more agility fun
Well I'm so glad I tried this agility stuff with my kerry. We had a fun day yesterday at another agility trial. I am not going back today, since there is a jazz/wine festival in at a local winery and that sounded like too much fun to miss. The dogs can stay home and sleep in the heat.

Jessie did really wonderful, although no legs. It's nice not to feel the preassure of NQing that those UDX legs make me feel (I'll be returning to the obed ring next friday). I can sympathize with the people trying to get MACH points and MX legs, but right now, I just don't feel that preasure, thank goodness!

First class was Open Jumpers -- Jessie rocked! He ran the course exactly like I wanted him to do it. It was so cool to see him zipping around in the way I'd planned. No idea if it was a good plan, but at least it was my plan and it actually got us around the course almost clean. The only issue he had was missing weave poles. It took us three tries to get them right -- but 3rd try was magic and we did the rest of the course correctly. I'm guessing the more we run, the more we'll get the weaves poles correct. Or at least I'm hoping!

Later in the day, as it got hotter and hotter, we had our Novice Standard course. He did great in there too. He did everything just right, although slowly, except the A-Frame. I think he felt with the heat and all he just didn't have the momentum to get over it. He ran up, placed his front feet on it and gave me this look like, "no way mom". I sent him again, same thing. I brought him way back, tried again, no go. So I said, "Ok, let's go," and we just went around it and ran the rest of the course. He's no spring chicken and it was danged hot out there, so if he doesn't feel safe, I'm not going push him.

But I'm happy about another thing. After we got home, I wanted to practice obedience with the shih tzu. Jessie just threw a fit -- he wanted to work too. So after running agility all day, Jessie also did obedience and did it really well. I really think it's figuring out his diet problems. Raw diet (he has horrible stomach problems) has at last given him energy and stanima.

Great trial, by the way. I'll have to send a thank you to the club. It was very fun, nice location, and just had a great feel to it. It was in Albion, NY and run by the Double Q Club (the Double NQ Club for me that day, lol). Kodus to the club!