Balance

We had a great, great, great lesson today.  Tibby has progressed so much!  I love having someone that sees us every week and can see that we are getting better.  So encouraging! Yes!  Tibby is doing wonderfully (I'm running out of positive adjectives!) with following me.  She stuck with me. 

Let's see....just trying to remember everything we did.

We did a little pinwheel exercise.  Loretta shaped Tibby to go over the jump, because Tibby wasn't comfortable with jumping the pinwheel.  There was a funny moment when Tibby bulldozed the bar down.  My FAVORITE thing is seeing Tibby thinking.  I can actually see her processing everything.  It's amazing. 

After she understood that we wanted her to jump the jump - we did a jump-wrap exercises.  Eventually we are going to do jump/wrap/tunnel.  So excited!  Like real agility! 

Also her little jumps are too cute!  Ah, I love her!

Anyway.... Tibby got to do one of those exercises off leash (otherwise she was on her flexilead) just to see if she would zoomie.  So Tibby got the ball, but she wouldn't bring it back, so I walked away (reminder to self - walk not run - keep calm), she chased me, but ran past me.  I turned and walked away - repeat a few times. Tibby's run pasts get shorter and shorter.  I get the ball.  The End.  No endless zoomie spiral of death!! Yay!  Maybe she thinks I'm fun to be with after all?

Then we worked on prey drive and getting Tibby to be rude and obnoxious with a toy.  :)

I don't think it will be long before she is jumping all over me to get the toy.  Which is good.

Also, I have a plan of the ultimate Tibby toy to make her.  I'm starting on it tonight.  It will be a combination of her 3 favorite things - jingle ball, tug and fleece.

Then we worked on the running plank.  Tibby's first time across it was so pretty.  I restrained her with her harness, Loretta had the toy and then I released Tibby to the toy.  It's sounds simple, but it was really nice. 

Then Tibby got to work on her 'freak-out-when-I-see-another-dog-want-to-PLAY!!!' issue.  After seeing what Loretta did I think I could get Lucy and do the same thing.  The dogs didn't interact at all (good 'cause Lucy doesn't play well with others) and just walked along or stood.  When Tibby stopped flipping out and looked at me she got a treat.  Then Loretta took her dog out on the agility field to see if Tibby could watch another dog running around.  Mmmm, not yet.  She got too excited to eat treats.  Loretta had me walk Tibby away and then back to see when she was calm enough to eat treats.  She said we could do this at the dog park, which is a great idea.  Unfortunately our dog park is stupid.  You have to pay $3.17 per dog per visit to use the park, so no one uses it.  It's owned by a private business and it is 20 miles out of town.  If it were closer I could just drive by- dogs in the park?  stop with Tibby and work outside the fence.  Also, to see the park you have to walk all the way around the park owner's business and their home.  It's a weird dog park.

So, Tibby is doing great.  Me learning too! :)  I love private lessons!  It's so nice having someone tell me what to do.  Ahhh. Relaxing.  Someone that says this is the next step - do this and this and this.  We are building our little agility ladder - someday we will get to do a full course!  If we get all the little parts together.  I also like it when someone thinks my dog is smart!  LOL!  I'm her momma, so of course I think she is brilliant, but it's nice when someone else thinks it too :)