Lulu & Minnie

 December in pictures: The end of the year is also to make summaries: Minnie started to compete in agility and in rally obedience. In agility we made in total 49 starts (with 21 clean runs).  It was done in age of 15 to 25 months old.   4 was in grade 0 (with 3 clean runs); 25 was in grade 1 (with 12 clean runs); 16 was in grade 2 (with 5 clean runs); 4 was in open grade (with 1 clean run). The most memorable was to compete in the IPAC and get a clean run in open course and the 2nd place of medium/large teams when she was just 20 months old! We also quite unplanned, participated in some rally obedience competitions (1 official and 3 unofficials; grades 1-3). That went always surprisingly well.  I plan to continue this side activity in the next year. 

Week ago we went to our last agility competition of the year.  It was held in Vastse-Kuuste and judge was Stefi Praakli. Grade 2 Videos form all courses: 1st jumping course: I thought that it was pretty good and manageable :). For the reasons unknown to  me, Minnie came out from he slalom and took the jump that was next to it. Did I hesitate? I didnt think so... Anyhow, DSQ. Then My plans after didnt work at all. I was late to blindcross that lead to me giving the wrong command (simple left turn), and her taking a left turn anyway...Before the end there was a trap of wall after tunnel. I really wanted to see how it goes...I tried to call. But although she looked at me after tunnel, she still went for the wall :). Maybe too little information to her? Maybe I hesitate, didnt turn myself away enough..? 2nd jumping course: Here we were pretty smooth until the second tunnel. where in the exit I was late, and there was miscommunication about the direction of the turn.  Becaus...

We went to try in an unofficial rally obedience competition, we participated in RK3 grade, that is of course a bit too difficult. Or that I was thinking. Last time we participated in unofficial grade 2.  Judge was Svetlana Kulda and it was held in Pärnu. 1st course . Minnie showed such a nice heeling! We had some hiccups at half of the signs where i was too late with sit command. Or too slow with my handling. Overall we got 91 points. And that was worth of 1st place! 2nd course. She was in a perfect mood again! We made a mistake at 7th sign (side change in the front, where she didnt do the spin :)) -10 points. But I dont blame her because we just started to learn the front cross without the spinn and she was so great and remembered the lessons. At the sign 10 (turn around she managed to lay down in addition to sit. Judge was very generous and gave only -5p. After that we had -6p worth of little miscommunications, mostly about sitting :). Altogethe r 79p - and still 2nd place :D H...

Third weekend of agility competition, and third competition in grade 2. This time near Tallinn, judge from Scotland, Dylan Osbourne.  It turned out that the courses were very challenging for us. Already on course walking I had trouble to find handling that I would be confident in. Video with all the courses are below.  1. jumping course. Started with a long straight line. I break my movement and Minnie made a wrap - that only lost us time. Slalom entry nice. Again somehow I did not go in from in slalom as I planned and we went together to the next jump - so I was late and i made a move with my opposite hand....I guess I was to afraid to push her outside of the jump. That made her not taking the jump (good girl), but then we were in trouble and got a DSQ . Then the "second DSQ" came as I did not call her after 12th jump (I already messed up my plan to blind after 11th). Minnie took the wrong jump. Third DSQ got when after the tunnel (I thought I push her, but then turned away...