Lizzy's 1st Agility Trial

[Lizzie07]

I just got Lizzy's registration number for NADAC and filled out the premium for her 1st agility trial on Sunday October 10th. I'm so excited and I'm sure Liz is too.

I'm really just entering her in Tunnelers, Jumpers, and Touch N Go. I don't feel she is proficient enough doing weave poles to enter any classes with poles in them. I want fast weave poles with dead on entries 100 percent of the time.

Wish us luck!

[kdhawks]

Good luck Lizzy! That is so exciting, I am sure she will do well

[Britster]

Yay Lizzie! I am soooo excited for you guys. Let us know how it goes!

[Lizzie07]

The last NADAC trial I went to was pretty small, but Tien Tran was the photographer there and I had three of my IGs entered. It was the only trial I entered three dogs in, and I was so lucky I got photos by her. They are great. I'm including one of the photos.

At a lot of the larger trials up here they have someone who videos the runs, but I doubt there will be anyone at this trial. The big trials are usually AKC trials with at least 700 runs a day, but this trial is limited to 350. Unless things are different now, it probably won't fill either, unlike the AKC trials. Still, it's good practice for Liz.

[delicatepuzzle]

Have you gone yet how was it? Take a video!! Please!

[Lizzie07]

I wish I had gotten a video, I just didn't think about it.

I have agility titles on three dogs and I have to say, I was so darned nervous. Dogs run naked in NADAC and there is just something about turning my baby loose for the first time, at an equestrian park with a lot of BIG dogs around that made me nervous and a little scared.

Our first run was the jumpers run. I took her in the ring with a buddy harness on, I don't know why, and it was awkward taking it off. Then I set Liz down pretty close to the first jump and kind of took off on her, wherein she ran around the jump to catch up to me. She did everything else really well, ran her little legs off and totally made me proud. We might have been okay if I had gone back to make her do the first jump, but I don't do that in classes and I don't want to in trials because I think I demotivated one of my dogs doing that. Getting the harness on her before taking her out of the ring was awkward too, and I used a martingale for the second run, which was much better.

Our second run was Touch n Go and it went great with the exception of the first two obstacles. They were hula hoops that Liz had never seen. I also set her up too close to the first one and she went around it and the second one. I don't think I took off on her, but I know I didn't start like I do in classes. When someone told me about the hula hoops, I thought the dog had to run through the hula hoop laying flat on the ground, not like a ring. She was suppose to run through them like through a tire, but she missed them. Oddly she did the very last obstacle, which was a hula hoop, but I don't know why she did. She had a great run otherwise.

I'm really proud of Liz. I just love seeing her run with her hair flying back and and intent look on her face. I consider all the mistakes my fault and given time to think the runs over, I feel I handled her badly at the start for both runs. Holding her, then setting her down and taking off was badly done on my part. I think it was part of my nervousness. I decided not to do the tunnelers because it was the last run of the day and I didn't want to hang around all day.

It's been five years since I've entered and agility trial and boy, did I miss it. It was so much fun. I can't wait to enter more!

[Britster]

Whoohoo! Go Lizzy! She sounds like she did GREAT! Especially for a first trial. Thanks for the update, I was looking forward to see how she did.

How do you even enter a trial? I think I'd be really nervous. How much training did you actually have to do, etc? What are the general rules?

[Lizzie07]

I'm gonna get video at our class on Thurs. I really want everyone to see how good she is. She is a joy to run with. Very easy and smooth. I absolutely love her to pieces.

[Lizzie07]

Originally Posted by Britster

Whoohoo! Go Lizzy! She sounds like she did GREAT! Especially for a first trial. Thanks for the update, I was looking forward to see how she did.

How do you even enter a trial? I think I'd be really nervous. How much training did you actually have to do, etc? What are the general rules?

I've had Lizzy in classes for about a year and a half. I've been lazy about training her on weave poles and decided I wanted to try Susan Garrett's 2 X 2 method of training weave poles. So I got the video, six of the poles, then just never got around to training her. I am working on it now. I want to start AKC agility again soon. I really enjoy the training, and I forgot how much fun trials are.

It's been five years since I trialed at all. My last agility dog was diagnosed with lymphoma just after getting her novice title. It was chemo or agility, a no brainer. After that, I didn't have a dog to do agility with, all of them were too old. Until Lizzy.

So, I have to start learning rules again. They have changed. Just recently, the AKC dropped the sit or down on the pause table, now the dog just has to get on it. In USDAA, the dog has to down on the table and NADAC dropped the table altogether. The big stuff the judge usually reminds people about in the judges briefing like having your dog on collar going in and out of the ring, stuff like that. When I entered this trial, I had to look up each of the types of run to see what obstacles where in them and the rules. I'd never heard of Touch N Go!

I imagine the season for agility in your neck of the woods is going to be summer, unlike down here. It may start for you in late spring, and end in the fall. I know the Cleveland All Breed club has four days of agility at the beginning of Dec during the big IX shows. They also had a show in the spring at their club site. So did the Youngstown club, if I remember correctly from when I lived in Cleveland.

I would talk to your trainer, as you progress, she may mention up comming trials. You can find events on the respective association websites too, and the Clean Run website has them. You need to register your dog, but in the case of NADAC, you can register and enter pretty much at the same time. In my case, I found out in class about the NADAC trial and went to their website to enter. I found the event and went from there. Some trials fill early, so it helps to start planning in advance. I entered this trial on the closing date and got in, but in some areas and for some trials, that isn't possible and I am going to bet you are in an area where it won't be possible. So trial opening dates will be important for you to be aware of when you get ready to trial. If Jackson isn't AKC registered, you can still ILP him with AKC or do the Canine Companion thing (I think that's what it is).

For me, turning Lizzy loose the first time made me the most nervous. The best moment in agility for me is always when we have the first perfect "clean run" whether it's in class or at a trial. It feels like we finally got all the dance steps right.

[yorkieusa]

It sounds to me as though she did wonderfully.

[beemidiwfe]

Lizzy's mom,
I see you are in Ballground, we are in Waleska!

I have only been to the TDAA trials. Daisy is the first dog I have ever done agility with and her first trial was last Thanksgiving so we have been at it a year and have been to 4 trials. It sounds like you have a lot more experience than I do.

The TDAA trials are so much smaller I think you will really enjoy it as a starter place for Lizzy. There are no weaves in beginner so you could still qualify and have your wish of waiting longer on the weaves.

If I can ever get these videos online you will see the mistakes I made that cause us to not qualify. This little dog is so eager to please, you can really see it in the video. She is always checking with me for direction.

See you in a few weeks!

[Lizzie07]

Beth, I look forward to seeing Daisy's video and to meeting you at the trial. I can't wait!

[beemidiwfe]

I couldn't go because my husband had knee surgery a few days before and needed me at home. I was so disappointed!

I haven't been on YT since then until tonight. Maybe I will see you at the trial in February