Pimg's first trial! Sunday!

wildo · 07-12-2011, 12:51 AM

I typed this up for my Facebook friends, but figured I'd post it here too. I think it is interesting. Just posting. If you happen to have any "first timer" advice, feel free to share. Otherwise- just enjoy the story.

I'm nervous. Really nervous. Pimg's first trial is next weekend, and we will be working HARD to try to ensure we're prepared! The crazy thing, of course, is that Pimg doesn't know it's a trial. I am sure she could care less. It is so obvious that she loves the work and loves working with me- I am sure she will do stellar.

One of the many things all of you don't know about agility is that a mistake is never the dog's fault. My job as the handler is to give precise, quick, accurate, clear instructions on where the next obstacle is. I need to do this in time for my racing fast dog to see the instructions before getting to that obstacle. When a dog doesn't perform an obstacle properly, it is always the fault of the handler! With a dog as green as Pimg (and a handler as green as me!) it's really difficult to gauge just the exact moment to queue the dog for the next obstacle without screwing up the current one. If she is about to take a jump that I have queued with my left arm, but in mid-air I turn my body and queue the next jump with my right arm- I might cause her to turn her head, drop her feet, and knock down the current bar. But if I wait until she lands, then it is too late to queue the next jump since she will likely rocket past it! There is a HUGE learning curve, and a huge awareness needed. You, the hander, have to be thinking a mile a min!

The reality is though, you get so incredibly focused on what YOU, the handler, need to do that sometimes you loose track of the dog entirely. I can think of a specific practice run from class where I had to navigate Pimg through three jumps- all in one plane, parallel to each other. You send the dog away from you across the first, then call them towards you for the second, then away from you for the third. So the dog is snaking through the jumps. This is called a serpentine. Well I tend to get a little cocky in class. I figure- "Hey- this is class time. It's SUPPOSED to be hard! It's supposed to push us!" So this particular time I decided I would attempt to run the course with the jumps at 24", which is 8" higher than usual. Consider the height of my dog (25") compared to 8" -that is a significant increase! Well we were running through the course, doing pretty good, and came up to the serpentine. Now this is something I've put some time into practicing at home. Feeling pretty confident [this is not an easy task for a beginner dog!] I called Pimg over the first jump- no issue. I sent her back over the second, being sure she didn't cross between the two jumps as is all so common in beginner, "velcro," dogs. She successfully managed the second jump and I began turning away towards the next obstacle as I confidently called her over the last jump. Apparently- she went right under the jump! My instructor was so impressed that I continued on as if it didn't happen (which is what you are supposed to do).

I was floored! "Really!? She went under the third jump in the serpentine!?? Pfft! I didn't even notice!" There are about a hundred thousand things you have to think about to successfully navigate your dog through a course. And it looks so easy! So fluid! Simple stuff... Well, it's not. This is the real deal. Real competition. And I am stoked. And nervous.

_________________________________________

Trial Info:
AGILITY TRIAL SANCTIONED BY
CANINE PERFORMANCE EVENTS, INC.
Sat/Sun, July 16-17, 2011

HOSTED BY:
Off the Wall Sports, 1423 Chase Court, Carmel, IN 46032

Pimg's Runs:
Pimg will only be running on Sunday. We will be running Level 1 (first level beginner) for all five events held Sunday, July 17th. I will be volunteering on and off throughout the day. I have the run order, but that did not include exact times. Here is the schedule that I have:

Sunday
Snooker: Level 3, 4, 5, C ................47 dogs.. Willy volunteers here and will not be available
Snooker: Level 1, 2 ........................24 dogs.. Pimg runs here! Position 23/24

Jumpers: Level 3, 4, 5, C ................54 dogs
Jumpers: Level 1, 2 .........................25 dogs.. Pimg runs here! Position 24/25

Wildcard: Level 3, 4, 5, C ................47 dogs.. Willy volunteers here and will not be available.
Wildcard: Level 1, 2 ........................22 dogs.. Pimg runs here! Position 21/22

Standard (Round 3): Level 4, 5, C ....37 dogs
Standard (Round 4): Level 4, 5, C ....33 dogs
Standard (Round 3): Level 2, 3 .........34 dogs
Standard (Round 4): Level 2, 3 .........30 dogs
Standard (Round 3): Level 1 .............10 dogs.. Pimg runs here! Position 4/10
Standard (Round 4): Level 1 .............9 dogs.. Pimg runs here! Position 4/9

**JakodaCD OA** · 07-12-2011, 08:04 AM

I know it's easy to say, but try not to be nervous..my first agility instructor gave me this 'mantra', the I always have adhered to....Tune out EVERYTHING but you and your dog, and view it as running a course in class..

With that,,I usually warm up my dog, get in line about 4 dogs prior to my run. If you start hanging out at the beginning of a class WITH the dog, it can get boring for the dog, just keep an eye on how the class is going..

When you walk your course, I always break it up into segments so I remember the course,,as in obstacles, 1,2, 3, 4...then 5,6, 7, 8 etc...Have a 'plan' on how you want to run the course, what will be the best /easiest path for your dog, and STICK TO IT..Don't overanalyze

)

Level 1, will be alot of beginner, first timers, so don't necessarily 'watch' how they run the course..but you can also see what works and doesn't work for them..

Also, level 1, will be pretty straight forward and you may find it EASY...check out the level 2 courses, and you may find that next time, you can easily just go into Level 2. (which is allowed)..

You will LOVE the games!! Wildcard is Fun,,Snooker, well it's fun, but can be a tad confusing (for me anyhow!)..JUmpers FAST AND FUN!!..

Ok so those are my "tips",,you have to definately let us know how it goes ! GOOD LUCK!! and HAVE FUN!

ponyfarm · 07-12-2011, 08:19 AM

Good luck! I may have to come watch and cheer you on!

pyratemom · 07-12-2011, 08:43 AM

Good luck on your trial. Concentrate on your own little bubble with just you and your dog. Remember to breathe and if you are nervous eat a mint before going in the ring so your dog can't smell the nervousness as easily. Mostly, have a good time.

**MaggieRoseLee** · 07-12-2011, 09:01 AM

Good luck and remember it's not about Qing when you start (ever?). It should be about making sure your dog has fun so that they want to keep playing 'the game' for years to come while you both continue to train and learn and progress in the sport.

Try to bring a video camera to have someone tape your runs! It's amazing how much you miss when you are running with your dog, even though it seems you are RIGHT THERE!

Stosh · 07-12-2011, 09:08 AM

Good luck and have fun! That's all the advice I have

wildo · 07-12-2011, 09:13 AM

Eat a mint to mask nervousness?? That is hilarious! Well, bad breath is a serious pet peeve of mine anyhow, so I'll do just that! LOL!

Seriously- thanks everyone! I am sure it will be no big thing, but I'm trying to be level headed about it. I watched some videos of Level 1 CPE, and I agree- they look easy! But I realize that there are so many different things going on at a trial that might make that easy course actually really hard. Last Saturday, I took Pimg to the "agility club" at my old training facility. I hadn't been there since we started up at the new facility, what- 6 months ago? I figured it would be a good way to proof some of her new skills in a different environment. The class was both inside and outside, which Pimg had never done before. They had a fullsize teeter (which I don't think we will even see in Level 1 CPE) that she did great on. In fact, I was asked to stop doing it because the loud "bang" was scaring some of the little, neurotic, yippee dogs that were just starting up.

I went outside to practice in that environment, and even though they didn't setup the standard sized weave poles (they had little DIY pvc things at about 18" centers) Pimg was still nailing her entries and not popping out. Overall, I was very pleased to be able to proof her in a different environment and to see the great results! Hopefully I can say the same for the trial.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaggieRoseLee

Good luck and remember it's not about Qing when you start (ever?). It should be about making sure your dog has fun so that they want to keep playing 'the game' for years to come while you both continue to train and learn and progress in the sport.

Haha! I was waiting for you to say this MRL. Admittedly, I am not quite there yet. For me- this is 100% competition. I want to Q. I want to be the fastest. I'd love to have 5 Qs at her first trial... I can accept failure, but that isn't the reason I'm there. I think I have some growing to do in this area- but for now- a trial is a competition with a goal. I'll get there eventually though.

Actually- one reason I decided to do Level 1 rather than Level 2 is to set Pimg up for success. I think that we could probably do well at Level 2, especially with Pimg's current weave pole performances. But I wanted to ease into trialing. We'll take it slow for the first trial and go from there.

Thanks again everyone! I'm feeling pumped this morning! I'm even taking a half day so that I can go do some extra training! Can you tell I'm excited!?

wildo · 07-12-2011, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ponyfarm

Good luck! I may have to come watch and cheer you on!

Feel free! That'd be cool, but I will not have any idea what you look like.

You'll have to introduce yourself if you do show up. I'll be the GSD winning all the runs!

ponyfarm · 07-12-2011, 09:29 AM

You met me at the flowing well park in Carmel, I have the collie mix. Yea, I will see you in the winners circle! Too much fun!

wildo · 07-12-2011, 09:45 AM

Oh geez! Lol, I didn't realize that was YOU! Ha! Now that is funny! I'm sorry, I forgot your name though

07-12-2011, 12:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
wildo Knighted Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 3,229	Pimg's first trial! Sunday! I typed this up for my Facebook friends, but figured I'd post it here too. I think it is interesting. Just posting. If you happen to have any "first timer" advice, feel free to share. Otherwise- just enjoy the story. I'm nervous. Really nervous. Pimg's first trial is next weekend, and we will be working HARD to try to ensure we're prepared! The crazy thing, of course, is that Pimg doesn't know it's a trial. I am sure she could care less. It is so obvious that she loves the work and loves working with me- I am sure she will do stellar. One of the many things all of you don't know about agility is that a mistake is never the dog's fault. My job as the handler is to give precise, quick, accurate, clear instructions on where the next obstacle is. I need to do this in time for my racing fast dog to see the instructions before getting to that obstacle. When a dog doesn't perform an obstacle properly, it is always the fault of the handler! With a dog as green as Pimg (and a handler as green as me!) it's really difficult to gauge just the exact moment to queue the dog for the next obstacle without screwing up the current one. If she is about to take a jump that I have queued with my left arm, but in mid-air I turn my body and queue the next jump with my right arm- I might cause her to turn her head, drop her feet, and knock down the current bar. But if I wait until she lands, then it is too late to queue the next jump since she will likely rocket past it! There is a HUGE learning curve, and a huge awareness needed. You, the hander, have to be thinking a mile a min! The reality is though, you get so incredibly focused on what YOU, the handler, need to do that sometimes you loose track of the dog entirely. I can think of a specific practice run from class where I had to navigate Pimg through three jumps- all in one plane, parallel to each other. You send the dog away from you across the first, then call them towards you for the second, then away from you for the third. So the dog is snaking through the jumps. This is called a serpentine. Well I tend to get a little cocky in class. I figure- "Hey- this is class time. It's SUPPOSED to be hard! It's supposed to push us!" So this particular time I decided I would attempt to run the course with the jumps at 24", which is 8" higher than usual. Consider the height of my dog (25") compared to 8" -that is a significant increase! Well we were running through the course, doing pretty good, and came up to the serpentine. Now this is something I've put some time into practicing at home. Feeling pretty confident [this is not an easy task for a beginner dog!] I called Pimg over the first jump- no issue. I sent her back over the second, being sure she didn't cross between the two jumps as is all so common in beginner, "velcro," dogs. She successfully managed the second jump and I began turning away towards the next obstacle as I confidently called her over the last jump. Apparently- she went right under the jump! My instructor was so impressed that I continued on as if it didn't happen (which is what you are supposed to do). I was floored! "Really!? She went under the third jump in the serpentine!?? Pfft! I didn't even notice!" There are about a hundred thousand things you have to think about to successfully navigate your dog through a course. And it looks so easy! So fluid! Simple stuff... Well, it's not. This is the real deal. Real competition. And I am stoked. And nervous. _________________________________________ Trial Info: AGILITY TRIAL SANCTIONED BY CANINE PERFORMANCE EVENTS, INC. Sat/Sun, July 16-17, 2011 HOSTED BY: Off the Wall Sports, 1423 Chase Court, Carmel, IN 46032 Pimg's Runs: Pimg will only be running on Sunday. We will be running Level 1 (first level beginner) for all five events held Sunday, July 17th. I will be volunteering on and off throughout the day. I have the run order, but that did not include exact times. Here is the schedule that I have: Sunday Snooker: Level 3, 4, 5, C ................47 dogs.. Willy volunteers here and will not be available Snooker: Level 1, 2 ........................24 dogs.. Pimg runs here! Position 23/24 Jumpers: Level 3, 4, 5, C ................54 dogs Jumpers: Level 1, 2 .........................25 dogs.. Pimg runs here! Position 24/25 Wildcard: Level 3, 4, 5, C ................47 dogs.. Willy volunteers here and will not be available. Wildcard: Level 1, 2 ........................22 dogs.. Pimg runs here! Position 21/22 Standard (Round 3): Level 4, 5, C ....37 dogs Standard (Round 4): Level 4, 5, C ....33 dogs Standard (Round 3): Level 2, 3 .........34 dogs Standard (Round 4): Level 2, 3 .........30 dogs Standard (Round 3): Level 1 .............10 dogs.. Pimg runs here! Position 4/10 Standard (Round 4): Level 1 .............9 dogs.. Pimg runs here! Position 4/9 __________________ Willy Pimg - DOB: 2/06, CL1-R, CL1-S, CL1-F, CGC

07-12-2011, 08:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
JakodaCD OA Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Location: Old Lyme, CT USA Posts: 14,236	I know it's easy to say, but try not to be nervous..my first agility instructor gave me this 'mantra', the I always have adhered to....Tune out EVERYTHING but you and your dog, and view it as running a course in class.. With that,,I usually warm up my dog, get in line about 4 dogs prior to my run. If you start hanging out at the beginning of a class WITH the dog, it can get boring for the dog, just keep an eye on how the class is going.. When you walk your course, I always break it up into segments so I remember the course,,as in obstacles, 1,2, 3, 4...then 5,6, 7, 8 etc...Have a 'plan' on how you want to run the course, what will be the best /easiest path for your dog, and STICK TO IT..Don't overanalyze) Level 1, will be alot of beginner, first timers, so don't necessarily 'watch' how they run the course..but you can also see what works and doesn't work for them.. Also, level 1, will be pretty straight forward and you may find it EASY...check out the level 2 courses, and you may find that next time, you can easily just go into Level 2. (which is allowed).. You will LOVE the games!! Wildcard is Fun,,Snooker, well it's fun, but can be a tad confusing (for me anyhow!)..JUmpers FAST AND FUN!!.. Ok so those are my "tips",,you have to definately let us know how it goes ! GOOD LUCK!! and HAVE FUN! __________________ Diane Danger Danger vom Kleinen Hain aka Masi "Angel" Jakoda's Bewitchen Sami CD OA OAJ OAC NGC OJC RS-O GS-N JS-O TT HIC CGC "Angel" Steinwald's Four x Four CGC HIC TT Harmonyhill's Hy Jynx NA NAJ NAC NJC RS-N JS-N HIC Jakoda's Jagged Edge

07-12-2011, 08:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
pyratemom Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Florida Keys Posts: 338	Good luck on your trial. Concentrate on your own little bubble with just you and your dog. Remember to breathe and if you are nervous eat a mint before going in the ring so your dog can't smell the nervousness as easily. Mostly, have a good time. __________________ Teri Snake Vom Eselspfad RN CGC (AKA Raina) 3/5/08 Pyrate CGC 4/1/03-5/16/12 RIP Too many to list waiting at the bridge but remembering them all

07-12-2011, 09:01 AM	#5 (permalink)
MaggieRoseLee The Agility Rocks! Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Bushkill, PA (The Poconos!) Posts: 22,199	Good luck and remember it's not about Qing when you start (ever?). It should be about making sure your dog has fun so that they want to keep playing 'the game' for years to come while you both continue to train and learn and progress in the sport. Try to bring a video camera to have someone tape your runs! It's amazing how much you miss when you are running with your dog, even though it seems you are RIGHT THERE! __________________ MACH2 Bretta Lee Wildhaus CGC TC TQX Glory B Wildhaus NA, NJ, NF + LOL (still) "*Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde*

07-12-2011, 09:45 AM	#10 (permalink)
wildo Knighted Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 3,229	Oh geez! Lol, I didn't realize that was YOU! Ha! Now that is funny! I'm sorry, I forgot your name though __________________ Willy Pimg - DOB: 2/06, CL1-R, CL1-S, CL1-F, CGC

07-12-2011, 08:19 AM	#3 (permalink)
ponyfarm Master Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 548	Good luck! I may have to come watch and cheer you on!

07-12-2011, 09:08 AM	#6 (permalink)
Stosh Crowned Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: tyler texas Posts: 8,434	Good luck and have fun! That's all the advice I have

07-12-2011, 09:29 AM	#9 (permalink)
ponyfarm Master Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 548	You met me at the flowing well park in Carmel, I have the collie mix. Yea, I will see you in the winners circle! Too much fun!

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