Well Now it’s Too Hot

If the world really is coming to an end and the weather will continue to get more and more volatile, I’ll have to say at least it’s not boring. We had about one week of spring weather and now we’re on to summer. Well okay then. Which naturally coincided with a weekend of seminars and agility for me. Fun times. Still, as always, Oregon is breathtakingly beautiful this time of year – so pretty it’s just unreal. I feel so fortunate to live here, and all the wonderful plants and flowers that Heidi continues to plant make everything so lovely on the property! The plants at least enjoy the weather.

We went to the Mia Grant seminar, which thankfully did not have much running in it, which I did not complain about. We just used a little 60×60 section of the arena with 5 or 6 jumps and a couple tunnels. Which was actually more than I expected from Byrn’s ‘Foundation’ seminar, which didn’t end up really being about Foundation, but just some simple sequencing. Which would have been fun, but Bryn saw the sheep right next to the arena and we got to spend the day convincing her to do agility.

Still, dealing with this issue was helpful, and she did finally mostly decide that she could do agility there. It was not easy though, and I brought out all the big guns – the baked chicken and the squeaky pigs. She didn’t really show much of her infamous flanking, which always makes me look like a giant liar – but it’s true that I think her lack of confidence and focus in new location is another big hurdle we need to address before we can gel as an agility team. I have done a lot of babying, managing and basically treating Bryn like a delicate princess. Which I am doing much better on, but we still have issues with that.

Asher was a good boy at the seminar, and as he was relatively close to me in these sequences, it was pretty easy to get him to collect. He IS getting better! Got some nice feedback and things to work on with him, I like Mia’s straightforward style. And, yes, if he sucks at 180 wraps, yes, I SHOULD just practice them every week – it’s not like it’s hard to set up! He does need constant maintenance with things like that. He had a good time, because he always does – he’s a fun boy and it was nice to get some feedback.

Really was not into the AKC trial, it was like 95 degrees and the courses were tight and I was so not feeling it. The good news, all the issues we had over the weekend were dog skills. Asher popped out of the last weavepole in standard, so fixed that, then self released on the teeter, so fixed that. Jumpers he dropped the first bar. He didn’t feel difficult to run, just very high and pushy, but I thought he was trying – AKC spacing is just not good for him. We have UKI next weekend, but in Barb’s small arena, so we’ll see how that goes.

Pulled Bryn from the UKI trial, she can’t really function with the sheep next door. AKC … well, we had some good things, but she was not herself and it was way harder than it needs to be. She missed her aframe, which was the second obstacle, but got her weaves, even with lateral motion. Teeter was slow, dogwalk was really high – contacts still need a lot of work in new places. Almost went into the wrong side of a tunnel on a threadle because she was just flanking and not paying attention (but that was the only place I had to bring out the ‘BRYN’ cue). Jumpers she should have gotten, but ran around a jump when I front crossed and was sitting there telling her to come in, so stupid. It was fine, it isn’t what she can do – but trialing is still a lot for her. She’s made progress with her obstacles in public, weavepoles were good, less flanking … one step at a time.

Bryn is doing better in practice and we’re able to put more things together without as many flanking issues. We have continued to mostly use food and doing a lot of breaking things down and trying to be as clear as possible about what her job is. I do think we’re making progress, and I think she will get there – I’m thinking around 4.

I’d like to give Bryn more sheep, as that’s obviously her love in life, but we have no resources, unfortunately. She does very much love her agility at home, so we’ll stick with working on that flanking and we’ll get there eventually. She’s still not in season, but I wonder if she is feeling more sensitive as she’s definitely due! I really don’t think of her as that sensitive of a dog, but she has definitely struggled with agility in new locations. She’ll get there in her own time, but I don’t think she’ll ever be ‘easy’ with that flanking – it’s so instinctual, that’s hard for her to get through.

As for Asher, I use him in classes to demonstrate early jumping and why you don’t want it. It is what it is, I think he still does fine in agility, but I think it’s safe to say he will never be a comfortable jumper. I am happy that he feels more comfortable with backsides, confidence and understanding is very important with him and jumping. I have accepted it is something that I cannot change, so we manage it.

Meanwhile, Navarre is out living his best life going on Adventures with Martine! He had his test run staying with her over the weekend to go to the AKC trial and passed with flying colors. He behaved himself, got along with her other dogs (only somewhat obsessed about her cats), went hiking and swimming and did a whole lot of agility. The advantage of the 8 year old trained dog! They ended up 3/4 for the normal classes, with a new double Q to add to his little pile. And had a lot of good on the ISC courses in ridiculously hot weather, just one little mistake on each. Sounds like Martine would like to do more with him, and is hoping to do some UKI and possibly bring him to the West Coast Open in September. We shall see! Knock on wood, he’s been doing all the international stuff and has seen the chiropractor several times – does not seem to be hurting him. Just one happy boy, out there doing all the things!

And, yes, the borderborderpap litter with Bryn next year fell through as I can’t find any dog from that line that is still intact and not carrying a matching recessive. I’m not comfortable going with an unknown line, so I’m now backing off on the idea. Not to say that it’s off the table, but it’s no longer in planning. I’ll admit the idea of a little dog that could jump and not flank around everything sounds really appealing. But let’s be honest, all dogs have their issues, any new dog will have their own set of challenges.

Hoping the weather goes back something a little more moderate soon, so far 2023 just sucks for weather.