Tomorrow is a big day

VAST. Agility. Excitment. Joy.

Little Fin is going to the "Show." Called up from the minor leagues, she'll be starting for her team. Let's hope she does good and doesn't have to go back to the minors.

Things we'll be looking for:

• clear calm body language from mom
• strength, speed, from the fish
• zen like mind control from mom
• smooth transitions from the fish
• mom will remember the course
• Fin will not bite the mom
• mom will not celebrate early
• Fin will drive towards the end
• mom will not trip over her own feet
• Fin will not run between moms legs
• mom will not toss her cookies before the run
• Fin gets cookies before and after her run
• mom will get a good nights sleep
• Fin will not bark all night in the hotel

These are the rules. They are simple. Walk the course, run the course. Simple. No stress. Easy. Just like in practice. Just like my diet. Just do it.

An Unlikely Friend

In July 2006, I brought home an itty bitty black puppy from Florida. Who would have thought that a friendship could blossom from this small change in my life.

Diane has Fins big brother and a half sister (same dad).

I don't know Diane, she doesn't know me. We have in common our dogs, email, facebook, a weird compulsion to analyze agility runs, and it seems a few other things... we've never spoken on the phone nor met in person, our relationship is totally built upon emails and our love for our dogs.

All I can say is thanks Diane! What a great video.

I can not wait to meet you someday. We need to meet at the AKC nationals :)

A Quick Boring Post

This is a run from last night. I have too much work to do and have no business going to agility class. Went anyway. Got one of the quick runs filmed before it was just too dark to get anything.

Fin ran really nice. Best run of the night was midway through where she seemed to settle into it and ran really fast, but not nutso. I am still looking for more speed on the dog walk, but I like her nice straight fronts.

So let's get to the boring part. Been working on my fitness and weightloss. Food, still been my issue. So today I took a step that for me is huge. I told my fitness trainer what I weighed. I don't tell ANYONE what I weigh. I don't even like to get on the scale for the doctor. I, of course, weigh myself every day. I know exactly what I weigh. It is a measurement I am very close to. Telling him just about made me cry. Saying it aloud is so terrible and it isn't any less now that I've done it.

What is this called: acknowledgement that I need to make a change. Yeah, yeah, yeah...I've been improving. I'm way fitter than I've ever been...I mean ever. Even when I ran 10K's, my overall fitness was less (yes I could run a 10K and now really would have to walk most of it but we are talking fitness not endurance here). Yet, I am struggling.

I'm watching the biggest looser. I am inspired to do better by these poor people struggling. It is the woman that wasn't putting in the effort that has put me over the edge. I have a couple good days and then slip into bad habits.

So now. My new motto. Just do it.

No complaints, no excuses, no talking about it, just do it.

1300 calaries a day. Daily cardio. Weights twice a week. Situps and such 3 times a week. Done.

Clicker Fun

This is what we do when it is raining and the roofers are here. Everyone gets a turn and we play figure out what makes cookies fall from the sky. Everyone loves this game.

Rocky has never seen this hoop before. At first I'm clicking to just interact with it. As the game goes on, I'm getting more specific for what I want, and before the session ends, he figures out that I want him to go under the hoop a particular way.

Boxwork Drills

Sunday we worked in a mini seminar with Rob Yi. I am lucky enough to be friends with Rob and Karen. Rob is a great trainer and I really appreciate his taking time out of his Sunday to help us improve our handling. Rob has a great eye and was very helpful in spotting some areas of improvement. It really shows that drill, drill, drill...for improved handling and dog understanding.

First we worked a drill with front crosses (no video). As I recall, we were perfect...well ok, there was room for improvement...but without video, I can remember it any way I want! Rob watched and gave me some good feedback and Fin really did a good job reading the front crosses.

Then we did the same drill with rear crosses. Our goal was to position ourselves in the correct place using our body not our voice (and sometimes even our hands behind our backs!).

Here is some videos of our drills (the good and the bad). I've got some success and some not so success.

We then worked on threadles and serps. Clearly evident that I need more work in the threadle department. Serps were not too bad. Threadles - well big hole.

Clicker Fun

Well we've got roofers and rain. The combo is not really geat for keeping sheltie minds working. So....we are doing some clicker stuff today.

Tazz is working on his left turn (obviously his mom has not done a good job at this). Mad was working on going under a bridge only one way. Fin working on standing in a bowl.

Tazz is doing good. Very happy to be working.

Mad is THRILLED to be doing clicker and is hysterical.

Fin is getting those feet in the bowl pretty quick.

I know, stupid pet tricks and all. But this stuff can be fun.

Vido later.

Stress this week

It was a happening week for sure. Between the roofers, work deadlines, and the threat of jury duty, my stress level has been somewhat heightened.

I'm officially done with jury duty! Yippiee!

Didn't have to go in, only check every day (sometimes twice). The roof is almost done (even in the rain!) and even though my check book will be somewhat lighter, it has been a great experience overall.

Tomorrow is an agility competition. Although I don't really feel mentally in the game, I'm sure Tazz and I will step up to the plate when the time comes.