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H/u/m/i/l/i/t/y/ I mean, Agility Practice with Dart

Actually, I can’t complain.

Dart has been working tracking, he’s gotten two rally titles, and he’s had to deal with a sick and stressed trainer.  He hasn’t been out of my local yard to practice agility since…well, a long time.  Monthsnmonths.

But we have a trial coming up this next weekend, and we had an opportunity, so on Saturday he went out to a drill being held in the city.  The courses were wickedly clever–pretty much over his head–in terms of the angles, traps, and discriminations, but eh, we were there so I could assess what I have to work with next weekend.

Turns out it’s the usual.  He’s both awesomely evil and awesomely good.  Running Dart is alternately known as laughter therapy or oxygen deprivation practice.

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This entry was posted on Monday, June 18th, 2012 at 04:00 and is filed under Agility, D'Artagnan Beagle, Video. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

  • http://www.elizabethmoon.com Elizabeth

    Wow, he’s fast! I thought Connery was fast, but maybe because Connery seemed more in control, or my memory’s shot, it looks like Dart’s faster. And more impulsive. And really, really thinks pigeon feathers are delicious. You’re both amazing.

  • http://www.doranna.net Doranna

    Dart loses time with on-course bobbles, but step for step, he’s distinctly faster.

    (The first time he got out of the yard when we’d just gotten him and hadn’t finessed the Dart-proofing, it was to come to me elsewhere in the yard. That dog was a speed-blur–my jaw dropped!)

    Connery, though, is very, very steady, and he runs tight to the line. A lot of that is experience, though–and Dart is going to take a bit longer to settle down (if you don’t count the time Connery lost when he broke down emotionally after the third of those giant breed attacks.)

  • http://texbrandt.com/blog Robert

    Not quite faster than a speeding locomotive, but he does move. Thanks for sharing, enjoyed watching.

  • Sue Farrell

    Those looked like some pretty complicated courses for a young beagle to run—and run he does—great job Dart.

  • http://www.doranna.net Doranna

    Robert, he should pick up speed as we have fewer “No, I mean over HERE” moments, I hope. Those not only chew up distance/time, but it’s a lot of stop-go…

  • http://www.doranna.net Doranna

    Sue, those were pretty complicated, yah! Lots of sneaky offset angles just for starters. Good practice for both of us! The fun thing about it is that even when he’s being a OH PIGEON FEATHER NOM! goof, I can still see what’s there in the rough–if I do things right…

  • http://www.elizabethmoon.com Elizabeth

    Do you think it was a pigeon feather in the tunnel that distracted him, or the curve of the tunnel or just…Dart-ness?

  • http://www.doranna.net Doranna

    It was quite clearly the fact that other dogs had peed against the inside of the tunnel. :P Which shouldn’t be allowed to happen.

  • http://www.kristine-smith.com Kristine

    Wow, those weaves are tight. Never realized.

    Dart is dartsy.

    Love the pigeon feathers.

  • http://www.doranna.net Doranna

    Those weaves are at the old spacing, and yeah…a little tight. In competition now they’re a little more spread out. Dart *loves* that. Imagine the big dogs!

    nom nom nom…

    What I like is when he’s nomming the feather at the start line and I come just into camera view and give him The Look, and he stops chewing with instant, “Me? Not me!” Face.

  • Crysta

    Dart is well-named, lol. And he doesn’t jump… he BOUNCES. Like a spring. Or Tigger.

  • http://www.doranna.net Doranna

    Oh, he does! That’ll be the difference between his yards/second now, and if he seasons up to start moving with impulsion–which should come when he’s more confident about where he’s going, and a little less distractable. ;> We see glimpses of it now and then, and cross our fingers!

  • Patty

    Good heavens–you have to to be awfully fit to keep up. Impressive on both of you and love Dart’s enthusiasm!

  • http://www.doranna.net Doranna

    Patty–there’s a reason I consider agility (and riding) to be my physical therapy. 8) It keeps me at the elliptical, too!

    Ultimately, I expect Dart to be too fast for me to keep up with. (Maybe ten years ago…). That’ll mean using handling lines and distance strategies, but he’s not ready for that yet. The challenge of running *with* him is that sometimes I just can’t get there in time, so he’s not getting the direction he needs when he needs it–then I lose his focus or he makes his own choices. We’ll get it together eventually! Er, I hope…

    There’s a reason I usually take the longest possible lead-out with him. As long as I’m ahead of him, I can usually keep him/direct him. Er. Pigeon feathers not withstanding.