Tuesday's class

In this week's class we practiced some course openings. First off we had to do a lead out push and then a forward motion front cross on the same sequence - the FMFC worked better for us. On the next sequence we had to try a FMFC and then a lead out pivot. We're going to try to make a video of this one to illustrate what we mean. It seemed that the two moves were very similar but with the lead out pivot there was no handler motion involved and with the FMFC there was handler motion. In this lead out pivot, the handler had her dog on the left and lead out past the plane of the jump (the dog was to take the back side of the second jump) - she called her dog to her left leg and then pivoted into a front cross and motioned the dog over the second jump.

We also talked a little about blind crosses which Jenn says are ok as long as the handler uses them at non-turning obstacles. So if your dog is in the weaves and you can get ahead, it is ok to BC - but the dog needs to still be weaving when you do it (the dog needs to still be performing any of the non-turning obstacles while you perform any cross). Otherwise you will slow your dog down as he exits as he will not know where to go next.

At the end of class, we practiced weave entries - one jump and then weaves - jumps started out easy and got harder. I got all my entries - no problem!!

Not the greatest video but hopefully it will give you an idea of what I am talking about. First mom tries a FMFC, then she tries the LOPivot but moves too soon and I jump the wrong direction. Then we do two better LOPs and one more FMFC.

BTW, here is a link to some shots of me in action at my last trial - click on the link and you'll see one picture and then under that there is a link to see the rest of the album. Mom loves the picture on the front and also the first one of me finishing the weaves.

http://mlifer.com/mlp/album/res/ecard/201007144759343.html

Gotta zoom!

Ricky