Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Agility competitions and Freya's training

It's been too long time since a nice update. Pixie and I have been competing in agility for few weekends. Our best moment where in Alen Marekovic courses. They where fast but still really challenging. I really liked the way the courses flowed. I think I might have a new favorite judge in agility. Here is our runs from ATT (second video was unsharp):



Next day we went to compete in Kirkkonummi. Yet again we had some nice runs. I was little unfocused and I lost Pixie once and missed her slalom mistake but o'boy we had some good time. I have started find a right pace for us and I have started see where I can use Pixie ability to read to course. Our team work is starting to look really nice. I just need get in a better shape. While I write this I have a flu so I have a little set back to my own training.



I have been really satisfied in our progress in agility. It has taken lots of training as a team and for as competitor. This journey is just in the beginning but we have found we right paths.  Moving to Turku was one the best decisions I had ever made. Work with Jaakko and Janita has improve my handling and understanding of the dogs. It was amazing to see how much I got results with Louise too. With Pixie it has taken much longer but I have started understand my super dog. I can be honored to have her in my life. I think we will have even more adventures coming ahead. Pixie has the talent to be a star. It will just some time to make myself work the best for Pixie. I'm loving this journey everyday even more.

This has been also time when I get know my new puppy. Freya has grown really fast. She has had super attitude to work. I have been working on some tricks with her. I use shaping to teach her to offer actions better and better. Freya is starting to be a little master of finding out what I want. Although she has sometimes moment when she gets "angry" is she won't get the task fast enough. This can be also my weakness. So we have still work to do with our team. Here is our video of the latest tricks we have been working on:



We have got shaping challenged from our friend where Freya must keep a sausage in her mouth without eating it. I have started this progress by starting to train retrieve basics which holding and taking the object from the ground. When she get the holding part ok, we will challenge ourselves with the sausage. I have done this with my two older dogs Thelma and Louise. I think I will make goal to repeat this picture with Pixie and Freya (Mayday 2008):


That's all for know!!! Have fun with your dogs!!!

MLPF