Our Waterloo!

Standard Starters, Take 1

Zoomies Galore, but CB is on hand to corner Jasmine. The best thing to do in this kind of situation is to pick her up and leave. My original plan was to reward after two or three obstacles throughout the course but this decision backfired on me. My timing was horrible and I lost her focus.

Standard Starters, Take 2

CB recommends to start a the same sport where Jasmine lost it and zoomed. Okay, no problem. However, she refuses to do her Start Line Stay. Do we have to do that? I have no idea but I don’t insist either. I’ve lost her so many times in the past in this very same spot and frankly, I don’t want to risk to risk it.

Her contact on the Dog Walk isn’t one of her best accomplishments. I’m more and more tolerant of the finished product and as a result, she is now stopping at least half a metre for the floor. As CB says in the audio commentary (which I muted by the way, just in case), “Gotta work on that”.

After the tunnel, it’s the table. Ohhhhhh. I’m so proud of her. LR noticed in the last several months, that Jasmine always does a great table during practices but not in competitions. I just forget to reward her LR, but not this time.

I hesitate at the next obstacles because quite simply, I’m lost. We don’t do the weaves but my strategy isn’t very effective. Next time, I’ll do some shadow handling instead of offering her the tug to keep her busy.

I sooooo want to reward her now and then that I forget my front crosses several times. You’ll notice, dear reader, that I do them at the very last minute. I’m looking forward to the day where I’ll be able to complete a course and not worry about losing Jasmine’s focus.

Oh dear. Now I’m in bit TOUBLE! I use luring so that Jasmine does her contact on the A-Frame and this is against CB’s training method. She’ll be butt-kicking me at next our session for sure. Forgiveness is required. In fact, look closely, and you’ll see that I glance beyond the camera’s focus each time I think I’m made a mistake. That’s because CB’s is standing in that general area.

Starters Jumpers, Take 1

My little brain finally understands that if the dog’s line is a straight one, it isn’t necessary to stop the dog and reward her. Therefore, I CHARGE! Yes, I still insist on rewarding Jasmine at every tunnel exit, but she has a tendency to zoom out. I’m just proofing.

Because of our work during the summer of 2008, Jasmine heads for the A-Frame after completing the jump and no indeed, it’s not on the course. : ) I muted out the audience’s chuckles. Little gates had been placed to stop the dogs from trying the Frame but lo and behold, did that bother my little mutt? Nooooooooooooooooo. I take her in my arms and reposition her before the first jump. Yes, I hesitate. What should I do the first or the second jump? I cut that out from the video.

Blush, blush. I’m a bit embarrassed by my attempt at a rear-cross. Gotta work on that.

Starters Jumpers, Take 2

Mademoiselle has cold paws. : )

Same course, less rewards. This time, she refuses to take the tunnel in the corner and I’ve noticed that often happens when the equipment in put in a, well, a corner. Gotta work on that. I insist she take it but it’s a no go. Should we try to repeat obstacles or just let it go? I wonder.

Rear-Cross on the jump before the tire....? Bwahahahahahaha! Nuff said.

At the very end, you can see CB gesturing and saying « Reward ! Reward!”.

I swear to you, one day, we’ll get it!