LEAP - May 28-30, 2011

Off to Granby, Massachusetts for LEAP's Memorial Day weekend trial. The weather for the weekend was hazy, hot and humid - OK by hot I mean mid-80's and by humid about 75% humidity pretty consistently all weekend. Add pollen and I think everyone was struggling a bit.

After a three hour nap in the air-conditioned car,
Woo hit the pool for some deserved R&R. 

Teller went three for three with his standard runs this weekend - Saturday and Sunday he ran standard by 8am, which was really a bonus for him. Humidity was still high, but the temperature was actually a bit lower, which suited him well. Contacts were best on Saturday, OK on Sunday and he didn't stop on any contacts today. Still wish I could replicate that dogwalk tunnel (chute) appeal in training! After our three weekends out in May, Teller is 7 for 8 in standard. Still on the right track - always a journey. My plan this week is to work contact reps this week. Net points for the weekend was 45. Every little bit helps!

Woo's JWW runs were a bit problematic this weekend - usually we pass JWW and flunk standard  - always something different. Saturday we missed the weave entry (which is a fair mistake actually - and that particular entry took out well over half the 24" dogs on Saturday), Sunday and Monday we had a wrong course. Today's JWW run came at 2pm, full sun, 88 degrees and 72% humidity. I kept Teller in the shade - actually laying on his belly in the dirt under a lean-to - as long as I could, but he was just HOT. As we came around a pinwheel I pushed out and traveled for a front cross and he went out and around. I should have supported him and I didn't - tough since if we hadn't Q'ed in standard (at NOON under sun too) I probably would have scratched him from jumpers entirely. Note to self - don't enter any more outdoor summer trials - it's not good for either of us. I am so pleased though that he stayed in the game even though he was so hot - pulling off a 4.5 YPS JWW run. It felt like slow motion but he stayed in the game with me - I can't begin to articulate how much I appreciate this dog. He's just so giving - on and off the clock.

Murphy enjoys a frozen yogurt post-swim. Notice the

closed eyes and intense concentration on his little cup

of blueberry goodness.....

Things we'll work on this week - bonus cookies for contacts. We're not doing a lot of full contact reps, but a fair amount of on the side and cookie. Just get that reinforcement in. Some weave work - After Teller's weave mistake in Saturday JWW he got really careful and cautious in the weaves the rest of the weekend, I'm sure he's getting that from me, I want to get some reinforcement on FAST poles this week.

On a related note, Teller got his standard Q cheeseburgers on Saturday and Sunday - but Sunday night we re-negotiated the contract :-) Cheeseburgers for QQ's now Woo - with the fine print highlighting a "your handler is stupid clause" the terms of which entitle Teller to a cheeseburger for a non-QQ resulting from handler stupidity.

The runs from the weekend: