Agility!

Luna has completed 12 weeks of intro to agility. She goes on almost all the equipment (everything but the tippy plank - tiny teeter totter). She is a timid dog and gets skittish easily. So after 12 weeks, thought I would try her with Julie (the instructor I use for Penny). Brought her yesterday for a drop in.

The drop in with Luna went really well. Julie saw what I was talking about with her needing a leash and studder stepping for jumps. So she suggested that I remove the leash and the jumps are on the ground. I go over the jumps with her and feed her for each and every one. This seems to be working well. Since Luna loooves tunnels, she isn't getting paid for them anymore, we are mainly working on jumps. But what surprised everyone was that she ran up the A frame (full height!) and held her contact at the bottom!

Oh I was so surprised! So she had issues with the dog walk in her intro class. It was at a lower level, to make it easier for dogs. But yesterday, with it at a higher level, she was so much better with it and not as freaked out! I think that is because it was sturdier! Go Luna! Yes she needs a lot of work, but this was helping her a lot! Once she gets her confidence up and is not as skittish, she will be a great agility dog - she is so fast and is agile - she jumps on things outside and I am surprised how high she jumps!

I think I am going to keep luna in this class. Julie is good at breaking things down and teaching a timid dog. And the class is smaller, and we get 1/2 of the arena (vs 1/4 in the intro class) so we can practice on things more. Luna cannot handle a full hour of class - about 10 minutes towards the end, her brain is mush and she is done.

It is so nice to have both dogs on the same night! And handling 2 hours in a row was not bad for me. So much nicer than a Monday and Wednesday agility night!

Penny did great at agility class yesterday too! We were doing threddles. Oh they are so hard, especially when Penny had energy and wanted to do everything. Since we were working on harder stuff (at least for me) and steering, she was only jumping at 16 inches. We did some at 20 and she was great, but I wanted to make sure that I was doing things correctly. She got most of them. And I have to make sure I don't give into her wanting to do things her way. Yesterday Penny had speed and power! Was so happy about that!

I am excited! In July we are hopefully going to enter an AKC agility trial! And this one is where we train so hopefully she will do amazing! Entry date is May 19, and the trial is July 10 and 11. Have to see what day I will do. Will Nick want to have his birthday alone to play video games, or will he want me around? May just do the Sunday. But excited to do our first AKC trial! AKC has the most trials in the area!

Yesterday I was a little bummed. There is a USDAA trial in may, that I completely blanked on and didn't enter. Yesterday was the closing date. Oh well. There is another one in June that I will try to go to!

Cross your fingers that we make it into the trials! My doctor said that I can continue agility as long as I am comfortable! I know I will be fine! But at least the entry dates are after my next ultra sound to see where the placenta is. So I will know more then. Yes I will be running agility up into the baby is born. Then will take 2-4 months off, but I do plan on getting back into it. This is my thing and I so enjoy it! It will be funny (if Nick is there) to video me running Penny in a trial with a big 8month - 9month pregnant belly!