Rough Trials

This winter has not been especially great for Zumi's training!  Ice, fridgid temps, then snow dumps.  Excuses.

Obedience/Rally

Two weekends ago Zumi went to our CDSP obedience/ WCRL rally trial on Saturday.  2 runs in Open obedience, 1 run in rally.  

The first obedience run started a bit rough.  Not horrible, but a bit distracted on setups and some moving away from me.  We qualified, but it just wasn't a connected run.  

Oh and we had a rethrow again on the ROH jump that I didn't know about until we were waiting forever until Zumi finally couldn't take it and left me.  That's when I looked up and saw the judge was in the process of picking up the dumbbell.  She doesn't handle rethrows well to begin with, and having waited SO long with trying hard to not scream or leave early was just thrown out with her anticipation.

But overall I thought she had to poop. And I was right in that as soon as we went out she did poop.  

Then that didn't explain that her next run, rally, had similar qualities of meh heeling.  Not really distracted, just laggy.  

Her last run of obedience she seemed better.  Much more connected with me, more energy for sure.  But we didn't retrieve.  Not once. Zumi left me to walk several steps on the 1st retrieve.  So I called her back and was going to move on but the judge let me do it again.  Same thing, so I moved on without releasing Zumi.  Retrieve over the high, essentially my 3rd throw in the ring was the same thing.  I think it was a combination of a stressy day for her plus the added rehearsal int he first trial of leaving me without any cue on my part.

The bad news/good news is that I've been working on it with her this last week and have been able to replicate it.  If I let the dumbbell hit a wall so it makes an apparently exciting sound, she will start walking towards it.  So I've been having her lie down, I pick it up, and then come back to give her cookies and do some heeling before trying again. Not sure if that's a good approach for her or not!  I dont' want to create more stress with the exercise, but the same time I need it very clear that moving does not lead to a release....  Overall I'm trying to have more easy short reps than the ones I challenge her on.

UKI Agility

Then last weekend Zumi had a UKI trial.  And we had more issues with her startline/release.  This particular location seems very tough for her as I think all of her startline issues have started here.  This time it was worse as while she mostly actually stayed put (still difficulties with the initial stay after lining up, before I left), she ran around the first jump in her last run Saturday and 2 of her 3 runs on Sunday.  While Zumi has been known to do that, it's usually in a particular setup where I need to be at an angle on the lead out vs an approach like these courses had.

So not a great month so far!!!

I am curious and a bit scared to see how she will do the next 2 weekends. No trials this week. But I did end up entering her in an AKC obedience trial back on our home turf this coming weekend.  And then the following wekeend is USDAA at the location she usually stays well at!

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The other dogs trialed too

Alright so Vito did CDSP obedience on Saturday for his 2 very happy runs.  Zumi also did 2 runs in obedience and then on Sunday was back with the Corgi for 2 rally runs each.

Corgi

Lance always loves to show :)  His first run was actually quiet. Only 1 left pivot type sign though :)

The 2nd run had the backup sign 2nd so that got him nice and warmed up for all the barking!

I noticed that a lot of his halts in the 2 runs were quite rocked back and sloppy.  Lack of training? Or a subtle sign of his age creeping up on me?!

Here's his sassy round 2:

Duck
Saturday had Zumi's 2 runs in Open.  Her 3rd trial in the open class and definite improvement but yet still a long, long way to go with her vocalizing.

Open run 1:
I need to speak up with my "yes" response to the judge for the go out!  She looked up at me during the wait, but I'm thrilled with her eye contact on me instead of vulturing or whining! No squeal on the go out send either!  I chose not to step over her on the return.

On the retrieves, you will notice my "beg" cues at the start of each one, something I've just started in this last week as it has really helped her not vulture in the agility ring. 
The first ROH my stupid too short throw did not help her calmness!  Only a little pitter patter feet!  Of course the rethrow was too much and she scooted forward.  More vocalizing on the release and a nice punch to my legs on the front.

Scooting and whining on the ROF and of course another bark on the release.  Too much for the Duck.

A very thoughtful recall though!  She actually came at a more controlled pace waiting for that down cue!
Heeling was focused nicely! 

Broad jump...  I apparently am incapable of giving the cue early enough to get a nice jump.  I always feel like I give it too early the few times I convince myself to practice it and then I end up with Zumi jumping straight over it but being so far ahead that she goes all wide and cuts me off....  Better than ticking the jump I suppose.


Run 2:
Order #1 this time.  We didn't quite enter connected.  I think I accidentally said "ok" after the leash removal and while that should not cue a toy, I'm suspicious she was looking for one... 
On the heeling she did the weird thing with wanting to cross behind me as we approach the ring gates to turn left on the far wall.  Recovered pretty well after that though.

Broad jump I'm not sure.  She's pretty much never walked on the boards before!

No scootching on the ROF, but a small whine while she looked back at me.  Barked on the send.
A little more whining and vulturing during the ROH throw and barking on the send.

On the mark for te go out I'm pretty sure she was looking for the db in the judge's hand or at least looking for a retrievable item.  And then I accidentally said "ok" again in response to the judge but thankfully she didn't fully leave!  The scream on the send here didn't surprise me.


Rally on Sunday she did runs in level 3.  Good girl.  A litlte disconnected at the start again of the 2nd run, but still listened and was fully back by the 4th sign. I was super happy that she collected for the recall over 2 jumps :)


I'm happy with Zumi's runs but at the same time I'm also not quite sure what to do for the future.  Progress has been made, especially in practice, but she's still showing the same vocalizing and feet movement on the db sends too much.  And I find it fascinating that if I throw her toy out there she usually is perfect- no vocalizing at all.  She might still patter her feet depending on what toy it is though...
I'm just not sure how to keep progressing and at some point even take it into a trial without the vocalizing!

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