Wednesday, October 1, 2008

WRAP!

Katrin set up a very fun, fast course last night. She said she would post it on Monty’s Training Diary and when she does I will link to it here.

It started with the tire, 12 weaves, jump, a-frame, f/c, jump, WRAP, tunnel. The tunnel was beneath the a-frame and should not have been the discrimination issue it was for Carmen. When she is in alignment she really prefers contacts! Perhaps she just wasn’t seeing the tunnel, and/or I wasn’t giving her enough information (loudly, consistently enough)? I am pleased with how tight she did the wrap considering we RARELY do wraps.

Leading into the second loop was a two (or three) jump go, rear cross into the tunnel. I end up racing Carmen and then running into the tunnel myself! Argh – consistency in my speed is going to plague me for the rest of my agility career. I can tell. It took me until my very last run to remember to be more consistent – that I don’t need to race her. That, that would be the point of having a go. Gah! The learning curve – some nights are better than others.

The positives are that Carmen’s adjustment obviously held as she was all over the contacts. She really hunkered down in the weaves (cages were on all 12) and she is definitely getting faster in general as we get more comfortable together.

The negative is that Katrin thinks I should have an ophthalmologist look at Carmen. She consistently has trouble seeing were certain colored jumps are, the table, the a-frame contact v. sand. Katrin thinks it might be a shadow issue. So, I suppose I should do that (drat!). The money is a slight concern, but the bigger issue is that I love working with Carmen and she loves it too. I think we will both be devastated if there is something going on that can’t be managed/dealt with.

This week we need to work on:

- Down;
- Weaves;
- Go; and
- Make an appointment with the canine ophthalmologist.

3 comments:

Blue said...

Carmen did great in class last night! Fingers and paws crossed that whatever is going on with her vision is very manageable.

Jules said...

Thanks, Blue!! We have an appointment on the 27th. Hopefully carmen just needs the doggie equivalent of glasses (which do not exist!) and I will just need to be a more thoughtful/cognizant handler.

How's Ms. I?

Blue said...

No more limping, thank doG! Hopefully I'll get a few min at lunch and I can make a chiro appointment for her.