Slow week...

It's been a slow week here, but you know I'm loathe to let an entire week pass without a blog posting for Secret.

We did manage to do some training on Monday of this week. I set up a super fun Advanced Standard USDAA course for everyone to play on and Secret did GREAT! Other than a momentary brain fart on the weave poles (I think it took five attempts before it clicked and she went, "oh, that's what they are!"), she was just super. The table still needs some work, as she did have some issues sticking it when it was part of the course. Her "auto down" also isn't quite as fast as one would hope, but that's what you get when you spend three sessions working on it then don't touch it again.

Secret hasn't seen a chute for ages thanks mostly to the crazy wind we always seem to have, but she sailed right through it without a problem. I also set up a "hobo double jump" (made of two jumps stacked together) and this was the first time she's seen anything other than a single jump. Again, no biggy. Really, the only thing I'm missing now is a broad jump. I suppose one of these days I'll have to put one together so she sees one before her first AKC or USDAA competition. Someone on Craig's List is selling a set of competition obedience jumps that includes a broad jump for $125 and I am tempted....

Yes, Max is still with us... We met a really nice couple at our last agility trial and I had high hopes that things would work out and he would find a home with them. I haven't heard from them since then, however. :o( Max has started to do well with his agility work, though! His wait is improving daily (for lead-outs) and he's starting to connect jumps really well (not quite so focused on my hand) and he also does the dog walk! I have yet to introduce him to the a-frame or weave poles. We've kind of touched on the teeter, but not to any great extent. I need to make a more updated (and shorter) video of him and get him posted around more places on the internet.

This week has been so bad for training. Tuesday evening I worked at the Humane Society, followed by the entire day on Wednesday (I filled in because we were short-staffed), then last night we had theater tickets. Tonight isn't looking all that great for training, either, since I have a 4:30 vet appointment with Luke. Argh. Hopefully we can do something quick -- Like weave poles, since apparently I have let that slide!

Daylight savings time ends this weekend. I hate that it gets dark by 5:00 p.m. It's only going to get harder to train from here on out. Nothing ever panned out from my Craig's List post asking for an arena to rent for the winter, so I have yet to figure out what we're going to do. I can see breaking down and putting Secret in a class at the dog center in January, otherwise there is no way she'll be able to make her planned debut in February when she turns 18 months. I hate living in an area with so few training options.

I've also considered driving considerable distances to attend run-throughs that I see advertised in Minneapolis, Madison, etc. Anything to get her on equipment, I figure!