Today I rented an agility field to practice and train.  First time ever. I had scheduled 2 hours, but I could only do 1-1/2 hours.  I was tired!

And then there’s Raven.  And Dudley.  They were together in the ex-pen while I was working with Leissl and then they weren’t.  That’s because Dudley squeezed out.  I don’t usually have to use but one center clip on the thing to keep my Dobies in there, but Dudley?  He’s a different creature. 

And Raven?  She is a bird.

So once she saw Dudley flying off, she took the same exit, but it wasn’t suited to her size.  She got stuck.  There was a water bucket hitched to the inside and one hitched to the outside, so there she was, being ridden by an ex-pen and its paraphernalia as she galloped through the field.  No, she wasn’t injured.

I was glad I had their leashes on, as I finally caught up with Raven.  I mean, how hard is it to catch a Dobie carrying an ex-pen?  Dudley?  He’s a prankster, so I stepped on his leash.  His little harness went BOINK, and he came to a full and complete stop.  Yes, that was but one adventure.

Later on, Dudley pooped in the expen.  And on his leash.  The loose kind.  Too much coconut oil in his food last night.  Well, this pooping incident went on while Raven was with him.  They make mischievous music together.   Thereafter, Raven got tangled in the shoot.  That was fun.  Not.  But it didn’t phase her one bit.  Nope.  She went right back in again.  She’s quite a she-devil, Raven is.

Leissl was the angel.  She always is.  (Except when she’s not.)  Today she accomplished all I asked her to.  We worked on taking two jumps at the start line, and I desperately tried to do a front cross while working her, but I set the jumps up and myself for failure on that.  However, I’m still practicing that fancy footwork, and sooner or later, I will get it.  I need to do more prep work to accomplish my goals next time I rent a field.

Dudley did a full a-frame all by himself today for the 1st time.  Woohoo.  He never laid a paw on an a-frame before, and I had no way of lowering it by myself, so I said  let’s see if he does it and he did it over and over again.  He was so cute at the top struggling to get over the apex…little ears tight back and working so hard, but that’s his personality.  He takes on everything he can, especially when there’s a treat waiting at the other end.  Dudley also took the adult-sized teeter, and the dog walk and a straight tunnel.  I couldn’t get a bite on the shoot, though.  I really need a second person for help on that, or set something up at home with a small shoot.  Dudley’s an amazing little guy.

It was an entirely fun time, and I was zonked when I came home and that is why I was not happy to find poop to clean off the floor.  Rather it got dispersed around three of the throw mats on the floor.   I was only gone 3-3/4 hours!  Hello?  That put me in a really grouchy mood because I was so tired.  Argh!  Argh!  Argh!  But I’m over it now, especially because I finally can rest a little.  Until tomorrow anyway.

It was a very fine day.  Next weekend is our next agility trial, Leissl’s and mine.  Raven is still on sabbatical and Dudley hasn’t arrived yet.  Neither have I, actually, but even so, someone has to steer and I do have a learner’s permit.