(no subject)

[aardogs]

Before a "big event", do you usually trial right before hand to prepare or take a trialling break? What so you work on leading up to a big event, or do you do no agility at all?

Wondering what I should do before Cynosport this year. I thought about entering a show beforehand, but I'm leaning towards a trialling break (after the AKC show we have this weekend), working some "weak" skills leading up to Cynosports and then working our strengths the week right before it so he and I will have some confidence going in.

I just feel like I should actually have a plan instead of the go with the flow, let's just have fun kind of attitude that I had going into Cynosport last year and the regionals this year. I guess it is all about experience and figuring out what works best for you and your dog.

Comments

[ripnpaws.livejournal.com]

Rip just took 6 weeks off. So now we will trial up to Cynosports. Doing mostly USDAA. Working on contacts and teamwork. Nothing else special. Maybe some distance gamble skill work including aframe and weaves. Stuff does better if he does not take a break so no break for him.

[agilityfrk.livejournal.com]

Vic has Bay Team this weekend and then we'll do a show towards the end of September, mainly for contact rehab and to test out some handling options. Personally, I wouldn't show the weekend before a big event, so I can relax and start getting my head game in place, but that's just me. :-)

[wickydoodle.livejournal.com]

I think it depends on how/where you practice. I'm trialling two weekends before Cynosport because trialling is our best opportunity to practice; the more I trial, the more in sync we are. If I had a great practice facility and someone to set up challenges for me (or the ability to do it myself), I might go that route instead.

There's a trial in TN the first weekend in October on dirt, which would be great practice IMO, especially for dogs not used to dirt. (here's hoping we don't hear more whining about THAT this year!)

[trublueart.livejournal.com]

The only event I ever remember doing anything 'special' for was the first year I went to Champs. There were several basic skills we needed to train and that's what we did the 3 or 4 months before we went. Trials, well, I just did whatever trials that I want to do in our area, but that's because I'm mostly only doing NADAC and there weren't that many of those. (And none a couple months before Champs.) The first couple years I went to Champs I took a break AFTER the event, but that's mostly because there were no trials. XD

[sclmarm.livejournal.com]

I would not do any trialing two weeks prior to the event. I would have been working hard on conditioning and polishing up skills. A week before I would do a little training and lighten up on the conditioning schedule so any small injuries or soreness that might be there, but I can't see or feel, would be totally healed and the dog would feel on the muscle and ready to rumble:) USDAA Nationals is so long, the physical condition of the dog coming in would be really important to me. We used this plan when Meg and Zach took their dogs to USDAA Nationals in AZ. Both dogs did well, although, Meg's dog Nessa(a BC) struggled a little with the Arizona heat.