Love,
Helen
Driving Glitches and Blocking Traffic
Agility cass was challenging last night. We had a serpentine, which was the part that I expected to give me trouble. It did, but not as much as two jumps, side-by-side, that we had to circle one and a half times before moving out to another jump far far away. I wasn’t driving correctly. Something just wasn’t right because I was losing my kids in that circle. Frustrating times for me and my brain! So I went to sleep with it, and it was some time in the mid-of-night I realized something I read in Susan Garrett’s new e-book of tips: mind your face-to-face contact. I haven’t been doing that with my sweethearts. But I used that approach tonight in the backyard, and it worked much better. Now I need to keep that in mind at the arena, a much bigger space, for next Monday’s class.
Meanwhile, I’ve started training my visiting Australian dignitary, Dudley, on some agility equipment. He’s taken a liking to it, so no reason not to indulge him in some training to complement the antics that go along with him. Here’s a few snap shots of his busy work.
Dudley keeps busy at Fort Doberdale. His big job entails getting in the way of progress. He thinks the dog walk is his, so polices it regularly.
Here comes Raven! Oh look, Dudley’s got things covered at the other end. With his body.
Yet sitting is so much more comfortable.
Here’s the li’l tyke waiting for Raven to come up at the other end. A quick turn-around. Put on the brakes. Boink! Raven’s at a stand-still.
Goals are for more concentration on making that face-to-face contact with my agility partners, and growing up Dudley.
One Pound
I am an agility handler who carries too much body weight and I don’t like it. I huff and puff and it’s uncomfortable. So I decided to change this and therefore, my eating habits. I started with a challenge to myself somewhere around July 6th that I would lose two pounds a week for the following six weeks of agility classes. Being this is Florida, I assumed it would be easy. One pound a week would surely melt off from the heat of summer. The other one, I’d have to work on.
I lost two pounds as of July 14. I was right on track. Today is July 27, so I should be four pounds less. This morning, I walked over to Publix, which is the chain grocery store in this area, and it has a big ol’ scale. Nothing could be finer than weighing yourself in public on a Monday morning. I stepped onto the scale, and watched the dial ping pong back and forth. It landed on a number that was barely a pound less than 13 days ago. I jumped off and hid the disappointment on my face by doing what I’m pretty good at doing, rationalizing.
“At least I’m a pound less than a pound more.” That didn’t cheer me up as much as I’d hoped, but it was true.
I walked over to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription. It wasn’t ready. That gave me five long minutes to think over this predicament I was in.
Was it my age? I’m closer to 50 than 40. Way closer. Surely that made a big difference in my metabolism. Well, yeah, it did, but that wasn’t the reason I only lost a pound. The reason was I have been putting more calories in than using in order to drop the poundage. I could not believe that that rule still applied. After all these years on this planet, it’s the same bottom line. Calories in must be less than calories out to lose that weight. Eegads!
Part of this is the sweet tea I’ve been drinking. OK, more like the sweetest tea. I poured so much sugar in the last batch I made, I had to brew another pot of tea to dilute the sugary taste. It’s still too sweet. I’m learning how to make this stuff. And I refuse to use the artificial sweetners, so I’ll just brew another pot of tea to mix with what’s leftover.
That sweetest tea, which I’ve been drinking gallons of, and indulging in more food than I should is what’s behind this lack of success with my original conservative and realistic plan. It’s not as if I’m asking myself to lose 20 pounds in four weeks, which might have been the plan had it been 30 years ago. I’ve not only grown in size, I’ve grown in realistic expectations.
So what is the plan? I must keep the goal in mind when I eat. I want to comfortably run agility courses with my dogs. That isn’t going to happen ultimately until I drop (wait, let me get my calculator out) somewhere between 52.5 and 47.5 pounds.
I’m one pound closer than I was two weeks ago, but I can do better. Keeping the reason for my goal in the forefront of my mind when I’m facing temptation will keep me on track. That big ol’ scale will be waiting for me to determine how well I follow that track.
Helen
Scrub and Tug
Today, I boiled some hot dogs, the Ball Park variety, and cut in half. I stuffed them into the Tug-It!, squished them, and worked on getting Raven and Leissl to bite it. There were four minutes of intermittent licking going on, with a handful of bite downs. None enough to hold onto the Tug-It! Both of these girls are fantastic tuggers. They tug together and with me. Here is Raven tugging with me and Leissl tugging with Raven after their baths today. The Aussies were quite upset about this as they usually disallow any tugging except when they participate. Meanwhile, I suppose this lack of Tug-It! success means I’ll have to pop the lid on one of those little cans of sardines and go for it. Raven is a tugging maniac, except when it comes to it being a reward for working.
Hmmm…tugging as a reward at Fort Doberdale to be continued.
I had high hopes of getting major bath work done this afternoon. That didn’t happen. The rains came, so I did what I could. Leissl got soaped up and Raven had her usual complaint of too much starch on the tail.
Raven and I worked the serpentine later in the day, and she’s doing the two jumps, but there is no recognition of my signaling her to do it. She’s doing it from habit. I am going to take an educated guess and say that that is a good thing. After she gets this down in her muscle memory, I can connect it to the cues I’ll use. I’m still working on those cues in my own muscle memory. Leissl is working on targeting from the teeter. She likes jumping, but contacts are scary for her. Yet, she does brave them. Bless her heart!
And as I sign off for this Sunday night, a big fire works bang went off. Then I hear the DoberDiva barking at the back door. She is such a sneak! I called everyone in over an hour ago, and she hangs out in the shadows where I don’t see her. Then she spends the evening waiting to hunt possum, frogs, or whatever big game might happen into the yard. I usually notice when I’m tucking everyone in. I gotta watch out for that sneaky maneuver more closely! She could get in trouble out there!
Diary of a Novice Agility Trainer
I got this product, the Tug-It, to teach Raven and Leissl how to tug while we are training. So far, I have only gotten them to sniff it. I put Liver Biscotti in the Starter. That didn’t get much interest, so I added string cheese tonight. Raven mouthed it once, but that’s all, and Leissl just sniffed it. So I am going to use a smellier food. Susan Garrett gave me an idea through her blog and recent e-book of Tips to use sardines. I have sardines, which I give to my dogs when one decides not to eat, so I imagine that will work. Mine are in oil, though, so perhaps a trip to the store to find some packed in water might be a good idea. By the way, if you want nifty and useful agility training tips, and to be in the know, make sure to sign up for Susan’s newsletter when you visit her website. That’s where I learned about the Tug-It, too.
Here’s my first training video. I’m calling them “Diary of a Novice Agility Trainer.” Well, I’m having fun, and know I’m severely in the dark as this is the first time I’m going through agility training for competition, so why not have a laugh? And watch myself improve! I do feel a tad bit sorry for my dogs, as was the case when I was learning to train obedience. They are the ones having to deal with my mishaps, goofs, and handling/training glitches. Yet, I couldn’t have a better student in Raven. She blasts through life with little abandon and nothing seems to bother her except missing a chance at a cookie.
Today, the little devil, taught herself a new trick. While I threw cookies to the other dogs, all were sitting nicely waiting their turn, she sprung up and grabbed what she could in mid-air! She’s a spectacular use of imagination and physical prowess. Whatever benefits her, makes her light bulb go on high beam. And thank God for her because she’s the one who got me into agility trials – and I mean that in more than one way!
I adopted Raven from a shelter, and soon found out why she was there. Not the case in other dogs I’ve rescued, so don’t get me wrong. Most dogs at the shelter do not have such an extreme drive. But Raven? She is here in my life for a reason. To teach me to steer a high-velocity, high-driven character, and I am reciprocating as best I can.
Leissl, on the other hand, is a bag of flour. If I squeeze a little, she goes poof. What a difference! Leissl is also an extreme Velcro Dobie, and getting her to move away from me and do go outs is a big thing. She is progressing, and so am I as a trainer.
So onto the next page of our agility journey – smelly food for the Tug-It! training and getting better at training that serpentine move.
Reaction to the Rain
This is how it looks when it’s raining at Fort Doberdale.
My Dobies take cover for fear they’d melt
and my little Aussie tyke sprouts the more he’s watered.
Bufo Toad
Yesterday, as I was getting ready for work, my Doberdiva Baby, came out of the bushes full of drool. She’d caught another Bufo Toad. I had to haul arse around the yard to grab the hose and a net to contain the Bufo. I had to keep the reptile from the other dogs’ mouths, but it was just as important to hose out Baby’s mouth.
I tilted her snout down towards the ground, put the hose on the side of her mouth, and rinsed. I kept rinsing until the foaming stopped. Baby was not happy with me, but I wasn’t happy with her and her hunting those toads. At 12 years old, she may be a wobbly senior, but she’s got the spunk she was born with and dives into whatever adventures are before her.
Run and Done (RAD) – AKC Agility
Below is the information I received in an email about a new AKC agility class that focuses on speed. Trial runs are taking place across the country.
RAD
Run and Done
The goal of this class is to present a fun and flowing run. It is a single course open to all dogs. This is a hybrid class; a combination of the Standard and JWW classes.
Seventeen to nineteen obstacles will be used on the course. A combination of contacts (excluding the dog-walk) and weave poles equaling three will be required. At least one contact and one set of 12 weave poles will make up this combination. One set of 12 weave poles or one contact may be taken twice to meet this requirement. Only one spread jump can be used, but it may be used twice to encourage flow in the course design. One to two open tunnels can be used on course but may only be taken a maximum of two times. Tunnels are optional. The rest of the obstacles are bar jumps, single bar jumps and the tire. Jumps need to be at least 50% winged. No dog-walk, table, chute, panel jumps or dummy tunnels will be allowed. The minimum useable course area must be at least 7,000 square feet.
Scoring: The course must be completed within 55 seconds for the 20, 24 & 26 inch heights, 60 seconds for 16 inch height and 65 seconds for 8 & 12 inch dogs (might be too much time for some heights, but testing will help verify). Add 3 seconds for each height in the Preferred class. No wrong course faults will be allowed. A wrong course will result in an NQ. No refusals/run-outs will be called. Dogs will have three (3) chances to complete the weave poles, after that the dog must go onto the next obstacle and will receive an NQ for the run. If the weave pole sequence is broken before the weaves are completed, the weaves will need to be restarted at the first weave pole. Mandatory Eliminations (Failures) and Excusals will apply. Recording time: Round down if it is .499 of a second and if it is.500 of a second round up. Example: a time 33.499 seconds will be recorded as 33.00 seconds, and a time of 33.500 seconds will be recorded as 34.00 seconds.
Course design should encourage a smooth flow. Only three turns of 180 degrees on a course will allowed. All spacing of obstacles must meet the requirements of a Standard AKC course.
Overall challenge level will be a minimum of 5 challenges and minimum 3 side switches.
To earn a RAD title a dog will need 15 Qs and one hundred points (Points and Qs may change after data has been reviewed). Points are awarded as follows: First place dog will earn 10 points, all dogs under SCT* and within 10% of the time of the first place dog will get 9 points, 20% will earn 8 points and so on all the way down to 10% and less will earn 1 point. Points and Qs start over after each title is earned with multiplier titles indicated by number following RAD, i.e. RAD2, RAD3 etc. The following chart is an example that illustrates the points that would be earned for the 16 inch jump height with first place dog having a time of 30 seconds.
Example:
| Placements | Within % of first | Points |
| First Place Dog | Time 30 sec. | 10 Points |
| All Dogs | Within 10% of first 33 sec. | 9 Points |
| All Dogs | Within 20% of first 36 sec. | 8 Points |
| All Dogs | Within 30% of first 39 sec. | 7 Points |
| All Dogs | Within 40% of first 42 sec. | 6 Points |
| All Dogs | Within 50% of first 45 sec. | 5 Points |
| All Dogs | Within 60% of first 48 sec. | 4 Points |
| All Dogs | Within 70% of first 51 sec. | 3 Points |
| All Dogs | Within 80% of first 54 sec. | 2 Points |
| All Dogs | Within 90% of first 57 to 60 sec. | 1 Point |
*Note: Points are only available for dogs that run at or under SCT. It may be that lower points are not available with mathematical increments of 10% over time until SCT is reached. If in the 16″ example above, the winning time was 40 seconds, then 5 points would be lowest point total available (from 56-60 seconds).
Since spacing of obstacles must meet the requirements of a Standard AKC course the course will not have to be measured by the judge.
RAD
Run and Done
Judges briefing:
RAD is a hybrid course, a combination of Standard and JWW’s classes. One course will be open to all levels in AKC agility. Fast, fun and flowing courses are key elements in this class.
Judging; Dogs will be judged by jump height not by class.
Refusals, There will be no refusals or run-outs (R) in RAD.
Wrong courses will be called and will result in a non-qualifying score (NQ). The hand signal for the wrong course will be an open hand as it is in the Standard and JWW’s classes.
Weave poles need to be completed in three (3) attempts or less, or a failure to perform fault (F) will be called. An attempt is when all four of the dog’s paws cross between the first and second weave pole. If the weave pole sequence is broken (skipping a pole) before the dog completes the weave poles the dog must start the weave poles over at the first pole.
Mandatory Eliminations and Excusals will apply In RAD as they do in the Standard and JWW’s classes.
Time: The course must be completed within 55 seconds for the 20, 24 & 26 inch heights, 60 seconds for 16 inch height and 65 seconds for 8 & 12 inch. These times are both the standard course times and the maximum course times for RAD. These times may change as the data is collected and analyzed.
Note, during the first stage of RAD both the 12inch and the 20 inch dog’s path needs to be wheeled and recorded on the spread sheet provided.
Baby Pictures
Please click to see the pictures bigger.
This is Baby. She’s my 12-year-old all-natural Dobermann.
She has a tail as well as her beautiful natural ears.
We’ve been together since she was 3 months old.
She’s Bahamian.
We earned her Companion Dog title from the AKC
when she was in the midst of turning 11 years old.
That was a good thing because she got wobbly shortly after that.
Now she doesn’t walk so well, but she is a feisty member of the
Red Hat Society, and still chases after reptiles, squirrels, and men.
Just a little slower and rickety.
I love her.
I love her crooked teeth.
She’s the reason I have gotten involved in Dobermann Rescue.
She’s bright, funny, and soooo personable.
Her ears, when they perk up like this,
and they often do,
make me smile.
Baby’s song is My Funny Valentine.
She sometimes howls when it’s sung.
If she were a human, she’d be a fashion model.
She’s a Diva, which is much more tolerable and
even endearing, in a dog. Not so much in humans.
She especially likes men. Some women call her hussy.
Even her mustache is cute.
Below are two of my Bloopers.
This is not a Baby face.
She chops her jaws for cookies, and I snapped her mid-chop.
It really brings out the age spots on her nose.
Scary!
This one reminds me of that Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland.
Not Baby.
Helen
Thankfully Baby’s mom
Happy 4th of July!
Baby is 12 years old and still as lovely as when I first met her in the Bahamas. 
These three were very cooperative for a bit of waffle.
Raven is Fort Doberdale’s Little Devil.
These pictures are so Leissl.
Plant poking her and fly on snout.
She’s the one who will step in poop if it’s out there.
The Handsomest of Handsome, Luigi.
Dudley and Annie are posing on our new dog walk.
Bunny is the bright-eyed beauty
and chief of the FDFP.
(Fort Doberdale Fun Police)
Baby’s waiting for the fireworks to start.
Not really.
