I suppose I could be setting up sequences that are more novice in nature, but Chispa is going to get plenty of that in the actual novice ring, so I’ve been challenging myself to run her like the novice dog she is on the sequences I’ve been setting up to work on with Frodo. Here’s what we worked on last night:
As long as a sequence doesn’t require a trained cue to get her through and I can GET there, it’s fair game. So, there were some bits that Frodo could do that I didn’t bother to do with Chispa, but even so, we had a good time, I’m sure she learned a few things, and that’s about all that our time together needs to be. She still runs by obstacles if I accelerate hard, but I kind of have to accelerate hard to GET to those obstacles to cue them, so….it’s a fun problem to have and we’ll get there eventually.
She also did her first unassisted seesaw this morning. It was low height, and I have a magnetic target attached to the very end with squeeze cheese on it, but she was a very good girl, and stayed in her position (4 on) until released. Two weeks to go until Labor Day, when we’re entered in our next AKC show, and I’ll be gone for 5 days teaching between now and then, but I *think* we should be able to pull it together enough for some reasonable attempts in the ring. Onward!
