Sunday, October 28, 2012

I am keeping Bo company (not wasting time on the computer)

For some reason, John is not fully buying that I am being selfless and keeping Bo company...

The agility and obedience equipment have been stowed.  The kiddie pool is under the deck, and I have a Sazerac to indicate that happy hour has commenced.

I am not wasting time on the computer: I am staying here with Bo in his crate at my feet, keeping the incarcerated one company.  See -- it is a selfless act.

Tip was splendid this weekend.  2 Open JWW legs, and two wonderful open STD runs.  Today's should've been a Q and a clean run at 25 secs under course time, except the last 2 jumps I forgot what dog I was running.  instead of sticking with him, I sprinted way ahead (like he was Bo).  But when I do that for Tip, he tries to keep up, and ends up jumping flat ... and knocked the bar on the very last jump.  TOTALLY my fault! But he did great and nailed all his weave poles today. 

What was particualry impressive this afternoon was how well he rose above stress and feat to work.  I had worked the 24" excellent class, then there was a VERY fast course change (they only removed one jump and a dummy jump and moved the tunnel), So Tip as in his crate in the upper building for several hours.  I had him fully covered, in hopes that would keep him more relaxed.  Unfortunately, while I was working 24", the big 20" dogs arrived.  Even if he couldn't see them, the poor little guy could HEAR them all around him.  After I walked, I ran up to the upper building and grabbed Tip and some treats (and stripped off the extra clothes).  I carried him outside and he was visibly distressed.  He barely had time to pee, and I took him inside, during which we encountered several more big bouncy dogs, which terrified him more.  Just seeing him (they were perfectly harmless).  By the time I got him ringside he was pretty well shell-shocked, and I had about 1-2 minutes before our run.

Bless his heart:  I gave him a few bits of chicken, and did a couple little tricks, then just sat with him on my lap.  He got less terrified but was clearly not happy.  When it was our turn to go in the ring, he was clearly still a very stressed little dog.  What is most impressive about all this is how hard he tried to do what I wanted, in the face of being stressed.  That is why I am unhappy with myself, for going to fast at the end and blowing the valiant little dog's gift to me:  a perfect fast run, with no warm up, and while stressed and scared.  I know he was stressed, because he didn't light up at the end and was very happy to have me pick him up and hold him.  I won't be doing THAT again (leaving him alone crated in the upper building while it was loud and busy!)

So:  haul form the weekend:  2 Open JWW legs (4th and 1st).  Tip now has two Open JWW and one Open Standard leg!

for entertainment:  the video o Tip's Saturday's Open JWW run (I didn't realize we had Qed until much later!)

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