Adventures in Training the Beagles

Macy - Week of 3/23/ - 3/26

Good rally class, but she refused to work without a piece of kibble in my hand.  The piece is VERY small.  We have one of this Tuesday night, and then have another break, and then one last class.  I like that in this class.

We had a really good agility class, we are focusing on distance and I am seeing some results.

Ft Worth Kennel Club Dog Show Problrems

From the agility secretaries, i understand that the City of Fort Worth and the Will Rogers complex are difficult to deal with.

But really?

Parking is more limited there then the past and get this. Dogs are not allowed in the parking garage!  Well actually the elevators from the parking garage and the building itself.

I did park In the lot in front of the building so I avoided that problem and it is a nonissue if you bring on
a bunch of dogs.  You park in the loading area, unload everyone and go to the parking garage.

I bring one, groom at home, so prefer to walk in, socialize, show and leave.

This show is hostile to that plan.

People, it is dog show and dogs are a necessary component - deal with it or don't take our money.

My other problem were the ushers.  I stepped out of the ring when we won the class, and the usher wouldn't let me back into the ring.  Really?  I have an arm band, a dog, a bag, and a package of bedding.  Since I don't crate, I have to keep everything with me.

Good Agility Class

No excursions, made very few mistakes, and was a very good dog.  Most of the mistakes were mom doing advanced stuff (a blind cross), or a send to the other side of the jump.

We also have a little surprised planned for next Sunday morning ….  We were working on it when we weren’t doing courses (oh, and we’ve been working on this surprise for months, but finally put a name on it tonight).

Very bummed that our class is dissolving and it’s hard to find a place for her.

Dulce–Conformation Training

I took Dulce with me tonight and brought her in the building.  When I wasn’t working Macy, I worked on Dulce’s conformation – I am trying to get her to self stack.  I am not ready to put it on cue, because it isn’t 100%, but we’re getting there.

It was funny, because I didn’t reward several times, because her back feet weren’t lined up. Witnesses swore they were, but the guy next to me realized I was watching her spine (I wasn’t aware of that until he pointed it out), and that told me when she was aligned. Something to remember when showing (along with 100 other things).

I still think if she can walk in the ring, pose herself both on the floor and the table, we’ll make up for the fact that we’re an 1” shorter than our relatives.  She’ll look as put together as she really is.  However, I’d like more of a casual stance, where she is tending to pop into it.

Rally

Macy and I went to our beginner’s Rally class that meets on random Tuesdays.  I actually LOVE that.  The fact that the class meets randomly.

First run, we did foodless, and we got everything the sits in front.  The instructor didn’t get it when I showed her my open palm without food, so I had to tell her.

Second run, Macy said, “nope, no pay, no heel”.  Had to stop, get a small piece of food and she was perfect!  We even got applause and praise.

GOOD MACY.  However, we have to do it in a distracting environment without food.  Maybe Market Hall this summer.

DAWG - Sunday - March 13

Macy was NOT in the mood for agility today.

   

JWW

   

Stuck her head in the dirt and just didn't want to run.

   

   

Standard

   

Trying something different. Leaving her in the crate in the truck until the judge is ready. Also had Dulce out and training.

   

   

DAWG - Saturday March 12

No Qs, but highlight of the day was doing the teeter like a normal dog.

   

   

FAST Open

   

Plan

   

6 Jump

1 Jump

4 Jump

Send

5 Jump

10 Tunnel

. 20 + 20 send

2 Aframe

7 Jump

1 Jump

1 Jump

9Chute

18 without teeter

   

Plan didn't work -- she stuck nose down into dirt as soon as I left her. Need to give more energy out at the beginning of the run to be successful. Also didn't scruff.

   

Open JWW

   

   

   

Missed weaves (3 times!) and sent to the tunnel and went to the wrong end. Everything else was good.

   

   

Got teeter and weaves! However, I thought she would take the 8 tunnel and she took the aframe instead. Got everything else, but a tad slow.