It's Agility Time

Agility is in full swing and the dogs are loving it....

Boiler and Mike



 

Cisco and Lisa

Kerrie and Ruth

 

Duke and Theresa

 

 

 



Kathy and Miley

Congratulations to Kathy and Miley on leaving Open Standard behind and moving onto the Excellent Level... A long difficult trip many tears and frustrations but persistence and dedication got the job done...
Congrads to a great team!!!!

Kathy and Miley

 



A Down Night

This week the classes focused on Downs, Down stays and of course Stays with distractions.. Always lots of fun as a lot of the stay exercises are with the handler not holding the leash.. Lots of nervous people...

The Down

Step 1

Intro Treat

 

 

 

Step 2

Follow the hand

 

Step 3

The Down

 

 

And Classes Begin

Last week was our first week of classes and we started off with a BANG... All classes full and everyone showed up..  A few missed the training center and ended up at the kennel but were quickly redirected to the Training Facility..

Manners 101



 

Starting with the Flip

 

 

Nothing Like Attention

 

 

Larry Reviewing the Evening's Work

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Opportunity is Knocking

Canine Trainer Apprentice Program

Ever think you might want to learn the ins and outs of training dogs?
I am looking for 1 person to enter our trainer apprentice  program…

This is a very special position for a very special person….

Requirements:

Exceptional people skills
You will be dealing with a lot of very special people who are dedicated to their canine.

Clear speaking voice
It gets loud in the training facility

Desire to compete in one of the many dog activities available

Competitors make the best instructors as they are generally always up on the latest techniques

 Your own dog to attend a class with

You need to practice with something.... They can be old or they can be young

 Available a minimum of 1 night a week

You’ll be working at least one night a week observing, helping and demonstrating...

Apprenticeship times vary depending on how fast and how well you accept and work within our training system... Apprenticeships usually last from 1 to 3 sessions..

 If you are what we are looking for, you will be offered a position to join our training staff at the completion of your training... 

Interested or know someone who might be interested/   Have them Contact John at 937-885-3427

WESSON

Mr. Wesson is finally making progress and seems to be headed in the right direction.  As you know last October he suddenly and unexpectedly ran into some issues. Mainly he became horrified of everything to do with agility... The judge, the obstacles, the jumps and the thought of working inside the ring... Event after event we struggled just to get him to stay in the building... Then we struggled to have him stay in the ring... Then it was getting him ok with the judge (male and female).. then it was working the jumps, 1 jump out, then 2 jumps out and so on... Contacts came last ...
Each Friday night if there was a  run thru at Queen City we were there.  We have not Q'ed since October of 2012... I wish I could say we have not run nor entered any trials but I felt the way to get him over the issues were to hit them head on... little successes and little triumphs... With each step making sure he was successful and had appositive good time.. Lots of trials, lots of disappointments and a lot f frustration..
We seem to be getting there as he pretty much completed a course in spite of my sometimes poor handling and positioning.. Great contacts, much improved weaves and the speed and focus was greatly improved... He is happy and running and we are making real progress... Maybe just maybe we are back on track...
Here is his August 9 run at Queen City (Thanks Cindy for the video)

WESSON  

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SgzMe0gFSs

Double "C" Colleen and Cooper

Colleen and Cooper had a long hard difficult road.. A lot of people would of thrown in the towel but because of her love and devotion to her "Cooper" she never did.  At 3 Cooper began his agility career with a first place in Novice A Jumpers.. But the real story is about his 3 years before agility.. 

 

Practice-Practice-Practice

 

After a couple of manners classes Colleen felt she was ready for agility, after all she had a Border Collie ( the breed that excels in the sport).. That all sounded good but little did Colleen know the battle she was about to enter was going to be long and hard..  Turns out there was not much Cooper was not afraid of... You name a contact obstacle and Cooper didn't like it..  Fortunately Colleen saw the potential and accepted the challenge.. Her attitude was "we will conquer these fears if it takes forever" and it almost did...  If I remember correctly first it was the A-Frame, then the dog walk and then the dreaded teeter.. None were easy and nothing was done in a few days rather the process generally took months... Each obstacle was a battle with a little victory everyday.. But sometimes the battle is worth the victory, the end goal, the crowning touch.... Born in March of 2009 Cooper got his first "Q" at Queen City in March of 2012 and has not stopped since.. A little over a year after that first "Q" Cooper has many "Q's" and is known as "Cooper IX AX AXJ XF" (Excellent level Standard, Jumpers and Fast)

I congratulate Colleen and her wonderful Cooper.....