Naming my puppy

This afternoon I completed a large research project two days before the deadline. I should have taken advantage of the extra time and gotten a head start on the next project but no, I ended up spending the last few hours surfing the Internet for puppy names.

I have a list started. I have no puppy but I darn sure have a list of possible names. I did this with Sage and Summit. I spent months researching the etymology and examining each name based on how it looks in print and how it sounds (a name sounds very different when spoken softly and when screamed on the course to avoid an off-course tunnel).

Why the obsession with names? I don't know but I take naming my dogs very seriously. I really like the sound of "S" names - Sage and Summit. I am tempted to continue the trend of "S" names (although quite a few on my list do not begin with "S") in addition to sticking with the nature theme of the Rocky Mountain West. The name needs to be no more than two syllables and if longer, needs to be able to be shortened for a call name on the agility course. As a really impressive example of creativity, Summit's name is shortened to "Sum" when I need to verbally get his attention while running a course.

I have a lot of great Border Collie names but somehow they don't quite fit a Sheltie.

So far my favorites are the following names: Soleil (French for sun for a Sable Sheltie); Kite (a rare and endangered Raptor in the British Isles known for graceful flight)...

Any suggestions?

Last agility trial for the year and Sage's *almost* MACH

Thanksgiving weekend we attended an AKC trial in the Black Forest (outside of Colorado Springs). Joan Meyer was the judge and she put up some fun and challenging courses.

On Saturday, both Sage and Summit double Q'd. Sage placed third in Standard with 38 seconds and around 7th or 8th in jumpers with a time of 25 seconds and double Q number 19.

Summit won Standard with a time of 34 seconds and won jumpers with a time of 23 seconds for double Q number 5.

On Sunday Summit NQ'd with several faults in Standard but had a nice run in Jumpers that afternoon but with one bar (would have been first place). I admit that I walked the course with Sage in mind when I ran Summit, made handling decisions on the fly.

Sage WON Standard and that afternoon, we ran Jumpers to earn her MACH. She had a lovely run (very smooth) except for a missed weavepole entry. It was such a rush to go for that MACH run. I loved the pressure and although it didn't happen that weekend, it will eventually.

Overall I was very pleased with both dogs' performance. A few things to work on to improve. Summit is starting to push his contact behavior in competition again so it's time to start reminding him in training about his release cue. Sage was awesome and very consistent all weekend.

We are taking December off from competition. I have several seminars and workshops planned for Summit and of course, lot's of hikes for all the dogs.

Below are videos from the weekend.


Summit Saturday Standard - 1st place

So in case you are wondering what the fuss is at the startline. Summit did not want to face away from the course. I put him in a down at the first jump (facing away from the rest of the course) and he argued with me, "No Momma, the course goes the other way!" Joan was laughing and I finally just picked him up and placed him down and ran with him.

Sage Saturday Standard - 3rd place

Summit Saturday Jumpers - 1st place

A wide turn into the weavepoles. I ran Sage second and did a front cross two jumps before the weaves which really tightened the turn.

Sage Saturday Jumpers

Summit Sunday Standard - NQ

I ran Summit first. I was not really focused on handling him and had really walked the course for Sage. Needless to say, I made several handling mistakes and sent him off course after the chute.

Sage Sunday Standard run - 1st place

This really was an awesome run!

Sage Sunday Jumpers - almost MACH ;-)

Summit Sunday Jumpers - dropped bar

Training

Gator, Summit, Puzzle, and Trick at the USDAA Nationals

Couldn't resist posting this picture that Lori took at Nationals. Can you tell they are all related:-)

There is nothing like returning from a big event like Nationals with renewed inspiration and training goals. Having seen and experienced the level of competition, I know what we need to work towards. I also know I have a dog who has the speed, athleticism, and training to be very competitive. I was the weak link in our teamwork last week which is actually a good thing...

I am pretty happy with my execution, but the handling choices I made were not always the best to get the tightest and most efficient lines. It's been a long time since I've taken a group class since I don't really learn anything in the limited amount of time I spend with an instructor in group classes. However, I already have set up private sessions with a top trainer in order to work on my course analysis skills and receive feedback on what we need to work on in training.

I've also decided that I will not take Sage to Nationals again. I was so proud of her for making the semi-finals in Steeplechase and I believe she was probably the only deaf dog competing at Nationals. However, she does not have many of the skills to be competitive at that level. She is not keen on road trips (does not like long car rides) so she will be very happy to stay home and compete at local competitions and earn lot's of titles.

We still have snow on the ground so this morning I just worked Summit on jump grids (compression) and lateral leadouts. Once the snow melts and we have dry ground for speed work, I'll set up a course with wide-open sequences that lead into boxes and/or tight turns. One of the skills I need to improve on is cueing relative collection and a turn when I am behind my dog.

This weekend we'll be relaxing and the dogs will get to hike offleash in the mountains.

USDAA Nationals

From left to right - Gator, Summit, Puzzle, and Trick

We arrived back home yesterday afternoon from our very first Nationals. What an amazing experience! The level of intensity in the air... walking and running courses with the top handlers in the country... very cool!

I am very proud of both my dogs. Sage had great runs in Team Jumpers, Standard, and Gamblers (didn't get very far in Snooker). She had a fast run in Steeplechase quarterfinals and made it to the Semifinals. She had another great run in Grand Prix quarterfinals but dropped a bar which added 5 seconds to her time, so we didn't make it to the GP semi's.

Sage's run in the Steeplechase Semifinals was awesome! But of course, not fast enough to make the finals (as I expected). Her time was 27 seconds and 25 was the cutoff. But I was thrilled that she made it into the semi's.

Summit has a smokin' fast Steeplechase run in the quarterfinals. But he missed the second to last jump at the finish (I didn't support it). I was thrilled though with how focused he was. He also had nice team standard and gamblers runs. He wasn't entered in Grand Prix.

My group walked our courses early in the morning (7:30-8:00) and we didn't run until 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, I walked Team Snooker at 8:00 a.m. and didn't run it until 5:30 that evening. This was very difficult for me and something I will need to practice. It wasn't an easy Snooker course either and had three combinations (5a, 5b, 6a,6b, and 7a, 7b, and 7c).

I was very pleased to see that Summit's course times were up there with the top dogs. We just need to improve our consistency. I learned a lot by attending and have training goals for the upcoming year. I remember when I attended our first Regional competition and how I felt it made me a tougher competitor. Now that I've been to Nationals and seen the level of competition (you read about it but until you see it and compete at that level, you just can't imagine). I am very inspired to train even harder to improve our performance. A local trial just doesn't seem the same now. Although I will be looking forward to a very relaxing, low-key, three day AKC trial next weekend.

I also learned a lot by watching the top handlers in the semifinals and the finals. The times were very close and hundredths of a second separated the top 10-15 spots.

I met several of Summit's relatives... Lori with Puzzle (Summit's Aunt), Jody with Gator (Summit's Uncle), and Sandy with Trick (Summit's half sister). We got a picture of the four dogs under the USDAA banner. I also met Kim Dash and Will (Summit's cousin). And of course, got to see Susan Garrett and Encore (Summit's other Aunt).

I also got to play with the mother of my future Sheltie puppy (she wasn't competing) and watch the sire run several courses. He did quite well (making it into the Finals in both GP and Steeplechase).

Next year Nationals is supposed to be in either Louisville, Kentucky or Philadelphia, PA. We will definitely be attending if they are held in Kentucky.

Flatirons AKC trial - Double Q's for Sage and Summit

This weekend was our last trial before Nationals. Both Summit and Sage were 50 percent on Saturday (Summit qualifying in Standard and Sage in jumpers). Sunday both dogs double Q'd! The really cool thing on Sunday was that in Standard my dogs took the top two placements! Summit won and Sage got second place. This was a two ring trial with over 50 dogs in the Ex. B 20" class.

Saturday morning Sage had a very nice Standard run. However, I released her from the table just before the judge said "GO"! I have no idea why I did that... so we got a fault. I remember thinking, I wonder if she's going to call that - it certainly too her long enough to think about it:-)

Also, because Sage does not have independent contacts, I was not able to get the FC after the chute so did a last minute rear cross (I had walked it with a FC).



Here is my run with Summit. I chose to do a blind out of the tunnel and I almost didn't get there!



Sage qualified in Jumpers that afternoon with a 4th place. I ran the course with Summit first and he took a wrong course jump after the weave poles (insead of jump and turn, he kept going straight). I realized that my lateral motion (to get into position for the FC) actually cued the wrong course jump. So when I ran Sage, I chose to stay on the same side and run down the line to the tunnel. I didn't do this with Summit as I didn't think I could get down there to cue to correct tunnel entrance. Here is Sage's run.



Sunday we had Jumpers in the morning. I ran Summit first and we qualified with a second place.



Here is Sage's run. I think she got 5th or 6th place.



Here is Sage's Sunday Standard run. She got second place and a double Q.



Here is Summit's Sunday Standard run. 1st place and double Q.




I'm almost packed. We leave for Nationals tomorrow!

Fun in the snow

We had our first heavy snow fall on Thursday. The campus was closed, so after lunch I took the dogs out to the back field to play a game of snow Frisbee. The snow was about 17 inches deep and we lost the Frisbee several times. It's amazing how just a half hour of running in deep snow will tire dogs out. They were content to nap the rest of the afternoon.

Throw the Frisbee!

Where did it go?

Where is Summit?

"What do you want? I'm busy."

"Ha! I found it!"

"Oooh, are those more toys?"

"Bleh! I got snow down my throat."

"Who are you laughing at!"

"Can you see me?"

"Weeeee! A snow tunnel!"

"Where is that Frisbee!"

Happy dogs!

LPDTC AKC - A weekend of nice runs but not many Q's

Another weekend of AKC. Saturday morning we had a wicked jumpers course. Both my dogs NQ'd on this course. There were 5 qualifying runs in the 20" class (out of 45 dogs), zero qualifying runs in the 24 inch class, 3 qualifying runs in the 16" class....



Here is the course map.

The places that got most teams were the #3-4-5 jump sequence in the beginning, #12-13-14 in the middle, and the #16-19 at the end. Lot's of traps and handler motion was restricted. Sage took the #18 jump in the beginning (instead of #4) and Summit took the #2 jump after #16 at the end. I ended up layering twice with Summit (something I do not like to do). I RC'd #4 and sent out to #5 while running on takeoff side of the 270 towards #6. Then RC'd #8 into the poles. Then did a forward send to #13 then took off towards #14 (layering #6). By the time Summit took #16, I was so far behind, as I moved in towards #17, my motion pushed him to take #2.

That afternoon, Summit has a gorgeous standard run but dropped a bar on the triple at the end. I ran the course with Sage with the only purpose of proofing her contacts. She had a wrong course (chute instead of the tunnel) but I wasn't really handling to run clean but to work more distance in her contacts. She didn't miss a single contact and I got some good lateral distance on the dw and the teeter.

Summit's Saturday Standard run

That afternoon, Summit had a nice run in Ex. B FAST. I just wanted the Q and walked for a fast flowing sequence. As it turned out, he missed 1st place by one point. He had 71 points in 23 seconds and First place was 72 points in 29 seconds.

Summit's Ex. B FAST run

Sunday Sage qualified in Standard with 2nd place. We lost some time on the table because she zoned out. It was strange but she wasn't focusing on me and kept looking around and it took some time for me to raise her to a sit.

Sage Sunday Standard run - 2nd place

Summit would have had 1st place but we were called for a refusal at the tunnel. It was dogwalk to tunnel (underneath) and something that I should practice at home. I practice a turn away from a contact to tunnel but not a recall from contact to tunnel and this just felt a bit awkward to me. The rest of the run was nice though.

Summit Sunday Standard - one refusal

The jumpers course that afternoon was FUN! Summit ran clean with a 2nd place (by 100ths of a second). I had confidence that Sage would get double Q number 18 on this jumpers course. Not to happen, I got too far ahead of her going into a box, turned my head to look back for her which opened up my shoulders and she moved away from me and took a wrong jump.

Summit Sunday Jumpers - 2nd place

It was a fun weekend but the courses were really tough and although I love challenges, I could sense some negativity from other competitors. I think the low qualifying rate discouraged many people as team after team (good dogs and handlers) NQ'd all weekend.

We have another weekend off so will plan on a hike in the mountains if the weather is good.