It is SPRING!!!

The Anatomy of an Agility Handling Workshop

No matter how you handle, a consistent system is necessary for proper communication with your dog. This past weekend found me at one of my favorite venues, an agility handling workshop.

I am lucky enough to live in an area that not only has the weather to support it, but also has enough students to draw some top workshop trainers. This weekend was about the Derrett systems of handling, "advanced boxwork skills."

Some basic rules to live by:

1. Keep your eyes (or eye in my case) on your dog.
2. Use the arm and leg closest to your dog.
3. Face the direction you want your dog to go.

We had a total of 10 different challenges and I learned alot about myself. I'm a flinger. I never really thought of myself as a flinger, but a flinger I am. I don't run with my arm up, nor do I run with my arm consistently in running position. I do both. I need to go to Flingers anonymous.

Timing is a huge issue. At one point Fin was doing a pinwheel to a serp (from me). She came off the pinwheel and I was thinking (here we go again) but I rewarded her anyway cause she came to the serp. Laura stopped me and said she was really glad I rewarded her because I brought my serp arm up early which resulted in her coming off the refusal line of the jump straight to me (in this case I was wrong and Fin was correct).

I'm going to go back and watch some of the videos from trials and see whether some of those "go around jumps" are "handling" rather than her being a brat.

Fin had a great time. I had a great time. Nothing better than hanging out on a beautiful day with your dog and best friends.

Photos of the Project

We started the remodel about 2 weeks ago. The first day the entire room was gutted. It was spectacular. My husband said, "Wow Vici, this is going fast." I said, "You must realize that the first day there will be a dramatic change, then you will look everyday and say, goodness, haven't you done anything today?" Such is the nature of the beast of remodel.

The before. Picture a room about 8x12. Door opens and you see a dark narrow room. Don'tcha just love the little lace window curtain - was there when I bought the house and I never took it down. It's coming down NOW baby!
The idea is to take the tub out, move the plumbing to the outside wall (lots of insulation). This will allow us to remove the wall between the new shower and toilet allowing light. Also take out the large vanity and replace with a smaller free standing arts n crafts style sink vanity providing the feeling of more space.

Begin the tear out. Find major water damage. Delay the project nearly 5 days to fix damage (extended into another room). Have to rent a jack to hold the 2nd floor up while rebuilding two walls. Fun stuff if you have the stomach for looking at the insides of your house.

Found a pepsi can from the 70's in the wall. Found one outside wall was not insulated (???). Found electrical wires incorrectly wired to a vanity light. I am continually amazed at how badly this house was originally built. Did they not have house inspectors in the late 70's?

Walls are going up. Floor is going down. Ceiling fan going in. I am giggling with the delight of all the newness.

Here is one of the helpers. Very helpful. Comes in to inspect and give opinions. He is of the opinion that we don't need a shower that can also double as a dog washing area.

Today the plan is to add wall texture and build the shower. It is starting to get exciting. At this point, there is nothing else to find wrong. It is now just a matter of building and getting it done.

My Subject For Today is...

...Blogger isn't work'in to good.

I've got this great post on my remodel. Doing a bathroom. Friend is here, acting like a contractor, working his buns off, not charging me near enough, tearing it out, and rebuilding. I've got some good pictures to show before and during. Once it is done will to an after.

But alas, can't post photos. Blogger is erring out.

I'm at a loss. I guess I'll have to use words.

I had a 1970's style bathroom with linoleum flooring and solid service plastic counters. A wall separated the bath (held plumbing) and toilet and made the bathroom dark. It is a small space. Totally functional. Just wanted to clean it up, get rid of the tub, move the plumbing so we could take out the wall. I wanted a new smaller cabinet to make the space feel larger.

Long story short. Every step of the way we have encountered issues. Water damage, mouse damage, bad construction. What should have taken 3 weeks will probably take more like 4-5. At this point all of the "bad" things that could go wrong have been fixed! Yippiiee. Now it is just the "construction" part.

Pictures will be forthcoming as soon as the blogsters fix it.

Dixon in the Winter

It is winter right? This weekend found us stripping off our layers and mostly running in our T'Shirts. I felt like we needed stripper music all weekend as woman of all ages (and a few guys) kept tak'n it off.

I ran total of 8 runs and Q'd once. Fin's first time in Excellent Jumpers. In some ways it was a gift by the judge as she stopped at the last jump because I got behind. But I'll take it!

The jumpers run on Saturday was a series of loops then turns back on themselves. I was late with my FC before the weaves, but I felt that after the weaves we had a nice groove going. The ending I had to wait for her as she went wide and found myself behind a jump because her line would have taken her past the final jump (something else to work on :) ). It was fun to run and she looks like she is having a blast.

On the standard the same day. I called real hard after the collapsed tunnel (thinking was was going wide), instead she came right to my side and past the jump. Otherwise a fun and exciting run.

All in all a fun weekend. I wish Sunday I had more success, but it was not meant to be.

Musings

It's been an interesting week. Not great in the weight loss area. I have actually slipped backwards.

Goal this week: I am walking every day, weights 2 times, and eating fish/chicken and veggies rather than sandwiches for meals. Tuna is my friend and I miss it.

Today I set up the sequence of jumps we had at class on Monday. Fin and I worked it and "surprise!" Fin took the same off course she took in class. We were able to work through it and I couldn't get her to make the mistake again during our session. "SUCCESS!"

Headed to an AKC this weekend. Looking forward to seeing how my circle work and jump work is paying off in the exciting venue of a trial. A report will be given on Monday.

Cartoons.

I'm MAD!!!!

Had a fun weekend in southern California. Rained pretty hard on Sat, but Friday and Sunday were beautiful
The little red one is Fireball. He is the new addition to my friends agility family. He is partly mine cause I am the auntie. I get to babysit. Fireball got to play with his sister Smart. I got puppy therapy. Just so much fun. I spent a good amount of time just hanging out in the canopy watching Fireball play with Smart and his brother Motion.

Fin got a couple titles. She is now HiMarks Holy Mackerel! MAD, RM, OA, OAJ. I am really thrilled to be Fin's mom and handler. We don't always Q, but every run is an exciting ride.

She is simply fun and there is no better therapy than just getting out there and running with my dogs.

No pics of Tazzie, but he also had a great weekend. He was so happy the entire time and ran about as fast as I've ever seen him run.

A nice end to a week that was difficult to say the least.