Thursday, July 8, 2010

I really don't deserve this dog...

Bear with me, I am totally spazzing :)
Funny...I was nervous going to class tonight...unsure and didn't know what to expect.

I got there, took Lynn out and let her take everything in. The ring, the dogs, showed her that she had toys here, food, water etc. She looked a bit like, what are we doing here? And who are all the dogs in the ring?

We have a smaller class, which is great, we get a few runs, and everyone gets to have a good time :) We started with a 7 obstacle sequence--ending on the dogwalk...Not novice level, definetly not, and an angled entry to the dogwalk. I fought the urge to put her on it to make sure she knew it was a dogwalk. Afterall, she won't get that at a trial!

We watched other dogs, she was QUIET (WTF??? I am guessing that will last, OH, until next week!) and then it was her turn. I think she thought she was an the trial just hanging out like she always is, and when suddenly I gave her the "we are going to work!" command she looked at me like I had sprouted 2 heads :) REALLY!??!

I was nervous, #1, how was I going to handle that particular dogwalk situation (angle coming off a 180 of jumps) and #2 what is she going to do? Knock bars, miss jumps, fly off the dogwalk...etc etc. STOP...RUN YOUR DOG.

I led out, and ran...she not only ran, she ran very well, clean in fact. Her dogwalk was LOVELY, I mean LOVELY....3 feet in the yellow, never worried, never slowed down, just ran. What an adrenaline rush. I probably looked like a total moron to everyone else as I spazzed out with her after the dogwalk. WOW Lynn...WOW...they can think what they want...I wanted Lynn to know she was amazing...and I did :)

Second course had an aframe in it...no problemo said Lynn :) Done...

Third course was MUCH harder, 17 obstacles, full course, a-frame, weaves etc included. I lead out, she was going to have to send lateral to a tunnel which I doubted at first. Nope, you taught her that. So I released her over the jump, told her tunnel and moved into my front cross, she didn't skip a beat :) Then it was 3 jumps to an angled/fast weave entry, she missed it...figured out why afterwards, 20" weave poles...icky. She has never trained on those, but she did do them the 2nd try....so I am pretty darn happy with that. Hit her A-frame perfectly and rear crossed a jump to the dogwalk...ran the dogwalk PERFECTLY again and to the tire, hard left to a tunnel, then another tunnel then a triple which you had to basically layer, and the teeter, which she didn't even skip a beat on..and end on a jump. She NAILED it. WOW...more looking like a moron, partying with my Stewie!!

I then took her into the other ring after the class was over, to the bouncier dogwalk...NAILED it...She ran like a grown dog...wow...

The most fun about it? I had to handle like I meant it, I couldn't be a slacker and be safe..the running contacts don't allow that...what an adrenaline rush!!! I HAD to push myself, how will I get there, what will I do? Timing, running..everything...I was on cloud 9.

I don't regret teaching them, I would rather NQ running like THAT, than Q running, well, safe. That feeling of holding on for dear life, yet being in control, is something I am really enjoying :)

Lynn has come a very very long way, she and I have not always seen eye to eye, and her super independent nature has definetly made some training interesting if not downright hard, but all that work, is paying off. What an amazing dog...I don't deserve her, but no one else is going to get her :)

I can't wait to trial her!!!! Bring it ON!

9 comments:

Monique said...

You do deserve her.

D. Og said...

These posts have got me to thinking. Is aggression and reactivity becoming more common in dogs, or is due to all the various different information outlets that we're just hearing about it more? It seems to me like it's becoming a lot more common to have "problem" dogs, than "normal" ones.

Loretta Mueller said...

I am not exactly sure where the aggression part was in my posts (please clarify if you can). But in regards to reactivity...I am not talking about a dog being reactive in my posts, I am talking about a dog going into prey drive mostly. (We could be talking about apples and oranges--not sure)

I think, at least in regards to agility, you put a dog with a higher prey drive (which normally...those dogs are the ones that get into agility due to the owner looking for an "outlet")and you stick them in a situation were
"chase" is all over the place. You have the good chance of putting them into that drive. I don't call that reactive, just a dog with high prey drive. There are plenty of highly driven dogs that are not at all reactive, as far as how I think of it.

Lynn would be a good example of that, she is a very relaxed dog in general, until she is ready to work. She loves all dogs, and obviously doesn't care that they are running agility as she watches (which again, surprised me...I figured that would send her into prey drive).

If you are talking about it general with pet dogs, it is pretty simple IMHO (no I am not a behaviorist), under exercised, no boundaries, treated ike children. People tend to really put human emotions on a dog and that never works.

For some reason as well, people are more willing now, than in the past, to put up with horrendous behavior, biting,guarding,barking, etc. And I find that amazing as you stated, there are TONS of places to get information on dog training.

Dogs used to always have tasks or jobs (aka the border collie that is on a sheepfarm). The dogs of today, still have that mentality, but are now put into an apartment in the city, with an owner that works 60hours a week, and no outlet for their energy, both mentally and physically.

Just my take on it, feel free to comment back and thanks for responding!

Loretta Mueller said...

Thank you Monique :) You are too sweet!

Monique said...

You're welcome. I know you've seen some of my "I don't deserve my dog" journey on my blog.

You have invested the time into this dog to bring her to this point. You have also worked on yourself so you can begin to be there for her (both physically on the course with aggressive handling, and mentally by making time to reinforce things others would not).

If she were not yours, she would not be who she is. Nor would you be where you are without her. You are part of one another's journeys.

Knotty Dogs said...

You're right. You don't deserve her. Box her up and send her to Boise, and I'll find her the right home. Probably near a lake. On a couple of acres. With a few sheep. And ducks. And a few other dogs. And a big white Ford truck. And an awesome owner. And a pig named Bacon in the freezer.

Loretta Mueller said...

yeah...Jodi..SURE :) I think I will keep her for myself :)

Nancy GL said...

I'm so happy for you Loretta. I know how hard you've worked with Lynn and how much you've thought about her training in the beginning. It's funny because she started a bit differently than your other dogs, but you were consistent with her foundation skills and the rewards. You made the game fun for her and challenged her and at the same time it became more fun for you and challenged you.

I find it interesting how each of the dogs comes into our lives at the PERFECT time - when we are ready to learn something new. They never disappoint us and they forever enlighten us. When it starts coming together, it's just plain magical and hard to describe.

Loretta Mueller said...

DEFINETLY Nancy...Lynn has taught me a TON...like wow, there ARE later maturing females! LOL Which you know already from your girl :)