Randomness

I haven't posted in a while so you guys get a jumbled report.

Two weekends ago now I went to a disc dog fun match.  Vito had fun as always, I threw like I hadn't done so all winter :)  While waiting for our turn Lance played some tree utility.  He had a blast doing go outs to a large tree, although the first time I sent him he happily ran straight to it and then proceeded to sniff around it.  After a few perfect ones I found a triangle of trees that could make great directed jumping, or directed trees.  Lance went out around them beautifully on the "jump" portion but on the go out he told me he couldn't touch the much skinnier tree and instead went around it before sitting.  I wasn't one to argue with him.

This past Friday was spent getting soaking wet at a NADAC trial.  The boys both did weavers and hoopers.  Vito broke his startline in hoopers and I decided I didn't care.  He did well and I was proud of myself for thinking very quickly on my feet to make up a new plan when I found myself forgetting to do a cross.  Lance was an angel.  In weavers Vito got all his entrances and did well even though he wasn't terribly fast.  Lance also made all his entrances but on the last set he kept popping out at that 10th pole until we made it on our 3rd attempt.  No Q since we were overtime.  I was thrilled that Vito seemed perfectly relaxed in his crate in a tent despite not being able to see anyone else and likely not hear anyone else because of the rain.

Sunday I went to watch a running contacts seminar by our own Kory Kaye.  It was great getting to see all the dogs strides and to hear Kory's approach.  Of course we steered the majority of people away from doing a running dogwalk and pushed for the running aframe instead :)  I think the seminar renewed my energy to keep at it with Lance.  She had a lot of the dogs just run run run back and forth over the lowered equipment not worrying about footfalls until they're really hauling.  I think that's something I need to go back and do with the corgi so he stops over thinking and short striding everything.  He is doing well again though with his little mat on the end.  I'm taking it extra slow this time.  At the end of the day when everyone's dog was dead I pulled out Vito and ran him over the dogwalk.  He replicated our issue with turns (a very very slight turn) and we discussed going to 2 seperate behaviors for him (being crazy and having a 2o2o plus having a running) or handling it like I'm going straight, no peeling off or anything until he's in his last stride. 

The boys are also learning how to drum for Silvia Trkman's challenge.  Lance loves it although hasn't quite figured out I'm only rewarding the front feet drumming so he's also spazzing with his back feet.  The toller is still uninterested at training time.  The lab is lazily pattering.

A random picture of Chuck with his binkie