Wednesday, July 26, 2006

A good day

So Orion started his 3rd L2 class last week and he kinda was a poop all through class last wk, actually almost convincing me that he wasn't feeling well. Haha he fooled me, after class he was tearing around and playing and totally normal. Brat. So I told him I wasn't falling for that crap tonight. : ) And he overall did very well. I actually got him to go from a down into a sit for the first time ever! Woohoo something we need to work on for the table in agility and for when we start rally, although, I guess they don't actually have to do that until Rally 2, but still. He also did super well in agility class today with very little reactivity (none at all in his L2!), and also did well with the sequences, and when I sent him out farther than I usually do after a rear cross to a pinwheel (i think thats what its called) he did all 3 jumps a fairly good distance away from me. He was very good. No sign of the little limp that bothered him last week in class on the A-frame and dogwalk. I think the problem with obedience and him is that its just not fun! In agility he gets to run around and play with toys, etc and thats really fun. I think rally's also going to be a problem for him. We'll see when we get there. I stopped in on the rally class on Mon. night with him just to classically condition him, and he was super reactive, especially to a keeshond in the class and the great dane of course. So, I'm just going to try to get in there every Monday with him and feed him. Things should get better, they did in all of our other classes. There was a lot more ovement of dogs and people in the Rally class than I expected (I guess I don't know what I expected!). But we'll work through it, we've got nothing but time. : ) Good boy Orion.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Orion's been great lately

I really think he's adjusted to having Tara as his sister. He's taken to being her protector even though I keep telling him, eventually I hope she'll be his protector. I really don't think she's going to need a protector. : ) He did very well with agility class last week, and I think I did pretty okay too. This week he starts taking L2 for the 3rd time (we waited a long time in between this time, and I think he's markedly better than the last time we took the class). I want to do it again, cause he can always use the work around other dogs, and because I'm going to start doing rally classes with him every other mon. night and I want him to get used to going to non-agility classes again. So yeah. we'll see how it goes. This time its a little dog L2 so hopefully that will help him to remain calm, and I'll try to go into it with a calm and relaxed attitude althouhg as I type this I'm a little nervous myself. The last group class we did was a cgc prep class and he didn't like the cocker in the class, so that clearly had nothing to do with size (he was okay with him by the end thouhg) so we'll see. I can't wait to get started in Rally though, I think it'll be fun. Hopefully Orion will see it as fun too.

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Orion's been having a fun time

We all went to a new playgroup last Sunday in MA and he did wonderfully, he got to play with two dachsunds and a puggle which are new breeds for him, and his sister of course. On Tuesday we went to EFP and he got to pick out some nice new treats and practice good behavior. In agility on Wednesday he was excellent. He was hardly reactive at all even though the class participants have changed recently. He was excellent at this sequences too. Kim, who I am assisting under, our dogs are both pretty much at the same agility level, talked about how we really can't wait til we can start competing. I can't wait. I'm hoping by Jan. 07 or so to be able to enter at least the courses that don't have weaves in them, the ones that are just jumps and tunnels and stuff, I forget what those courses are called. We'll have been training in agility for a year in November I believe. Anyway, Orion has had a fun weekend, we have Mea, Slate, Tupelo and Sage all visiting. Orion loves Mea, they are a really good team. We're bringing them all home tonight though and we will return to some normalcy.