He got it! My sweet boy learned so much on Sunday, it was like watching a light bulb moment when he realized it was okay to run out ahead of me. He has been working out from me a little in classes, but at the competition he seemed to think it was not okay and he kept circling back to me. It was frustrating and I knew it was my fault for not communicating what I wanted him to do. More than anything, Journey wants to please me. It is my job to show him how to do that.
I entered Journey in five events Sunday. I had only entered one day. I suspected it might be hot and since it has been a few years since I have done competition agility, I thought one day would be enough for a reentry to the sport. Our first event was Fullhouse. It is a game in which you must accumulate the required points for your respective level by successfully executing the following obstacles: three of a kind; a pair and a joker, before the whistle blows. You sort of plan your own coarse, but you must include at least 2 circles (for the pair - tunnels, tires or chute). three bar jumps (for the three of a kind), and at least one joker - which may be a dog walk, an A-frame, a broad jump, or double jump. You can do these obstacles in any order, but we only had 30 seconds to complete the run.
We needed 17 points for our class level. We got 15 points, so we did not qualify. That was mostly because I am slow; Journey decided he would skip the double jump (joker) that I had planned; and he was doing a lot of circling back to me to be sure I was still with him. He was trying though and I started to have a glimmer of hope.
Our friend, Cathy Norlin came to watch us and my daughter, Laura and her husband, Kevin were also there. Laura and Kevin took video of Journey doing the "Colors" event. Kevin even put music to it and it was Journey's very first "Q". He got a 1st place. The Q ribbon is a teal color, rossette. The first place ribbon is blue.
In Colors, you must successfully run your choice of one of the two over-lapping mini-courses on the same field. Our level, which is Level 1, is allowed as many as 10 faults. I believe this event marked the beginning of Journey's lightbulb moment. In agility, you figure out what the problem is, then you try whatever you can think of to cure it. Sometimes it works to substitute your dogs name rather than a command, to get his attention, or use a different word of encouragement - anything to get his attention on what you want, versus what he may have in mind. Of course you have to do this while running your dog; keeping track of the course; and in a matter of seconds. In our case, I just started saying "go, go" when he headed for the right obstacle. He got that and his Colors run was faultless. Our standard course time (SCT) allowed - 49 seconds. Journey did it in 33.04. Probably needless to say, he was now running out ahead of me. As I previously mentioned, the video Kevin did is of the Colors event, and it documents Journey's first Q.
Just to inform anyone who is new to this sport, a "Q" is what you are really after - at least at our beginning level. A "Q" means that you qualified in the event - or in other words, your team (you & your dog) passed the agilty test. It means that we have one leg of our goal, which is a Handler title. Getting a first place (blue ribbon) is sort of the icing on the cake. You can title without ever getting a blue ribbon, so the main goal is to qualify. Doing it perfect, without a flaw, is just a little something extra to bring tears to a mom's eyes.
After each course is built, the handlers have a chance to walk the course. We are not allowed to take our teammate on the course during the walk-through. I had been using Journey's soft crate for him to stay in, while I walked the courses. It was in a far corner of the barn though and as it got hotter and hotter, I was becomming stingier with my steps. I began leaving Journey with Cathy or with Laura & Kevin while I walked the courses. He was okay with that, but he never took his eyes off me if he could help it. He is a bit of a mama's boy. Cathy took the following picture of Journey as he was watching me walk the course.
That's my boy!
So cute to see those big ears, so alert and his wonderful watchful expression. What ever did I do to deserve such devotion from such a wonderful dog.
So, with three more events to go, and both of us wilting in the heat, I set out in search of a water source. A hose was available in another far corner of the barn. I soaked Journey and after he had a couple good shakes, we headed back to the agility rings, in time to walk Round 1 of the Standard course. The object of the Standard course is to successfully run a full course of numbered obstacles in order. The Standard course encompases all agility obstacles used by Canine Performance Events (CPE). The only exceptions are the Teeter Totter, weave poles, and the Triple Jump. They are not used in Level 1 courses.
The Standard course, for Level 1, has a minimum of 12 obstacles and a maximum of 16. Our course had the maximum. It was a good course, but not especially easy, for a beginner. Journey did an amazing job considering it was much longer than any of the events so far. It would not have been as difficult for Journey, if his team mate was a little faster. As it was, at one time he found himself further from me than he liked to be and he got an "off course" as he cut a corner to get back to me. This was his second NQ, after the first one in Fullhouse. Even though he did not qualify on this run, he made good strides forward. He actually worked out from me, further than he ever had done. He was better focused and he was having fun. I could tell how excited and happy he was when he crossed the finish line and bounced back to me happily wagging his tail. He seemed to gain confidence with each additional run.
In Round 2 of the Standard event they pretty much just reverse the course direction, with maybe a few other minor adjustments to smooth out the course. One of the best things our team has going for it is that Journey has a perfect stay at the starting line. This enables me to lead out 3 or 4 obstacles ahead, before he starts. I signal him and he takes off, to catch me. This happens pretty fast, but the lead out has saved me yards of running and many seconds of precious time. It also puts me in a much better position to finish the course with him. So far we are somewhat limited to courses that have a fairly straight few obstacles at the beginning. We are working on turns, directed from a distance. At my age, and with my limited running abilities, I need to be able to guide Journey at greater distances. When I ran Quest we were an incredibly bonded team. I could lead out the entire length of the barn, depending on the course. I could direct him by hand or voice to turn, swerve, or what ever was necessary for the course. We were a good team and we had total confidence in each other. We still do, but Quest is almost 11 and he does not compete any more. It is always difficult starting a new dog, and having disabilities makes it even more so. I am glad I have experience training my dogs in distance work. As of Sunday I can already see that Journey is going to do well working at a distance. It will just take time. I guess I thought he had a little less confidence than he does. He stepped into the ring for the Standard Round 2 , looking like a pro. He responded to my signal, took the first jump and entered the Obstacle #2 tunnel. When he came out of the tunnel he was headed the length of the ring and he was flying. He did a bar jump; a double jump, and a tunnel ... by this time he was moving so fast there was no way I could get to him in time to guide him through a U-turn, to the left and a proper entry onto a dog walk. No need ... he did it himself. It felt like he just grew up. He met me coming back. I was able to cross over at the exit side of the dog walk and direct him back through the #2 tunnel that was near the front of the course. Then he did another super fast length of the ring, jumping three jumps as he went. Once more I found myself way behind and he was faced with another U-turn, to the left. No problem. He just did it again, took another jump and went up the A-frame. Again I met him at the bottom of the A-frame as he raced back in my direction. I was with him to direct him over another jump and back through the Obstacle #2 tunnel again. Exiting the tunnel he almost circled, then changed his mind and took the final jump instead. What a dog! I felt like I missed something and he had progressed past what seemed like it would have taken months to train. He must have had an angel on his shoulder guiding him. His run was flawless and I am still in awe of his time. He did it in 59 seconds. (SCT allowed 67 seconds for 138 yards.) I am very proud of him.
Back to the hose for one more soaking. I felt like soaking myself too. One run to go. This last run was Jumpers. Object: successfully complete a numbered course within fault limits and course time. The Jumpers course is all jumps, with a couple tunnels added. Journey seemed to be gaining confidence with each event, even as I watched him. I had no idea if he could pull it off. I knew he had to do some of it himself as I could not begin to keep up with him. This course was 110 yards, SCT 54 seconds. It was a little like a big figure eight with 14 obstacles. This time with additional confidence, he even added a little style. He ran the course in 35.69 seconds, only checking back with me twice, for direction. He ran it with no faults and jumped up to give me a kiss as he finished the course.
I don't know if you happened to read my account of his first agility trial - it was a NADAC trial, titled Journey's Debut. You would swear I ran two different dogs. I have not yet entered him in any more trials, but I plan to. I sure don't want him to forget any of this.
Back to school tomorrow. We will be concentrating on distance, a lot. I will be paying close attention to what he somehow already knows.
I told Quest and Pirate how Journey did at the trial. Quest held his platypus while he listened, for some reason only he knows. Pirate was waiting to have breakfast, in the kitchen. I think they were impressed.
