Happy is a star and really amazes me everytime, her weaves have really speeded up along with all of it generally, she's great on the contact equip and we're just waiting for a space and we can move up to the Intermediate class! Never done any shows and too scared too, though the girls at classes have been saying we should!
Brogie is still very unsure (we've been going for about 8 sessions), she does what I ask of her but is a very different dog to Hammy, she only seems to do it to please me, rather than doing it because she enjoys it. She's such a different dog there to when she's out and about when she is so full of confidence.... I think its the other dogs barking that she doesn't like and there is one collie that also had a bit of a go at her which knocked her confidence completely a couple of weeks ago.
I'm really wondering whether to carry on with her after this course has ended. Last week I was DEF thinking that but bless her, this week she did the dog walk that she's really scared of, it took her 5 attempts but she then went over top and after doing it a couple of times she was then running up it which was great. She also did the weaves off lead for the first time and it was so sweet, I've never seen a dog walk them so slowly but bless she did everyone right!
Just don't know what to do for the best, I'm thinking of just concentrating on gundog training as she loves that, her heart just really doesn't seem to be in agility. Though because at the moment I'm working both of them in the same class, I'm wondering if and when I get to move classes with Happy, would Brogie perk up as all the focus would be on her???
I know what you mean about some dogs loving agility and some not. It's sometimes obvious at shows that a dog is doing it to please their owner and I have to say watching them made me look again at Luna to check she wasn't one of them! The fact that she looks to go up contact equipment and run through tunnels unasked while I'm discussing how to do something at training kind of answered my question! I've watched videos back and checked photos too and that tail is always a blur and her face is all smile, focus and what next! We've been training for about 18months now and she's gone from being aaaaaaaaaaaaah-excited at agility to switching on and off the excitement as appropriate. Seeing a couple of new dogs hating to wait their turn at training over the past couple of weeks has shown me how used to the routine Luna has got!!
Last summer's dabbling into gundog training showed me that Luna HATES being steady and finds it stressful in environments with other dogs present. We enjoy elements of gundog stuff but Luna finds it haaaaaard!!! So we major in agility and do gundog as a hobby!!!
I think so long as you are doing some 'work', training then a lab is a happy pooch!
Goodness, well done Luna! She really is a little star!
Thanks for your good wishes, our weekend was very enjoyable. Fife loved his NFC run round the small height, he left me behind he was going so fast (errr, not that much of a feat - he is although he will be 12 in May he is still faster than I am! ), Ash also had great fun in his NFC medium height run, and I really could have entered him for competiton at the correct height. (However better safe than sorry, get those "picking up dog" muscles used to jumping again gradually!)
Oak was the super star with a clear round and a 5th place! OK, OK there weren't hoards of dogs IN that class, but there were only 8 clears, and considering I held him on the touch points and lost time there, and he was beaten by collies, I was very pleased indeed . (We won't talk about my handling error when I called him too soon and he missed a jump out!!! )
Trina, give Brogie a chance. 8 weeks is nothing. When all mine started they were very "with me", trying to make sure that they did it right. As time went on and they gained confidence they got faster and faster and worked away from me more. You say that she walked the weaves - how are you doing them? She may be more suited to the v weaves where she is taught to fly down the centre, and then the poles are gradually closed up, over a period of time, until she has to wiggle through. If she is nervous of the dog walk, what height are you doing it? Lower the height. start with a plank on the ground, and build up. I am surprised that a beginner dog with only 8 weeks training is inthe same class as a just about to be intermediate dog. It must be hard for you to concentrate on them both at the same time. I suspect that you will find if you make it easier for her she will start to really enjoy it. Well done for the upgrade with Hammy! That's fab! Well done Hammy!
Have a go at a show, it's fun! And remember, Luna has to have someone to beat! After all, if it wasn't for handlers like me making mistakes Luna wouldn't have a chance to shine!! She is a star!
Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 6:37 pm Post subject: Re: It's been very quiet in here recently! Any updates?
Luna-tic wrote:
We have since the beginning of the Winter season competed at 6 BAA shows and achieved a 1st, 2nd, 4th, 10th and 9 clear round rosettes!
well done on your fantastic results , as you know Lincoln has been out of action for ages but looks to be making his comeback and we hope to be competing at Easter again, we only tend to do UKA shows. I have lost momentum recently, I guess I always thought Lincoln was young and invincible ! now I feel more cautious in his training but probably a lot of projection here! we are gonna get some intense training in again soon I hope, and push on this season
First class back yesterday after the winter holidays and Coco was such a naughty girl Each time I set her up for the first jump she just wandered off for a sniff and snoop around. She was obsessed with the ball that a manic collie was playing with (completely loopy dog, just twirled and spun around the course because the owner couldn't possibly keep up with the whirlwind speed it was going, it was barking and spitting the ball out but catching it again before it even left its mouth). When she did the course she did it really well though and jumped higher than she usually does.
There was something in the air yesterday! Luna managed to bum-tuck around in circles visiting the other dogs on the circuit instead of focusing and heading into the tunnel, I got the course sequences completely backwards and we gave everyone a right good laugh as the 'good ones' had one of them crazy training sessions!!!!! On the plus side - she sat steady so I could call her over 4 jumps twice and did right hand weaves as part of sequence twice! Think Luna was over tired after a busy day on Saturday!
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), Ash also had great fun in his NFC medium height run, and I really could have entered him for competiton at the correct height. (However better safe than sorry, get those "picking up dog" muscles used to jumping again gradually!)
, as you know Lincoln has been out of action for ages but looks to be making his comeback and we hope to be competing at Easter again, we only tend to do UKA shows. I have lost momentum recently, I guess I always thought Lincoln was young and invincible ! now I feel more cautious in his training but probably a lot of projection here! we are gonna get some intense training in again soon I hope, and push on this season 
