Start of October Updates

I haven't been so good at keeping this blog updated with our recent happenings. I stopped blogging about our classes each week simply because I don't have the time. We are taking 4 classes every week - 3 agility and 1 obedience. At ACA, we're taking Handling I and Teeter and Weaves. With DGOTC, we're taking Novice Obedience and Intro to Agility. Handling I and Teeter and Weaves are challenging us a lot. It's a lot of complex handling maneuvers that we haven't really tried before. Bailey is learning to read me better and I'm learning to handle him so he can read me better. Each week is a new challenge and we come home utterly exhausted. The Novice Obedience and Intro to Agility are really just fun classes. We're taking Novice so we keep in practice until our next trial. The Intro to Agility is some practice on groundwork (which we can always use) and basically just a lot of free play for us. The instructors give me a lot of freedom to do what I want, as long as I'm not disrupting the class. It works for me because we can practice what we learned at ACA that week.

In November/December, we're taking Handling II and Contacts and Weaves. I think we'll probably repeat Handling II (and probably C&W) multiple times. My goals are to work on the more complex handling moves, ease Bailey up to his 24" jump height, get the weaves straight up, and really solidify his end/2o2o behavior on the contacts.

In other news, I sent of the entry form for another obedience and rally trial on November 8th. This one is hosted by the DC Bouvier de Flanders club and is at some facility down near Richmond. Depending on what time we show, I might end up getting a hotel room in the area so I don't have to drive the 2 hours in the wee hours of the AM. Hopefully Bailey will earn his CD and RN at this show so we can relax for a bit and focus on agility a bit more. I'd really like to start trialling in agility this spring and I'm well on my way there. Wish us luck!