Friday, April 30, 2010

Training Sessions

I was rushed getting to agility Wednesday evening and I got there just at the class start time (no pre-class practice).  Grace and I attended class and she got to practice on one set of contact equipment.  Unfortunately it was a mowing week and we stopped class early to clear the field.  Since we cleared the field except for a few jumps Grace didn't get to practice the other teeters at the field and poor Bern did not even get a practice turn.

Thursday evening Tracey came by the new practice field at Meadowood and we put it too good use.  Xan practiced primarily agility (weaving).  Kazee, Grace, and Bern practiced weaving and Grace added the broad jump to here agility runs.  We then ran Bern and Kazee through their respective obedience routines.  Bern is still iffy on the drop and really struggled with the retrieve over the high bar (new location?).  Everybody else looked good on their practice runs - Grace was even doing sets of 12 weave poles.

Grace practiced obedience also.  I'm getting frustrated by her lack of a polite stand for exam so we can try for her CD.  I''ve downloaded a free e-book on Ground Work to Establish Pack Structure with Adult Dogs from Ed Frawley at Leerburg Kennels.  This kennel is primarily supports police dog work but their basic philosophy seems sound on managing pack structure and dominant/aggressive dogs.  There are several other e-books from Leerburg that I intend to read.  I would love to view some of their videos but it is hard to decide which video might be the most useful for my current situation with Grace or other performance training goals (in venues like tracking).

We are packed up and ready to drive to Hattiesburg for AKC agility this weekend.