More Agility Training

Well, back at agility training last night after 3 weeks off and Fi did some nice little bits, we did quite a few jumping exercises with the jumps at varying heights to start getting her used to thinking about what height she's jumping with the aim of getting her up to full height, we are getting there. All this stop/start in her training isn't helping, she really needs to be doing something 2 or 3 times a week. She was working nicely but I have to be careful I don't push her too hard on new things or she just starts to switch off and goes off sniffing the grass (mmm...tasty rabbit droppings) which I find really frustrating. She also did the wall for the first time, no problems there.

Bailey chewed through another one of my leads!! He only does this at agility but it's really annoying!! I had deliberatley taken a coil tether so he couldn't chew through it when he was tied up but he chewwed through his lead while I was stood holding him!! Only took him a few seconds...little swine!!! Fortunately he redeemed himself and worked well. Training with Bai is more about training me than him (since he pretty much knows what to do), where I need to be and my timing etc, he's so quick and responsive (i.e. manic!) it can all go horribly wrong if I don't get those little things right but we did some nice bits so hopefully we'll get it together ready to compete soon. Gemma is going to compete with him again when she gets chance but when I'm going to shows and she's working I'll take him along for the ride and we'll have a few runs together. The one thing we REALLY struggled with was a tunnel curved round underneath the up-plank of the dog walk, we had to do jump - tunnel - jump - dogwalk in a sort of circular movement but could I get him to go up that dogwalk??? Aargh!! Bailey had total 'tunnel vision' lol and couldn't see anything but that lovely tunnel, in the end I had to get him to come through and 'WAIT' to make him stop and convince him that the dog walk was the next obstacle!! All in all it was a good session although we did get rather wet when the heavens opened for a short sharp downpour and got a bit chilled driving home. I have Bailey all weekend so hopefully I'll get time to do a bit of jump and weave training at home with them both. We'll see!

Another fruitful evening...

Had our first training session on the new box (it's not looking quite as pristine any more lol) and things are starting to come together. Well, we didn't have any dogs running out this week (just as well since we don't have any wings! lol) and we didn't get any ball fumbling either; they all seem to be making their own little adjustments to their approach and turn with each run so I think it's going to be more a case of repitition running on it rather than any sort of specific box training that will be key. The combinations we decided on at last weeks training seem to be working well. We may look at altering the ’Demonz’ running order going forward, it's just a case of seeing what works best...'suck it and see' so to speak! lol I was a bit concerned about the the ’Pawz’, with Pip running first dog and Ethan needing to go last (for the time being anyway...we WILL train him out of being an arse-ender!!) it left Drake and Teal running 2nd and 3rd and having to pass each other, not a prospect I was looking forward to considering how much they adore each other and how giddy they both get (I was imagining the cocker circus 'wall of death' as they chased each round the flyball arena...eeek! lol). Much to my amazement they passed without so much as a glance at each other, really nice consistent tight changeovers again and again! They seem to be really happy to be running with each other and their other buddies and were both very keen and excited so I really hope they carry that enthusiasm and confidence over into competition too. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. The ’Racers’ ran nicely, just a case of tweaking changeovers although we did think about re-naming that team 'Demon Bimboz' as they're all so flippin' dippy! All in all a pleasing training session and with a pint and a natter in the pub afterwards...who could want more?!

Taking Faith and Bailey agility training this evening so hopefully they'll both behave themselves. Am hoping to run Bailey at SKC next month but it's going to be some time yet before Fi is ready.

Wet weather flyball training!

Have had the usual busy sort of week with one thing and another. Thursday evening we all went down to the Wirral to do some flyball training with Steve and Bridget Leek from the Dolphins Flyball teams. They have the same boxes as the one we’d ordered from Pete Cave and a fancy set of lights and the time and patience to put up with us lot! lol (Thanks guys…it is appreciated!). It absolutely lashed it down all the way down the M6 but we persisted and the rain stopped and the sun came out so we did get some useful work done. The first run up with the first team of dogs was hilarious though as they were all running on this style of box for the first time and it totally threw them with dogs fumbling balls and running out like a bunch of starter dogs!! The look on Steve’s face was a picture! Lol (‘What the hell have we got here?!’) but they soon got themselves together and actually ran really well, especially considering the wet grass and slightly uneven ground (perfect training conditions really since this is what they’re most likely to meet in competition! lol). Mac got so excited (like a wound up spring) that he jumped up and head butted me, splitting my cheek open and giving me a lovely black eye that I have been sporting for the rest of the week (god knows what my work colleagues must think…oops!). We got some times for all the dogs and have a good idea of what dogs will run in each team and in what order so we’re very grateful to Steve and B for the opportunity and hope to meet up again in the future to do some training with the rest of the Dolphins too.

I forgot to mention earlier too that all the ‘human flyball’ photos from the Dolphins tournament at Eastham earlier this month are now online at Sunnyside Photography…

Just so you can ‘put names to faces’… here’s

Gemma, Paul, Alison and me!!…

Oh…and here’s Steve and Bridget too!! lol

There are lots more pics of us and the dogs running throughout the weekend in the divisional categories , running in divs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7.