Big mouthed sideliners and OLD YELLERS

Ai Ai Ai..........

I have often wondered where the people are that should be doing agility with their dogs, because it is such fun, and the dogs love it, and it's exciting - but most people... are at home!

Where are the new people? Where are the YOUNG people? And why have some people left after starting the sport?

So this weekend I took it upon myself to ask someone why they aren't coming anymore. A nice girl, young, enthusiastic, with dogs that have started agility. Well....... to be honest I was NOT surprised at the answer! "I don't like some of the people". Well ja, I guess that we have that everyhere, don't we, and we should all get over it.... but geez, I could actually see her point when I took a moment to look around me.

Of course there are groups of positive people, and there are smiling faces and helpful people.. but then there are those that just won't SHUT UP at the grounds. They are rude and mean and inconsiderate, and LOUD... and I suppose I will offend here - but they are all old and crotchety with no reason to grow the sport. They don't like change, they are not interested in keeping with the times, don't keep up with training methods, yet are the ones with the LOUDEST opinions!

This poor 15 year old would rather go and sit alone than face these battle axes and have fun with  her dog on the field. I think that is a real shame, because she is not the only one!

Not only that, but there are constantly comments and remarks from other rings regarding the NOISE we make at the Agility side (and by that I don't mean excited barking dogs!) These are the handlers that reckon their dogs are deaf and naughty, and are convinced that blood curdling SCREAMS are in order to make them obey! GOOD GRIEF MAN what about the rest of us that are there to enjoy ourselves, not to mention our poor scared animals!

I had the opportunity to walk a course with a student on Sunday, and there was a puzzling area that we discussed at great length. It was decided that a quick run-through at one end was in order to give a great line for the next 3 obstacles if executed correctly. The student decided to try it, and went off happily to fetch her dog.

Now I am all for others giving input to my students, and for them to learn from others because "my way" is by no means the only way to do things.... but REALLY, I draw the line at what followed!

She is brand new in the ring and her dog is still being proofed in many aspects, and she knows that there is a lot to learn still. She was running well, but at the beginning of the manoeuvre, she fell behind and was a step short to give the line, when her dog caught up, it veered off her line and took an incorrect obstacle. Immediately, while she was trying to get her dog back to try and recover the line to complete the course (although eliminated), a screetching voice-from-hell thundered across the arena "It's because you're on the wrong side, you stupid...!!"

Now although I was steaming with annoyance, I had to keep my cool. Flustered, the student finished and left the course - hopefully not with a feeling of despondency.

PLEASE people if you have to give advice, WAIT until the round is completely over, and even longer until the person has recovered and gathered their thoughts and PLEASE make it CONSTRUCTIVE! And not at the top of your lungs - approach the person if they haven't asked you first, and offer your advice quietly!

And what makes me MORE angry was that the idea of the line was superb (and brilliant) if executed flawlessly... and the IDIOT that yelled did not even know what she was talking about! The following obstacle was placed to the one side and the side she was on was perfect!

AARGH

We surely need to do something about people's conduct and ethics at shows (and training) or else our numbers will be dwindling at a rate of knots.. and when the old yellers peg, there will be none left at all!

Queen of the mountain... to Crash and BURN..!

What a lovely weekend... the weather was nice, and we had SHOWS!

Saturday: The courses were interesting, although I only got to run the one Dog Jumping round with Q (baby grade). It went off without a hitch. On looking at the video, I noticed some wide turns due to late calls, but we qualified nonetheleses.

Q has made it to the senior class in only 3 shows.

Next up was breed (conformation) on Sunday morning. And the weekend just got even better. Q showed very nicely, and managed Best of Breed and Group 4th. The second breed show was even better - she got her Best of Breed again, followed by a 1st in the Herding group and then went on to win Reserve Best in Show!! Pleased as PUNCH, I was!

And lastly, the CRASH and BURN :(
The round we were waiting for in the Dog Jumping.... Nice course, GREAT running plan in my head, I knew that Q could do it as we had trained everything required by the test... or so I THOUGHT! Turns out we never left the start.... or rather Q left the start, made it to number 2, but unfortunately left out number 1! grrr OH, and we did this TWICE.

So we have some new stuff to work on...

...and things that don't irritate me!

People that have put in a LOT of thought and work into their own training - that offer me advice... Now THAT I can live with!! People that will DISCUSS training with me.. YES! LOVE that. I can sit for hours chatting to someone about training.

Actually, also chatting about BAD training and rounds help! Learning from others whether they are good or terrible.... BAD rounds I can often not watch, but at least when I catch a glimpse I am reminded to check that I am not inadvertently doing the same thing!

It is great to watch other handlers with the same breeds that I have, to see if I have maybe overlooked something that I should have paid more attention to. Always great when you have a breed other than a BC. My Aussie was the first in her breed to achieve so much in Agility in SA, so maybe it was great to stack her against and compare her to the top BC's... But looking back, she was STILL lacking in her training! I can still improve on that.

And then there is the ODD student..... those are the ones that I don't mind at all. The ones that I can give them something to think about, and they come back with 3 other things that we can discuss. The ones that ASK advice and go away, and the next time I see them they bring their dog and show me how they have progressed, and THEN they ask more quetions about little things that can be better... The student that can see the bigger picture. I don't run for the little prizes or rosettes, I run to have great rounds - and I expect any student of mine to do the same.

The best are the out-of-town buddies that I see maybe 4 times a year at big shows. We can sit and compare notes and discuss dogs and training. Ja.... love that!

YES Agility is fun........... but surely you should want to do it right to have that good feeling after a round? If you feel the same as the notes in my blog, please feel free to come and chat with me about Agility and dogs :)
If you don't then fine, carry on, on your merry way, clapping around the course.......

Things that irritate me...

Training is going well, and it will be a little while before my next progress report, so I thought I would just yak about stuff in general.. stuff on my mind.. training etc... well stuff that irritates me.................


I really get annoyed with people... people that don't listen, people that use me, greedy people!
I don't know HOW MANY times someone has asked me to help them, asked advice, BEGGED... ah and I just give in. They take what I say, and some bugger off and that's me.. used and abused! And some don't bother to listen and go off to ask 10 more people until they hear what they want to hear... and when it doesn't work they COME BACK!! Ok now I put my foot down, I actually say NO. Basically... just go away!


I have always been a very generous person. If someone asks my help, I give it. If they want advice, I give it. I share my DVD's - invite people over to watch with me. I pass on articles and notes of interest. But somehow, on most instances, I am sorry! Hmmm once someone said to me "I will bring  you a pile of DVD's and you can copy your whole collection for me". I mean... HUH!?? Of course I said no! This has been my entire dogging career researching, training, buying, learning etc etc, and I must tie up all the litte pieces that make up my training world and hand it to someone with a little bow around it? Not to mention the money I spent on the collection - like R10 000! And it won't even guarantee that anyone else will use it like I have... hmmm I was a little miffed at that to say the least!


And students.. I mostly HATE them. I know that sounds horrible but why ask me specifically to train stuff, and then they argue with me before you have tried it? The students that are shown and spoonfed every single baby step but that skip to the last step because that is what they want the dog to do... the students that are fed foundation work that is coming out their ears, but that just want to run courses... the students that don't bother to do anything at home and want it all in a lump sum in class.... the students that don't progress.. the students that come to class to chitchat and socialise before any work is done.. ooh ooh the students that never have a plan of WHAT to train!!!

...and people that SAY they will train but don't - I have NO time for you! You get all the equipment and go all out telling people that you do Agility, and you join training schools/ clubs/ groups... but you don't train..... grrr

And the JUDGES...... hehe don't get offended now!
TEST the dogs appropriately for their grades! I dont want to train my heart out and get a rinky dink little course, man! Oh, a TIP: removing jumps from higher grades doesn't make it easier for the baby grades!!!! Contacts: pleez don't tell me that my dog got the contact if she releases herself. I don't care. I will release my dog, and if she releases herself I will put her back. DEAL with it!


Oh YES.. and my PET hate.. the person that watches me cock up on a course and says WELL DONE when I win because everyone was more crappy than me! And not to forget the elimination on an otherwize stunning round, where I am thrilled at my dogs attitude, speed and contacts, only to have someone tell me something like "oh well, better round next time!" AARGH


I have subscribed to magazines, read websites and blogs, researched, bought books... learnt techniques and training methods to get where I am today. I don't mind *helping*, but GEEZ PEOPLE, do some work of your own too!!


OK now I can sleep :)

WAIT.. ONE MORE THING
I hate dumb people that have small dogs that think that the dogs are dumb too! Or that they run slower on a course because they have shorter legs..... OH LORD!

Q's Blog, Stardate 64868: Where are we?

For those of you that don't know the answer to that question.... here's a little hint: the FUTURE!

Amongst the progressions of everything over the years is the "BLOG"... The WEB-LOG! 

And you get different types of blogs too! The most popular is the Personal Blog... like an "online diary" where people can write their day-to-day experiences, their own views, social commentary, complaints, poems, illicit thoughts ...and in fact any content that might be found in a traditional paper diary or journal. They even allow readers to contribute through comments or community posting.

So this is MY blog, MY views on dogsports, MY training experiences - and if you are not interested in it, simply don't read it.

Over and out

A little moan......

I have been very quiet on the "opinions" front lately... been a good girl, keeping my mouth shut! But some things I just need to vent about a little... nothing major, just a few little gripes...

We had some open shows this weekend, nothing fancy, but 3 shows sharing a weekend comprising Dog Jumping, Agility and some other disciplines. The weather was dreadful, it was cold and raining, and not many handlers turned up (quite understandable), but I needed to proof a few things, so off I chugged wiyh my dog... but the weekend just went a little pear-shaped for me.

I started thinking to myself.... what are open shows for? I mean, what is the purpose of them? Mostly to have a nice enjoyable day out with the dogs and do the sport we all love.. right? Sure! But also for me, It is a means to an end.
My 'end': Well trained dogs that have great rounds with me in the top grade. And how would I (amongst others) use open shows to get there? Yes, to enjoy a day out with the dogs (but in this case the bad weather and lack of unity in the group of handlers huddled in their gazebos made it unlikely)... but MAINLY to PROOF my dogs' training, try different handling manoeuvres, push the dog for speed.. anything that I will want to do in the higher grade (Chakotay is in Grade 2 in everything).

To my dismay, obstacles were left out of the courses, and on top of it, the 2 I most wanted to proof! The see-saw was put in only 1 course the entire weekend, and thankfully we nailed it, but what's with leaving out the weaves??? Don't judges know that they are helping young, inexperienced dogs qualify into higher grades by leaving out the weave poles??? And where on a course are we to practice poles in a show situation other than open shows?? The courses that had weaves were messed up by me on almost every round! I rest my case! Oh, and thanks to the judge at the PE April Champ shows that put my dog in a higher class with NO weave poles and NO crosses on the entire course UGH!

Which leads me to my second gripe...........

JUDGES aargh

I am a judge. I take pride in my courses. I take TIME preparing my courses. I put up my courses to the cm JUST as I want them. I judge my courses to the best of my ability, I stick to the rules............................ I understand that taking on the responsibility of being a judge I am obligated to do it properly.

How disappointing to get a slapgat judge, not caring what is put out or where, not measuring distances, not being fair to the competitors that have entered or to the dogs that have to negotiate dangerous angles. And or course we must be grateful that the judge is giving up his/ her time and judging for us..... but still, when it is not okay to accept the bad and just speak up??

Some judges took some trouble putting out their courses this weekend, and made a good effort and they ran well, but one judge (Dog Jumping) didn't seem to know the rules........... obstacles were placed as little as 4m apart, with the incorrect maximum jump heights for the grade. OK... I just couldn't let that one slide because I was trying to handle properly and there was no way to do the twists and turns in those tight spaces, I had to speak up. Unfortunately once something was corrected, I was straight into the next thing that was not to the rules - I asked for a pile of amendments and the judge was visibly peeved! But surely I have the right to query something that is not to the rules? And I was polite!

The piece of ground we were given was small, but the Dog Jumping courses could fit in easily, only the agility rings were maxed out, so really to have such problems is not acceptable.

Judges, please, take more pride in your work, put out something that you can be proud of, that is good to judge, enjoyable to spectators and that TESTS the dogs. Nowhere in the country do handlers moan more about our SA Champs and AWC courses than those in PE.... and I don't even have to wonder why! Because we get rinky dink courses that let the dogs just meander casually around, without the approaches, turns, angles, and all the necessary testing of skills that prepare us for higher competition!

Ok that's my moan for now............