Handling Class Week 5

No real detailed description of this week's class this time (grandpa will be happy!). I wish we had taken a photo of the jump set up so we could share it with you and also remember it better. This week's class was on sends again - focusing this time on parallel sends. As baby dogs we practice "go around" and that is the basis for the parallel send. I still love the "go around" game but I didn't know I was really learning the send. Any way, the handler needs to keep her shoulders straight pointing ahead to the parallel jump until the dog commits and then she can move in the direction of the next jump. Many handlers forget to do this and either pull their dog off the jump or cause a refusal. We also practiced off-set 180 jumps and a wrap after the second jump. Jenn told mom to try to keep herself moving in the jumps and not to stand around (mom can stand and wait for me if I am in a tunnel or chute and can't see mom but she shouldn't stop moving in jump sequences).

Next week we don't have class (Jenn is probably traveling somewhere) and after that only two more classes to go. We just found out that Jenn is not teaching any more until summer so we're not sure what class we'll do for March and April (maybe May too). Mom is super disappointed because she was already counting on taking Jenn's class again. The training club where we go is closing in Dec. 2010 - we don't know all the details about why - and we're not sure why Jenn isn't teaching there any more after this. Probably there is a lot going on that we are not aware of.

In other training news, mom thinks she taught me to pivot using Marie's suggestions but she used a window blind rod instead of a dowel (I thought the dowel was like my cane and offered all my cane tricks) - with the window blind rod, mom sort of nudged my thigh (flank, rear) a little so I would move my rear end first. That didn't take long because it reminded me of my flip trick and also my backwards circle trick. Here it is:

Am I doing it? I still need to learn how to get into a better heel position and how to do it on the right side.

After a month of practicing every day, I had my first failure on the emergency whistle recall! Mom is really bummed out about it. She tried it out at my grandparents' house yesterday for the first time - I came on the first try but when she tried to surprise me the second time, I was way too engrossed in some exotic smell (they have a lot of deer in their yard at night) and I didn't even LOOK at mom let alone give her my usual whiplash head turn. She didn't blow twice - she just came over and got me and ran back to where she had tried to call me. Then she set me up on a wait and walked a little distance away and tried again and of course, this time I listened. So it showed mom that she has been too smug in thinking I had the recall down! It proves to her that I now need to practice in new areas other than my yard and the park. Recall bootcamp continues for me!

We are looking forward to milder temperatures this week (above freezing at least) and may get in some agility practice in the backyard even if it is a little muddy. Mom is itching to get out there and try some of the stuff we are learning in class. Only 48 days to Spring everybody!!!!

Gotta zoom!

Ricky