Settling in...

Not much I can say. Jenna is beyond wired, actually played with a squeaky toy today. That is until Demon stole it. Devil Doggy! Luckily after a quick drive through the mountains, to nowhere, we did get over to the site.

 On our way to nowhere, Demon and Jenna desporatly wanted out. Unfortunatly hiking was not an option.

Nowhere, kind of looks like a legit western movie set. Only of course no stores were open, nothing to see, nothing to do, only place to go was back to Reno.

And finally the Reno Livestock Center! The practice standard course was already set up, Diane and I spent about twenty minutes guessing the course. Finally deciding the chute was backwards on purpose.

Honestly feeling quite settled about this weekend. Not overly nervous, and I'm not trying to apply tons of mental management stuff. Doesn't appeal to me to be "managed", seems like I would have to be under control or something silly like that. Hell this weekend is fun, fast, and just balls to the walls. Obviously precautions will be taken on course, not going to randomly do a cartwheel on course...although that would be pretty epic.

In Reno!

Where to start where to start....
I've been up since 2:40am this morning, and took a 6  hour plane ride into san francisco. Then we went to the Golden Gate Bridge, kind of a been there done that moment for me, but was still nice to walk around and stretch the dogs. In order to see a different style of the San Fran area we headed to Muir Beach, where I managed to flip down a cliff and land in a pricker bush. Totally fine, minus being covered in mud nd a black and blue elbow. Mind you this was all Diane's fault. She thought the goat path like trail down the side of the hill was a short cut, so instead of staying on the gravel flat wide easily-to-travel road we headed down the edge of a cliff. About thirty feet down I announced that it was probably a bad idea and we should turn back, but no Diane just mumbled keep going. Well that worked until I hit a slick patch mud followed by a 4 foot drop off into a thorn bush patch. I would like to note, both my cell phone and ipod remained intact and clean as I tumbled down finally landing in a bloody muddy pile. That's right people I got skills.
After that we headed up to Reno...roads were said to be snow covered and only vehicles with chains allowed through. Hahaha, nope. Snow yes, but no where near the roads. It was sunny and pretty all the way through the mountains. Only bad thing was as we approached the Donner Party like "area" I started having flash backs of a nightmare from when I was like 11. We were on our way to tryouts with Demon, it was the dead of night and for some reason Diane decided to introduce me to the cannibalism. After that discussing I had the oddest dream of college students and this one with a yorkie that ran into the jungle. Where these birds, that looked almost like tucans only huge and blood covered, picked up hikers and took them to a cave. Fat people went to the left, skinny ones to the right. Skinny people got sent back into the jungle, and I assume the others were made into meals. Although I can't really be certain because the dream shifted to a cottage with a clown in the closet, who was then beat up because the one guy got attacked by the birds. Thankfully he was released and so was his yorkie. Random yes, but some how slightly almost kind of connected in a way? Wasn't really that scary of a dream, just confusing.

Clearly I am way to tired to be online posting things, so bed. I would like too add that Diane is a good parent, just not her finest moments above. Although there has to be comical relief during these long trecks to shows somewhere right? haha.

Yearly Goals...

Can we just skip tomorrow? Honestly I really wish we could, minus the fact that I get to train. I should probably pack, hand in my homework, groom Jenna, fiddle with my new ipod, empty photos/film off the cameras, etc. Okay maybe I need tomorrow. But the whole waking up, getting ready, and going to school thing is getting old. Just sayin. Plus my friends are oblivious to my dog life. Well not true, they know I am obsessed and weird. Other than that, nothing. The pressure, the athleticism, the training, the connection, the friends, the sport, it all confuses them. Suppose that is one reason I am so excited for Nationals! A whole week devoted to the dogs, competition, and spending time with agility friends.

Feels like the start of the year, I know its march, almost april, but really Nationals starts my year. Sets in place everything we do and plan for until the next nationals. Sure some goals are set in stone, like getting Mz into excellent B. But others may change, particularly the ones in regards to Jenna’s future. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to make finals, but that isn’t my only goal for this weekend. I want 3 clean rounds, one after the other. That’s all on me; I know Jenna can do it. But I have to keep my head, which is another goal. Smooth runs, fast times, consistency in handling etc. all made the list. On the top is, of course, have fun and avoid shopping. Unless of course unfortunate events occur in that case, rack up the credit debit.

 

I was also pressured into getting a Flickr account today, so far love it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/agilityandbeyond 

Whimzy NAJ

Super happy with today. It was a very Sweet 16! Thats right folks I've been doing agility for 11 years now, still love it! Specially with my new super star puppy ;) haha.

Standard: First bar down, had that dreams crushed feeling for a second. Then decided to hold contacts and just screw around. Hence me pealing off the weaves by like 30ft. And then I left her on the teeter to roll a front, I never walked. Still got the fastest time, so atleast I know she isn't slow haha.

Jumpers: First Place. Such a smooth run! I was so happy with her turns and strides over everything. A little wide in places, but the dirt was hard and I didn't want to ask for too much. Weaves were gorgeous and I love her! First title;  NAJ

Nervous and Calm....

Ever go to the line really nervous for no reason? Not like scared or feeling like you are ready to puke, but pumped up? Like you know the air feels right, the course is begging to be blistered and you know that you are gonna roast that sucker? Thats how I felt on the start line today with Jenna. It was great. I finally feel like we are hitting our peak, which is good because nationals is um like 6 days away. Also in love with her contacts right now. The last two shows she has given me gorgeous zones! And fast too! We finished second today in standard by only like a fourth of a second. Then was won jumpers, looking back I probably should have done a pull through instead of a serp to a front wrap... But live and learn.

Miss Whimzy was also on her game today. Another Q in novice jumper and another Q in novice standard. Both 1st places. She really felt nice out there. I was kind of worried that she would act up today, now knowing how much fun running in the ring is and all. But I stayed calm and collected and so did she. Feeling so in-sync which is nice considering she is only 15 months!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUTz33zwBUA&feature=youtu.be

Clear skies....

I won’t give up on us, even if the skies get rough. I’m giving you all my love, I’m still looking on.

New count down, seven days till we leave for Reno. Between now and then, Whimzy has 4 runs, Jenna has 2, and Nikki has 2. But more on that all another time.

Sometimes I feel I forget how amazing my dogs are. I constantly remind people of how hard Jack was, ran him for 3 years and he still only has like 25 Qs to his name. Jenna, even with her faults, is really one special little gal. I mean really, she dealt with me as a child and as an inexperienced handler. That’s like two strikes. Not to mention everything Jenna has done for me, and all the places she is taking me. Like Sweden. Never ever in a million years thought a dog would ever be responsible for me going around the world. Yet here I am with a dog on the USA European Open Team. Not to mention leaving for Reno in less than 7 days, also have World Team Tryouts again in May. Really how can I really justify ever getting mad at her? I need to remember that next time she does something silly and blows a run. Sure in the moment it might totally suck, but looking at the big picture…Jenna is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

Then I have Whimzy. Who may single handedly be the most amazing dog I’ve ever run. Trained. Or had. Just saying that this puppy is my world and I fully believe she is going to change my life. More than she already has. Not sure where we are going, what events we will enter, how far we will travel, all I know is that it will be fun as long as I have my Mz. 

My girls <3

Perfection...

Isn’t a term I use often when describing a typical trial weekend, but today was by no means typical. Whimzy debuted and was amazing! Both runs clean no faults, and first places. Jenna smoked Jumpers to sweep up another 1^st place ribbon. Diane managed to double Q not only Demon, the golden boy, but also Kenzie! So we came out of the weekend with, 8/8 runs. Honestly felt so smooth out there with both dogs today, can’t believe how nice the day went. That is minus the horrible conflicts in the morning. Really the Gate should just let me move up, but no they made me move Jenna down to the bottom of the 12” dogs. From there she moved another 4 times, Diane had to talk to the judge, missed Kenzie’s standard run (luckily was marked as a conflict), and I missed my standard walkthrough. Other than that things went smoothly haha. Super glad to see Jenna feeling so good! Plus she hates turf, don't ask why I don't really know, but she usually does. I put ShowFoot on her today, and wow it really made a difference. She was way more sure footed and got lots more traction. Defiantly buying a bottle for World Team Tryouts in May!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6B9EkDIbag&feature=youtu.be

Whimzy's Debut^

 

Excitingly terrified....

Well… today is the day…

Nah just messing. Tomorrow is. I know I’ve talked about this quite a bit, Whimzy’s Debut. Two runs, Jumpers and Standard. My first 16” dog, can’t believe she got so big still. She was supposed to be my little tiny 13” runt of a sheltie. Yet here I am entered in the 16” class with a huge powerhouse monster. So now going into tomorrow I feel two things: EXTREME EXCITEMENT & TERROR

Yeah I know not normal to be scared, but I really am! So much I can learn from tomorrow. Only thing I need to do is not screw up which is easier said then done! Well I suppose what happens happens, she has had over 13 months of agility training so I’m pretty sure she is ready! 

 She even got a bath today :)

Ups and Downs...

Ups: Things seem to be smoothing out towards the end of the week. Whimzy is still awesome, and Jenna looks to be almost completely fine. Still not jumping her till Saturday. Did some dogwalk work with her yesterday, just the down ramp nothing huge. But wow, I found out some very interesting things about my little problem child. Hopefully it will benefit us in the long run, got lots of training to do this week...darn ;D
Also its so like springy here! Love it!! I can wait for flowers, like these:

Downs: Sadly yesterday my good friend lost her border collie to cancer. It was in his nasal passages, poor thing couldn’t breath through his nose at all. Loved that big dude, Jake, he was such a sweet heart. Amazing how fast things can go wrong. Just reminds me of Powell more and more. For those of you who don’t know Powpow, he was “my” lab. Not really he was owned by my friend, but I trained him from a baby and showed him in agility. He was hit by a car last March at just over 15 months. Miss that big guy too! The best dogs always die far too soon :(

Six days to go...

Well Jenna is looking better, still just seems a little bit off. Going to PT today, hopefully David can straighten her out!  I was supposed to spend this weekend running international courses with her as prep for WTT…that certainly didn’t happen. Instead I just ran modified versions with Whimzy. Some things are still just too hard to justify running her on. Like threadles and such. But I was pleasantly surprised by her efforts on a Stoel course, minus one slice rear to a wrap and I converted a threadle w/ pull through into a 180.  One thing I learned: Whimzy is very fast and I will not beat her out of a straight tunnel. Not really sure why I thought I could, guess its just because she is so small. But damn can that dog run! After watching the film, a couple hundred times, I’m really starting to like her footwork on course. It’s so precise. Sure some of our turns our wide and our lines choppy, but really that’s all my fault!  I am always so nervous while running her, as if she is still a baby and will skip entire lines and spin in funny directions. But really she only does that when I run like she will. I was so thrilled to see her take a 5 jump straight line, and not miss a single one first time thru. All the bars stayed up and she was flying! Have I mentioned I love this dog? I have one more day for her to be a “puppy”; tomorrow she is a 15 month old. Boy time flies doesn’t it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_fwFk01SZg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKksRMVIb7A&feature=youtu.be

Figures....

Seriously?? Really?? Like this had to happen? Yeah, Jenna is lame. Like not as in a loser, because duh she is amazing. But like lame as in front left foot aint touching the ground. Figures right? She hit the triple in Jumpers today, didn’t think it was too bad. But evidently I was wrong. So looks like Miss JenJen will be taking a week off, just figures my dog would go lame right before Nationals. Hoping Its nothing but a bruise though. Fingers crossed.

Nikki did awesome today though! Q in Excellent Jumpers, and an almost Q in Excellent Standard. So much more focus. I think seeing dogs improve at agility is my favorite thing about the sport. That and handling. I love both; okay I love all of it! Can’t we just play agility 24/7?  Ugh. I just wish agility was stress free, not nerve free. Because honestly who doesn’t love the adrenaline rush during and the nerves before an agility run? If you don’t your missing out! But really agility should be stress free…just saying. 

Back, switch, turn...

Thankfully this week is over! Ended nicely with a Stoel course in the yard. Oh, how I’ve missed those courses! The only full courses I have been training on are novice jumpers for Miss Whimzy…which is always interesting. Luckily over the last few weeks Whimzy is slowly, but surely, learning to keep her head past jump #12. Although she still explodes sporadically around the course with grunts and growls.  Can’t wait to see how high she gets in the ring xD Hopefully I can keep my head and handling in check. Recently I haven’t been able to rear Whimzy at all. She takes the cues, but I never manage to set up the cross right. Ugh so frustrating! I have to imagine its partially because of the particular courses I’ve set up. All the rears have been more of the pull and flip variety, they have always been difficult for me…mainly because I would only pull and flip rear Jenna if I absolutely had to! But with Whimzy I need those rears, she is too fast to front all the time, and honestly she scares me a little. Just need to plan my set-up points for rears better with her. Don’t really see why people around here have stopped using them so much. Really safer than fronts, you can see where the dog is going versus hoping the dog is coming with you. Also there is the benefit of having multiple types of rears to choose from based on the situation. Only really two types of fronts to choose from, stationary or rolling/moving. The names of the rears even tell you how/why you are using them! Pull and flip, converging, slice, etc.

Okay other than feeling like I so just betrayed my beloved front crosses, I’m also super excited to trail tomorrow! Only Jenna and Nikki are entered, but I will have both my babies, Zaiden and Whimzy, to play with!

Saved. Again. And Again.

Woohoo, what a week. Getting some stuff broke, attempting to fix, and failing. Luckily Diane was there to help. Really am fortunate to have her...beyond like living with my training partner/coach it is nice to have someone so understanding of the sport and the type of life I live sitting in the chair next to me. Not to mention she lets me get lots of doggies xD But really I understand how lucky I am, constantly reminded by other juniors... and even some adults. Granted its not all fun and games to have a mother who knows the path you are taking. Hence yeah I surprise her so often ;D My motto is: Wing It! She should know better then to expect the expected. Annoying it is to have someone who knows more than you at your passion, but at the same time useful to not make the same mistakes. Something I find incredibly useful with raising Whimzy. Honestly don't think she would be anywhere near where ready to go in the ring if I didn't have Kenzie to watch grow up. Whimzy after all is a border collie painted blonde with a collie head. I think people are often puzzled by the relationship my mother, yes I call her Diane, and I share. I would be too. Okay...I am. But it works, some days she is mom, sometimes Diane, and occasionally she is DIANE! Okay way off task, swear I had something else in mind entirely when I sat down, but after 6 hours of agility I can barely remember which keys to press.

Whimzical Update: March

Have I mentioned that Whimzy is really just three things?

One: Too Smart for Her Own Good. When your itty bitty puppy realizes that they screwed up in the weaves, then backing up a correcting themselves you know you have a keeper. Also is nice to have a sheltie willing to learn unlike Jenna, who is pickier about which tricks she cooperates with.

Two: Very scary. Whimzy is not even 15 months, and yet I find her understanding sequences and body cues that some four or five year old dogs miss frequently. Now I would love to give myself credit for being an amazing trainer, but that would take away from Whimzy’s feat of just being wonderful for me.

Three: Freaking Amazing. A little blunt yes, but true all the same. This dog is truly everything I look for in a puppy, and I cannot believe she is mine. Even Jenna my little superstar, who put up with me being a shitty handler way back when, wouldn’t have been ready to run the stuff Whimzy aces.

So that pretty much sums up Whimzy. Exactly two weeks till her DEBUT! I find myself extremely excited and incredibly nervous. Not sure what exactly I am nervous about, its novice…you’re not supposed to be perfect. It’s the baby pool, time for mistakes, spins, barking, missing jumps, sticking contacts and just holding them, hoping you get the weaves (if not just try again). Honestly think I’m feeling the pressure of taking a baby dog out that most people(at least who I have talked too, who knows maybe there are some people who hate Whimzy and think she doesn’t have what it takes to be amazing) love, which basically means that if something goes wrong…it’s my fault. But it’s always my fault anyway; hmmm maybe I’m just over thinking things. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx7eD58dkJE&feature=youtu.be

March!

March. MARCH. MaRcH. march. mArCh. o.O buy.BUY.bUy.BuY. Please buy: a 2012 USA EOJ Agility Team Supporter shirt :D http://www.customink.com/signup/o7w3d36

And enjoy this video of Whimzy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xBD8iC4DLY

Trail tomorrow....stay tuned O.o