Our Agility Trial - Part 2

The Q in Tunneler's was really a special one.  Enjoyment of Tunnelers is an extra accomplishment for Tessa because she came here with an absolute terror of being in or under anything. In our Basic and Advanced Basic classes, our instructor would bring out simple "Agility" pieces like the barrel of the chute (no fabric), a plank, a tippy board, a ladder, etc. and we would get a few minutes to let our dogs interact with them. Tessa loved almost all of it instantly. All she needed was one treat for putting a paw on a tippy board, or putting her feet on a plank, or stepping over the ladder, and she seemed to know exactly what she was supposed to do with it. She was happily stepping over, stepping on, tipping, etc., even offering interaction. But not the chute barrel. We baited and waited and baited and waited and it took about a session and a half before she started to offer going through it. I started classes with her last January and she did not run through a full tunnel until July!

But when she got it she got it. By August she was tentatively, but willingly, going through them in sequence.  And in December she ran through a new tunnel in a new place for the first time - with no issue whatsoever.

There was one more round of Tunnelers and Dean did better the second time.  He actually ran the course until I messed up after the 7th tunnel.  I moved in too deep and he flew forward instead of turning.  And after that it was another "wooohooo" run for him!!!

Dean's second Tunneler's run . . .

I don't have a video of Tessa's second Tunneler's run, but it was actually better than the first!  A second Tunneler's Q, and her third Q of the day, and she is just one Q away from her first Agility title!

Next up was Touch and Go.  I knew it was a long shot that we would qualify in Touch and Go because I really haven't worked discriminations with either of them.

Dean was up first.  I have video, complete with commentary, so you can tell where all of the mistakes were.  I will say that I was again very happy with his attitude, and I loved the rear crosses in the hoop sequences.  Those were nice!!

Finally, Tessa did her Touch and Go run.  I messed it up!  I called her off of a tunnel that she was actually supposed to take because I got confused, and I never got the flow of the course back after that.  Tessa did fine, but I lost our Q on that one.  But that's cool - we have many, many, many more to come!!

The fruits of Tessa's labors for the day . . .

And Dean's - he got three NQ placements.  I love those!!

And Speedy, who wasn't even there, but who seriously wanted to pose for a picture while I was taking Tessa's ribbon pictures!!!

All in all, I was thrilled with the trial.  I was very happy with Dean's attitude, and I'm hoping he will enjoy going to more of these.  And Tessa is just the perfect sport partner!  I love running with her and I can't wait to go do it again!!!