Fun Practice day, Sunday October 16, 2011

Went to the club early this morning for a practice with Kiah and Keegs; we met Kay and her Border Collie Jesse there.  A course was already setup and we just had to do a few modifications so it would flow a bit better for us.  Turned out to be a really fun course with a few places where they could have taken a wrong course to keep us on our toes.

Keegs did a bit of zooming but he is pretty easy to get back.  I think he improves a bit each time we go but I need to start doing more distance work with him.  I am trying to handle him like Kiah but I need to make some adjustments running him, just have to figure out what is best for him.  I forgot to bring my camera which I will bring the next time so I can see what I am doing when he misses an obstacle; Kay says he really watches me so it might be I am not following through until he is committed to an obstacle.

Kiah was awesome!  The start was towards the back of the course, so the first time I made her heal and walk with me to the start without a leash or collar, she stayed right with me.  Did a really good wait at the start line, made all the obstacles except the start of the weaves and that was my fault.  I had a hard time figuring out the best way to pull her from the jump to the weaves, once in she missed the last pole so we redid them and she did them all.  The second time we walked out to the start she was happy and bouncing all the way to the start line.  I can't tell you how happy that made me, I have seen her walk with her head down, so depressed you would think she was going to walk the plank or something.  I did better on pulling her from the jump to the weaves but told her to weave too late and she went in at the second pole; I finally got it right the last run so she hit her entrance and did all the weaves. 

I wish we had been able to get into the trial this weekend so now we will have to wait until November to trail (hope we get in this one).

Since we are on a break, Kay and I hope to get a training in one night this week.  I will bring my camera if we do.