Getting Close

The following week we entered another agility trial in Salinas Ca. It was beautiful, old Coast Oak trees with hanging spanish moss. Wide open uncrowded venue, except for the rain it was perfect.





Saturday the rain was severe. Whisper hates the rain, I think she is afraid she may shrink into an Italian Greyhound. In fact I wasn't sure she would run in the rain. Not only did she run in the rain she won her Jumpers class.



However in Standard we accidently took the wrong jump. I got behind her in a box formation and she turned and took the wrong jump. Oh well, we tried and had fun.

The following day June 5 she earned her 19th QQ! Despite the fact she is feeling very "hormonal" and not running with her normal enthusiasm and speed.



Holding her contact position is improving.



We are getting so close to the elusive MACH.

Agility Again

Whisper and I recently started competing again in agility. After her tendon was reinjured again in March and the ensuing rest, then coming into season and having to wait out the three weeks it has been along time since we have run together as a team. Many times after coming out of heat they are moody or slow for a couple of months. Whisper is no exception however slowness has worked to our advantage. She earned her 17th and 18th QQ at the TRACS trial over the memorial day weekend.






She ran in FAST as well as the regular Jumpers and Standard. Thanks to practing contacts in FAST by the 18th QQ runs I think I finally have learned how to get to her hold her contacts at a distance.

A Little Bit of Heeling

Once in a while, we try to video ourselves doing obedience. This allows us to check for little things that we may be doing wrong. For example, some people have a hard time walking a straight line or might unknowingly step into the dog when they stop. I recently had a friend take some video or me working with Tanner. He really is coming along quite nicely. I like his attention to me and he does a great job getting his rear out of the way on the left turns.



The things I see in here that need some work are his right turns and his sits. He tends to drop his head a little on the right turn and often goes a bit wide. This is easily fixed with a clicker and treats. He also tends to swing his butt out a bit when he sits. Right now, I have been ignoring it in favor of rewarding a quick sit. Soon, I will start to ask him to bring his butt in as we are stopping.

Things I need to work on are using my shoulders properly to cue turns and stops as well as cleaning up small pieces of my foot work. This is easily fixed with a clicker and chocolate ;)