Cassidy and Maggie

[Janis Moore]

I attached the latest video of Maggie doing agility.

http://www.youtube.com/user/janismoore1#p/u/0/KlNzWH6lmTY

The video is: Maggie - November Standard Agility

It was an Open course, standard; we did not qualify, had two refusals.
However, Maggie was fun and entertaining. I think you will enjoy
watching the first refusal, I can understand why Chinese Crested are
used as circus dogs. The second refusal was stopping just before
entering the weave poles.

Both my fault, I should have waited at the tunnel for her to enter
before moving forward; I slowed down with the command to the weaves
and she stopped (a refusal).

I did have friends and people at the trial remark on how fun Maggie is
to watch (this included some national competitors) and a few were
concerned about her tail falling off (just kidding).

I also posted a pdf of the magazine cover with Cassidy. I will be
getting a stack of them on Thursday.

I am guessing I will have plenty; so if anyone wants a copy I will be
mailing them out, email me at: janis...@gmail.com

Janis

[LH]

Hi Janis,

That Maggie is a really agile, fun, and pleasing little dog! She
tries really hard for you.
I think if you had started her further back from the tunnel, she would
have gone in :)
That's a tough obstacle for a start.

The other thing I really enjoyed is my favorite videographer's
comments at the end- Don makes
it so personal, always a "good job" and he always knows the handler's
name.

How long have you been competing in Open?

Lisa

[Janis Moore]

Hi Lisa, good point on the tunnel, I was too close to the entrance,
did't think about that, thanks. It is an unusual obstacle to start. I
have noticed that the courses have more "traps". I have heard it is
because there are so many more people that have already titled one dog
and are now working on another dog and have the experience already and
are getting through to Excellence much faster.

Don has been around for years, he is a really good guy. Always
friendly and always supportive of everyone.

This was Maggie's first try at competition in Open class. We run
courses at the agility training center that could be considered Open
and do alot of drills.

I did run Jamie in Open for about a year or so.

Janis

[Sara Peterka]

Just got a chance to watch this.

You are right, both oops were yours. The commands and body language were not clear. Too bad they call those refusals as they most certainly were not. It just took you a second to make yourself more clear.

Maggie is delightful and entertaining. You have brought her a long way and she obviously loves her job. Way to go!

Sara

[LH]

Sara,

This is the definition of "refusal" from the AKC agility regulations:

(a) Refusals and Run-outs.
Refusals: It is considered a refusal when a dog starts toward an
obstacle and ceases forward motion, or starts toward an obstacle and
turns back on his path. However, the dog shall not be faulted for a
refusal on the approach if, in the judge’s opinion, the dog has not
seen the obstacle. A dog is not considered to be on or in an obstacle
until they are on it or in it with all 4 paws, thus being subject to
refusals until they are totally on or in an obstacle. Conversely a dog
has not exited an obstacle until it has left the obstacle with all 4
paws.

So, the "refusal" isn't defined as you might think it would be. When I
first started agility, it took me a while to get this concept in my
head because I would watch other dog/handler runs that seemed to be
qualifying, but weren't. The turning and circles that Maggie did are
refusals by definition. And, yes, they are often caused by handlers
who are unclear, or late in commands or give confusing body
language.

Lisa

[Janis Moore]

I receive the magazine with Cassidy on the cover today. I was able to
get a few, I am sending Pat about 10 of them for everyone at Quansa.
The photo came out beautiful!

Nancy and Lynn please send me your addresses and I will mail you each
a copy.

The editor of the magazine has asked if she can use some of the studio
shots for some of the ads, etc in the magazine.

I will also be working with the photographer after the first of the
year and the holidays are over. She will be submitting photos to a dog
toy company. I plan on continuing with her training and volunteering
for fund raisers doing tricks, etc. You never know what will come up.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Janis

[Nanner]

Box 3085
Spruce Grove, AB.
T7X 3A4

Am looking forward to it. Thanks Nancy

[LMcCain]

12517 Wabash Road
Milan, MI 48160

[Janis Moore]

So Lisa, this weekend, we set a course that the tunnel entrance was
used 3 times, and it was just as you mentioned. Once I was too close
and I could see Maggie start to get on top. I called her off, backed
up and put her through. Thanks again.

Janis

[Janis Moore]

THis is the web page link of the media person in Denver that will be
working with. She is also a talented artist. I have known Cathy for a
long time, she was very instrumental in helping me train Sabrina, my
first Wire Fox for commercials and media work.

I ordered myself a Lakeland T-shirt today and thought you might be
interested.

http://www.cathylester.com/

Janis

[LH]

Hi Janis,

I find that if we "listen" to what the dog is telling us with their
"mistakes",
we can fix the issue by changing what we do... and not by correcting
the dog.

Now, eventually, you can push closer to the tunnel, I'm sure, as long
as you teach her
what you mean. The more experience the dog has, the more the dog will
cover
for our handling errors!

Lisa

[LH]

Cathy does beautiful artwork!

By the way, I received the Mile High Dog magazines- thank you! Very
nice!

Lisa