Yesterday I got a last minute invite to a novice agility class in Lafayette. I jumped at the chance to run Devon in a brand new location and test how good her teeter really is.
I didn't practice the teeter in isolation, but simply asked for it in the sequence. Devon and I were both anticipating it as we went through the sequence; she kept looking at it as we ran because I’m sure she expected it to be coming up. I had a bit of a fumble because as she came out of the tunnel to the teeter, I was on the wrong side for the sequence, and I was up by the base of the teeter. Since she still needs me to provide her confidence, Devon prefers me to be slightly behind her supporting her performance. She came up on the teeter to the base, but then bailed off. I neutrally turned her around, got behind her and got on the correct side for the sequence and asked for it again. This time she confidently went up and over the teeter without hesitation!!! The instructor felt my hesitation the first time (because I was out of position) was what caused her to bail off, and when I was confident the next time, she was too.
We sequenced on that side several times, some with the teeter and some without. Devon never hesitated on the teeter again; I was really proud of her! This was the last hurdle we needed to get past in agility, and she's done it so quickly. She is 3 weeks ahead of where I hoped she'd be and more than a month ahead of where I practically thought she would be. She had solid confident runs in a brand new location and in spite of distractions (other dogs running against the ring gates, other dogs falling off equipment, babies screaming in the sitting area), so I’m sure she really gets the game now.
Yippee!!!
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