Fun Weekend - Freestyle Demonstrations!

It has been forever since I had a good "dog event" weekend, and this past Saturday did not disappoint!

Tessa and I started out at a teeter workshop.  Even though she is doing a full height teeter, I elected to put her in the foundation workshop.  It was a good move.  I am a firm believer that where there is an issue with a higher level behavior, going back to the foundation is going to help.  Of course there are times when other steps are necessary, but revisiting the foundation is almost always part of my approach.

Tessa got to fun across teeters that were resting on tables.  She liked that.  We also did an exercise where she could send ahead of me and that was very difficult for her!  She did well, though, and actually offered going ahead of me a few times!

We had to leave the workshop just a bit early to go to Kamp Kitty for the annual Freestyle demo at the fundraiser for canine cancer research.  I took Tessa and Speedy for that.  Speedy was SO happy to get out of the house and he was doubly happy to get a chance to perform in front of an audience.

Tessa went first.  She did a nice job.  I realized too late that I hadn't performed this routine since November, and I spent a lot of the performance remembering where I was going.  But Tessa did a lovely job!



Speedy and I improved the Polka!  He had a blast - he loves to beat those paws in time to the music!



The audience was appreciative.  We got quite a lot of good feedback.

I actually feel some desire now to do some more Freestyle with Tessa.  I need a new song for her.  Something she can "float above" and be beautiful to!  I am exploring several options right now.

Last night she and I had fun at Rally FrEe.  The course that we did featured right side work, and had quite a few counter clockwise circles around the handler.  That is definitely a weakness that she and I need to work on.  But the course was fun and she had a great time going through it - three times!

I am hoping to get some training in tonight . . . .