I would just send in the entry and eat the cost if she didn't seem up to it the day of the trial, assuming it isn't a huge financial impact on you. If you are going to be there working anyway, you can bring her, get her out and see how she feels, and scratch at the last minute if you are worried about her.
Agility training
- Thread starter Panzerotti
- Start date
Well I thought about it all day and then decided to take Summer out to play with the jumps after work and she was just not into it. We'll stick to TDAA ring rentals for fun. I SO wanted to finish that title but I don't want to force her if she's not into it. She seems to have a lot of fun with tricks and teacup and with teacup you can enter day of the trial here so no wasting money if it's a bad day for her. It's hard because sometimes I take her out and she just has a blast. I'd like to keep her as active as possible.
Snookers is a game in USDAA (may be in other orgs? I'm not sure). You have to take a red jump, other obstacle, red jump, other obstacle, red jump, other obstacle, then do a pre-set closing sequence. (That's the simple version!)
Hank and I played with out vs push tonight on 2 jumps set to 6" and he did fantastic! I can see his brain really clicking in and understanding things. He's starting to actually really think things through and make decisions about what to do. We also did a lot of games tonight and tug. He is fun.
We have a MONTH off classes. How will I survive? lol And this is the first trial I'm skipping in like 2 years. Ugh.
Snookers is a game in USDAA (may be in other orgs? I'm not sure). You have to take a red jump, other obstacle, red jump, other obstacle, red jump, other obstacle, then do a pre-set closing sequence. (That's the simple version!)
Hank and I played with out vs push tonight on 2 jumps set to 6" and he did fantastic! I can see his brain really clicking in and understanding things. He's starting to actually really think things through and make decisions about what to do. We also did a lot of games tonight and tug. He is fun.
We have a MONTH off classes. How will I survive? lol And this is the first trial I'm skipping in like 2 years. Ugh.
Have any of the NorEasters here done a seminar with Julie Daniels? There is one I'm thinking of doing... so what are your opinions of her and her seminars?
I would either be doing pre-novice or novice... if it makes a different what "level" you work her seminar at.
I feel like a seminar might make a good start to the spring/summer agility trial debut.
I would either be doing pre-novice or novice... if it makes a different what "level" you work her seminar at.
I feel like a seminar might make a good start to the spring/summer agility trial debut.
I did a seminar with Julie when Gusto was a wee baby. While I haven't gone out of my way to work with her again, I did think it was a very good seminar. I think she is particularly good with puppies and green dogs. Really nice to both people and dogs, lots of fun games and exercises for the babies. I haven't ever seen her teach handling or older dogs.
Stephentown, NY. It's $100 for a half day... I'm kind of on the fence about it... that's why I'm asking about her. 
ETA: Just found the info and it says for dogs ready to compete, so we're probably out. Not sure if we would be good for pre-novice even.
The Stephentown site is fabulous - I've been there both for the camp in the summer and for trials (although I would guess that early in the year maybe it would be inside?). I will say, if you are traveling into the area, I have had issues with decent places to stay. If you are a B&B kind of person (I'm not) there are apparently some lovely ones, but I prefer a hotel/motel. The closest one I found for camp was probably 25 minutes away, and so bad (no hot water, dirty, nobody who was able to speak fluent English to speak with) that I tried to find a different dog-friendly place for the second day. I don't need fancy, but the reliability of a decent chain makes me much more comfortable.
Or you can camp at the site, but I'm definitely not a camper.
It's actually the main reason I'm not considering their camp this summer. I had a fabulous experience at it last time, and it is two of my very favorite instructors.
Or you can camp at the site, but I'm definitely not a camper.
It's actually the main reason I'm not considering their camp this summer. I had a fabulous experience at it last time, and it is two of my very favorite instructors.
I generally don't post names, but I guess I already made it pretty easy to look up who is teaching the camp this year - plus it is all good stuff. I've had only fantastic experiences with both Monique Plinck and Tracy Sklenar. I'd go out of my way to work with either (and actually just mailed off a check for a seminar with Tracy in Saratoga in March). Both are fun, positive for BOTH the dogs and the handlers (yes, I'm paying for a critique, but I don't want to leave feeling like crap because the instructor was unkind about me or my dog), lots of actual floor time, and great at adjusting to whatever dog and handler they are working with. I would recommend either without reservation.
I'm a little gun-shy after a really bad seminar experience a year or two ago, so I haven't been brave enough to work with anyone I don't know since. I may try to break out of that this summer and do our club's camp (which is one instructor I know and love, and one I've never worked with but who has great recommendations from people I know and trust). But I've never left a seminar or lesson from either of the two above without feeling incredibly excited about where I was with my dog and where we were going.
I'm a little gun-shy after a really bad seminar experience a year or two ago, so I haven't been brave enough to work with anyone I don't know since. I may try to break out of that this summer and do our club's camp (which is one instructor I know and love, and one I've never worked with but who has great recommendations from people I know and trust). But I've never left a seminar or lesson from either of the two above without feeling incredibly excited about where I was with my dog and where we were going.
I would recommend Tracy in a heartbeat. I'm trying to organize for her to come do a seminar in my city. My trainer back home had her out every September. The first year I didn't attend because Kili was too green. Then we moved.
I took an Agility U course that she taught and loved her. I can't emphasize enough how positive and encouraging she is! She makes you feel great no matter how small the success. I also love that she has run "off breeds" and understands how different that can be.
I took an Agility U course that she taught and loved her. I can't emphasize enough how positive and encouraging she is! She makes you feel great no matter how small the success. I also love that she has run "off breeds" and understands how different that can be.
Ok, there was another seminar that had Tracy as the instructor that I was looking at. It was a bit more out of my way, but that might be worth it.
And yeah, I can't take negative criticism.... Especially when it's something I'm doing for fun.... As that just makes me hate the whole day and I don't want to pay/spend my free time feeling like I hate everything.
And yeah, I can't take negative criticism.... Especially when it's something I'm doing for fun.... As that just makes me hate the whole day and I don't want to pay/spend my free time feeling like I hate everything.
If you aren't there already, there's a Northeast Agility Seminars group on Facebook that I get a lot of stuff off.
www.agiledogs.net often hosts things in that area (Stephenstown in the summer, High Goal Farm in the winter).
http://www.saratoganykennelclub.org/Home/ has hosted at least one seminar I've been to (and is hosting the next one I'm going to) although I find out about their seminars via the Facebook group rather than their page.
I was prepared and scheduled to drive something like 7 hours for a seminar with her last fall; it wound up getting cancelled because of the cold and I couldn't make the make-up date, but the drive would have been worth it for me.
www.agiledogs.net often hosts things in that area (Stephenstown in the summer, High Goal Farm in the winter).
http://www.saratoganykennelclub.org/Home/ has hosted at least one seminar I've been to (and is hosting the next one I'm going to) although I find out about their seminars via the Facebook group rather than their page.
I was prepared and scheduled to drive something like 7 hours for a seminar with her last fall; it wound up getting cancelled because of the cold and I couldn't make the make-up date, but the drive would have been worth it for me.
Josefina was on like a BOSS last night! she did front and back crosses and even when the trainer threw a bit of a curve for us and put the tunnel under the a frame, it didnt fool her! she is taking jumps off gestures and voice commands and when she was going to go off course I yelled "No this one not that one!" and pointed to the jump she was supposed to take and she about faced and took it! What a great girl!
Last week Siri had her first run-through, and OMG sh*t show.
Today we had a lesson and she made me so proud. Usually at least once per lesson she decides she has better things to do, and wanders off. I get her back, we do some easy stuff to reset, and off we go. Today she was on the whole time.
After last week I was feeling pretty crappy about us as a team. Today made me feel awesome.
This dog man...
Today we had a lesson and she made me so proud. Usually at least once per lesson she decides she has better things to do, and wanders off. I get her back, we do some easy stuff to reset, and off we go. Today she was on the whole time.
After last week I was feeling pretty crappy about us as a team. Today made me feel awesome.
This dog man...
