Today, Chloe and I started in a higher level class thanks to Denise. I was hesitant at first to tell you the truth about switching because I wonder what I might be missing in the class I would be leaving. But she knows what is best and it seemed to show in class. We also had something else going on besides class and that was Scout coming along to get his familarity with the equipment. Its a terrier thing I suppose given how nervous Chloe was seeing different equipment at a different place other than home. Scout knew something was going on because he saw his crate coming downstairs and he started to get excited. Each time I loaded up the crate into the truck, you would hear Scout whining and followed by Chloe's barking. And when I went back to the front door, you could see Scout doing the typical JRT bouncy jump which I am trying to get him to stop doing because if he lands the wrong one time, here comes a vet bill! I pretty much stopped Chloe from doing it.
As we arrived at Countryside, I was expecting Scout to be fussing constantly but it was short lived. It seemed like Denise's dogs and Scout had a some type of conversation going on which quickly stopped. I took each dog out for a potty break and it was then time for class which Scout would be in the truck.
Once inside, I did my typical warm up with Chloe by doing some flatwork and then playing with her getting her drive up. And I keep forgetting that in class, we have to walk the course so I had to put Chloe back in her crate. BTW, our new class only had Brittany and a Golden Retreiver that decided to show up. Imagine that! The breed that attacked Chloe. This was going to be a good test and we certainly tested the waters and she wasn't stressed by it. Earlier, there was a Rottweiler that was pretty mouthy and it didn't phase at all. It could it be that she is completely over the attack? It would seem so.
So I am doing my walk which we are told is based from a European Jumpers course so start thinking primarily handling with traps and a burst of a speed somewhere. Well, that is what I have noticed about European style courses from watching people run on them. Anyhow, we brief before running the course and its basically "ask the student what would they do" as we continue to walk the course again but this time with Denise. She asked what I would do one section of the course and others would reply with "why?" because they were really confused but it was a stupid response from me. However, Denise saw why because the numbered cone was facing the wrong direction and corrected it. Hehe. Now I said that I would do a post turn. We would continuing our briefing and then I got asked again on one section and then another. She keeps you on your on toes!
The Brittany was first to run and Chloe seemed really interested with him as she kept pulling towards him. During each person's attempt, Denise would fix and correct what was going wrong. She really has a quick eye for it and I am trying to read what she reads but she is a tad faster and more experienced at it. She notices the little nuisances that can make the dog react a certain way and thats what I am trying to learn as the more I know how a dog thinks or reacts, the better I can handle.
After the Brittany's run, it was our turn. There was a section at the beginning of the course that Chloe and I have never practiced and she did it beautifully but we're going to continue to work on it. She was to go through a tunnel while you lead out to a job at a 90 degree angle. Nevertheless, we ran the course faultless! This is the second time we have a run clean in higher level class! I was so happy for Chloe! Mind you, this was a high level european course! Denise told us we were ready to trial again. Chloe was not stressing. And the other handlers noticed that Chloe was the typical worried terrier running. She was vocal and peppy.
Once everyone ran the course, Denise broke the course into three sections and we each ran it and got critiqued. I ran the the last section several times because Chloe started to get handler focused and was blowing by a jump a two which was on the speedy section. It was a fast left sweeper in which was created by a jump to a curved tunnel that kicked out a single, triple, and single (which was right beside the column for a blind spot). From there you better had decelerated to a front cross and you sent the dog over a jump and then to another thus doing a 180. You pulled the dog through both jumps so basically that jump was a wrap and you did something close to a backy uppy. You pull the dog away from a trap jump and send to a jump and do a rear cross on the flat and the dog pretty much takes the last two jumps at full speed. I tweaked my knee when my flip-flop slip off a stair step and it was sore and besides my fasciitis was acting up.
So with that said, at the end of class, I ran the course 2-3 more times! Then next class was showing up which was my former class. So I stayed and watched and looked at my Canfield run thru video that Ray had left me - Thank you Ray!
And to pass some time, I worked with Scout outside after I gave Chloe a cooldown and put her back in the truck. I just worked on heelwork with him outside and them put him back in the crate and watched the class. Denise offered me to run Scout in class but knowing him, I didn't know what to expect. Remember he is the definition of a terrier, he is very confident and as a matter of fact, he was fighting with the Golden Retriever when it attacked Chloe. So after 30 minutes, I brought him out of the truck and started working him outside. He was sort of jacked up and once he chilled out for a bit, I brought him inside.
Now a little reflection back in time, the first time he was at Countryside, he was wild and really out of control as he would whine and bark. This time around he was more settled and somewhat calm. But once he heard Scamp's high pitched whine or bark, his adrenaline started to kick in. So I had to bring him back down. I continued with heel work which progressed to flatwork and then we did table stays and then worked on 1-2 jumps. There is when I removed the lead and it was fine at first. But you could see in Scout's eyes he was thinking and wouldn't you know it, he took off! He was running with Emma since she was running the course at the time. Then he veered off and started trotting around and then he saw....
Scamp. Both dogs growled and I have feeling the Scout was going to show who was one the dominate one. I was trying to reign him in and he finally did and I heard Denise was behind me for some reinforcement. I grabbed him by the collar and he finally started to settle down. So we went back to the jumps at the wall and ran a channel weave set.
When class was over, I decided to introduce to the new stuff he has never seen before and I even ran the course twice with him. He did the dogwalk OK and I expected a nervous teeter. Mind you, I haven't done much sequencing with him. His weave work shows she wants to drive through the poles. He was bending them and for a Jack, I think that is rare! The base didn't bother him as much it does with Chloe. He was trying to adjust his footwork. I think the PVC poles are too forgiving. Anyhow, yesterday when I ran the poles with him, I left him open and he was expecting to plow through the poles. He did them well.
I must have ran him 10-20 minutes and I know its longer than what he was use to but I wanted him familar with the equipment. But with my drive, I pushed the sequencing a bit too far. I was impressed that he did hold his stay with Scamp and the two Springers behind him when I was getting to run the course with him. Denise thought he did pretty good. I am impressed with him I'll start integrating more sequence stuff as we progress. We're still doing the exercise book and on the intermediate section. I guess I better finish the book now.