Red Gates Fun Match, January 16th 2010 - Not the best of days, but.....

The day didn't start well at all.  Like every ordinary day, I wake up and extend my arm to where my glasses usually wait for me on my night table to grab them.  After blindly shuffling my hand around, I realise that nothing is there.  I get up and sit on my bed, squinting my eyes to make sure I'm not mistaken.  Nope, still nothing.  I don't worry because I may have forgotten them in the bathroom last night, so off I go. Still nothing.  Okay, deep breath, don't panic.  It's only 8 am, and I still have ample time to find them before leaving for the fun match.  Still, although I'm not completely blind, I prefer to go through life seeing things clearly and not only blurry outlines.

First breakfast, then shower, clothes, and getting my gear ready.  At 9:20 am, I still haven't found anything.  Glancing over to the living room, Jasmine looks at me from the sofa with a slightly guilty look.  Could that be it?  The last time this happened, she had chewed the glasses to pieces during the night and when I woke up, she hadn't followed me during my morning routine like she usually does, but stayed put on the chesterfield, and simply watched.  Mmmm.  Something fishy is going on.

At 9:30 am I check my e-mails and take the time to change my facebook status to discribe my current blind predicament. At 10:30 am, it's time I leave for Red Gates.  10:45 am, the car is loaded, I'm wearing old glasses from five years ago, feeling grumpy, and Jasmine is very picky in choosing her bathroom spot on the street.  Argh!  We finally leave at 11 am and it will take a miracle, or an X-Wing Fighter from Star Wars, to get to Red Gates on time.

I arrive at 12:08 pm, but the check-in time was at noon.  The owners have finished their welcome speel and participants are already walking the course.  I count myself lucky not to have come across too many red lights.  After walking the course with a very preoccupied mind (not good), one of the owners tells me I'm up.  Now?  Already?  Jasmine is usually second or third but the other usually 6 inches dogs aren't here today.

Sh**!

I run back to the car, make Jasmine pee, yet again, and run back in.  We reach the startline with no treats in my pockets, only the tug in my hand.  Uh Oh!  I have a plan to run Jasmine through several different sequences but my head is so in shambles right now, I have trouble thinking straight.  This isn't good because as I mentioned in my previous post, I'm one of those handler who needs to focus on her dog before a run.

Oh dear.


Standard Run - First Try

Our first attempt at the standard could have been worst.  The first sequence offers an obstacle discrimination, something we haven't really practiced, and my plan is to stand beside the tunnel she's supposed to take.  It doesn't work on the first try, but considering we haven't done this before, I'm not really worried.

We start again and, I try to put her in a sit in front of the first jump, but the next dog in line is one of her good friends, Mongo.  Major distraction, no doubt about it.  I show her the tug and succeed in getting her focus by playing a few seconds with her, but that obviously isn't enough.  She runs back to Mongo, then to Lisa, to finally come back to me.  On a side note, this is a great exercice to judge how Jasmine can overcome distractions and concentrate on me.  Our second try to the sequence works and I reward her at the exit of the tunnel.

The next sequence is blotched when she takes the wrong end of a tunnel, but I'm probably to blame.  It's hard to see from the angle of the video.  I tug with her anyways, because I have the distinct feeling I'm not giving her the right signals.

Standard Run - Second Try

Whenever I have a set of 12 weaves available during a course, I always attempt it with my little weaves' lover.  Jasmine completes very well the sequence I choose, but avoids the tire, twice!  This isn't the first time this happens (never in a trial environment, but still) and I plan to include this important obstacle in a future training session soon.

She also stops a few times to sniff the ground around the weaves.  I wonder if this is because I haven't played with her enough before?

Jumpers Run - First Try

What I've always feared comes true.  The machine which gives the electronic "go!" with the Voice makes Jasmine release herself before my cue.  You see, our release word is "go" and I was afraid this would come back to haunt us.  Oh well.  I corrected her and hope this isn't repeated.

I underestimate her and don't try a huge lead-out at the startline.  She barrells out of the tunnel, and since I'm not there to direct her, off she goes.  Always in a rush, I don't give us time enough to regroup and it pretty much goes downhill from there.  I won't make the same mistake twice.

We attempt the sequence a second time, a tough sequence might I add, and everything goes well, except for my duh! moment of the day.  After doing a superb rear cross, I forget the tire before a turn at the end of the sequence.  You can hear the audience laughing because my mistake is pretty obvious and my verbal handling is in the "Jasmine, uh oops! uh Tire!" category as well as having my body angle all over the place..  Poor Jasmine doesn't have a chance of understanding what I want.

We continue with a good rear cross before a tire, turn, jump, but a second "duh!" makes me forget the last jump. Bad, bad, Lyne

Jumpers course - Second Try

I'm so proud of the leadout and Jasmine is soooo good.  I reward the first one at the exit of the tunnel and try the complete course after that.  The rear cross before the jump doesn't work but that's another skill in the works.  The one before the tunnel does, so yay!

Things to practice or to remember


Tire!  (No kidding!)
Rear crosses (they're so fun to do too!)
Directionals (They may have been handly in the Jumpers course)
Remember to anticipate important distractions and not to underestimate them. (Mongo)
Trust Jasmine in leadouts. (Oh yeah!)
Leaving my glasses at the same spot every night before going to bed. (Hmpf!)
I used the slip-lead like in a real trial

Here is the video.  Enjoy!