Frisbee!

Today we competed in a frisbee show. People lined both sides of the throwing area. Teams were given three throws and dogs were judged based on distance and style. We failed! I just couldn't throw straight enough for her to catch it correctly. Three throws, three non catches. It was fun though!

After we competed I threw the frisbee for her off to the side to burn off some more steam and to remind myself that I CAN throw straight when no one is watching.
Our awesome cousins took these pictures for us.

 

 

 



Fun day!

Pictureless Wednesday

a camping trip

For my birthday, my husband, brother in law and I went camping last weekend. We backpacked in about an hour to a lake called Grass Mountain Lake and stayed one night. Wish we had time to spend longer! Indigo had a little bit of fun, Rye stayed home.

On the way up the mountain Indi was partially on leash, partly off.

At one point she stopped along the trail and then dashed into the bushes. Out flew five big grouse! She was super excited about this. She really is very "birdy" she just isn't as rangy as a pointing type dog. I am used to a Vizsla hiking with me who wants to search all up and down the mountain sides for birds and squirrels. Indigo stays much closer. Like there is hardly ever a time that I have to call her to me since she is already right there. I do miss watching Amber cover ground with Rye behind her but also, this is very nice. I like having her close.

Once we got to our campsite and unpacked I got out her toy.

There was no stopping the beast.

No stopping, throw it again.

But Indigo, you MUST be tired now! I want to sit and read by the lake!

Can't have toy, guess I'll settle for wood....

and rolling around....

FINALLY wet and tired....

and ready for bed...

In the morning we played around a little before packing everything back up. She loves running from Jason to me and back again. At full speed.

Us at the lake.

and on the hike out

like running agility with a rabid moose

Ok, I give up, we're never going to be very successful in agility! But oh, I don't think I'm ready to give up trying yet. She is just so dang fun!

We've been to several trials with not too many Qs (like one) to show for them. I think I have maybe possibly finally convinced her to stop on the yellow zone.

 

 

We still have start line stay issues. In class we work very hard on the stay, lots of rewards for staying, with me trying to be very careful to only release her while I'm standing perfectly still so as not to cue her in any other way that I"m about to release her. In the ring it's just so different. She is RABID I tell you! I am very hopeful as of the last trial since I was able to get her to stop on the contacts and wait for direction, but the start line is still not like it is in training.

 

Last month we traveled with a friend to Blackfoot Idaho, a town formed entirely by wind. I was cheap and dumb and suggested we camp on the agility site instead of paying for a hotel. That was two crazy nights in a tent where the wind blew non stop the whole time and the tent walls took turns blowing against each other throughout the night. Indigo was SO good and just curled up at my side after I zipped us in each night. Here we are with our spot for the weekend. I actually really really enjoyed the time spent with my dog, my friend, sharing food, exclaiming about the wind, the lightning, the adventure....



 

 

The last run of the day on Saturday (our last day in Blackfoot) was a Jumpers course. Indi knocked one bar but ran so fast and was so responsive. I figured it was something close to a 6 yards per second run. Gosh that was exciting. 

The last AKC trial of the summer for us we did have a small but thrilling success. We got our very first qualifying score on a Jumpers with Weaves course!
Oh if only they could all go this smoothly!
Here it is.

and a One Knocked Bar Excellent Standard run that I thought was pretty good and wished we could have a do over on.

I wouldn't trade my rabid moose for a whole herd of border collies with perfect start line stays! Eh, I AM a bit jealous of them :)  I know, I know, I had better get to training and stop complaining!

 

All photos (except for us and the big tree, that was taken by our friend Kimbra) taken by Randy Gaines, agility show photographer extraordinaire!

Rally-O in May

Yesterday Indi and I competed in our second Rally obedience trial together. It went pretty well! She wasn't 100% focused on me but I'd say she did very well overall. There were two trials in one day and we qualified in both of them earning our Rally Novice title.
The first run she was a little distracted but still payed close enough attention to me to get through. I decided to re do one station since she surged ahead when I stopped and I knew we could do better. We ended up with a score of 83 out of 100 and a second place.
My husband was nice enough to come watch and film us. At the 28 second mark you can see when Indi noticed her Daddy on the sidelines.

The second run seemed a little more together. We scored an 86 out of 100 and another second place. I debated re doing the very last station since she sat crooked in front of me and wasn't paying attention but decided to let that one go. Also, I totally didn't realize until watching these videos that on the figure 8 exercise I crossed the middle line four times instead of three, on both runs!

I have tried hard to only use force free training with her, using a tug toy, ball or food as a reward in training and I think the excitement of training together has transferred well into the ring.  The few times she decides to sniff or do her own thing instead of work with me I either start again or just stop training. I don't know how well it will work when she is off leash for Rally Advanced but we will see!

I was very proud of my dog! I love my Indigo!