My Week

The pelicans are migrating now and they have been spotted at Lake Springfield.

Here are the pictures that the photographer took on Oct 9 in Caseyville where Amber earned her "Beginner Novice" title. 

https://aarongoldphoto.pixieset.com/101-308mcotcregional/ 

Here's Sophie doing her trial that she didn't qualify.  Other photos on the link below.

You can see her lagging.

https://aarongoldphoto.pixieset.com/801-1404mcotcregional/1201/ 

Tuesday, after exercise class,  I went to Decatur for Tea Cup Agility lesson followed by trials.  I paid for 3 trials and passed one for our second qualifying score.  We could have titled but on the last trial, she side stepped off the teeter.  Tea Cup agility doesn't allow a fault.  They will be doing it again next week and that will be the last Tea Cup trail for the year there.  Hopefully we can achieve beginner Tea Cup title then.

I got some nice water repelant, fleece lined winter pants on Amazon.  So did my 2 sisters.  We are alike!  I hope to find more like it in a different color than black.  I sure could use the pockets for all the loose stuff. 

Wednesday morning I went to Mechanicsburg for agility practice on the property/farm of one of our instructors.  We had lunch afterward at "Abe's Hideout" .  In the evening I went to a meeting for the Veterans Assistance Commission.  I'm the secretary and do the roll call.  

Thursday I went to open practice at Capitol Canine Dog Club.  I planned to leave early so Shari could show me how to maintain my agility records.  Well, just as I was about to leave, the lawn service had arrived to apply the fall treatment.  This means I had to do a quick opening of the gate and closing of the doggie door flap to remove the agility equipment in the yard.  After our practice we had lunch at the Sangamo Brewing Company bar and grill.

The weekend was full of Agility.  It rained pretty hard Friday morning and the thunder made a few dogs, including mine, shiver.  The humidity inside the barn was very high and wearing masks on the sidelines really fogged up my glasses. It was so cold I had my winter coat on.  At least we didn't have to wear it while running and huffing in the ring.  I thought I had a good second run on Friday but I was told she dropped a bar behind my back that I didn't know about.  I did get home in time for an evening of open obedience practice at my club.

Saturday I cried when she left me and ran off on a zoomie run around the ring.  I couldn't believe I lost her and she chose to explore. Amber hasn't been at that barn at the state fairgrounds and there's lots to explore.  I was so upset at her.  So on the next run,I was so emotionally upset from her zoomie, that I failed to point her towards one of the jumps and missed it. 

 

Well I have been entering the trials in the novice level and still get an "non-qualified" score so I think I might switch my strategy.  Instead of entering "novice" for nothing, I might as well enroll in "elite" and get more obstacles for the same entry fee and have the same result.  In addition, Elite trials are first and novice last.  I've been arriving early and and the last to leave. Many times with a real light lunch like applesauce or beets from a jar.  Sophie is home alone all this time and she must get lonely.  I don't know how these handlers can enter multiple dogs and run one after another.  I have to sit down and catch my breath.  Amber is so fast and I can hear her oral huffing while looking at me saying "where next?".  She is my first and last agility dog and wearing me out giving her a good time.  Well there are very few activities during a pandemic and I must say this is a quality alternative.  However, winter is coming and some of this can be brought in doors but not all of the training and trials.  Amber and Sophie are little sweet hearts.  I've also met many other dogs that are adorable.  I want to go back to cuddling dogs not avoiding them and distracting their focus to perform such as turning your back when they approach. 

 

Monday was Alan's birthday.  We celebrated with dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Lincoln, IL which is a half way meet-up.   I was scheduled to have a nose work class for Amber but it was canceled for fear of sleet.  There was a cold hard rain with little pellets on the way to dinner but nothing to fear.  Oh but that bone chilling cold that comes with a damp rain.  First of the season to show that little icy snowflake icon on my car's dash council too.