Tulla, for the love of agility!

Tulla loves agility.  I think its almost like she was born to run the obstacles.  She gets happy and excited looking out on the courses. 

Tulla is a very fast dog.  Unfortunately Tulla is also a very independent thinker.  In other words, What Tulla wants, is what Tulla does.  If Tulla wants to run through a tunnel, nothing I say will stop her.  We worked very hard these past few weeks to get our contacts and weave poles.  Tulla does the weaves perfect, when she wants to, but when she is very excited and energetic she passes right by them.  And contacts are skipped, why slow down when there are so many other obstacles to attend to?

There has been three competitions since my last post.  One in Columbus, one in Cincinnati and one in Springfield, IL.  We have had a really great time traveling with the dogs, staying in hotels and showing.  It is a truly great pleasure to have a great run, it feels wonderful to know that you and your dog are working as a team with trust, respect and hard work.  However, on the flip side, it really sucks to blow a run.  I get the most blown runs with Tulla. 

A bad run starts like this:  We, Tulla and I, head up to the waiting area.  I take a handful of treats to keep her mind on me.  She watches the other dogs finish up and knows its almost her turn. I try to get her attention with treats, to put her into a "handler focus" mind-set.  She obediently sits, speaks, spins and shakes on my command, looking as if nothing could be more interesting than me.  As we start to walk out to the start line, I can feel her energy spiraling up the leash as she pulls me out onto the course.  She stares with rapt attention at the A-frame, jumps, tunnels and teeter.  I know she is ready.  "Sit", I command.  An ear flicks toward me, but no bottom touches the ground.  Uh-oh.  This is going to be one of "those" runs.  "Tulla! Sit," I repeat more firmly.  This time a blink.  She leans toward the first jump, hopping slightly with her front legs.  I can sense her frustration at being held back.  What am I waiting for? She knows her job, she knows this is agility!!  I sigh, "Sit."  Finally, Tulla slowly, so I know she is unwilling, relaxes into a sitting position.  I slip the lead off over her head, "wait," I say as I simultaneously grab her scruff so she doesnt bolt.  She leans against my hand but waits for my "go" command, very reluctantly.  As we stand there, I can see her looking at me out of the corner of her eye, not wanting to be disobedient but practically vibrating with excitement.  "GO!"  Tulla is off like a shot toward the first jump, with a gazelle like bound.  Unfortunately, I am still frozen at the start line. "Wait!!" I cry, ineffectually, I didnt say "go"!! That was the automated voice, letting me know I could go when ready.  But Tulla has already skipped the first jump and is halfway over the A-frame (not the second obstacle).  AHHHH!! We already NQ'd, 5 seconds into the run... is that even possible?  Its okay, its okay, round her up and continue, maybe things will get better.  We cant salvage a Q, but it doesnt have to be that bad.  Tulla bolts over all the obstacles, thankfully in order, but jumps off all the contacts, racking up fault after fault.  We finish well under time, but with no chance of redemption of our score.  She returns to me panting a little, prancing as though proud of her work and completely obedient again.  "Oh Tulla," I mumble, giving her several pats, "what are we going to do with you?" We return to our crates and I treat her.  My mom comes around to ask how it went.  (She watches every run but if you dont know the course, you cant know if I did it right).  I tell her the news... "She got her weave entry!!"  And we celebrate. Baby Steps, people, Baby Steps.

Now, I dont want anyone to think that I dont train very hard.  I do.  We practice at least 3 times a week.  Its just that we, Tulla and I, are competing for fun, not to win blue ribbons.  I train so that I spend my time with my dogs; bonding, exercising, and learning new things together.  Tulla loves agility but she is young, impulsive and very independent.  I dont believe in punishing her for missing contacts or skipping weaves.  I train hard with positive reinforcements but she is not a border collie, she does agility because its fun.  If it stops being fun, she will stop working.  She has no working drive, no pleasing drive (I do it for you).  She has play drive.  Tulla does agility for Tulla, which makes Tulla a very fun dog to run but also very fustrating at times.  I take my enjoyment out of seeing her ears fly in the wind as she sails over a jump, her prancing over the dog walk, her silly grin as she tears out of a tunnel, her bright eyes as she gazes at the A-frame and her proud trot off the course as we come in last place.  And I also take small victories like getting one out of three contacts or gaining the weave entry but skipping all the rest.  But its okay, we have fun...