Thursday, September 10, 2009

tRicky T-Day! and agility, always agility

We've been busy with agility practicing and not as much trick practicing. Mom is teaching me to lift my back leg up (she says we are going to call it "Are you a boy dog?" but we haven't gotten that far yet so I'm not supposed to know). We made a short video to show you my progress - watch and you'll see me lift my leg once really high without using the books!




I am back in the novice competition class on Wednesday nights - remember I was taking that class last spring and then stopped so that I could take the handling class outside in the summer? Well I love being back in the training building! Last week and this week we had really good classes! Mom brought the meatballs and I was super enthusiastic. We think having our own dogwalk is helping me with the real dogwalk at class. And last night I even did the weaves fast for me - you know I am used to the stick-in-the-ground poles I have at home and the regular poles slow me down some. So far the sequences have seemed very easy to mom and me - we must've learned a lot over the summer. It makes mom much more confident in her handling and then that makes me confident and faster too. She even ran all the way around the outside of some jumps last night - long path for her and unconventional handling - but it really motivated me and the instructor was cheering us on!

We were going to do a trial this weekend at the horse barn, but the issue about the sandy surface has not been resolved yet and the trial was moved to a place about an hour and a half away. Mom decided we're not ready to travel that far yet (spoiled as we are by trials 20 minutes away!). Our next trial day is Sept.25 - here in town at a sports barn - sort of artificial grass I think. That will be a completely different experience for me - hope my new found confidence transfers to that new place!

Gotta zoom!

Ricky



8 comments:

Sara said...

That's a cool trick you're working on Ricky. We should try that one. We've been doing more agility than tricks this week too.

I think one hour is going to be our limit for a trial drive! Unless it is an extra special trial. We like our 30 minute drive.

Sara said...

We'll have to try running on the outside of jumps sometime, and see how that works for us too.

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

I'm sure woo will be ready!

Happy tRikhky T-day!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

Diana said...

You are very lucky. Our trial that our club puts on is the only close trial. Thats only twice a year. Then next closest is 1.5 hours and thats only one. Then it gets over 2 hours. So if I dont travel then I dont trial. The trick looks cute. Diana

Dawn said...

Oh Ricky, your mom thinks of the funniest tricks! And thank goodness you are still going to agility class so that you can show them how much faster you are now! Have fun!

Marie said...

Boy are you spoiled to have agility trials that close to you. The closest trials we have are 2 1/2 hours away, and often we drive 5 hrs to get to one. Even working with our obedience instructor is a 2 1/2 hour drive that we do once a month or so. We are green with envy!

I hope your next trial goes really well! Zoe will be at a trial that weekend too.

Unknown said...

Ooh, I like your new leg trick, Ricky...not sure I'd be able to do it though -I've got such a big chest and am so front heavy that I think if I lifted my back legs, I'd topple over! :-)

Still, I've done the Agility tunnel now and I never thought I could do that - so who knows?!! I may give your trick a try!

Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane

Johann The Dog said...

You've got a good start on that leg lifting thang, BOL!!!! I just get way to wacky, but we are still working on it :)