Oh Yeah, You Blend

Other than fluency with weave poles, and the “mojo” that comes with experience running together, Alice is just about ready to trial! She has all her equipment (need to review the broad jump), she sequences, she listens pretty well. I am really thrilled with where she’s at at 13 months of age! And she is starting to get some speed too! Plus a start line stay!

I started training a turn away to a tunnel today, she picked it up on the flat very quickly so, following the OMD way of thinking, I put it into practice with a tunnel off the aframe right away. She stopped, thought, and then DID IT! I just LOVE how much of a difference I can see this time around, having used their methods pretty much exclusively.

She is a very game little dog, she has suddenly become snuggly after 12-13 months of not being very cuddly at all. Better late than never! I can really feel the bond developing, she is for sure a dog who bonds easiest through working.

Various videos from today:

Turn tunnel (note that she knows a “turn” cue from work on the flat, and she knows a “tunnel” cue from, well, tunnels):

Another perfect weekend for Zhora with FOUR FIRST PLACES and QQ’s #86 and 87. I cost Nina a double Q today, I just wasn’t in sync with her. She ran really well though. Judge Laura English designed some really tough but really fun courses.

Zhora Saturday Jumpers (QQ #86, first place, 4.8 YPS 17 points):

Nina Saturday Jumpers (yeesh):

Zhora Saturday Standard (QQ #86, first place, 4.134 YPS, 32 points):

Nina Saturday Standard (Q, second place, 4.053 YPS, 32 points):

Zhora Sunday Jumpers (QQ #87, first place, 4.722 YPS, 17 points):

Nina Sunday Jumpers (I stepped in one stride too early and pushed her off the last weave pole):

Zhora Sunday Standard (QQ #87, first place, 3.746 YPS, 28 points):

Nina Sunday Standard (NQ, nice run):

Clyde Closson (tough but fun courses, tight-ish wheel) and David Nauer (OMG gorgeous wide-open run your ass off courses, I will show to him ANY TIME I CAN) this weekend in Niles. Z earned an Excellent FAST leg, a single JWW leg and two double Q’s. Nina had a standard Q and some fun runs and a walk of shame.

I am loving how Zhora and I are running together, it feels really dialed in. The blind crosses are really working for her.

I’d been really sick earlier in the week and wasn’t 100%, still a bit wheezy and I was running them awfully close together, but it got better as the weekend went on.

Zhora Friday Standard (NQ):

Nina Friday Standard (NQ):

Zhora Friday Jumpers (4th place, 4.83 YPS, 19 points, OMG this course was the MOST FUN EVER):

Nina Friday Jumpers (ONE LOUSY BAR):

Zhora Friday FAST (Q):

Zhora Saturday FAST (NQ, I mishandled the send):

Zhora Saturday Standard (QQ #84, 4.02 YPS, 31 points):

Nina Saturday Standard (NQ):

Zhora Saturday Jumpers (QQ #84, 4.48 YPS, 15 points):

Nina Saturday Jumpers (NQ):

Zhora Sunday Standard (QQ #85, 3.79 YPS, 27 points):

Nina Sunday Standard (Q, 25 points, close calls!):

Zhora Sunday Jumpers (QQ #85, 4.87 YPS, 19 points):

Nina Sunday Jumpers (one bar away from a QQ…):