Ben excited

Ben gets very excited at agility with others. We had a different instructor last time, and she got us all to do a bit of obedience for control. Seemed quite good timing for Ben, as he is a bit scatty due to over-excitedness. I'm sure he will settle, but this will help transfer the KC GC calmness (relatively) over to the agility arena. He jumps what I direct him over now, though only one jump at a time. I hope he will work well at a distance, like Spike does.

Spike was running nicely, but knocking poles. I stopped when he knocked them, and his success rate has improved. I noticed he knocked one that was at small height, so it not physical, just a misunderstanding about the relative importance of speed and accuracy. He worked away nicely, doing a reasonably complex course of 10 jumps without me moving. He pinged a couple of contacts (running off them, not missing them). So I went back to basics for some good stops, which he did without complaint.

Springers

A fun show in a nice location. Interesting route there due to GPS being on scenic setting!

Willow got 1st in biddy agility and 2nd in buddy jumping. We got a nice glass photo frame for the 1st, so I got a nice photo from the photo people of her starting the jumping course.

Spike got a 3rd on an agility course I had not walked. I got in his way once which probably cost the win. Second run I didn't get in the way and found a faster handling route, but it didn't count 'cos he knocked the first pole. Probably due to me setting him up wrong, but maybe we will do some practice so that he is more tolerant to my rubbish handlerness. I also want to try giving him directions while he is jumping to get him used to it, since I am rubbish at eliminating my own bad habits.

training ben

I'e been training Ben a little each day this week. I thought it was time Sparky stopped making him look silly.

He has been doing well. He is obviously very keen, but has learnt nothing happen if he just launches off on his own, the foundation of a good wait if you ask me.

He will happily do two jump, tunnel, two jumps. OK so sometimes he goes in the wrong end, and sometimes he goes round the jumps, but much less as the week progressed.

He goes on the a-frame for his own entertainment, and stops cos he seems to get rewarded for that, he just doesn't stop at the right place. He will though, cos he's trying to work it out.

He goes through the first two weavies if you keep trying and have a big pile of jump wings and a hedge to stop him running round. He is getting the idea that the ball only appears if he goes through. Lots of time needs spending on this, but he looks up for it.

All in all the chap is doing well.

Rob.

Ben progressing

I've already forgotten about getting Ben to jump a single jump and we are doing bits of courses. I'm finding it hard to judge what he can and can't do, so we are progressing slowly with lots of me not realising that he will run round the back of me barking or whatever, and him having a whale of a time, but not really knowing what he should be doing. One or two really nice bits when he does it right, and gets lots of praise for it, and a few laughs as something fails to sink in and he tries various different things. We're behind Sparky, but that's not a problem to me.

Willow had a nice little plod round and will be in good shape for running vets at Springers and NAWS.

Spike's weavy problem seemed to have gone away yesterday, with him driving through them from both sides and making lots of nice weaves entries. long may it continue. He was also really nice when waiting his go and reasonably tolerant of all sort of shenanigans from others.

Spike gets a rest from obedience for a little bit now, as he got his silver GC last week. Ben is next to move up I think, also for his Silver test. Perhaps sometime in the early summer. And maybe Willow to try for Gold.

Looking forward to the clocks changing and evening walks and training.

training all three

I've been successfully training all three in weekend agility, and midweek obedience. I keep swapping about and leaving the non working dogs in various places (either in my vehicle or in a cage). Ben is taking to being in his cage quite well though he still makes a fuss if I am working Spike at agility.

Ben is starting to get quite interested in agility, and I can already see he will be very fast. He will also be highly manoeuvrable, he seems to be able to accelerate from nothing and come to a stop quicker almost than I can see. He can also "turn on a sixpence". Right now he does not wait very well, but if I can get Spike to have a good wait then I guess I will manage with Benny too.

Spike got his silver KC award earlier this week, which is great. It took 6 weeks to even get him into the room when I first took him. He even played with one of the collieish dogs there and was quite nice in the breaks where lots of dogs are gambolling randomly. Spike continues to be an agility star.

Willow is not taking retirement lying down. she had a couple of runs round at agility training and was running very nicely. I might investigate rally-o for her at some point, she could be quite good at it and she loves obedience.