Ain’t Nuthin’ Like

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Jamie

You can't help but have fun dancing with your dog.

I’m still trying to live off the high I got last weekend at the freestyle competition. There is simply nothing quite like competing in musical freestyle. Freestyle is such a unique sport and, to me, nothing matches it’s awesomeness.

There is so much to love in this sport. First of all, it’s creative. And, unlike most other dog sports, YOU come up with the course. It’s not the same routine each time like Obedience or Schutzhund. Nor is it a course designed by the judge like in rally or agility. A canine freestyle routine is developed and designed by the competitor. This allows you to showcase your dog’s best behaviors. It also permits you the ability to avoid behaviors that your dog doesn’t like, can’t do (due to physical issues), or movements that don’t show your dog at their best (some dogs just don’t look good in a sit). On top of that, you can design a routine so that a super fun move that your dog loves follows a difficult move creating a reward in the middle of your routine. While that can happen in other sports if you get lucky, you can design it right into freestyle.

I also like that there are no required moves per se. (Depending on the specific venue of freestyle you perform in, there might be required moves. But, aside from heeling, there really is no required behaviors in WCFO freestyle. Since that’s the venue we compete in, that’s where I’m pulling my experiences from.) This allows you the freedom to design a routine that suits your interpretation of the music. Choice of music is also completely up to you!

In conjunction with creativity, canine freestyle routines are personal. It was created by you specifically for you and your dog. No other dog/handler team will perform that routine. And, even if another team did, it wouldn’t be quite the same. Each team creates and executes a truly unique performance.

The bond between dog and handler is easily showcased in freestyle.

And that leads me to another awesome aspect of freestyle: spectator appeal. It’s fun to watch! Now, granted, I’m a dog training nerd and I do enjoy watching dogs compete in obedience, rally, agility and various other canine sports. But, for the most part, I don’t watch an entire day of competition. Even when I’m competing with Risa, I do not watch all the dogs competing in our event that day. I usually watch the other dogs in our class and I also watch when my friends’ dogs compete. But I’ve rarely, if ever, watched an entire rally trial. Every time I trial in freestyle, however, I watch everyone compete. Even on the 2nd day when the routines are the same as the day before–I watch again. I also buy the DVD so I can watch the performances again later (and because I want to have a copy of our dance too)! Even if you’re not a dog training junkie like myself, I think laypeople can get a lot more enjoyment out of watching a canine freestyle performance than some of the other dog sports.

Finally, I like that canine freestyle is challenging. It’s difficult to design a routine that has spectator appeal, the right level of difficulty, pizzazz, and showcases the bond between you and your dog. There are also a lot of behaviors you’re cuing; especially as you get into the higher levels. In our Intermediate routine, I cued Risa 62 times!!

Most importantly, though, I do freestyle with Risa because it’s fun. There is no activity we do together that is as much fun to train for and compete in as canine musical freestyle. We thrive on the challenges of designing a unique routine. Risa enjoys learning new tricks and perfecting old ones. The shy mutt even really enjoys performing in front of an audience that claps with enthusiasm when she performs some of her favorite moves.

I never in a million years expected to get involved in canine freestyle. It was simply what was available at the time and I decided to give it a shot. Risa was a natural at it and so we got hooked. I’m so glad that was the case. It suits both my creative and competitive sides perfectly. And, it allows my scaredy mutt a chance to shine and show the world what she’s made of. I always have a blast out there with her and I know it shows. 🙂

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Like a Fine Wine

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Jamie

High ten!

. . .we keep getting better with time.

I will admit I was worried about our time in the ring this weekend. We weren’t nearly as prepared as I would have liked to have been. Freestyle is such a complicated and demanding sport; I was afraid we’d see our first NQ. But Risa was the shining star I know she is and she pulled off two spectacular performances at the show.

With the mishap (read: handler error) yesterday, I wanted to make sure it was clear to Risa that I did want her to do the ‘peek’ through my legs while my back was turned. She also goofed up a bit on the final moves leading to our ending pose so I decided to run through that with her again as well. So I got us to the show site early so we could get some ring time before it got crowded. I ran through both of those segments with her and rewarded heavily with a good game of chase and silliness. She was having a blast racing around. Then it was back to her kennel until game time.

I was even more lax with her about what we did before we entered the ring than I was on Saturday. I trotted her a bit outside and had her do a couple spins to warm up. I also stretched out her back. But, while we milled around waiting for our turn, Risa did what Risa wanted to do. I did reward eye contact but I didn’t really ask her for anything. No nagging Mom! (I think that sort of thing frustrates us both and, if doing ‘nothing’ before entering the ring is what Risa needs, that’s what we’ll do!)

As I walked into the ring with her, I felt blank. Not excited or nervous. Just there. Risa started off a bit slow and I caught her wander a wee bit (nowhere near what she does in rally, though!). But she picked it up again quickly and nailed almost everything. Her backing behavior today was so much nicer (even if it wasn’t straight) and she responded well and quickly to the spin at a distance and the high 10 afterwards. While she didn’t wait in place for the ‘blind’ peek, she (and I) still did it right this time. Overall, ignoring the nit-picky stuff, she was outstanding. She really gave it her all and put on a good show.

Having fun together is what it's all about.

We got some nice comments from everyone including our judge today. While I was again reminded that I need to move my upper body more (I’m gonna work on it), there was not much else negative about the routine. The judge really liked the variety of movements, Risa’s energy, and the flow of the routine. No comments about the costume today (though a fellow competitor said we needed more sequins 😉 ).

I gave Risa some out of the crate time because she didn’t seem to want to go back in there and be alone all day. She was pretty good and lounged around. I also had her out for the awards ceremony again. There wasn’t really a great spot to stand so I chose a place up near the ring gating so I would only need to watch 3 sides instead of 4. Things went well for a while until one of the dogs came over to say “Hi” to Risa. She handed it well at first by just turning and trying to get away. But there was no where for her to go or for me to move her to so she panicked. It could have been ugly but it wasn’t. In the chaos, she did slip her collar but she didn’t go far. Afterward, she was a bit on edge but not too bad. Though we were still enveloped on 3 sides by other dogs, none of them paid any attention to Risa so she was cool. She also got plenty of treats for checking in with me while we waited.

So proud of my girl and her first place medal!

We didn’t earn any special awards this weekend but Risa did qualify again Sunday and took home a 1st place medal. Not bad, fuzzball. Her first time in the freestyle ring she got 3rd place. Last year she didn’t place on Saturday (but she did Q) and took first place on Sunday. This year, she took 2nd on Saturday and 1st on Sunday. What great improvement, Risa!

I got to talk to one of the judges after the day was through and she commented to me about the ending pose in our routine. She said that Risa has such energy during the whole routine and then she comes into a perfectly still sit at the end. The judge loved it. 🙂 I hadn’t thought about that aspect of the movement but I’m glad it worked out that way. I like to have some slow stuff with Risa because she is so fast and active.

Speaking of fast and active, once we got back to the hotel, I did a quick playbow to her and she set off like her tail was lit on fire. Risa did mondo crazy zoomies around the room getting a heck of a lot of laughter out of me. I’m not sure how she still had the energy. (Are you sure you’re almost eight and a half?) Now, of course, she’s passed out and probably dreaming about the awesome weekend we had. I cannot wait to do it again. In fact, I think we may take a break from AKC rally this year and just focus on freestyle. Clearly, that’s more fun for the both of us. 🙂

Sunday’s Performance:

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Shame About The Handler

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Jamie

This is what happens when you don't trust your dog. Even after proving to me time and time again that I CAN trust her. . .I failed to wait for her to come through before resorting to the back up plan.

It’s a small wonder she doesn’t give up on me. 😉 I think I’m bound to be spoiled with the next dog (never thought I’d say that!) since Risa seems to be incredibly good at covering up my mistakes and rolling with them. 🙂

Saturday was the start of another spectacular freestyle weekend. I can’t explain how much I truly look forward to competing in freestyle. More than any other sport we compete in. Risa does rally for me. I do lure coursing for her. Freestyle we both do for each other.

I wasn’t nearly as prepared for the trial as I would have liked. We’d only practiced the routine in full 2 or 3 times before the competition and I only nailed it down less than 2 weeks ago. Since we’re getting into the higher levels and we’re in a very competitive division, I wanted to be better prepared. I’m not complaining about having a job now but it was a lot easier to be ready last year when I was unemployed!

I got to the trial site early to give Risa some time in the ring with me alone. I worked her on a couple of the moves I thought we needed a quick refresher on and I allowed her to chase me around for her reward (no food allowed in the ring before a trial anyway). I then allowed myself to get a run through of everything without her to make sure I knew the routine. I claimed to know it before the trial but I still needed a run down of what we were supposed to be doing!

After Ris’ practice, I left her in the kennel for most of the day. She went out to potty a few times but I didn’t really work with her or warm her up. I had her jog a bit to get loose and do a couple spins and twirls. But, as we got ready to enter the ring, I didn’t ask her to do much. I sort of just let her be herself. Sniff, look around, do whatever. I tend to harp on her a lot right before we enter ‘demanding’ attention and behaviors to warm up. But she rarely listens anyway so I sort of stopped bothering. (Okay, I still asked her to do stuff and leave things alone but I didn’t really expect her to and I didn’t really enforce it.)

"Your morning smile. A kiss good night. . ."

I didn’t feel nervous when we entered the ring. I had been a bit anxious earlier but it seemed to mostly fade as we stepped into the spotlight. Unlike last year when I thought I was going to pass out as I was getting Risa out of her kennel. 😉 The routine went really well. Risa was a bit frenetic and amped up which caused her to do jump up on me out of control a bit. This tends to happen when she is not solid with the routine which I should have expected. But, for the most part, she really hit her marks and performed like a dream. If only the same could be said for me! I messed her up twice. The first time was not noticeable unless you knew the routine. I had switched her to my right side and then realized I needed her on my left. I didn’t get to do as many of the reverse circles as I wanted to because of it.

I really messed her up during the ‘blind’ portion of our routine. In this section, I leave her in a stand and I walk away with my back to her. I can’t see her and I jump up, spread my legs as I land, and cue her to come running through them. I wasn’t sure how long to wait for her to run through and I thought she wasn’t coming. I was wrong. When I jump-spun around to recue her to a front “through,” she was right there and almost collided with me. CRAP! I should have trusted my dog. I should have believed that she would pull it off. That cost us.

At the end of the routine, I was pleased with Risa but upset with myself. I messed her up. I wasn’t too down on myself; apparently no one else noticed the boo boos (except the really obvious one). Risa’s enthusiasm is infectious. 😉 When we were exiting the ring, I had Risa in a wait while I grabbed her leash and I accidentally knocked the ring gating over. It hit the floor with a loud WHACK. Sound-phobic, sensitive Risa simply stepped a bit to the side. No freak out. Just “Oh hey, that fell.” Pretty awesome.

We got a ton of compliments after we were done. So few people could believe she was 8 years old. People commented that she was in great shape (and here I am a bit concerned about arthritis in her knees) and athletic. One of our fellow competitors has known Risa since she was 4 years old and said she seems “ageless.” Still as bouncy and enthusiastic as she was back then. I was also told that Risa does well compensating for my errors too which makes me feel good. What can I say? The Mutt adores freestyle.

Big smiles for a great, 2nd place performance.

After we were done, I put Risa back in her kennel for some rest. I decided to allow her to be out in the crowd for the awards ceremony. A bit risky, I will admit. But she was pretty good overall. She did get a bit antsy around some of the dogs and made her react negatively. Nothing major or over the top. Mostly barking. I almost put her away but gave her the chance to work through it. She did absolutely insist on seeing the puppy that was there. I mean super tail wag, friendly ears, and bouncing up and down in place at the end of her lead. She really wanted to meet that pup but, alas, mean mommy said “No.” It wasn’t worth the risk of her getting scared and/or scaring that young pup!

Risa worked the human crowd, though. The way she was approaching people, you’d never know how fearful she used to be. She was still far from confident and a few people moved quickly and startled her. But she accepted some good pets from many people and handed out plenty of kisses. Risa even allowed two men to rub her neck (they were seated which helped). She’s come so incredibly far.

I’m so proud of her for being overall awesome. I was worried we might not qualify but we managed to do so and get a 2nd place finish. The only criticisms of the routine were on me. 😉 Me messing up my dog. Me not being as animated in the upper body (I hope to remedy that some tomorrow). And me picking a costume that, apparently, doesn’t really fit the routine. Eh, costuming is my least favorite part of the sport anyway and picking a good one ain’t easy! So, if I can get my act together tomorrow, we should be in for a really stellar performance! After all, Risa is better on the second day!

Saturday’s performance:

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Looking Back

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Jamie

Unlike many who look back on the days of their dog's youth with fond memories, I don't. All I see when I look at old photos is a scared dog. A dog whose potential was easy to overlook. . .

Most people have fond memories of their dogs in their youth. They look back at photos of fuzzy puppies with their whole lives ahead of them overflowing with potential. They remember the playfulness and joy of shaping that young life. Those early years are full of warm feelings and people love to think back on them and reminisce how much fun it was to be together.

I don’t have memories like that with Risa. That’s not to say that we didn’t have a good time together or that I loved her any less in the past. It’s simply that we didn’t have a warm and fuzzy start. She was fearful and dog reactive. I was in over my head as a first time dog owner. There was no cute puppy stage. She was an adult dog just finishing up adolescence (at 2.5). She was cute (in a funny-looking way) and active. She had potential to be something amazing but it was buried deep. Even looking at photographs of her from that first year, you can see often see the fear in her eyes.

While it’s sad that I can’t always think of our past together and smile, I’m actually okay with that. Because, to me, it means our best years together are occurring right now. We’re at a point in our lives when everything pretty much clicks. People, aside from myself, can see her potential. They can finally see the true Risa. The one hidden behind that cloud of fear. That crazy, silly goofball that makes me smile inside and out. The one who defies anyone who thinks a dog can’t do certain things simply because they’re fearful. That the old adage that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks is baloney.

The constant worry about what she was going to do or what would scare her next is now a thing of the past. My concern over her future as my performance dog is also no longer an issue. She is my sport dog even with the limitations her temperament places on it. The potential has been unlocked. We fit more like a hand in a glove than we ever did before. So I don’t look back and think about what once was and miss it like I might had I gotten Risa as a pup. Instead, I look to what the future still holds for us both. Though I know, some day, I will look back on the good times and reminisce. Especially as the grey creeps through her coat even more and she starts slowing down (not sure if that’ll ever happen!). But, for now, we’re living in the moment and enjoying every bit of it! 🙂

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I’m Here for a Good Time

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Jamie

Not a bad haul for a weekend.

We attended our second APDT rally trial this weekend. Despite it being a 2-in-1 trial (two trials on the same day), there was no chance of earning a title. Just legs towards future titles. So I went in with a very no-pressure attitude. We went just to have fun (and collect more placement rosettes 😉 ). I’ve been working with Risa more on freestyle lately anyway so we hadn’t really done much rally practice. Still, after reviewing the signs last weekend, I figured we’d probably be alright.

I was not disappointed in our weekend. The weather was perfect. It was great reconnecting with friends and talking to the other competitors. The whole atmosphere of APDT trials just seems much more laid back than AKC trials. Though, I will admit to having only trialed at one location for APDT. But it reminds me more of freestyle. Casual. Supportive. And low-pressure. More emphasis on the fun!

Risa was on her best behavior all day. Even in fairly close proximity to other dogs, she was composed and under control. The only times she was mildly reactive were when we were just lounging about underneath the Sportbrella. And then, the worst she did was a hard stare and/or a growl which I easily cut off simply by calling her name. Not bad at all.

I wasn’t sure how well Risa would handle going in to the ring four times. The most she’s ever done in a day was twice at our last APDT trial. But I entered her in 2 Level 1 courses and 2 Level 2. First of all, she couldn’t WAIT to get into the ring! As soon as I got her out and walked close to it, she was pulling in the direction of the entrance. Risa was ready to go!

She started off great in her first Level 1 course despite some wandering and sniffing. She managed to get a score of 202 out of a possible 210 and took third place (we had stiff competition as we were up against dogs with high-level championship titles!). Her first foray into Level 2 wasn’t as nice as I would have liked and it featured our nemesis: the off-set figure 8. She NQ’d but not due to the wandering and sniffing. She didn’t perform the jump (and I wasn’t prepared for that to place myself in a way to reset her) and that’s enough to disqualify you in APDT. We should have prepared more for jumps especially because you aren’t supposed to walk right past them like you can in AKC. You’re supposed to be 6 feet away.

Caught in the midst of catching bugs in the pond.

I also was not on my game during that first run. As soon as she took off sniffing, I started to get a bit stressed. I didn’t feel stressed but I did start doing the high-pitched chirpy cues and encouragement. That doesn’t work for Risa and I think that was part of the problem. I noted it to myself and vowed to not do that on our second Level 2 run.

In the afternoon trial, I approached our Level 2 run in a much more positive light. While Risa still did some wandering and sniffing, it wasn’t as bad. She was more connected with me and didn’t blow the jump (which is good because it was the first obstacle!). She bumped a couple signs because I didn’t place her correctly (signs tend to be a bit more close together in APDT vs. AKC). Her focus during the two recalls was actually pretty good (even though she wasn’t exactly looking at me, she did come when called). I almost blew the run entirely when I walked past one of the signs. But I knew something wasn’t right, caught my error, and did the sign before NQing us by doing the next sign. After that run, I was so proud of Risa. I think it was our best of the day. Even if it wasn’t our best score-wise (we had a 201 and got 2nd place), it felt like it was the best.

We finished up the day with our final Level 1 run. It wasn’t pretty; Risa caught a scent on the wind and it was hard to get and keep her attention when we were facing that direction. But we still managed a score of 198 and took 3rd place.

Overall, it was a wonderful weekend. It was a little bittersweet as well. This was the last APDT trial to be held at that location. I’m not sure now where I stand with APDT rally either. The entire program is up for sale so it’s future is uncertain. Will my titles transfer to the new organization? I don’t know. And, unfortunately, APDT trials aren’t as local as I would like. So I’m not sure if I will ever finish another title in this venue. I remember last year, after our first APDT trial, dreaming of Risa earning the ARCH (APDT Rally Champion) title and sort of set it as a goal. Now, I feel the likelihood of achieving high-level titles in APDT rally is highly unlikely. I suppose it’s a good thing that AKC changed their rules so that I feel comfortable attempting to earn the RE title with Risa. But, I must say, I am saddened to think that APDT rally is probably over for us so soon after our journey into it began. Especially since, after trialing in APDT rally last fall, I realized that Risa did enjoy rally after all. We might have given up on rally entirely if not for APDT!

Posted in AKC, APDT, Dog Sports, Fear, Rally, Reactivity, Training | Leave a comment