Getting Our Bruise On

The conformation bruises are healing, and Dreamer and I are busy getting our bruise on with agility and obedience. Time heals all wounds, but heeling takes many forms. Speaking of heeling, Dreamer is looking better and better in her heeling patterns. We are starting to wean off the food now, and it's really too early to say if our methods are working. Karen wants me to play this "now you see it, now you don't" game with Dreamer and the belt. The food starts out on the stick, and we complete the exercise. Dreamer gets her reward from the stick. Then I tell her to get her reward again. At first, she bought it and jumped up to find an empty stick. Then I'd put another treat on the stick and tell her to get it, and she'd get it.

Well, she's a little too smart for that game now. Or maybe I'm just doing it wrong. My training notes tend to suck, and I'll miss a step. So we've stopped the "now you see it" game until our lesson on Sunday, when I'll either get corrections to my notes or confirmation that we need to try something else because Dreamer is too smart. In any case, I've trained Dreamer every day (except Friday, when I had to get my happy hour on) since our last lesson, and she's so much fun!

We didn't have agility class this week because our teacher is out of town, but I've set up our new channel weaves. I weaved Dreamer at home for the first time tonight, and she was fast! She had slowed down in class the two previous weeks, and I had become concerned. When I talked to my friend Pat about it, she said that the dogs always slow down when you narrow the weaves, and had we just done that? Well, as a matter of fact, yes. We had just narrowed the channel. Tonight, the channel was a little wider than our latest setting at class, and sure enough, Dreamer's speed was back! I'll gradually close the channel, but I'm relieved that she's being a normal dog and isn't doing some weird slow dog thing. That would drive me nuts! I think we'll start to make a lot of progress on weaves now that I have my own set to use at home.

I have a Band-Aid on my thumb, as I got it caught in one of the pole stakes during assembly. But this is the type of bruise I can handle. Dreamer and I are having a great time -- a rewarding time -- and it's worth the wounds.

Monday, Monday

Seeker and I came back from a 3 day show in Marshall with bruised egos. The judging panel was poor and we only earned 3 points total by taking Best of Opposite each day. I wouldn't mind that if the competition was worthy, but seriously! We lost to males that I have no respect for: Gamer, Uie, and Quest. None of them can hold a candle to Seeker. The only consolation I had in Gamer winning was that I was handling him and the win earned him a 3 point major.

We did have a fun time in Marshall though. I met Kila Allred and Cozi, had some great meals in restaurants, and practiced a lot for Seeker's upcoming TDI test. The hotel manager was very impressed with Seeker's ability to hold a down stay in the lobby each morning as I got my coffee after our run. He also found it amazing that she lay at my feet quietly while I worked on the computer. I noticed a huge change in her as we walked around the grounds and past other dogs and handlers. The baby girl is growing up.

So Monday morning we put conformation behind us and headed toward our private obedience lesson. The instructor asked what we wanted to work on because she forgot her sheet from last time. I told her that we have been working mostly on agility, but I thought Seeker was ready for automatic sits. She looked at me like, "Yeah, right!" Moe Foley told me that Laura does not move her students ahead very quickly and for that reason many of them leave her. I told Moe that wouldn't happen with me because I would push ahead if Seeker was ready.

So Laura asked us to do straight line heeling and I could tell that she was very surprised by Seeker. I then showed her the turns we had been working on and again: surprised.

Sure enough, I got my way and she showed me how to start Seeker out with the automatic sit. I like her method.

She also said we were ready to move our hand to the actual heeling position for a step and then two. I think she was blown away by the fact that it didn't bother Seeker. What she didn't know is that I have already been doing this:-) At this point, she is probably thinking that Seeker is a genius! Well, she has to know they are smarter than Shelties! Or does she?

We did the stand for exam and again she was surprised. I wonder if many of her clients just don't do their homework?

So at the end of the lesson, she handed me my sheet and I said, "OK, we'll have all this mastered by next month." And she said, "I'm sure you will". No doubt in my mind!

We left the club and went on to more fun things: Agility at Debbie's! I helped Debbie with Charlie and Cadee and their 2X2s. We also did some sequencing with them. They are making progress, but are far behind where Seeker is. It's a darn good thing Debbie is an experienced handler or her decision to enter them in the upcoming National would be a disaster!

Debbie gave me a 17 obstacle course to try. We weren't perfect, but we got most of it. She missed the first entry into the weave poles, but then did all 12 perfectly and from her "harder" side. I felt so exhilarated when I left there. I actually feel that Seeker will be ready for the Nov./Dec. trials!!

Bruised

Dreamer and I have gone through a rough patch of bad luck -- not just with conformation, but with the unpredictable setbacks of life. Dreamer broke her tail a month ago, so we've had to sit out of obedience and agility. Dreamer just came into season, so now we're going to have a prolonged absence from agility.

So it's been hard to blog because I've been immersed in the setbacks. I feel bruised, especially coming off a weekend of losing to lesser dogs at an outdoor conformation event in Wisconsin. In hindsight, Dreamer probably acted like a squirrel on the exam the first day because she was coming into season. I'll never know, but it's possible. And there's nothing I could have done to change that. She did not want that judge touching her. The next day, she stood like a statue for a judge who tugged at and shook her tail!

All I can do is look ahead and set new goals, but it's hard. Bruises need time to heal. So I'll stop the Debbie Downer blogging here because I want to -- and have to -- regroup and move forward. My dog deserves nothing less from me.

Exciting Discovery!

The heat and humidity helped me with an exciting discovery. I have a hands-free leash that I use for running with Seeker. It has a quick release buckle that I use when she has to stop and go potty. I had put a big knot in that section of the leash to make the leash a bit smaller so that Seeker is no further away than an arm's length. I discovered that Seeker likes to tug on the leash for a reward just below the knot.

With the current hot and humid conditions, Seeker is not able to run longer distances so I stop and train a bit and then we move on. I have found that Seeker is very motivated to tug after a brief heeling session. This gives me great hope that I can wean her off food for the obedience ring very easily. The added advantage is that I don't have to carry food around.

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, fires Seeker up like tugging. She gets a gleam in her eye that is so darn cute! So we will tug along in our training.

Catch Up

It's time to catch up on what we have been doing for the last month:

• Seeker finished her GCH in Mt. Pleasant on June 11th. After such a great run, the finish line was a bit of a disappointment because she lost Best of Breed to Uie! I could hardly believe that the same judge who put her up as Best Puppy, WB, and BW for a 4 point major thought that Uie was better! Sigh...that's conformation. It made me not want to show on Sunday especially since Sharon Redmer was the judge. Seeker was the only champion, but again she lost BOB to a Blackwater class dog and took BOS for the 2nd day in a row. Should have known: all judges have their favorite lines. Blackwater is Sharon's. I am showing her again this month at a show in Marshall, MI. No pressure and it will be fun to show Linda's Gamer and then Seeker the next 2 days. I love Marshall and it has special meaning to me because Remy took his first 2 points there with back-to-back BW wins 2 years ago.
• Seeker and I continue to muddle through agility training. We took a Jen and Susan Crank seminar that opened up the world of Linda Mecklenberg's handling style based on motion. Suddenly the book I bought makes sense. It sure is technical! But as an obedience trainer, I like the fact that this book and system can teach me how to move. Since I can't dance and I don't have a good sense of direction, this system might actually help me figure out how to run an agility course because I can practice the different moves ahead of time until they feel more natural to me. Our private instructor, Lynn, believes in this method.
• Obedience training is moving along. Seeker's heeling is starting to improve. As I used to do with Remy, while we are on our walks, I'll throw a bit of heeling into the mix. It's a great way to work on it everyday without having to remember to have a training session. I'm finding that her biggest reward is to be able to tug on my hands free leash when we finish a heeling segment. So easy. Don't need to carry food!
• Tracking: I am finding this new avenue of training fascinating. It combines all the elements I love: an outdoor venue with very little equipment needed. Linda gave Seeker a very hard test this week. I had to lay a track that was much longer than in the past with fewer treat rewards along the line. The hard part was that it was aged a half hour! We jumped from just a few minutes to a half hour! She had to work really hard, but she never gave up. Linda told me I could use a toy at the end instead of always using a glove. Seeker was overjoyed when she found her frisbee with treats on top! We had a great tugging session before we moved on to the next track. As with everything else, Seeker is turned on by both food and toys. Love that!
• Thundershirt: we bought, we used, we were pleased with the outcome. Unfortunately Seeker is showing signs of firecracker, storm fear. I wanted to try to tackle the problem as soon as it developed, so I bought the shirt and I play tug with her whenever I can during these loud noises. So far so good. Hopefully I can keep her anxiety to a low level. I do think Linda's lines just have an inbred problem with this.
• Runs and walks: I'd have to look back in the blog, but it doesn't seem all that long ago that I was trying every method possible to get Seeker to run and walk on a loose leash. She is absolutely amazing now! I am ready to have her TDI tested and I am thrilled that AKC is offering a title for TDI dogs with 50 hours of work. We are going for it! I feel that this is a way I can give back to the community without the stress of raising another future leader dog puppy or coaching tennis. Both are very stressful. I am ready to move on to being a grandmother who spoils both her grandchild and her baby girl Terv. Life is good:-)

Time To Beat

Agility class was so fun tonight! It's funny. I really just wanted to go home and take a nap. I had worked hard at the Essexville house packing and purging. I could hardly keep my eyes open. But I've basically been ignoring Seeker's training for a week due to her heat cycle and the pending house sale. So I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and headed to the club.

Debbie had set up identical rings with a simple circular sequence of jump, weaves, jump, tunnel, jump. But the courses were very narrow and tight. We numbered off and formed teams. I knew our team was doomed because we only had 2 fast dogs and the other team had several. I also knew that the relay idea was good on paper, but unrealistic since the entire team was within the ring gates. The Corgi on our team jumped ship and went to the other ring and chased the Border Collie! So Debbie snugged up the ring gates to prevent this from happening. Then, one of the GSDs on our team went after the Corgi on our team. He didn't hurt him but there was drama. Meanwhile, all Seeker wanted to do was run fast! So after our team lost the relay twice, I suggested "Time to Beat". This is a new AKC event where the fastest dog is awarded a certain # of points and everyone within his time gets the next # of points, etc. A dog must earn 100 points for a title. We did 3 Time to Beat runs. Seeker won 2 and a BC won one so Seeker was awarded the overall champ. Not bad for a girl with panties on!

Isn't it funny how when you most want to skip a class, you end up having the most fun?

Gallop Poll

Due to the Memorial Day holiday, we did not have agility class tonight. Between rainouts and holidays, we are getting the short end on agility, but oh well. There will come a time when I'm doing rain dances in hopes that class will be cancelled, I'm sure.

But for now, I'm just happy with everything we're doing. I trained Dreamer in the yard tonight, which is better than not training her at all. We worked on dumbbell holds, which are not her favorite thing, and utility signal training. We also did some heeling, finishes, agility "touch" training, and even a little breed work! Dreamer was very engaged and ready for the next trick, as she always is. I'm so lucky to have an eager dog.

I'm having a little trouble getting Dreamer to move into a gallop on the Fast command. I've tried moving her into the Fast directly from a Slow, and that doesn't even seem to get me a consistent gallop. Any ideas on how to work through this?