Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Look At Us, Growing Up



We had agility class again tonight.  Tibby rode in her crate all the way there and all the way home again.  First time ever!  She was such a good girl.  Any one know how to make a crate stop rattling?  After 2 1/2 hours of driving over bumpy roads, Tibby and I are both very over the whole rattling crate thing.  In desperation I stuffed poop bags (new & not used) into all the places I thought were shaking.  It helped, but when the roads are rough like a plowed field, you need more than poop bag insulation.  There are 2 doors, so lots of rattling. 

Well, I had a lot planned to say, but now I'm really tired.  Driving, class, driving.  Make me tired. 

Tibby was great, as usual!  The video is of our "worst" run.  I messed up at the tunnel and didn't connect with Tibby when she was coming out of the tunnel.  I was also too far forward, past the plane of the jump.  This is why it is important to video tape.  But we did a rear cross!!!  Did you see it???  Right before the tunnel.  Our FIRST successful rear cross!!!  I have been doing some foundation games for rear crosses with Tibby, so maybe that helped?  It felt really good.  I like rear crossed too.  I threw in a front cross on one of our other runs,  it was nice too.  I really like front crosses. 

The instructor is having everyone run with their dog on the left side, because they have all done a lot of obedience (with her).  I think the crosses I added made the sequences a lot easier to run.  We had a good time!  The instructor says some funny things to her students, but she lets me do what I want and as long as she doesn't try to tell me what to do.....we'll get along fine :)

One thing is super sad.  There is a dog in the class that has something wrong with its legs.  It hobbles around and looks like it is in a LOT of pain.  I'm not sure what's wrong with it.  Maybe hip dysplasia?  Every time its' owner makes it jump, it knocks the bar, because it can't lift its' legs and then the owner makes it try again.  She also gets upset when it won't heel or sit straight.  Seriously this dog can barely walk.  It's mean.  Oh yeah....it also wears a prong collar.  TO DO AGILITY?!?!

One more thing.  In our first class no one brought treats.  This time a couple people did, but they didn't give their dogs very many.  Me?  I'm like Tibby's personal one armed bandit - she tries lots of things and gets a W-I-D-E variety of different treats.  She never knows what she is going to get or how much.  Except of course when she finishes a course - jackpot!  I also stop when we are running a give her treats after a difficult move or if she stays with me and there is a dog in her face.

  Yes, there are dogs that will do what you say just because you say so, but I don't have one and I haven't met one yet.

And some of the other dogs got into my bag and ate Tibby's treats, when we were running!!!  Oh yeah, they don't need treats at all.

This is Tibby riding in her crate to agility class.  Doesn't it look like she is chewing on the bars?  LOL!  She's just chewing a bully stick!


On the way home.  Someone was tired.



"Mom, I'm trying to sleep here.  Why do you keep waking me up with the flashy box?"

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