UKI

The Q rate at the UKI trial was low, as it usually is. Because agility is hard, it’s complex, there is SO MUCH to train – and that’s what I love about it. Definitely a big divide between the courses at the WAO this weekend, and the level of training the average agility team has. I love that agility continues to evolve, and the complexity of courses people can do are astounding – usually in practice/seminar form though. Being able to put it together on a complex course like the WAO when you really need it – that’s tough stuff. When people could pull it off so smoothly, it’s definitely impressive. The Q rate was not great at the WAO either, but definitely a lot more training on those dogs.

But, yeah, so much training needed to get to that point – there is definitely such a huge divide between the average agility competitor and what’s needed to be truly competitive these days. I don’t feel like it was as huge of a divide when I started, training has definitely progressed. So much training though, I worry. I do much less training than I ever did in the past … and it shows. I think I did way too much with London – and jumped him too high at much too young, trialed too much with all that old school agility equipment. I think his iliopsoas injury was directly related to that. I think mostly my dogs hurt themselves doing stupid things on their own time these days, but I definitely don’t want to contribute to it.

It was never a goal of mine to be compete internationally, but I think even if I wanted to I couldn’t at this point, it’s all about running these days! It certainly is fun to watch though, agility never bores me. Well, agility never bores me when the courses are interesting! Once again, just having some interesting courses made this weekend’s UKI trial so much fun – it’s what I really like about agility. There was a whole lot of, “I don’t know if we can do that – let’s see!” Was nice to just focus on Asher, and I’ll have to say, the magic age has arrived. It doesn’t feel like I’m trying to hold on to a WaterWeenie anymore, we are definitely feel more like a team. Is it a team that collects? God no. Is it a team that is pretty and smooth? Nope. But a team none-the-less, I started to have expectations that we could do things – how novel!

We ran a lot over the weekend, because, well, why not? It’s UKI, it’s cheap and with the smaller arena not too much ridiculous running. Overall I was very happy with Asher. He mostly did his things, his contacts were MOSTLY good (including stopping on every teeter!). He kept up … all his bars? I’m trying to think if he knocked any, and nothing is coming to mind. So that was like 8 runs! He tried very hard to respond to what I was asking – perhaps not efficiently, but that’s never going to be his thing. He did all his backsides, maybe not super confidently, but not crazy weird – I’m calling that a win.

Things that need work are weaves – he was just struggling all over the place with the weaves, and I’m not sure why. At one point they even switched from white striped poles to colored alternating poles, still couldn’t stay in them. So he lost several Qs because of weavepoles, entrances, popping out, not even seeing them – very unlike him. But he was not alone, so I’m not going to worry too much about it. He had one exit from the dogwalk in gamblers where he was leaping like a maniac into contact, but it didn’t seem at all like he was trying to hit the contact, but hit it incidentally – not sure what that was about, I had him repeat it and he did the same thing (and could NOT find the weaves afterwards). And collection, there was none – this was less surprising. So inefficient! Oh well. Asher I need to work on feeling confident with wraps, I’m not sure what else I can do in that regard, but I was doing all sorts of weird handling to avoid them – and the couple times I did try them they were awful, or he didn’t even respond. Hmmmm …

Senior Agility: LOVELY dogwalk to weaves with a tunnel trap – but then popped out at like 8 – damn, reset and did a great flip away out of the weaves and finished everything else nicely

Senior Jumpers: Nice and smooth, qualified

Speedstakes: Simple course, 2nd place to Navarre and Martine (by like .02 seconds)

Snooker: I remembered the opening! Then lost Asher into an offcourse tunnel as we started the close – whoops!

Gamblers: Weird dogwalks, couldn’t find weaves, did the gamble … except the last jump, Asher almost took me out to cut in front of me to take an offcourse jump

Master’s Series Standard: Could NOT find the weaves, took him like 5 tries, then I got lost after he finally found them, but did some nice stuff otherwise

Master’s Series Jumpers: I OVERhandled, but I was determined to get through this one – we got it! Not pretty, but hey – not a waterweenie

Speedstakes 1: Blatantly blew off a wrap cue at a front cross and went off course … then did it again when I set it up again, got it the third time, praised and left the course (piff)

Speedstakes 2: Asked a hand touch to get collection – got the hand touch but not the jump! Appreciated the effort though and we partied and finished the course

So, yes, we were busy! But it was fun, and the courses all had hard elements I wanted to see if we could do – and I have no expectations about whether he could do the things, so it was a pleasant surprise when he actually put some things together this trial. I think the smaller arena definitely contributed to our relative success, less room to get up to speed, easier for me to stay closer to him – it was a good combo. I also kept a very realistic expectation of what he was going to do. So when he didn’t collect at all, well, hey, just because that’s what we work on CONSTANTLY is no reason to expect he’ll actually do it. 😉

Asher was adorable and earnest and trying so hard. He would get all squeaky and growly when there was too much tricky parts, and that was adorable too. He really has matured into a lovely dog and we had a lot of fun.

Navarre and Martine had a lot of fun too, this was a big test as it was a small trial we were often running right next to each other, and neither dog lost focus – though apparently Navarre would get really high if he ran after Asher 😉 They had a lot of nice things, but little things tripped them up a lot – not enough support, or not calling enough. Both Navarre and Asher came home with US Open byes though! Navarre and Martine won Master’s series standard, Asher won the jumpers. I have no idea how that all works, but I thought it was fun. Martine may try to go to the WCO this year, depending – so we’ll see. Either way, Navarre is having a blast and I’m so thankful for Martine for running him, he thinks she’s amazing. Boy, he’s tired at the end of the day though – he’s no spring chicken any more!

We saw the chiropractor this week, and the good news is that Navarre felt GREAT – even with doing more agility, not seeing any issues coming up, and definitely no signs of the mysterious back issue of old. Fingers crossed it stays that way, as he’s having a total blast and moving really well. Asher and Bryn had more issues, but it was a actually a pretty good report from Asher. Bryn always seems to have more work to be done than I like, I think it’s trying to keep up with the boys.

Haku is definitely struggling these days. We went out to the beach the other week when the weather was SO HOT (piff), and he was just so much more stiff than he was even since our last trip. He definitely had a lot neck issues found by the chiropractor – but he’s getting old fast. He’s really not using his rear at all, has to be lifted onto the couch and the bed. So we have an appointment at the vet next week to start him on daily anti-inflammatories. I’d like to also start with gabapentin, it didn’t do much for him in the past, but I think now is a good time to start. Going to a more rural vet this time, and hopefully is less obnoxious about wanting to do bloodwork all the time. I just want him to be comfortable. Let it be said, he still has no problem keeping up hiking! It helps that all the downed trees have been removed, so no having to carry him over anymore.

Mentally it’s the same, he’s aging really rapidly and while he seems really HAPPY, he also just wanders off constantly, can’t really hear to be recalled either. He actually looked up when I was calling and waving and RAN THE OTHER WAY. I spent 20 minutes trying to find in the damn hazelnut orchard – I have no idea what he was doing! Somehow my special boy has gotten old, it really snuck up on me. Realistically, I don’t think he has another year with his current state of physical decline. We’re going to try as hard as possible to keep him moving, comfortable and having a great time this year.

It was actually rather nice not to have Bryn at the UKI trial, she’s definitely still in the hard to run category – and a lot of that has to do with the emotional regulation too. Which, of course, I don’t feel like she needs ANYWHERE ELSE, which is the frustrating part. You can take her anywhere and she makes herself at home, I don’t know why she gets so sensitive at trials. If it hadn’t been for the sheep I think it would have been a good opportunity for her to get some exposure, but hey. I don’t have any other trials on the horizon right now, we’ll just keep training.

And, no, still not in season, coming up on 9 months now. Go figure. She’s doing well though, eating well, behaving herself, doing some nice stuff in agility. Maybe not with shoulder pulls, but, hey, no one likes those. Been practicing though, and not feeling like it’s too ridiculously hard. Or just breaking it down until it doesn’t seem so hard anymore. Doing lots of recall to heel and cueing things JUST ONCE and expecting her to do her job. And looking ever so adorable – I don’t know how I got so lucky to get the CUTEST border collie in the world. Love that little thing.

We’ve had some gorgeous perfect spring weather finally, and it does make so happy – even some strawberries from the garden! Haven’t seen any for sale yet, but this is a good time of year, I must say.