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Evansville AKC Trial
May. 10th, 2011 03:30 pmI can count on one hand the number of AKC trials we've done in the past two years. Okay, this one was the sixth. Still not very many. I find it very difficult to focus on multiple venues, especially when you are having a lot more fun in one of them!
Anyway, this past weekend we did go to an AKC show, our second this year. At this point I am only planning two more but another might pop up that I'll go to.
I am very happy to say that I think Panic and I are actually becoming a consistent team. At some point I think things kind of came together for us. I don't have to be in his face at every turn and he doesn't blast off into space at the slightest inclination. I know how to handle individual courses in the way that is best for him. I suppose it was a gradual progress but for me it just seems like one day things suddenly clicked.
We still aren't perfect and I know we can improve a lot, but I am happy with our progress as of now. Our only "bad" run was Sunday's standard, which I know was because Panic was the first dog in of the day and I got to the site while they were half-way through the walk through, so I was pretty frantic and didn't get to warm him up much at all. He did however mistake the dogwalk for the teeter, which he has never done before and really worried me. It was suggested that it might have been from the lighting in that corner of the ring, as it was very dark and shadowy. I hope this doesn't effect his dogwalk performance but I am just happy he was brave and kept going after he was sure it was the teeter.
The turf there is pretty slippery, so I was definitely taking it easy. I am very very lucky that Panic responds to my speed. The slower I go the slower he goes and the faster I go the faster he goes. I am definitely in favor of this rather than dogs that are one speed regardless of the handler! It also means that I really don't think Panic has reached his full potential in terms of speed and performance because I can always run faster. Definitely a good thought! (And puts the pressure on me!)
Fortunately I did get to watch some of the livestream this weekend, unfortunately I didn't get to watch very much of it. Internet at the show site (which was actually just from a friend's phone) was not very good. I did manage to catch most of Round One, including awesome runs by Tori and Rev and Sarah and Tess. (When Tess walked up to the line I almost screamed to the people watching with me "THERES THE STAFFY! She's awesome!!")
Anyway, this past weekend we did go to an AKC show, our second this year. At this point I am only planning two more but another might pop up that I'll go to.
I am very happy to say that I think Panic and I are actually becoming a consistent team. At some point I think things kind of came together for us. I don't have to be in his face at every turn and he doesn't blast off into space at the slightest inclination. I know how to handle individual courses in the way that is best for him. I suppose it was a gradual progress but for me it just seems like one day things suddenly clicked.
We still aren't perfect and I know we can improve a lot, but I am happy with our progress as of now. Our only "bad" run was Sunday's standard, which I know was because Panic was the first dog in of the day and I got to the site while they were half-way through the walk through, so I was pretty frantic and didn't get to warm him up much at all. He did however mistake the dogwalk for the teeter, which he has never done before and really worried me. It was suggested that it might have been from the lighting in that corner of the ring, as it was very dark and shadowy. I hope this doesn't effect his dogwalk performance but I am just happy he was brave and kept going after he was sure it was the teeter.
The turf there is pretty slippery, so I was definitely taking it easy. I am very very lucky that Panic responds to my speed. The slower I go the slower he goes and the faster I go the faster he goes. I am definitely in favor of this rather than dogs that are one speed regardless of the handler! It also means that I really don't think Panic has reached his full potential in terms of speed and performance because I can always run faster. Definitely a good thought! (And puts the pressure on me!)
Fortunately I did get to watch some of the livestream this weekend, unfortunately I didn't get to watch very much of it. Internet at the show site (which was actually just from a friend's phone) was not very good. I did manage to catch most of Round One, including awesome runs by Tori and Rev and Sarah and Tess. (When Tess walked up to the line I almost screamed to the people watching with me "THERES THE STAFFY! She's awesome!!")