Creating the Routine

In some ways, Tessa's first routine is somewhat ambitious!! I am including a prop because I think one fits nicely with the song. To train her prop moves, I am using a NADAC hoop. I plan for her to start off sitting behind the hoop as Speedy is sitting here:



That is challenge #1. She's not afraid of it, exactly, but she's like "What are we doing this for? Why am I sitting here?" I kneel on the floor in front of her. The idea for the opening pose is that the prop (which will be a big yellow square) is like a "window" that we are looking at each other through. I haven't worked with her before with her in a sit kneeling in front of me, so we will isolate that a bit.

But for today, we played with the hoop. She was pretty happy with it. She learned to Figure 8 it, and to send out around it and then come back and weave under one of my legs. She had a good time with that!!

So, the routine is on it's way!

Nice Progress

We have been focusing on moves for the past month and Tessa is coming along quite nicely.

She is leg weaving now, almost fluently at home! We will need to do some leg weaving out and about and work on some variations, but she is really becoming very comfortable with the move.

Her pivots are developing very well, too. I used "my" pivot method with her and it is not failing me. I expect she will be pivoting as nicely as Dean before long. We have progressed from the chair to the pylon and really just need to build some fluency to get to the point where we won't need that, either.

We haven't done much yet with backing or with paw work, so that is still on our "to do" list. We are also starting some prop work.

The biggest news is that we are actually starting work on our first routine! I have the opening planned and we just need to practice it. Then we need to develop most of the rest.

I am very much looking forward to these next couple of months and to seeing how this develops!!!