Masters Agility class was hard!

On Wednesday, 8/31 I was in Whispy's masters agility class for the first time.  It was hard!

In my previous classes I did the most obstacles but never ran a full course.  I was way ahead of the other dogs in that class as we were all learning agility.

In my private classes I've run full courses but I am the only dog in the building so I can concentrate as there are no distractions or things/dogs to scare me.

There were 19 obstacles in the first course I ran.  I so love the tunnels and we got to do 3 tunnels in that course plus the A-frame.  There were dogs in the other training area running their courses and lots of people with their dogs sitting on the side lines.  It was noisy with a lot of motion.  I am the only dog in that training area running the course.  Marty is there to give directions of course and the teacher is also in the training area watching both Marty and me.

 The bars were set at 8" for Whispy and a sheltie.  Then the bars went up to 20" to give Marty a rest while those dogs ran.  The bars went down to 16", then 12" and finally down to 6" and it was my turn.

I tried to do what Marty wanted me to do but when I got down to the far end the huge overhead doors were open .... the opening is completely screened to keep the bugs out and there are white lattice panels keeping us dogs in the training area.  Beyond the screen is a parking lot, a pond with tall cat tails and ducks.  There are noises and smells coming through the screen that I hadn't smelled before.  When the course took me close to the screen I looked out and forgot that I was doing agility.  Marty had to call me several times to get me to come back to her and get back on course, literally.

The teacher talked to Marty when I was finished about her positioning as she sent me into one end of the tunnel and her turning to move to the next tunnel so when I came out I would know if I was to do that tunnel or the dog walk.  Marty was stopping then turning as I went into the first tunnel.  I could see her as I went into the tunnel and I came back out because I thought that is what she wanted. 

We did 3 courses in that training area then we moved to the bigger training area.  In that second training area there were weave poles.  Marty didn't even ask me to do them.  She and other other handler changed the course slightly so that we avoided the weaves all together.  That was nice.

The training area was cool with the outside temps in the mid 70's and the over head doors open.  I still got hot from running so hard.

When we got into the van to drive home, Marty gave Whispy and me some water then we went and got a mango pineapple smoothie which we drank until Whispy and I were shivering.  Whispy and me both went to sleep and slept all the way home.  It was a hard class.