Zumi Running Contacts
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Tuesday, November 10, 2015
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agility
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running contacts
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zumi
It's almost been a month since Zumi has been at full height on her dogwalk. Progress continues to be made and I am thrilled with where she is at.
At home we're almost 100% on straight exits, with her ball being thrown only after she hits. I can be far behind, I can be way ahead, I can blind cross the exit. She is doing little bits of sequencing before it as well.
Crappy dogwalk pictures that make me happy.
90 degree turns aren't as consistent but for the most part she is always hitting the contact zone now. Just not always as deep of a hit as I want. The biggest challenge right now is getting her to actually listen to my verbals now that a ball is not being pre-placed. Zumi can get fixated with the straight ahead option and ignore my verbals to turn. Repeatedly.
Aframe I'm doing once a week now and it continues to look good. No more scary flying. I met my goal of getting it up to a height usable for class and basically won't be touching it anymore until spring.
Which brings me to Zumi's new agility class! She has done 2 weeks now of her first real group class. I've been nervous, she's been awesome. Even hitting 4 out of 4 dogwalks so far (straight exits)! Also realizing that we need to actually train a rear cross now. And apparently agility startlines are not as solid as obedience stays. Although she was better on class #2 with preemptive shaming :)
Yayyyy! She looks so good! When we worked on this, Griffin was better with turns than straight ahead. Now please train my dogs to do this! Running contacts and scent articles are my weaknesses. And stays.
Impressive that Griffin was better at turns, that's usually harder!
Are you going to do running contacts with Tonks? She would be a perfect age to start this spring!
hahaha I don't know. I want to and I have far more equipment access than when Griffin was young but our agility instructor mostly advises against it!
I think Griffin is/was so good at flipping into tunnels that he would hit very low and then launch almost into the tunnel from there. Sharp turns without the tunnel underneath were better than straight but not as perfect.
I would also advise against it for anyone new the sport or not very experienced with shaping. You fit into neither category!!! I would go for it! You can always change it a stop very easily at any time ;)
While the learning takes a lot longer the maintenance is almost non existent. Just think of all those years you won't have to spend constantly upholding criteria!