Off to USDAA this weekend!

Gracie, Mum and I are off to a USDAA trial this weekend. It's a small one at the training center where we practiced on Wednesday this week, and Wednesday last week.

Practice this week went pretty well. Mum and I worked on the DW contact; that wasn't pretty. But she found out some things she needed to know (like testing me while she's running out from the DW, if I'm making the contact because she's unconsciously shortening her stride, stuff like that). We have much work to do to get my DW completely independent like my AF.

And Mum gets kind of frustrated sometimes, because we don't have one of those beautiful, wonderful, awesome and expensive pieces of equipment. And if we did, it probably wouldn't fit in our backyard to get me to run full out on it anyway.

So we make due. We do feel pretty lucky, however, that I picked up the running dogwalk super easily. At least we don't have to worry about that.

Otherwise practice for me went well. Mum is still not holding her position on jumps until I commit - she is keeping a little slip of paper in her pocket this weekend, so hopefully she won't pull me off any jumps. Speed was good, focus was outstanding ('cause I'm a good boy, you know, unlike my sis).

Last week at practice at the training facility, Gracie wouldn't do her weaves. She hit her nails on the base and rammed her shoulders into the poles. Consequently after a few poles she was done with them.

This week she did them everytime, nearly the first time. So we were pretty pleased with that. She ran off big time one time, even jumping over the short white fencing. Mum was not happy. But she came back and did wonderfully after that. Mum has special cheese and new duck treats to help with Gracie's focus - paws crossed.

So, should be an interesting trial. I'm entered in Gamblers, Snooker and Standard each day. Mum really only wants to run me in Gamblers and Snooker, since that's what I need for my ADCH (SQ's that is). She may pull me from Standard, we'll see. It's going to be a very long day. First dog on the line at 7:00 AM and we'll probably be there until 4-5 PM. So either I'm going to be way too beat to run three runs, or I'm going to be so wired I may have to run all three.

Gracie is entered in Jumpers and Standard 1st day; Standard and Gamblers second day. We're just hoping she sticks with Mum.

We don't know if we'll be able to get any vids, but we'll try and beg or borrow with someone. Hope everyone has a pawsome weekend!