The Runs

Run 1:  Standard Course
 

This Photo was taken at the start line for Al's first run of the weekend.  He really looked terrified at the crowd a few feet away, but he showed his character and didn't run off!  Don't leave me Dad!!  These people are staring at me and they don't look too friendly!!

Al held the start as long as he could even though he had eyed the crowd in the bleachers and was looking wildly around at them as I led out.  Al was pretty distracted by the crowd, and I had to call him off the A Frame in order to get him aimed at the tunnel.  He really assessed the crowd at this point again.  He was tentative and so was I.  We were tippy toeing around the course.  I let him run through the contact on the A Frame, and when we came around to the tunnel the second time, I was able to call him into the correct end and then a rear cross.  By the time we hit the weave poles Al had decided this was an OK place, and at the table he was so excited that he wouldn't down for me.  The good thing was that he stayed on the table, although a couple of times I thought he might come off.  After the count, we did the final sequence.  At the Dog Walk I didn't ask Al to do a 2 on 2 off contact, and he ran through.  He barely got into the contact, and then finished the course.  You can see by the big question mark on my face at the finish area afterward, that I was wondering if we got the contact, and if the judge called a fault.  I was asking Barb Davis if we had a fault.  She was right.  It was close, but we were in the yellow.

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Run 2:  Jumpers with Weaves

Heather filmed this from up on the second floor.  I like the high angle, because you get to see the lines we took on the run.  Before the run I was waiting outside the ring watching the other dogs.  Barb Davis and Rock-It ( National Champions and AKC World Team Members) were beside me, and she and I visited, but mostly watched the action and held our dogs.  Barb has been an unbelievable help and great Coach to us!!  As it turned out, Rock-It and Barb ran right before us all weekend.  As we knelt on the edge of the carpet Barb noticed something and the coach in her appeared.  She said,  "What are you thinking about?"  I stammered and sputtered and realized that I wasn't thinking about anything to do with what Al and I had to do in just a couple of minutes.  We laughed!!  Barb caught me and it was a valuable lesson!!  Get yourself ready, concentrate, focus.  It's Al, I and the course and that's all. 

When we walked out to the start line,  I had a little trouble getting Al's leash and collar off and it agitated him enough that as soon as they were off him, I had to hold and push him backwards so we could race each other to the start line.  It was a tie to the first jump and then I was able to keep ahead of him.  Al noticed on this run that the footing was pretty slippery, as he turned sharp after the 2nd and 4th jumps and his shoulder almost hit the ground both times.  After jump 6 he really slipped, and then slipped again after jump 10.  I could have helped him out with earlier crosses.  What I really liked about this run was Al's spirit in it.  He kept slipping and that was throwing him off and he kept trying to run harder.  When we got to the weave poles he accelerated into them, and he loved the crowd's response.  He started running really hard at the end of the run, and was taking only one stride after landing his jumps before he launched his next one.  He was running like a big dog.

Double Q Number 19!!  Sunday could be a great day!!

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 Sunday  Run 1: The Standard Course

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The running order was small to tall, so Al and I didn't get to watch anybody run before us, as we were one of the first teams to go.  I had the course pretty clearly in my head, and we ran it the way I planned to run it, but I almost pulled Al off the end of the Dog walk, as I didn't slow down very much when I went by it, and although Al got into the contact, it wasn't by much again!!  I didn't think to help him out there, and with the Dog Walk at the end of the course, Al has launched himself off the end of it several times in the past, missing the contact zone and earning a disqualification.  How can you not love a guy that is so excited to be on the table.  He just couldn't  help himself and couldn't hold his sit for the first count.  Also, I could have given him more independence at the weave pole entry too.  If this were at home, I'd have just sent him into the poles and let him find the entrance. 

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