Monday 16 July 2012

Taking the weaves on the road!

First of all, had some great news today - Brooke's hip score came back as 3:3 so very pleased with that!!

Brooke had a go trying to weave at Dan's yesterday and did a few sets of 12 perfectly with Matt crossing behind, running past and alongside her and then it all fell apart - like totally fell apart!! What weaves?! To be honest I was so pleased that she had managed some in a different place. Weaves are such a 'fragile' behaviour, unlike everything else on an agility course, they don't mimic natural dog things to do (e.g. jump, climb, go under). 

Talking it through we realised we had changed two variables - new environment and new set of weaves. Dan set us homework of taking our weaves to 8 new places in the next couple of weeks. I love a challenge so we went straight to the field and spent a while working out how to fit them in the car! First new venue was this morning - I dragged the weaves out of the car and set them up in a local park much to the amusement of a couple of ladies walking their dogs!! Brooke was a superstar and managed 85% of the time despite the ladies throwing balls for their dogs while watching :) 

Brooke's lesson was great - she did some jump sequences which need a bit of tightening up as she tends to loop wide on 180 turns. We worked on her dog walk as I was worrying that she would struggle with that at a new venue having only ever done ours at full height. The first time she missed the contact having been a bit of a fairy on the top plank but typical of Brooke she was very indignant about not being rewarded and produced about 8 cracking dog walks in a row, nice and deep into her contact. I think it shocked her a bit missing the contact as since its been full height she has been 100% hence highly rewarding! At the risk of boring everyone here is a slo mo video of her doing a dog walk. Matthew is now moving with her more now and it isn't putting her off.




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