Another AKC Course and Problems with the Running A-Frame

On Tuesday, I set up another course designed by Craig Josling.  Here's how I thought I might run the course before I had set it up.

After walking the course, I decided going into the box from 6 to 7 would probably push Belle into the off-course tunnel (which it did), and a better choice was to move laterally away from the dog walk while maintaining pressure on Belle's line to ensure that she went all the way to the end of the dog walk and didn't cut corners and come off the side.

Even on my walk-thru, I completely overlooked the effect the positioning of #8 would have on the dog's path to the teeter.  I failed to collect Belle before the jump and her path to the teeter was longer than it had to be.

I ended up doing a rear cross between 10 and 11 because I didn't get there in time to do a blind cross.  After I watched the video of our first two attempts, I thought I'd try to do a front cross between the teeter and #10.  Yeah, right.  Bringing Belle into collection at #8, meant for sure there would be no way I could get into a position for a front cross after the teeter.  I noticed that the dismount from the teeter got progressively more sloppy (off the side).  One more thing to remember while running.

The rear cross worked fine as long as I didn't say "come table."  "Come table" resulted in an off-course to the tunnel both times I used it.  "Belle" or "right table" seemed to work, but not "come."  The reason for this is because I normally use "come" when Belle is moving toward me or at least perpendicular to me.  In that context, I normally link it to an obstacle name and it serves as either a cue to turn or an aid in an obstacle discrimination.  (I also use "come" in snooker openings when I want Belle to take the jump in front of her if there is one and then come directly to me without taking any obstacles along the way.  In addition, I stand very erect, facing her with my hands low and in front of my body to indicate I want her to come to my hands.)



We ran the course a couple more times today, but never did achieve a qualifying run :(  Belle's A-frame performance left a whole lot to be desired, and when I watched the A-frame clips in slow-motion, I discovered she was putting in a stride between the bumper and the apex.  I tried fiddling with the placement of the bumper and I tried taking it off, but no luck.  I finally, removed the bumper and placed a piece of yellow 1" PVC pipe at the top of the yellow.  That seemed to work, so I guess that's what we will be doing.