2007 and finally the Agility Bug has Bitten

Saturday night saw the first ADAA trial of the new year for me. I have felt odd about the new year of agility starting; I haven't trained or trialled since October last year when I decided I needed a break. I'd thought over the Xmas holidays that the bug would bite again and I'd be back into the swing of training and impatient to be competing again. But it didn't really happen... When club started back in the first week of February I still didn't feel that bug bite. On top of that Zoom has been unwell and the worry has been eating away at me; but last week we finally arrived at a diagnosis of Autoimmune Hypothyroidism (alongside the Discoid Lupus diagnosed this time last year). So I've felt odd about the year starting back and it was with some trepidation and a certain amount of reservation that I made the trip up to the PADS trial on Saturday afternoon. Where was the excitement and focus I usually feel???

Before we started the trial there was a presentation of titles and awards from last year. A nice surprise to receive the portrait from my Silver Handler award. The sketch of Jonty, based on the photo on the right, is fantastic! Again I felt choked up with emotion when seeing one of my puppies immortalised in a portrait. It didn't quite hit me the way Missy's did when I first saw it, but it was still a teary moment.

The first event was Snooker. The course was not too difficult and I chose a path that would be do-able in the time as I really didn't have any idea how the dogs would run after such a long lay-off with no training and just basic fitness. I was feeling a little anxious and walked my course multiple times. Missy ran first and had quite a nice run, improving in her jumping confidence as we went. It was a qualifying run though not the highest point option; a safe run rather than a winning run. I figured Jonty would also cruise around quite nicely- but he surprised me with a bar down; only the second time I can ever recall him pulling a rail. He was a little distracted in his focus as well. This concerned me a little, though he has always found PADS a tough ground to cope with.

The next class was Open Jumping. It had some tight challenges (I was glad not to be running Zoomy on it); but not quite so difficult for the little guys. Jonty ran first and was a little slow off the mark but did the technical section very very nicely. I waited for him though at the hurdle after the cloth tunnel to do a rear-cross which cost us a second or so, as he too hesitated. So clear on faults but a fraction of a second over time with a handling misjudgement on my behalf. Missy was a little hesitant over the first couple of jumps then absolutely flew around getting faster as she went; this time I put in the front cross and the whole course felt lovely. A nice clean run. I was starting to relax and smile again.

Then a change in rings and Open Agility. A straight-forward flowing course, but the recent rain from the storm had me cruise around a little more cautiously. Again clear for Missy, she is getting better with each run. Jonty though went around a tunnel entrance, so I used the opportunity to hold his contacts and praise him. I was pleased with both runs and my smile was widening.

The final run was Advanced Agility on a very do-able, yet suitably challenging course. I was first to run with Jonty. I couldn't have been happier with his run, it was focused and quite quick- though his weaves have regressed a little again. He was clear and under time, yahoo, purple card!!! That smile was a beam now. Though I still had Missy to run; and oh my didn't she run. She responded nicely pushing hard across the dogwalk and through the weaves and nice acceleration on the run home. Felt quick! And yes, she shaved 3/10ths of a second off Jonty to steal his purple card. LOL! I couldn't have been happier!!!! What a fantastic way to get back into agility; my two little dogs are marvels; they come back from 3 months off to just blow their Mum away with their talent and enthusiasm.

Guess that bug has had a good hard bite again now, as I took the time this morning to do up my ADAA trial entries for next weekend. Over lunch I sat down and planned out a training schedule for each of the dogs with my short and long-term goals and problem areas to be worked on. In particular I want to extract more speed from the shelties as they are both more than capable of much quicker times; particularly through the weaves for Jonty and in turns and jumping for Moo. As for Zoomy, health will tell, but in the interim we are working on our start-line and her general fitness and muscle tone as the thyroid treatment kicks in. Then, when she's fit again we'll work some jump drills (ala Greg Derrett's box of 7 and Susan Garrett's one jump drills) to improve our communication, my understanding of Zoom's commitment point, and my timing when running her.