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DRAFT TODAY, POST TOMORROW: Some posts may be in draft status until I (aka procrastinator extraordinaire) get around to posting them.



Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Agility class

Tonight was the first class that Cassi and Teka had together that wasn't a course night. We were grouped with two other dogs, so I went with Cassi, then one of them went, then I went with Teka, then the other one went, and so on. Wow, I'm glad I was feeling well. If I did this more often, I wouldn't need a gym membership. Oh wait, I don't have one!

Our first exercise was a pinwheel. Essentially, there are 4 jumps in an arch, with another 4 mirroring the first 4; in between is one straight jump. Without the last jump, the dog would make a figure 8. Because of the last jump, there is a front cross; otherwise, we're working on out, leaving the arm out. It's a distance exercise, with the goal of me not going out with the dog, just turning in the arch. It worked pretty well for Cassi once I figured out what I was doing (and we were able to do it both directions) but Teka had more trouble. I had to go further with her, which put me in the wrong place for her front crosses. This was a lot of fun and could easily be done at home if I had nine (any) jumps.

Next we a sequence with two jumps on each side of a tunnel. After the first two jumps, the dogs had to take a sharp right into the tunnel. We practiced this as a front cross, rear cross, and no cross. Coming out of the tunnel, they had to make a sharp left over a jump to the last jump. If a cross had been chosen at the tunnel entrance, the dog had to go "out" to come over the jump. This was very difficult for Teka. For the rear cross, we were to call the dog while they are in the tunnel--but I called Cassi too soon and she came back out. This exercise was also one we could do backwards.

The last sequence was 5 jumps leading to weaves. The first two were lined up normally, with the third moved to the left ("out") and then turn right to the fourth and then right again to the fifth. However, the dogs had to go out and then come over the fifth--and of course, they wanted to go over from this side. When they went out and came over the jump, they took a left into the weaves. Cassi did great on her weaves. And Teka did FANTASTIC on her weaves. I think they were the best weaves I've seen her do. She was quick and excited and got her entry and completed them. What a great way to end!

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