Zumi's first seminar! Vito Threadles!

Seminar weekend!  I do hardly any seminars with the dogs but love working with Loretta.  It's a far drive for Vito, but I'm thinking about going down for some lessons a few times this summer to work with the red dogs.

Zumi spent Friday afternoon working with a novice dog group.  Her first time really doing agility away from home minus the couple weeks she did of that puppy agility class I felt wasn't a good fit for her.  But Zumi came out with great focus and was ready to work instantly!  While she still is a huge launcher onto people when she's not working, gone are the days of Zumi running away from me to cling onto whoever her new best friend of the moment was.

Zumi also made me look like we had been practicing as she had some amazing little sends and mostly did a nice job of holding her line.  I would say the current scales tip much more towards handler focus than obstacle focus, but if I did a better job of fully supporting things Zumi looks really good!  It was a good reminder that I need to spend time on straight-ish lines and just general jump commitment.  I very recently started doing more extension work and less wraps so timely information.  Also got some good ideas on using reward placement to get her out of those wide loopy "yay I'm running!" turns she sometimes does.

On Sunday Vito got to play!  Very hot day but Vito did a pretty good job staying motivated.  I did the first turn with leaving the toy at the start like I try and do often in practice to replicate trial conditions.  Second round I kept his ball on me due to the heat and trying a new move.

I am SO SO excited to share that I have a new way of motivating Vito thru threadles!  I kinda suck at traditional threadle handling and Vito hates the pressure of me having to (half) face him.  On best attempts from both our ends I can pull him through it and be a decent way down the line but Vito always slows down so much.  Also wants lots of babysitting the turn to come in which is kinda odd for Vito as he's a nice turning dog.  Just too much pressure and not enough running from me.

Now we have fancy spinning.  Vito likes fancy spinning.  I still have to get better at my timing and not being so close to the first wing, but anything that helps motivate Vito better thru tight turning is worth it.  Attempts at my practice last night at home.  Love that video shows me what I'm doing wrong as it was hard to tell in the moment.

I also have homework on building more drive towards shaky hand.  Ways to create movement on my end for him when I can't really move much.