# Agility Trial Jan 21-22nd



## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

I was going to try to wait until after tomorrow to make a post but I'm too excited to wait. Nali got her final Q in Open Standard (AKC) so she's moved up to Excellent!

First, her JWW run. She's been off of agility for 2 months, and has only had one class this last Tuesday. I was worried she would be really distracted and have zoomies. She did great though! Only one moment of zoomies. The grass was very wet which was also a concern. I'm really happy with the run, but I wish we could get a Q. No Q's in Open yet for JWW. This run she had one wrong course, and then refusal on the weaves. If I had Q'd they would have taken it away because I left her collar on- with tags. I can't believe I did that!! She always runs naked! Ugh. :/






Now, the exciting part!! She Q'd in Standard and it was her last one needed, she's done with Open and we'll be in Excellent tomorrow. She earned 1st place!






Hub took a few pictures while we were warming up.










Boing!


















I'll update tomorrow after her next two runs.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Well, today was fun. Our first ever Excellent course.. and she explodes with zoomies!!  It's a tough start to have jump -> weaves, and a panel jump is even worse. I lost her right off the start and struggled to get her back for the weaves. Then she leaped off the top of the A-frame (yikes) and off she went.





No video of the Open JWW. It was a beautiful run, she did exactly as I asked.. even though I missed several obstacles. Double loop!  It was the same pattern as the Excellent dogs ran and several people there missed it too. Ah well. It was a fantastic run and I rewarded her generously for a perfect performance. Everybody told me to count it as a Q, even though it officially isn't of course.


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## Gally (Jan 11, 2012)

Looks like you both had lots of fun. I can't wait to start some basic agility with Gally when he's old enough. Congrats!


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## Shaina (Oct 28, 2007)

She's looking very nice, Sibe! Congrats on the OA title too!


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

How old is Gally? I started Denali at about 9 months old to learn the ground work, contacts, etc. though you can start the really basic stuff at 8-9 weeks old even. She didn't jump full height until she was over a year old, and I still don't ask much of her. Class once a week (where she typically jumps 16" instead of full 20"), and trials once a month.

Shaina, thanks!!

I got the PostShow Report and the "zoomies run made me laugh so hard that I startled my husband and he came running over to see:

Dog's Time: No Time Score: NQ
Faults - TmF: 0 R: 3 W: 1 T: 0 F: 2 E: 1

R= refusal (dog wouldn't do the obstacle)
W= wrong course (went the wrong way)
F= failure (failed to perform obstacle)
E= excusal (didn't finish)


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## Gally (Jan 11, 2012)

Gally is 9 months as of yesterday. We've done two basic obedience classes with him but there isn't anywhere we can go to practice Agility nearby without doing the full course that I am aware of.

I think minimum age for the class here is 10 months but I want to wait till 1 year for jumps at least. 

Any commands you recommend working on before we start the real class?


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

Having a strong Sit-Stay is very helpful. Work up to having him to Sit, telling him Stay, turn around with your back to him and walk away from him (work up to being able to walk ~15 steps away). Then give your release word. People use different release words, I use "Okay" but many people use "Break" or "Free" as "ok" is a common word and you don't want to accidentally release the dog before you are ready to. Having a good recall is also important as you will eventually be working offleash with the dog. Always practice in enclosed areas, and start with him being on leash so you can still have control while he is learning.


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## Gally (Jan 11, 2012)

He's got an awesome sit-stay and his recall is getting pretty reliable so I am glad to hear those are important. We use "Okay" as well though I can see how it would be confusing in some situations. Right now we can get him into a sit and stay, walk away, get a drink, come back etc. 
His big issue right now is noise reactivity. He's gotten a lot better with conditioning but if there is any high pitched noise or loud banging he still gets a bit on edge. We just want to do agility for fun an exercise but of course I want to help him get over this so he can relax and focus better.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

You'll need to work on ignoring loud noises. Denali and I have airplanes flying VERY low over us at the location we were this weekend, as you can hear in the videos. Sharper, sudden noises like the *bang* of the teeter also need to become a positive thing. What we did in class when Denali was first learning was "the bang game". The instructor had us all face-to-face with our dogs, clicker in hand and ready to give treats. She would bang the teeter down, from only about 6" high. As it hit the ground, we would instantly click and reward our dogs. Instructor gradually increased the force of pushing the teeter down and pushed it from higher off the ground. The dogs then associate the *bang* with a treat, so it becomes positive.


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## Gally (Jan 11, 2012)

Awesome training game. Maybe we can go sit in on the class that is starting next week and just click reward for ignoring the noises. There is a shoemaker that is in the building next door to our training classes which makes extremely loud banging noises that you basically have to yell over. We will have to work on that one more for sure. We have been click treating on walks for ignoring any screeching car noises, horns, loud bangs (he was petrified of fireworks before, starting to calm down faster now, few minutes instead of hours).

Gonna contact the trainer and see if she'd be alright with that, I would be willing to pay a partial fee just to sit in on the class without taking it.


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

That's a good idea  If you aren't allowed to observe a class, maybe you could do a brief private lesson and the instructor can give you things to work on before you start classes.


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## Gally (Jan 11, 2012)

Thanks for the help. Good luck to you and Denali with your future agility trials


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

You're welcome, I always enjoy watching the corgis!

Thanks


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## Finkie_Mom (Mar 2, 2010)

She looks great, Sibe! I can't WAIT to start trialing! Though I know we will probably have more bad runs than good hahaha (at least at first!).


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## Sibe (Nov 21, 2010)

You never know! There are good days and bad days. Often after a zoomie run Denali is completely focused for the next run- which is why she has her Open title now but not a single Q in Jumpers because Jumpers is always the first run. Our first trial run ever we didn't finish the course. Nali was zooming all over, refused several obstacles, and at the time I felt like it was just awful. On seeing the video I realized it wasn't that bad for her first run! Overall I was happy because she had fun and I really didn't have high expectations. Of course it would have been nice to have a flawless run, but it was a new location and a new environment. To me, the only really bad run is one where she either gets hurt or where she shuts down and isn't having fun.

Even with the zoomies runs I've learned to laugh. It happens. The worst part for me (which isn't even that bad) is thinking "well, I just paid $15 for my dog to run around like a headless chicken for 30 seconds." There is a dog with a MACH 3 title that has been trialing for years that I've seen have zoomies.


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