Run Thrus, Training, and DACOF

Alrighty! So A couple weeks ago Abbey attended run thrus at her former training centre Paws in Motion. I decided to run an excellent course, not because I wanted to show off Abbey's superior speed...lol...no I actually wanted to practice some handling skills. Abbey has the entire package, in reality it's me as her handler that needs a few tweaks. Well, she ran beautifully all 3 times. Of course, my handling improved all 3 times but I did note some things that I wanted to work on. First off I NEED to teach Abbey to turn tighter. Our course times are fast, but they'd be even better if I get a chance to work on that. 2, my directionals. I need to be more clear when cueing her and I need to cue her earlier.

Not too long after this run thru, we got a call from Paws and were asked to join the DACOF team last minute. For you who are unaware DACOF is the Dog Agility Competition Of Florida. One team dog got injured and our former trainer called us to fill in a week before DACOF. We attended one official practice where we played our first game of FAST and where I forgot all of the other courses as I was running. I won't admit to being nervous...nope.

When we finally got to DACOF Abbey decided she would prove me wrong again TENFOLD by Qing in every run, taking home 3 placements, and earning 2nd best 16'' Novice dog. AMAZING, WONDERFUL, and EXCEPTIONAL don't even quite cover it. She hauled ASS especially on Sunday. I was so so proud.

A small note though, over the summer we are going to be losing some more weight. Abbey gained a few pounds from not being as active over the off season. So we are going to be doing some conditioning and cutting back on those yummy treats grandma sneaks us when mommy isn't looking. =). Other than that...we will keep you posted on everything else. Our next trial should be our Anniversary Trial at Tailwaggers Learning Centre in October. Be prepared!!

More Distance Practice and Better Appraoches

Today in the yard I have figured out that Abbey definitely understands her distance cues now and spends less time barking at me and looking for exactly where I want her to go. I find that great, but during said learning process she learned how to take her own personal short cut up the teeter which doesn't include making the up contact. So, this week I decided I would nip that in the bud before it became a permanent habit. So out came the reinforcement planter pots.

Abbey, of course being the genius she is, figured out what I wanted the first try. Oooh, mommy wants me to go ROUND the planter pots and hit the yellow on the teeter going UP too! Yes, sweetie that's exactly what mommy wants you to do. Nice Job. A couple more reps and we'll be finished. Abbey of course decided she would do the last few reps perfect and get a jackpot.

Now I can't wait to go to the field to really put everything to the test.

Look Ma No Hands!!

Today I decided I should probably do some agility in the yard with Abbey to keep all those good distance skills she has been gaining SHARP. I tried a new tactic, though. I tried using a verbal cue only...NO HANDS.

Whenever we run our dogs a lot of us to get them to move away from us use those flying arms. I decided to see how Abbey would react if she didn't have that crutch. Abbey the totally awesome proved to me that there is more going on in that noggin than I give her credit for (and I think she's bloody smart). She took her verbal cue like she's been doing it all her life and as I pulled away she pushed out going around the cones (planter pots) and coming around to a perfect approach on the teeter.

I need to now go and generalize this at the field and other areas, but Abbey and distance are now becoming better friends which is improving her speed because it means that I can get ahead of her more often. A lagging handler never prospers.

So today, Abbey said "look Ma, NO HANDS!"

All Wags and No Woofs

What with the channel change on YouTube and school killing me everyday I haven't been able to do much blog updating, BUT never fear I didn't forget.

Abbey and I have been taking walks to park when it isn't too hot or rainy (which is not ver often because it's the rainy AND hot season here in South Florida), and last week we went to the park and there were other people there walking their dogs. Of course Abbey had been doing great not reacting to other people, but other dogs?? Eh, I wasn't going to expect much silence out of her that day. Well, Abbey shocked the heck out of me, she didn't react NOT ONCE to the other 2 dogs in the park. Lucky enough for her I felt the need to bring hot dogs with me this trip, so for her most amazing effort to watch the doggies walk by, notice them and not bark, she received some yummy beef franks =).

We also had some fun playing on the playground equipment where a lady and her baby were awe-struck over the fact that Abbey chooses to go down the slide next to her mommy. Well, of course!! She's 6 years old she knows how to do the slide by herself by now, right? OH! You mean because she's a dog...LOL. Well, just like your baby she's been doing it since she was little.

All in all, a wonderful day with my rescue baby. Also, a new note...there might be an addition to the team within the next year and a half, but you didn't hear that from me.

Poor Armani

No I am not referring to the suit at all. I am referring to the dog. Yes, yesterday evening a dog leaped into my car as I was leaving my friend's house. His name was Armani. I can't tell you how shocked I was. I took him home, but kept him in the yard because it was late and Bella really doesn't appreciate foreign dogs in her house...Abbey doesn't care. In any case, this morning I decided that I'd give him a hair cut before his owners came to get him because he desperately needed one and I was so sad at what I found. He was covered in mats and ticks. Ewwww. That's no fun for ANY doggie. That poor dog was so uncomfortable that I was even physically relived after I clipped him.

Those Pictures I Promised

Gee Abbey, what happened??

Tennis Ball Fuzz, in the mouth

Do you want the ball?!!

Ha! Of course she wants the ball.

This is what Abbey and I do when we're, well...bored!

Get Out...WAY Out

So I finally found a way to work on Abbey's distance skills right in my own backyard...literally. I have these two huge palm trees that stand right by one another...a respectable distance away...and there's a enough space where Abbey can get around them. Much like with the cones people put up when teaching puppies flatwork. So I am beginning to use the palm planters as my means to getting my dog to go "out" and away from me. Abbey is such a velcro puppy and we haven't been able to do any type of gamblers or distance game because, well, she just WON'T.

I made this discovery yesterday and started working on it. At first she did what she usually does when she's too unsure to move away from me, she looked at me and barked feverishly. After a couple repetitions, though she was in business as usual. I was very excited with how she progressed even from yesterday to today. It almost makes me want to buy a set of cones so that we can try this out in the front yard...forbidden territory. I want to go to the field and practice. That would be especially exciting. For now, though, we're kicking it in the backyard.

Abbey's teeter and DW still aren't 100% where I'd like them to be so we are going to work, work, work on that. We also need to try out more independent weaves while keeping that same speed she's got. We're in Masters now...AHHHH...and kind of have to know what we're doing. But wait, I'm still a starters level handler...shoot. Okay, we'll TRY to know what we're doing.

Anyway, right now Abbey is lying next to me completely pooped after our morning session of training. And in the next five minutes she'll want to play ball.

Oh, about those pictures...when they show up, they show up, okay? ;)