow, I'm impressed. :-)-ellenWow, I'm impressed. :-)<BR/><BR/>-ellenElfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01827436807468320435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11345288.post-16301185812163690622008-01-21T21:19:00.000-07:002008-01-21T21:19:00.000-07:00Steve-thanks for the links and in fact it was your...Steve-thanks for the links and in fact it was your Clean Run Index search thingy that helped me find the chute article. Your methods are quite similar to the article. I like the idea of a shower curtain as I have a spare one and maybe I can scrunch up my Agilite lightweight training tunnel. The problem with making a chute is that it seems like the biggest expense is the chute part-$125 for a 12' chute. By the time I pay for a barrel and all the parts I'm probably not too far off the $219 for the mail order chute. And when you add in the cost of the ER visit after I saw a finger off you see that the DIY method is really a false economy. NTI has a chute with a tunnel in place of a barrel and it's $145 but the chute is sewn on so I can't do the first part of the training that involves only the barrel. I'm going to look out for a used one.<BR/><BR/>As far as intolerance at AKC trials and Amendment 2 (a distasteful piece of anti-gay legislation promoted by evangelical Christian groups some years ago, it was voted in by the people and struck down as unconstitutional by the CO supreme court) it’s an interesting comparison though the link you’ve provided actually shows that Coloradoans are more tolerant of gays than the average American despite the outcome of the vote. Also the political make-up of the state has shifted in the past 10 years and is likely going to turn the state blue in the next few years or so (or maybe even by this November). Boulderites of course are still scratching their heads as to how Ralph Nader never got elected but Boulder has always been a world apart.<BR/><BR/>It’s hard for me to speculate as to why the CO AKC community is so uptight since I know so few of the people who compete there. I’ve been competing for 6-7 years now and I’d say I knew about 20-30% of the people at that AKC trial this past weekend and in fact I probably know maybe 30% of the entire agility community because so many compete in only AKC. I can only speculate that it’s something to do with the weirdness and elitism of the conformation world spilling over. This trial was put on by a breed club and these trials are typically more uptight than the trials put on by the agility clubs because so many of the breed club members make up the entry. The show was only one ring so I imagine maybe a half to a third of the regular agility people who entered got in. The show that Cody and I were nearly thrown out of was also put on by a breed club and I knew maybe 3 people there. A person who is well known in the agility community came up to talk to me just as the official looking people who were glaring and pointing at us looked like they were about to work up the nerve to come over and if she hadn’t I’m pretty sure they would have tossed me out. Technically the club can get in trouble if an AKC rep is there and sees a mixed breed dog on the grounds. Now there were several mixes running around off leash at that trial. One belonged to the food vendor and the others I assume belonged to the people who owned the barn or maybe other clients who were there to ride their horses. I’d love to know how the AKC handles that. How long will the club be able to use the facility if they try to kick the owners’ dogs off their own property. If the trial is in a park do they kick out spectators from the neighborhood who are out walking their mutts and come to watch? How long will they be able to use that park if they do? I know my neighbors would kick up a stink if they tried that in my neighborhood. It’s up to the club whether or not they want to enforce the rule and I suppose they enforce it as it suits them. There were a lot of people clearly upset that Cody and I were there so it would have been in the club’s interest to give me the boot and they would have had plenty of support from the crowd if I’d kicked up a stink.<BR/><BR/>The trial this past weekend was at Jeff Co but I’ve been there many times for USDAA trials and it never seemed that cramped. Typically you’re allowed to have unentered purebred dogs at AKC shows and Lilly looks close enough that noone should bother you. The club can choose to ban unentered dogs if they know they’re going to be pushed for space or they don’t want the liability of the public bringing their dogs around (probably why they’re banned at CKC) but the majority of trials allow them. I’ve seen unentered purebred dogs in the stands at both CKC and AKC Nationals when they were in Denver many years ago. In fact someone brought in underage puppies to AKC Nationals and I saw the person working the gate coo over them and wave them right in. Again, it depends on whether they decide to enforce the rules. I think many workers aren’t clear on all the rules either. It’s also possible that CKC has changed their policy over the years.<BR/><BR/>Even though there are so many more AKC trials I long ago decided I had no interest in them. I hate that they exclude people and all the stress and tension and only 2 runs a day. I’d rather spend my money on lessons and my time hiking in the mountains or even just training out at the practice field. The ribbons and titles aren’t enough for me, I have to enjoy the experience of competing. There are enough trials these days to get in nearly one trial a month and for me that’s plenty.<BR/><BR/>Wow, politics, religion, Amendment 2 and the AKC all in one post, are there any other inflammatory subjects I can hit on?Elaynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02734583197185810124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11345288.post-70274449134090819482008-01-21T16:55:00.000-07:002008-01-21T16:55:00.000-07:00I forgot to say that the only AKC event in CO that...I forgot to say that the only AKC event in CO that I know for sure bans non-competing dogs is the big CKC show. I've seen people asked to leave, even though they were just sitting in the stands with their dogs. Then, again, I know people who keep their "other" dogs crated at CKC and have not been hassled.<BR/><BR/>Maybe no one ever bothered us at smaller AKC shows since Lilly (who has her ILP) blends in with all the other bcs.<BR/><BR/>Weird, but it does make you feel ooky ... doesn't it? <BR/><BR/>I honestly doesn't matter to me if dogs are purebred or not. But, here in CO, it does somewhat limit the number of trials you can enter since there are SO many AKC trials.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11345288.post-53934532296094852592008-01-21T15:50:00.000-07:002008-01-21T15:50:00.000-07:00Back "in the old days" people used to talk about c...Back "in the old days" people used to talk about constructing chutes using an old plastic pickle barrel (not sure where you'd get one--macdonald's?) and just a sheet fastened to it.<BR/><BR/>AKC trials: I railed online a few years back about how even if I had a purebred dog (which I do now), I'd never want to do an AKC trial because the rules state very clearly that noncompeting dogs can't be there and I have non-AKC dogs and I sure wouldn't be leaving them at home. I was deluged with email from AKCers saying that's just not true, it's really one of those rules that everyone ignores. In fact, I *have* been to AKC trials with my mixes--because my club has had meetings at those sites once in a blue moon--and no one has given me grief about it. But maybe that's because I know a bunch of people there? Although how the people I *don't* know would know that, I don't know (you know?)<BR/><BR/>Maybe it's different in different parts of the country? CA is traditionally more tolerant of many lifestyles, while CO has been known to attempt to vote down the rights of certain classes of people. (http://www.ciruli.com/archives/amend2-10yrs/amend2-704.htm). You think it carries over into doghood? An interesting thought--<BR/><BR/>-ellenElfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01827436807468320435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11345288.post-55910472876107876462008-01-21T15:49:00.000-07:002008-01-21T15:49:00.000-07:00If you took Strum to Jeffco, then my sympathies. I...If you took Strum to Jeffco, then my sympathies. It's always squishy there. It's very hard to get a dog some space.<BR/><BR/>I used to take Lilly and we would sit in the stands with me feeding her the whole time, but we haven't done that for a long time. That was back when I thought she *might* be able to compete some day.<BR/><BR/>We made a DIY chute too since Lilly is so sheepish about the chute. I just attach it to a scrunched up tunnel, so it's not perfect or terrible sturdy, but Lilly hardly blasts through.<BR/><BR/>I like the shower curtain idea from above. That's a good one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11345288.post-53306229658162922262008-01-21T15:19:00.000-07:002008-01-21T15:19:00.000-07:00Hi Elayne,Good to hear Strummer did so well in suc...Hi Elayne,<BR/><BR/>Good to hear Strummer did so well in such a stressful environment. It is hard for my Meeker to hold it together sometimes in those situations too.<BR/><BR/>On the chute front I posted an article a while back about using a shower curtain rod in a doorway with some material on it to help dogs get used to ducking. It might help:<BR/>http://agilitynerd.com/blog/agility/starting/LearningTheChute.htm<BR/>Also some notes on making your own chute:<BR/>http://agilitynerd.com/blog/agility/equipment/DIYChute.html<BR/><BR/>Take CareAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com