Just got back home from Rally class with Slider.
We stayed after our class, this evening, so we could watch the more Advance Class exercises. We were then invited to join in...so we gave it a try. Glad we stayed as Slider did pretty well. Still getting tons of compliments on his rear-end awareness and movement.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Rally Class
Slider and I recently started a Rally class at Austin Dog Alliance. And we are really enjoying it! We have gotten a lot of compliments on his "prance" during heeling and his rear-end movement and awareness.
For friends not familiar with Rally Obedience. It is a sport in which the dog and handler complete a course that has been designed by the judge. The judge will tell the handler to begin, and then the dog and handler proceed at their own pace through a course of designated stations (10 - 20 stations, depending on the level). Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed.
The signs for example may instruct you to: "Call to Front, Finish Right", "360 Turn", "Moving Down".
The team of dog and handler move continuously at a brisk, but normal, pace with the dog under control at the handler's left side. And there should be a feeling of teamwork between the dog and handler both during and between the numbered exercises.
Unlimited communication from the handler to the dog is encouraged. For instance, handlers are permitted to talk, praise, encourage, or use any verbal means of encouragement. I love this as it makes the obedience exercises very upbeat for the dog and handler, to perform.
Hopefully, our classes will go well and we will be able to enter some Rally events in the near future.
For friends not familiar with Rally Obedience. It is a sport in which the dog and handler complete a course that has been designed by the judge. The judge will tell the handler to begin, and then the dog and handler proceed at their own pace through a course of designated stations (10 - 20 stations, depending on the level). Each of these stations has a sign providing instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed.
The signs for example may instruct you to: "Call to Front, Finish Right", "360 Turn", "Moving Down".
The team of dog and handler move continuously at a brisk, but normal, pace with the dog under control at the handler's left side. And there should be a feeling of teamwork between the dog and handler both during and between the numbered exercises.
Unlimited communication from the handler to the dog is encouraged. For instance, handlers are permitted to talk, praise, encourage, or use any verbal means of encouragement. I love this as it makes the obedience exercises very upbeat for the dog and handler, to perform.
Hopefully, our classes will go well and we will be able to enter some Rally events in the near future.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Agility Class
We're back!!!!! I've been working hard on locating an Agility Class for me and Slider, so I haven't posted much lately. Well with some great recommendations we finally found one!!! The recommendation was for Travis Agility Group aka TAG. It is located in Cedar Park, about 20 minutes from my home. Robert, one of the instructors contacted me and arranged for an Agility evaluation on May 4th. Robert set up several small sequences to see how Slider handled himself on the equipment. Slider did fantastic!!! Handling all the sequences beautifully and with fantastic contacts. Robert could not believe that we had not done any Agility in 18 months! Thank you, Wendy Pape, for the wonderful foundation you gave Slider!!!
After the evaluation, Robert asked me to drop in on their Monday night Advance class.
Fighting all my nerves...Slider and I attended the Advance Class. The class worked on several sequences focusing on acceleration and deceleration. Again, Slider performed beautifully! I was so proud of my little man!!! We then ran a course of 14 obstacles. I had Slider jumping at 16" since he had not been doing any agility in such a long time. He did great... but my timing and handling was off due to the low jump height and being a very rusty novice handler.
After the class, Robert spent time discussing our performance. He feels Slider is very strong in the technical aspects. And he is still amazed at how well he performed after all this time off. He feels our focus will be in developing and strenghening my handling, and communication with Slider.... and becoming a team again. Robert then said he felt that the Advance class would be a good fit for us.
I was a bit scared about being in an Advance class but I really like how he conducted the class and it felt like it will be a good fit for us. Needless to say, I am so excited about being out there and doing agility with Slider, again!!!! It just felt fantastic!!!!
After the evaluation, Robert asked me to drop in on their Monday night Advance class.
Fighting all my nerves...Slider and I attended the Advance Class. The class worked on several sequences focusing on acceleration and deceleration. Again, Slider performed beautifully! I was so proud of my little man!!! We then ran a course of 14 obstacles. I had Slider jumping at 16" since he had not been doing any agility in such a long time. He did great... but my timing and handling was off due to the low jump height and being a very rusty novice handler.
After the class, Robert spent time discussing our performance. He feels Slider is very strong in the technical aspects. And he is still amazed at how well he performed after all this time off. He feels our focus will be in developing and strenghening my handling, and communication with Slider.... and becoming a team again. Robert then said he felt that the Advance class would be a good fit for us.
I was a bit scared about being in an Advance class but I really like how he conducted the class and it felt like it will be a good fit for us. Needless to say, I am so excited about being out there and doing agility with Slider, again!!!! It just felt fantastic!!!!
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