League Night

Tonight was week 3 of NW Agility League. We have a great team, some really nice people. There is a Portuguese Water Spaniel, a Golden Doodle, and one other dog I can't remember right now. Tonight our team's job was to be ring crew. It was nasty out, I left the house late and somewhat unprepared, so I decided to just bring Vegas in and tie her on the metal bars of a horse-type stall. She did remarkably well, even with somewhat consistent whining. She didn't jump up and down. She didn't chew her leather lead. She didn't yip and get very loud. It was a pleasant change.

The first run we had was the game course and was called Almost Fast. It was an off-take of the AKC agility game called FAST. The course, as shown, has a "send" area where you get double points if you take all three obstacles, in order, without crossing the line. I am super proud and excited to say, VEGAS DID IT!!!! Such a rock star my girl is. I was so excited for her and us. As such a cling-on girl, this was a really big deal and she didn't even hesitate.

From there we pretty much went around the perimeter ten up the center over the a-frame. She was doing great and after a couple false starts on the weaves, I had her in them and then the team was yelling time so I had to let her jump out and go. I'm not sure what our points were, but even if they weren't enough, she did so good that's all that matters to me!

Our second run was a standard course. It wasn't too complex but I'm sure my primary level handling threw her off some. Vegas had some really good moments though, and a couple funny ones, too. Here I am of the mindset that I won't make her practice tunnels or do them any more than she has to, and then she decides she just has to take them sometimes. Such a goofy girl!

Again she took the dog walk. She did well on a 270 too, of which I am glad as we just practiced them in Tuesday night's class. Without momentum and me possibly being in her way, we struggled a bit going into the tunnel again and then after running out of it and over a jump, we were to go to the weaves. Silly girl, this is where the tunnel under the a-frame was just irresistible. I was able to call her back the first time while she was still about a foot from it. The second time she got her feet just on the lip. The third time she went ahead on through. Silly, goofy, tunnel loving girl. Then it took three or four times to get her through the weaves. The thing is, she totally rocks at weaves. A full 12 is a beautiful thing for her when she really gets going. Apparently they weren't her thing tonight though, and instead of just taking the 5 point fault, I wanted to make sure I focused on accuracy so we finally got them. Yeah for Vegas!

The rest of the run was pretty good. She had a great contact at the end of the teeter that allowed me time for a front cross to send her over the jumps and we finished well, not to mention she did great waiting for me while the last few people ran.

And the funniest thing of all, most people feed meat related treats, etc to their dogs. My girl chose apple tonight, and to top it off, I brought her peanut butter tube. YUM! Now she's sleeping peacefully on her bed while I tout her wonderfulness. I love my girl!