Fun Match!

Kili and I had a fabulous trial at the beginning of December. Unfortunately I don't have any videos. We didn't get any Qs but it's the first trial where from start to finish she was totally with me and making the effort to be a team. It was great!

Our next trial isn't until the end of January, but the holiday season has some fun matches available. We attended the first one today. This is a great little indoor training facility... but emphasis on little. There isn't space for a full sized agility ring. It made for close quarters (and therefore A LOT of distractions with other dogs and people walking by on the edges of the ring) and also some tight handling (which is difficult with such a large, long dog like a greyhound). Kili did really well. Her first run she blew me off at the end of the dog walk, so I went with my new standard response, which was to walk off and put her straight back in her crate. I was able to re-do her run at the very end of the order. Walking off and ending the game really works for Kili. On the 3 occasions where I have done this I have seen instant results. We came back out and Kili was right with me (it's the first run in the video). Her second run was even better I think, except that I forgot where I was going at one point! Her last run we decided to do the hardest course, and it was maybe a little too twisty turny for us in such tight quarters. She did really well though, staying with me through mistakes.

I think (fingers crossed) that everything is coming together and things are really clicking her baby sighthound brain. Next fun match is on New Year's Eve. Can't wait!