Bootcamp Week 4 update

Let me tell you, bootcamp is VERY hard work for a border collie! The weekend after the last update we headed to Spot On for a 1 day agility trial. My Mom decided to get there 45 minutes early to work with me on my bed and at a practice jump. She made me drive to my bed that was beside the ring, what a fun game! I really liked this game from the start and won’t leave without my new awesome release word “break”. We also worked on the 1 jump there. I was holding my stays, turning tight to her, extending and doing nice rear crosses. She was very happy with me and kept giving me kisses (how embarrassing!)

A bunch of people started arriving so Mom kept working with me on my bed and with stays. Mom got lots of questions about my bed and why I needed to be on such a small bed (didn’t I tell you it was small). It seems that once she explained the people no longer felt sorry for me :( Andrea and Arlene arrived at the site and came over to see me, I just love both of them! They seemed impressed at how well I was doing and gave me nice pets.

I got to run in Advanced Jumpers (I did great only knocking 1 bar down! but going off course because of Mom), Steeplechase (Both Mom and I were idiots on this one and I knocked 4 bars down, Mom wasn’t too happy about that), Masters Standard FEO (Mom worked my stay and contacts, leaving the ring very happy with me) and then Advanced Standard (Mom was thrilled! I held my start line, got all my contacts, missed the weaves though and had only 1 bar down!! but rocked the serp) We ended the day very happy with my progress and went home to relax with the other dogs and my Dad.

The next morning we headed east to Mont Tremblant Quebec. The cottage was really nice but was on a major road so we didn’t get alot of off-leash time. We got to swim each day off the dock though and I just LOVED that. I didn’t even bark once, just jumped in and went for the toy. I kept getting to the toy before Ripley so I was in doggie-heaven! I sure taught that little brat a lesson on who is boss. We got to go into Mont Tremblant the one day for a nice hike with Mom and Dad. We were walking on this trail when out popped 2 deer! I couldn’t believe my eyes, these guys were huge, one with big antlers!! A little way’s down from there was a house and just then I noticed this cat walking on their driveway. Man, I would have loved to chase that cat but Mom had my snoot loop on so I couldn’t go anywhere. Well guess what…those deer, they did it for me! They started jogging towards the cat and between them they tried to corner it! Can you imagine? They were my heros!!!!

After the week in Quebec we headed to Grandma Tiff’s place for a weekend of agility at the Ottawa Valley Border Collie Club/All Dog’s Sept trial. I was entered in lots of runs. My first one was Advanced Standard. Mom and Dad said they were so proud of me because I stayed at the start line while she lead out 3 obstacles to the teeter. I knocked the first bar down so Mom decided she would train in the ring. She made sure that I stayed on the all the contacts no matter what till she released me. I missed the weave entry but did them the next time. Our next course was Advanced Snooker. I guess Mom was expecting a lot but I just hate that game. I decided to make my own course so I only got to jump 3 jump and then took the tunnel, off we went :( Then we had Advanced Standard 2. I knocked another bar again but only the 1. I entered the weave poles (Mom was shocked and thrilled) My contacts were great so overall Mom was happy. The last course of the day was Advanced Jumpers. Mom lead out so far but I stayed put and waited for my release word. She was “thrilled” (her words) with my performance. She said it was such a hard course and I only knocked 1 bar down but did a threadle, serp and she said the bar was her fault because she was a bit late getting to her front cross spot. I was smoking fast and was only 0.2 seconds slower than the dog that won the class and from what I hear, that dog has tighter turns that I do. Wait until I get my turning under control….

The next day I had Masters Gamble. Man was that ever FUN! I had a smoking hot opening, nailing my contacts, getting both mini’s, doing the 4 point twice but sadly didn’t get the closing which included the weave poles. The last run was Steeplechase but after my Gamble run I was a bit spun out and didn’t listen to Mom at all :( She made me even lay down in the middle of the course which she hasn’t done in soo long. Oh well, overall she said I rocked. I didn’t bark once the whole weekend at ringside and again had lots of people enquire about my new bed.

Well that was the last of our agility trials for 2008. We are now onto training only for the rest of the year heading to Say Yes another few times. Last weekend we went to a training seminar with Tracy Sklenar (a teacher at Say Yes) who put on a 2x2 weave clinic. She gave Mom a few pointers on what to do to re-train the weaves for me so that is where our bootcamp has led us now. We are going to be working steady for 2 weeks on weaves to see if I can learn to find the entry and get it everytime. I am not sure if this will work but both Mom and I are going to try. You know, I am a RED dog!!!

I will keep you updated on the bootcamp status. Till next time….

Licks, B

Boot Camp?!?!

So it has been a looong time since I wrote but in my defense, it has been a very busy summer. After Regionals, mom decided to take some time off of agility for me. She thought that we needed a break from trialing and concentrate more on skills. We also spent a bunch of the summer doing disc dog where I was quite successful getting my Advanced Disc Dog (ADD) Title and my Disc Dog Champion (DDCh) Title! I even had some top placements in some Skyhoundz trials so my dad was very happy with me. I also started to learn the art of dock diving and have actually taken a few dives from the dock! So needless to say, the summer went fast and I am excited about this fall.

Me barking on the dock while Ripley jumps in!

Learning to jump from the ramp at first.

So you might ask, what is this "Boot Camp" about?? Well let me tell you a story...

Two weeks ago Mom and I packed our bags (mine with lots of food and toys, hers boring clothes) and headed to Alberton ON to participate in Susan Garrett's Masters Handling seminar. Mom was worried I wouldn't do well so we also let Abbey tag along (she was going to run her instead of me if I was bad...how rude!!).

We got there on Friday and once we were settled in our tent, Mom went off to hear about the rules of the weekend. It turns out that Susan's agility field is right beside this awesome pond and the rule was, if your dog went swimming without you telling him/her to, then the human had to go in and get their dog!! Mom was not chancing my bad terrier sister going in and having to get her in her clothes so I became number 1 dog!! :) SWEET.

It turns out that Susan thinks I am a great dog, too bad about the handler (isn't that a title of someone's video, hehehe). Actually Mom was very good and listened to everything she could learn over the weekend and we had a BLAST! I got to do so many runs and I really tried hard to understand these new rules...like where my mom is, is where I am going. Imagine, that seems so simple but I still have a slight hard time not running off and taking the jumps ;) I overheard Susan tell Mom 4 things over and over....don't let him flank you....get the Crates Games video....do the 1 Jump video....circle work, circle work.

So this is where Boot Camp begins. We came home and right away Mom went out and bought me this tiny little cot/bed. Doesn't she realize the size of me?! But she saw how Susan's dogs & students dogs would sit and be good while the dogs run that now she thinks that would be good for me! The only great thing about this bed is that I get the BEST treats when I am on it. I actually love running and laying down on it.

Me on my new bed...see what I mean about small?!?!

She also dug up her Crate Games and 1 Jump videos and has spent the week going through them and writing down her training plan! We have so far worked on steps 1 to 3 in Crate Games and I am very good about sitting and waiting for the crate to open and like my bed, LOVE going back in for the BEST treats!! (Boot Camp doesn't sound too bad, does it?! lol) I am starting to learn the rules on the 1 jump and love working all this time with mom.

Doing 1 jump work (not focusing forward)

Focusing forward now :)

We are also working every day on circle work where I have to stay by my Mom's side whether she is running or walking. The good part is that I get LOTS of treats but the bad part is I have to wear a Snoot Loop (those suck!!) Mom even takes me for a long walk each day on the Snoot Loop and feeds me my dinner. Lots of people have commented on how well behaved I am and even Grandma Tiff came to stay one night this week and she was saying how much calmer I seem. Well what is a dog to do when they are bone tired from all this work?!?!

Well I will let you know how boot camp is going....next week we are in Quebec at a cottage. I heard Mom say she was bringing a jump so I guess there is no rest for a BC.