Agility can be a humiliating experiance!!

So this past weekend I got to go to the May, Acton Agility Trial with my Mom. Hmmm, what can I say. I of course I had a great time, but my Mom said she hasn't had such a bad day at a trial in she can't remember! Apparently she says I was too high, which she is used to at trials with me but this time she says I wasn't paying attention in the first 2 of the 4 courses which just isn't like me. She said she knew we were doomed when she came out of the bathroom in her robe and I jumped up and started to tug on the belt ties which I haven't done since I was young. I was just excited because I saw all the stuff at the door to go to the trial! Normally she would run me in the morning or play frisbee for a bit at the trial to take the edge off, but it was pouring rain and she was worried I would hurt myself.

Our first course was Team (I will include the course maps). My partner ran first (white numbers) and had many weave problems and faults. I ran second and had an off course coming off the A-frame taking the wrong jump. Mom took the blame for this one as the jump was close and she knew I was full of P&V and didn't direct me quick enough and was facing that jump.

Our second course was Gamblers. I guess it was true I wasn't really paying much mind to my Mom, and flew off of everything, took bars down and didn't get my weave entry! She was so dumbfounded and surprised by me she said. After my run I didn't even get to tug on my leash! She just quietly leashed me and quietly put me in my crate. I knew that something must be wrong because she ALWAYS plays with me after. She said that 99.9% of the time our errors on course are her fault but this time I had to take the credit for our failure!!! She said she was shocked how I behaved.

So in our third course, which was another gamblers, she used the time to make me do all the contact equipment twice and just worked on control and handling. She was happy with me even though she said I was still high as a kite and just shook her head.

Our fourth and final course was Standard and my Mom said we both had an error to take the blame for. First of all I blew the A-Frame contact, then as you can see by the course map there was a funny little loop de loop at the end around the tunnels and dog walk. We had an off course when I was supposed to go up the dog walk and I went back into the tunnel like the first time. My Mom said this is the trouble with a course like this, I was a bit patterned trained and she needed to micro manage me more because I was going so fast and typically just went where I did the first go round.However she said I ran more like myself, paying attention and trying real hard to get it right and do what was asked of me.

All in all she said no one would know that I had competed at Nationals and how well I can do by watching us this weekend!! She said we better get our act together in the next 2 1/2 weeks as the Ontario Regionals are coming! If we don't run a lot better than this past weekend I won't qualify for Nationals!!

Of course in the big picture, I just like to get out and play with my Mom! We shouldn't take this too seriously as dogsports are good to keep us humble, and we're not solving any world issues here!