Ryker's Brother Otter at the Beach in San DiegoWednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Ryker in the news
Border collie Ryker weaves through the agility course during the Front Range Agility Club Dog Agility trial at the Ranch-Way Feed Indoor Arena at The Ranch on Saturday. The two-day event features different courses and events for different skill levels for dogs and their handlers.
Group IV Terrier Club, May 22nd - 25th
This weekend we attended a four day AKC Agility trial in Sandy at Lynnleigh Farms. Even though I do not enter the FAST class, it was a very long 4 day weekend. All classes are run by category starting with Excellent, then Open, then Novice. It makes for a very long day for dogs and humans if the judge is not efficient. This was the case on Friday and Saturday. Course changes took a bit longer then we were used to. Judging for us on Sunday and Monday was Lisa Potts. The pros were her speedy course changes, fun and fast courses. The cons .... she had a very negative opinion about Poodles in Agility and made it known to everyone. It was very unprofessional and untrue.
Raygen earned two more legs in each class. On Sunday we had a perfect run in JWW, until third to last jump, he spotted a dog he seemed the urge to greet and jumped the fence instead. I called him back and finished the last three jumps. I chose to scratch his runs on Monday.
Ryker's best run was on Friday morning. I felt we were connected. He got into his weave poles both times on Saturday since they were set-up to get a front cross before them.
On Monday he was running for another handler in JWW. It was a very fast course and I was amazed as how much speed he is capable of.
Rylie, Ryddick and Chocolate were hanging out under the tent and got to go on walks around the Farm. We also practiced some socializing with a kid and got to meet lots of people.
In conclusion... I will not enter any of my dogs in a four day trial. I need to train weave poles with Ryker and lots of fun, fun, happy Raygen time. It is OK to say hi to a dog, but he needs to wait for me to send him to say hello first. Maybe some Ruff Love?
Raygen earned two more legs in each class. On Sunday we had a perfect run in JWW, until third to last jump, he spotted a dog he seemed the urge to greet and jumped the fence instead. I called him back and finished the last three jumps. I chose to scratch his runs on Monday.
Ryker's best run was on Friday morning. I felt we were connected. He got into his weave poles both times on Saturday since they were set-up to get a front cross before them.
On Monday he was running for another handler in JWW. It was a very fast course and I was amazed as how much speed he is capable of.
Rylie, Ryddick and Chocolate were hanging out under the tent and got to go on walks around the Farm. We also practiced some socializing with a kid and got to meet lots of people.
In conclusion... I will not enter any of my dogs in a four day trial. I need to train weave poles with Ryker and lots of fun, fun, happy Raygen time. It is OK to say hi to a dog, but he needs to wait for me to send him to say hello first. Maybe some Ruff Love?
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Trial-Camp-Trial May 8th - May 18th
WOW! I was gone for 10 days and I wish I would have gone longer.
Our first stop was in Brighton, Colorado at the FRAC trial. The site was a very beautiful grassy park. Lots of room to let the dogs run and not get in anyones face. There was a nearby lake, however I kept that a secret from Ryker.
Raygen and Bren had a nice pairs run and he earned his Performance III Pairs title.
Ryker kicked butt in his jumpers run and placed first in the Advanced group. Another Red&White Utah BC, Killy, took first in the Performance II class. I felt like I was connected to Ryker.
Raygen missed his Gamble by an inch (or yard). I stumbled and almost fell over the gamble line, causing him to hesitate, then come to investigate my stumbling feet.
One of our judges was Anne Platt from Escondido, CA. She was my one of my first Agility trainers 5 years ago.
After Brighton we headed to Ft. Collins for a three day Agility Camp. First day we had Dana Pike. We did a lot of course running and some course analysis.
Day two we worked with Jan Pinder. It was a bit more challenging and I really liked that Ryker was responding to my cues. She would be one I would like to visit again.
On day three Stacy was our instructor. I just can't get enough of her. Ryker had some very nice sequences. I tried new things and he gets it! Front crosses are getting more and more fun to do.
I can get there! Soon it was time to head out to the Pueblo trial.
I was able to visit my friend and Ryker's and Ryddick's breeder. Mike, her husband, made us Longhorn Burgers and fantastic Margaritas.
All the dogs were there including three of the 8month litter. My mind was fighting hard not to take Jane, a beautiful dark, dark Red&White half sister of Ryker and Ryddick. Not a time to get a new pup right now, not here in Utah.
The trial site was one of the University's soccer fields. Ryker had an extra day off after camp. I only ran Raygen in Snookers and Gamblers. Me bad for messing up our Snookers course. Him very, very bad for messing up our Standard course.
I pulled him from his Sunday Gambler because of his misbehavior and refusal to stop fixating on Tango the Lab.
Ryker did great in Standard and was a dream to handle, but knocked a bar. His contact are great. He will stop when I ask him to and run through when I ask him to keep going. I was told that this will be a problem in the future as he will stop listening to me when I ask for a stop? Maybe?
Hi did earn a Jumpers leg in Advanced. I loved that run. He was able to get a few difficult sequences.
Time came to fast for us to drive home. I would have loved to keep on going.
Our first stop was in Brighton, Colorado at the FRAC trial. The site was a very beautiful grassy park. Lots of room to let the dogs run and not get in anyones face. There was a nearby lake, however I kept that a secret from Ryker.
Raygen and Bren had a nice pairs run and he earned his Performance III Pairs title.
Ryker kicked butt in his jumpers run and placed first in the Advanced group. Another Red&White Utah BC, Killy, took first in the Performance II class. I felt like I was connected to Ryker.
Raygen missed his Gamble by an inch (or yard). I stumbled and almost fell over the gamble line, causing him to hesitate, then come to investigate my stumbling feet.
One of our judges was Anne Platt from Escondido, CA. She was my one of my first Agility trainers 5 years ago.
After Brighton we headed to Ft. Collins for a three day Agility Camp. First day we had Dana Pike. We did a lot of course running and some course analysis.
Day two we worked with Jan Pinder. It was a bit more challenging and I really liked that Ryker was responding to my cues. She would be one I would like to visit again.
On day three Stacy was our instructor. I just can't get enough of her. Ryker had some very nice sequences. I tried new things and he gets it! Front crosses are getting more and more fun to do.
I can get there! Soon it was time to head out to the Pueblo trial.
I was able to visit my friend and Ryker's and Ryddick's breeder. Mike, her husband, made us Longhorn Burgers and fantastic Margaritas.
All the dogs were there including three of the 8month litter. My mind was fighting hard not to take Jane, a beautiful dark, dark Red&White half sister of Ryker and Ryddick. Not a time to get a new pup right now, not here in Utah.
The trial site was one of the University's soccer fields. Ryker had an extra day off after camp. I only ran Raygen in Snookers and Gamblers. Me bad for messing up our Snookers course. Him very, very bad for messing up our Standard course.
I pulled him from his Sunday Gambler because of his misbehavior and refusal to stop fixating on Tango the Lab.
Ryker did great in Standard and was a dream to handle, but knocked a bar. His contact are great. He will stop when I ask him to and run through when I ask him to keep going. I was told that this will be a problem in the future as he will stop listening to me when I ask for a stop? Maybe?
Hi did earn a Jumpers leg in Advanced. I loved that run. He was able to get a few difficult sequences.
Time came to fast for us to drive home. I would have loved to keep on going.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
WW Will Work For Food
Ryddick is such a Ham. He recently joined in with helping out a bit more doing household chores. I left the DW open and he happily climbed in and started to pre-wash the dishes.
Monday, May 4, 2009
OAP and OJP
Fruits of our LaborThat is how many times Raygen Q'ed at the AKC IKC trial this weekend. This was the first trial I have moved him to the lower 16" jump height and I am so happy I did. He is much happier jumping lower. He earned both his Open STD and JWW tiles one 2nd place and 5 1st places and He earned his first leg towards his AXP in 1st place.
Looking forward to our next trial over Memorial Day weekend at Lynnleigh Farms in Sandy.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
I am stumped
At this time I am stumped as how to help Ryker with his Weave Pole stress at trials.
He has the best weave poles at home. As soon as we go to the training yard he will not take them for at least the first time. It all started out by him not getting the entry at which point some well meaning trainers suggested to pull him out as soon as he gets in the wrong way. Oh, boy was that a big mistake. It was getting so bad that he completly ran past them like they were not even there? He would always get them the second try. On Thursday he ran passed them, both in STD and JWW. On Friday he actually got in, in STD and JWW, even though it was at the second pole. Saturday was a bit of a mess. I was way to close to the triple and my hand was over the jump to point it to the weave poles. He lightly bumped into my hand, before taking the weave poles the correct way.
Well, in JWW it was extremly difficult to get him in. He first ran passed the weaves, then refused them two more times. Even though it did not seem as such a big deal that he bumped my hand, it had a very negative effect on him. My plan at this time is to let him take the weaves all the way through, even if he takes them the wrong way and continue with the course.
I have got to get his confidence back. Moral of the story, when getting advise think it through as how it would effect your dog. Pulling Ryker out as soon as he hit the wrong entry has taugth him that he should avoid the weaves.
He has the best weave poles at home. As soon as we go to the training yard he will not take them for at least the first time. It all started out by him not getting the entry at which point some well meaning trainers suggested to pull him out as soon as he gets in the wrong way. Oh, boy was that a big mistake. It was getting so bad that he completly ran past them like they were not even there? He would always get them the second try. On Thursday he ran passed them, both in STD and JWW. On Friday he actually got in, in STD and JWW, even though it was at the second pole. Saturday was a bit of a mess. I was way to close to the triple and my hand was over the jump to point it to the weave poles. He lightly bumped into my hand, before taking the weave poles the correct way.
Well, in JWW it was extremly difficult to get him in. He first ran passed the weaves, then refused them two more times. Even though it did not seem as such a big deal that he bumped my hand, it had a very negative effect on him. My plan at this time is to let him take the weaves all the way through, even if he takes them the wrong way and continue with the course.
I have got to get his confidence back. Moral of the story, when getting advise think it through as how it would effect your dog. Pulling Ryker out as soon as he hit the wrong entry has taugth him that he should avoid the weaves.
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