Agility (1/6)

Class tonight went great.  I worked my plan and Gimme's first session was fabulous.  I started with brain-warm-up in the foyer and then just continued parts of the drill on the way to the startline.  I lost her briefly at the start, but a touch on her heiney and the cue "set-up" was all she needed.  From then on I couldn't have gotten away from her.  I did a few lead-out and then return to reward her stay.  Then I rewarded one jump, then two jumps, then two jumps and tunnel.  After this warm-up on course I was able to do much of the course until my handling threw her off.  

I was very pleased with her totally focused efforts and clearly it showed.  Everyone was asking me why she was so much better focused (usually her first turn is the worst).  They all thought it was some special treats or something - can't believe they didn't notice the difference in what I was "doing".  My plan was to heavily reinforce focus - you get what you pay for - and to be careful not to get sucked into trying to do the course before I had her focus. 

Our second run was not as pretty because I didn't walk it well and there were challenges I didn't have a good plan for.  However, there was nothing wrong with Gimme - she was as focused as I could ever hope for.  I just didn't have a plan to get her through the course smoothly. 

BTW I have decided to discontinue editing and uploading to youtube our agility class runs.  The vast majority of them have no views.  So I'm only going to put the time into those with something really special to show.

It does not appear NACSW is going to add a module which includes element titles anytime soon to the breed statistics feature on their website, so I spent a few minutes checking on the trial results for all the trials since inception of element titles/trials April this year.

Gimme is indeed the first Dalmatian to achieve an element title and also the first to achieve an L1I (interiors), on July 13, 2014, in LaCenter, WA. Jennifer Jackson and Steeler, along with Renelle Grajales and Sprinkles, both achieved an L1C (containers), on August 17, 2014, in Uxbridge, MA.  Its hard to know who was first without knowing the run order.  Wonderful to see two Dalmatians show their stuff in such a nice way.  I believe I mentioned I've entered Gimme for another chance at the L1C for a trial upcoming in Stevenson, WA.  I've just learned we are 15th alternate, so its just possible we'll get in.

Gimme achieved an L1E (exteriors), on September 21, 2014, in Happy Valley, OR, making her the first Dalmatian to achieve the L1E and the first to have two element titles.  The name for the location is certainly appropriate, since I was very "happy" to have success in the "valley". 

☺☺☺

Tomorrow we'll be driving down to Albany for a weekend of four barn hunt trials in Brownsville, OR.  Its a 3 hour drive just to the hotel, so I'm going down the night before.  We have to get 5 qualifying legs to get the masters title (RATM) and we don't have any yet, so there is no chance for a title this weekend.  Personally I'd be thrilled to come home with a leg since its such a huge skill jump for the human half of the team.  Cross any body parts you can spare for us.