Oxley Trial

What an awesome morning :)

We had a JDX run and a JDO run; DQ for the former, NQ with two faults for the latter, but who cares because Charlie was fucking brilliant.

Today we just clicked. Totally and completely. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that today's runs are the best we've ever had- qualifying runs inclusive of that statement. This is literally the first time I've ever felt like I was actually running my dog and not just happening to be on the same course at the same time as him.

Two rock solid leadouts both times. I think I've cracked that particular nut, thank god. I don't know if it's because of this, but both runs today I didn't feel like I was constantly just trying to catch up, but like I was actually handling my dog around a course. It just flowed and it felt so amazing. He did feel a bit slower than usual, but after watching the footage dad took I think it's probably more to do with the fact that I wasn't having to try and race him.

JDX we DQ'ed after Charlie didn't decel enough coming out of the tunnel and went around a jump and I didn't take him back to redo it, and then I was in totally the wrong place for a rear cross second to last jump and he went around that too. JDO Charlie entered the weaves on the wrong side, and fifth obstacle in I forgot where I was in relation to the equipment and was too crowded in to fit the rear cross in so he scooted out and around the jump.

So totally me. All my fault. Two strikes to my handling, two strikes to my training.

I need to do more work on Charlie self regulating his speed because at the moment he literally doesn't even try to make an obstacle if he's coming out on a wide angle. He's just like, "Eh... I could, but... Woops, already passed it". And I need to do more weave work, especially with independent entries. He used to be a popper at ten poles, but he's been pretty consitent with that lately- still something I want and need to work on more, though.

But I have an idea of what we're lacking in now, though, and an idea of what I should be doing to work on it.

Just our raw JDO run since the end bit of our JDX run isn't even worth putting up.