Like most things in my life, I can't keep up with this blog! So here is an overdue update.

So let's start with the last 'run-thrus' we went to. It was the Friday after our trial I believe. Videos for that, like my trial videos, are coming soon! (I hope..) Anyway-
Run-thrus were awesome! As you'll see on video she rear crossed me and went ahead and did the teeter on her own (usually I skip it) and by the time I realized I couldn't catch it. But I was so proud because her tail never went down and she looked fine! The rest of the run was a little slow, I think from shock haha, but I still was very pleased. The second run was good too, I ran past the teeter and let her choose if she wanted it, she creeped up on it and I went back and caught it for her, still pleased though that she got on again! Plus the rest of the run was great again! We did a sort of 'FAST' type run for our third, however Dad didn't tape it. I wish he did though because she had the most beautiful A-Frame I have seen in a while, damn! Oh well though, at least I got to see it :) 

We also had a 'Donna Rohaus Seminar' the following Sunday, which was awesome. I just love Donna, so helpful every time. Plus she remembers all of Keira's issues and deals with them before she messes up sometimes! Plus she takes Silvia classes too, which is an awesome plus! So it's really cool when we can just start talking about miss Silvia and all her methods and things :) But, for the actual training we did with her was great too! It was the second part to her 'Rear Cross Clinic' which we really needed help on. She also introduced me to 'blind crosses' which I had heard of and never used. Guess what? I LOVE them! I am so going to have to use them! Keira was having trouble with the set up and so she told me to practice at home and gave me something else to do, as to not stress little Keira. I love Donna. :)

So then I guess next would be the Kennel Club Banquet? I think so... That was the following Wednesday.
Unfortunately, even though we were getting awards for doing things with our 'dogs' we still couldn't take them to the fancy restaurant we had the banquet at :)
I personally loved the banquet, and not just because I got awards! I love being around my club, even though I didn't get to sit with  my 'regular group' of the club, I still had a good time sitting with some people I hadn't talked to in a while. This was Roger, Susan, Brian, and a very nice lady whose name escapes me every time.. Plus there was me, my father, my mother, and my sister. Anyway, I got a certificate for Keira's CGC, two trophies for her to titles (NJP & NAP), a pin for being one of two of the only Junior Handlers in the club (totally unexpected for me and Chloe), and poop bag party favors! Along with a biscuit for the Keira kin. I had so much fun, Linda said some very nice words about how far Keira and I have come and people were so proud of me. Ah, it was a good feeling.
Please excuse the way I throw around names like you know what I'm talking about, I'm just writing what comes to mind :)

Anyway our Silvia classes are going great as always, Keira is really getting fast and she gets so excited now when I touch her harness (re-strains)! I'm so pleased. We had a good session at the park this morning too, videos soon, hopefully.

Oh, and next week I'm going on vacation for spring break! Yeah! I'm super excited, we're headed to the Bahamas. Only bad part about this is, this means a week without my Keira! But hopefully she'll be alright and forget about me :) Nah, but hopefully she'll relax and enjoy her alone time. Maybe it will make her crave agility for when I come back, because our MKC trial is the week after, oh my!


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Here is me at the banquet...
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Again at the banquet...
God, could I get any more un-photogenic? Lol :)
 
This dog. I am so proud of this dog.

As you might of guessed, the trial went great! For Saturday we did a JWW and a FAST, and Sunday a JWW, so three in all. For all three runs her times were in the 20's, NICE. Probably couldn't have asked for a better trial after having not trialed since New Years. We came home with a blue, red, and yellow ribbon, an agility rainbow! This also was her first trial at 16" (as opposed to 12" previously) and amazingly had no hesitations what-so-ever (but we did at 12" sometimes?) very happy about that! Plus there was a double jump near the entry (like you came back around to finish) which made it very possible for her to remember Dad was standing there and leave me like she does sometimes at practice when she's trying to do a problem obstacle, but she did it just fine and never gave any indication of leaving/looking at Dad/hesitating jump/ect., awesome!
The FAST run was awesome, a whopping 21 second run with 51 points. We got second place, even though she was the fastest of her height (and of most of the heights at that) the first place winner got more points. Why "FAST" is judged by points and not *speed* I'll never know, but it didn't matter, Keira was first place to me:)

Videos are coming soon! If you didn't know my computer hates me and won't let me use the -awesome- editing program and -awesome- camera I got for Christmas, so I have to set aside some time (what I really mean is get off my lazy butt) and install everything on Dad's computer and see if that works, then upload the videos to YouTube, then to here, and god that sounds like a lot of work. But then again it is 10 at night and I'm super tired. So...

Anyway I will go into more details about the runs when I get the videos up, so be looking for that. For right now I am SO pleased with her progress and as you could have guessed, I already have a list of things to work on!


Re-strains
Weaves (channel&proofing)
Teeter
Distance!
Discrimination
Try the new chute length (AKC)
Rear crosses
'Out' command
Cik/cap


So, a lot to work on before the April trial in my hometown, but I think we can do it! ;)
 
Hey! Haven't blog-ed in a while, so I figure it's time to! Anyway yesterday we went over the course to sort of 'trial prep'. It went great! Much better than I thought, after I saw it on video. This time Mom took me and filmed. We did JWWs runs plus the aframe sometimes, just because it was there. She is still jumping clean over the contact, and hitting it perfectly different times. Kind of confusing, haha. Anyway our main focus was getting a happy double jump and some good&fast weaves. Double went great, weaves better than expected, still had some misses but I am still very pleased with them. We are trialing in Zainesville (that how you spell it?) again, I think for the third time! Haha but I really like it up there, as you can tell. Pretty sure the gang is all coming, not too sure. But they usually do, so... :) Anyway, we only signed up for JWW and FAST runs because we are doing good in RC training and I don't want to mess anything up. Although next month is the MKC trial and I may do Standard in that...
Well, here's a video from yesterday, I am very pleased! I LOVE this dog! My favorite part is the straight one weaves :D


 
So today we went for a walk. Guess who came with us?! The dragon!
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Sully Dragon
Yep this is Sully Dragon. My Mom's friend is nice enough to let us take her out on walks while she's at work! If you didn't know, Keira has a thing for shepherds, she just really likes them! Sully is one of the only dogs she actually likes so it's lots of fun to take her along ;)

We went for a long walk in the woods, and there also happens to be a dog park along the way. We went across a stream up through paths and around a soccer field, lots of fun!
So as we were walking back a dog came running across our path about 20ft away. It ran right to the dog park door and stopped. Of course Keira started barking and so did Sully, and we stopped. We had no idea what to do. Since Sully doesn't actually belong to us we don't really know if she gets along with dogs, plus we didn't know if this dog was mean or nice. So after waiting about 5 min. to see if there would be an owner to appear, I gave Keira's leash to mom and walked up to where the dog was. Turned out it was a beautiful black/white/gray/tan/merle  long-meduim haired medium sized dog. I thought it was a girl, turned out to be a boy ha, and he was very nice. But when I came up to him he let me pet him, then he noticed our dogs and took off after them. He came right at Sully and they had a bit of a tiny fight, understandably. Luckily Sully was twice his size, plus he was a bit overweight. It was about a 5 second fight with Keira barking behind Mom. I called and whistled and he looked at me and I ran and he came right to chase me and I opened the dog park and finally got him in. He was very friendly, and was looking for water. After I got him in the small dog section, Mom came and let Keira and Sully in the large dog section. They barked a little bit but everybody was fine.
So now we had a maybe stray dog trapped in the park. We waited for about 10-15min. more for an owner and no one showed. I was running around the park with Sully since she was desperately looking for a ball to play with. So we now know she works in distractions :D
Anyway Mom finally left the park to go see if she could find somebody while I stayed, and eventually she did. They came with her and got their dog. They were all confused why w had him in the other pen and they wen ahead and let him in with our which resulted in a tiny fight (between Sully and him, Keira was just circling on the side)! We got him back into the entry with them but they kept like trying to let him in with ours? Like when they fought a little (nothing big of course just a tiff) they didn't do anything! They just stood there while we broke them up, and they kept letting him in while we were trying to leave? We finally got out, but I'm just so confused. They weren't being mean they just didn't understand that we didn't want our dogs to play with him. I mean I guess. I don't know, people are confusing! Like they had no leash or collar on him, and when Mom asked they said 'Oh it's in my pocket' like really? Why didn't you call him back when he got out of your sight? And since you had no collar on him what if there was a big fight, how would we get a hold of your dog?

Anyway it all turned out fine, and honestly I didn't really want an owner to show up :) he was gorgeous! He also was definitely a herding mix! But yeah, people confuse me. All in all a good walk, and we love to see miss Sully, she is a lovely dog!
 
So, took Keira to the kennel club last night.

We tried a new RC set up, a low table under the plank, and it worked great! Think we're going to stay with this set up. She had a couple high hits and once came off the board, but she was always in the contact, much better than last time!

So we started off great! Then we tried a two tunnel course to try and get her to run a little, yeah this didn't really help anything. She always trots and kept backing out of the tunnel if I did something weird. I think I need to get her somewhere and just have her run, maybe put an low jump or something, I don't know.. But she doesn't seem to get yet that she is allowed to run! My fault, I know :)

Then we tried a course my friend made, this did not go well. We really need to work on commitment and distance. However we did do some lead-outs! Which we never do, so I'm happy for that!

Things we accomplished-
RC setup works great!
Lead-out IS possible
cik/cap around a pole is going well
Weaves are doing good!

Thing to work on-
SPEED
Distance skills
Obstacle discrimination
Get farther into cik/cap training
Start proofing weaves

Eh, so okay session, really happy with RCs since those weren't going great!
Good job Keira!

 
Finally finished with the site, hope you guys like it!
I think blogging will be fun :D