Agility, Week 6

We did get an Agility class in tonight.  It cleared up enough that they decided to not cancel classes. 

Some notes:

- Less tunnel refusals this time, there was just one tunnel that she stopped and went around.  Other than that she was fine, doing tunnels in sequence and going through the chute pretty well too.  I don't think it's a fear thing, and at worst, it's a very mild fear thing.  More likely, though, it's either being confused or not wanting to go through soggy equipment.  Or maybe it's one tunnel specifically.  I can't remember if it was the same one as last week.

- Weaves: my instructor doesn't want me running alongside Marge when she's weaving and instead wants me to call her to me through the weaves.  I don't really see the logic in it, but she says it's so that the dog doesn't becoming dependent on you being next to them to weave.  But wouldn't they become dependent on you being in front of them, then?  Either way, I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing, switching it up between calling her to me, running alongside, and sending her through.  I'll place an emphasis on what she says, though.  She weaved all 12 today, albeit bent poles.  She needs some work but she really likes the weave poles and is progressing well!

- A-Frame: only did it a couple of times, but Marge must like this one, too, because she went running up the frame after a tunnel refusal.  LOL.  I can't be mad at that!  I am happy to see her going over on her own.

- Jumps: Did a jump, tunnel, jump sequence with a front cross in there.  Well, I think it was a front cross.  She would go over the final jump in the sequence and I'd swing around and switch hands and send her back into the tunnel.  Cool stuff.

- Teeter: I accidentally had Marge go over it all the way, so she jumped off when it started moving alot.  Afterwards, though, she was pretty good about it, as long as the end was being eased down.  She's definitely nervous around it, but not tremendously.  There are other dogs in the class who are petrified of it.  We ended on a good note with it and with lots of yummy treats.

And, a behavior report.. we did have an undesirable incident today with Marge, as she saw her JRT friend Rusty running the jump, tunnel, jump sequence and she went to the end of the leash, running whichever way he ran and obviously wanting to chase.  There is NO way it was a fear reaction.  She had played with him only a few minutes before and I gather that that's what contributed to it.  In one way, it's good, because it wasn't the hackles up, growly reaction that she'll have out of fear.  But I do wish it wouldn't happen altogether.  

The only other thing was a tiny little woof after Rusty started getting snarky towards another dog, but she redirected quickly.

Her focus is fine as long as she's working.  Standing around or idling AT ALL between exercises is what does Marge in.

I think it's time for Control Unleashed.  I REALLY don't want to have to pull her from the class over stupid things like this!