Totally Like Me.

Dog show number 2 of 3 in the series is complete. Didn’t I say I wasn’t going to do this again??

But this time around doesn’t seem so horrible. The Dog is holding up well and is looking more and more comfortable at 26”.  She does well in practice so really, at this point all we can do is trial and see what we have and where we are at.

And I think we are in a really good place!

***

Going into the weekend, I was working off of goals from last weekend- control “self-talk” being the main one. For me, this means thinking in positives and if things should go downhill, not letting negative thoughts cause a traffic jam in my head.  I can’t say I have the easiest time letting go of bad runs, especially if they pile up. This of course leads to MORE bad runs if you don’t let them go. Hence the traffic jams. So I wanted to work on just letting the less desirable flow through. Learn my little lesson and move it on.   I decided it was totally like me to be that way.

And I totally was!

***

While we didn’t have any ‘bad runs’ we left Saturday with lessons learned but otherwise empty handed. This is the sort of thing that I would usually think about after a day like that, while driving home, maybe even when trying to fall asleep- why did I do that- of COURSE she would knock that bar, dumbdumbdumb, etc but because it’s like me now to just let it go, we came back Sunday and I had a totally clear head. Yup, mistakes happened but goodness! I didn’t have to relive them again. We all know how crazy-making Groundhog’s Day was. Important life lesson somewhere in that movie.

***

The result of moving on?

Fantastic Dog! Qs happening! Good team work on all sides!

Amazing what you can do when you start dropping some baggage.

Things that I am REALLY happy with, therefore allowing to make a home in my brain:

Driving her dogwalk! Yay! Here is a video-

Yes, criteria was not exactly met on the first. BUT this is a situation where she would have crept before. Now, from a standstill, she works her butt off to get up to speed and run ahead. (And hey, he didn’t call it so if you are going to miss, miss it FAST. Hehe!)   All of the other dogwalks for the weekend were really good. Like, REALLY good.

Jumping! And my handling of her when jumping!  No video, but she had an AMAZING Jumpers run. Clean, fast, perfect.  I even found the ‘secret’ to rear crosses- cue her for them from ahead. Sounds weird but people do it all the time.  She keeps her bars up when I stick downstream of her because she has better information then.  AND I remembered to trust the doggy. She is responsive. SHE IS.  No need to talk to her (or lose my head and scream at her) when jumping.

Our front crosses just keep getting better and better. She is picking up my collection cue now too- like, for real! Collecting! Once again, I have Daisy to thank for this little gem. And probably Tracy too.  It all mushed together for me finally though.

And can I just say again that she is responsive?  I am so, so proud of this. Remember when she wasn’t a few months ago? And went to China? And didn’t know how to pull past anything because she was so obstacle focused? ALL GONE! She feels so different.  She follows me! Sunday’s Standard course was very trappy and by golly (heck YES I said by golly!) she just went right where I did.

***

STILL looking for a solution to start lines. This feels like the last missing link to complete and total awesomeness.  I’m hoping that the change of venue next weekend will provide feedback either way. She was MUCH zippier during our last out of town show.

***

Speaking of a change in venue- super excited for next weekend! WTTO! FEO fun time for us! Cheering on the competitors (ESPECIALLY BROTHER DOG)! Face melting courses!! It’s gonna be awesome.

Oh, and in the spirit of NOT throwing anything at your dog for the first time in a show…

Homemade viaduct jump!! Haha, heavy emphasis on the DUCT.

I may go into business. “Love agility? Want to train more at home but can’t afford such luxury materials as rubber, metal, PVC and wood needed to make your own equipment? Well, here is your answer!  Cardboard Cut-out Agility! Dog tested. Homeless person approved.”

I’m thinking millions.