My New Dance Partner!

Bandit has started his Freestyle training!!  I am taking Intro to Rally FrEe/Freestyle through the Fenzi Academy with him.  Yesterday we dove in!

We started with teaching circles around the handler, and then circles around a cane, using short gate barriers.  Bandit did AWESOME!!!  I was concerned he might jump the barriers, but he didn't even seem to think of it.  I guess a dog who has not been trained in jumping won't think to jump like the ones who have been.  Dean and Tessa hop those things constantly!

Here is a video of his early work!  These may be on cue and out of barriers in record time!!



We need to start working position with the pivot platform because that won't actually be part of the class.  He is already shaped to put his paws up on it and we have worked the pivots a little.  Time to really jump in with that.

Bandit has actually already been in the ring at a Freestyle event!  A couple of weeks ago when Tessa and I went up to complete in a WCFO event in Frackville, I took both Dean and Bandit along to do the Innovations (non-titling) class.  I took Bandit out with a toy and we played to a song he chose.

I did get a video!



This is a brand new start and I am very excited about it.  So far Bandit seems to enjoy what we have done with Freestyle and I think he has the potential to become a very engaged, skilled, and eager dance partner.

I am very much looking forward to the future with him.  I have plans to use the song he chose to create a little routine with him.  I plan to make two fish props so he and the two props are the two "fishes".  I plan to make it simple and cute, but - hopefully - entertaining.

I am hoping we will actually have little bits of it completed by the first weekend in November, when we are doing Innovations at Barkaritaville!  We shall see!  In any case, we will have fun together.