Adventures in Training the Beagles

Dulce class

It was mostly jumpers tonight and stuff. Thanks to Donna Ward.

She was very silly and I really need to come a bit earlier and see if I can get some focus - this Sunday was quite full.

Did nice weaving and settled down a bit more on each sequence

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DOTC February 27

Overcast and fairly humid day.

   

No Qs, but she was a bit faster, got the teeter and the send in Fast.

   

Open Jumpers

   

   

Did not start out well but focused on getting speed and got it. Missed one jump at least. Did not do much talking.

   

Open standard

   

Got everything but had a refusal at the teeter. score was 70 but needed 85

   

Open FAST

   

Got send but missed 7 and ran out of time. We had 48 points.

DOTC Feb 26

Very slow - blew teeter - worked on speed.

She went on teeter, but bailed it before the pivot point.

   

Still slow though scruffed her. Took jump, weave, tunnel send then double. Buzzer went off before triple. At most 54 points. Like the sandwich?

 

Biggest issue of the day is speed and sniffing rather than paying attention.

Secret to Macy in Rally

She can't do it without food but she can do a whole course and get only one small piece.

So, make the piece of food smaller each time and reward outside of the ring bigger.

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5 beagles in one agility place!

Seriously. 

I had entered Macy and brought Dulce because my husband asked me.  She only got out of the car twice the entire weekend though.  Another note to self – Macy does not really like massages, but Dulce does.

All the teacup people had told me about a lady in Oklahoma that had rescue beagles.  They were there – she brought three, not sure how many were entered.  It was a hoot, as not only were there 5 beagles there, they were all under 13”.  She runs hers at 8”, which makes me wonder why I am running at 12”, but I don’t have time worry about that.

Her name is Kris Hurley – which fits right in with the “k” in my family.  I have a cousin, Kris.

So we sorta had a beagle agility specialty.

Dulce Class

We defeated the last obstacle – only because we haven’t had access to one.  The chute, in fact, once she figured it out, she kept taking it, winning the title “Chute Whore”.

Honestly, last week was her best class, and she was pretty bad tonight.  Someone had some toys on the ground and instead of running course, she had to steal one.  Punishing her wouldn’t work, as chasing her would have just reinforced the activity.  I just stood still had cookies, and calmly called her, and reminded her that I did have cookies.  Didn’t take long as no one was chasing her, and she got bored with the toy.

She ran off a few times, primarily because the field was SO distracting.  I think there were more lights plus there was food on the ground.

She did a couple of nice courses though and beautiful weaves. 

If she would just focus!

Feb 20, 2011–Keller–No Qs

Triagility - needs 3 dogs per team

Sent to the wrong end of the 2 tunnel twice but rest was clean.

G1 dog Qed but not Macy and Madison as the are G2

Standard intermediate

Had trouble with the weave entry and dog walk. Everything else good. Especially teeter

I worked as gate steward, decided I was too exhausted to do any more and came home, but the following are the courses we would have one.

Standard intermediate - with a down on the table

Louganis

Missing the map, will have to see if I still have it.

Lesson learned

I was guilted into working today and now we know why I don't work at trials. Bar setting wasn't bad because only one dog knocked a bar but gate stewarding was way harder than I expected.

Heading out because I am not asking dog to do something she does not like when I don't feel well.

Met a new friend who trains rescue beagles in Oklahoma.

But with my chronic illnesses, the most I can handle is my dogs. And I am only running one right now.

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Interesting Contrast

I got this skateboard last summer, and have been using it with both Macy and Dulce to help them with the teeter.  I swear I have worked both dogs about the same, maybe Dulce less as she is so easy.

Macy with the Skateboard

Dulce with the Skateboard

Some more interesting facts:

• They are aunt and niece – Macy’s father is Dulce’s grandfather.
• They came from the same breeder.
• Macy is definitely a pet.

Macy is afraid of Snowmen

Now we know why Macy has so many agility issues (okay, I already knew).  Rich says that when he took the girls walking in the park, Macy saw a snowman and ran the other way from it.

He had to take a short detour to get her to stay on the walk.  He is cute, she is annoying.