Our Video Night

Friday evening we got together with our instructor and another friend to do our videos for the World Wide Video Competition for Rally FrEe.  Between us, we were entering every category offered.  I did Alt-Novice with Speedy and Intermediate with Tessa.  Our instructor did Intermediate and Advanced.  Our other friend did Novice and Intermediate.

We all got a useable take and Speedy's and Tessa's have already been submitted!

We started off with Speedy.  Even though we technically did not need an off leash run, I wanted to try him once off leash.  He did 2/3 of a beautiful run off leash, but when we got to the last 4 signs, which were all to be performed on the right, a dog started grunting in a crate on the sidelines, and Speedy melted.  I think if it had been left side work, he might have managed to muddle though, but his right side is so weak we hadn't a chance.

So, on went the leash, and we tried again . . . and again . . .

Thankfully, our fourth take was halfway decent.  It's not exactly stellar, but I think we got through well enough to scrape up 100 points, which is all you need in the Alt divisions.

This is the video of the run that we submitted . . .



Now that I am going to be able to train with my dogs again, I am going to try to see if Speedy and I can make something of a "comeback".  I want to see if, with regular training, he can build reliability to work off leash, and then try Alt-Intermediate!!

Why not?  Maybe some good fun for me and my retired boy!

Of course, we have to qualify in this one first.  We may be going for another Alt-Novice Q again . . .

Several dogs later, Tessa got a shot.  She was ready to go!!  Since I still had my Freestyle props from our competition a few weeks ago in the car, I decided to use them for her run.  So, her first FrEe Choice was a Figure 8 jump and a later one was the pivot platform.

I had fun doing this with Tessa.  Yes, her back around and laterals were non-existent, but I knew that going in.  She really did a great job on everything else.  I am able to use way less hands now and her heeling is really coming along.  No lagging - even a little forging!  She did get distracted down the last line - she was a bit concerned about the person with the camera.  She hasn't done a lot of video yet, so that is something we will need to work on.

Here is the run I submitted for her . . .



She is just so much fun!!  When the technical precision kicks in, we are going to do really well together!!  Really, it was only those two signs that I knew we didn't have that were a problem!

I know this will be border line as far as qualification goes, but I am happy with it.  Again, Tessa performed at the level of her training and I am happy with that.

All I have to do is think about what Tessa was like when she first came to my house and seeing her as she is in this video is all I need to be super proud of her!

If she qualifies, I will be pleased to start thinking in terms of preparing for Advanced, but no matter what the outcome, I am pleased with our effort.

This has gotten me back on track, mentally, after the Freestyle competition.  I LOVE Rally FrEe!!

Speedy and Tessa also did two "non-titling" runs (which can't be submitted), just for fun.  I will post those later on, as they are not yet uploaded.