Agility fun day -2

Sensational Photos by Emily Irwin :) Thank you Emily!!

We set up Novice course from o/e seminar at Emily's place and had a LOT of FUN and LAUGH together with friends :) 
It probably the novice course.. but there were a lot of handling in this course.
We tried many different handling and time it. 

Koto was running so beautiful, but she is still jumping low height jumps - since her front feet joint gets easily dislocated.  We might not ever let her run at Agility Trial.  We really don't want her to have any pain, and joint dislocation must be painful and unconfortable.  Trial is really doesn't matter! She is still having so much fun in the back yard training, agility school and the park.
We are simply happy that she can still run and have fun with us like this day. 

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あっと言う間にデイライトセービングが終わってしまい、紅葉の奇麗な秋です。

先週末はアジリティの友達と一緒にエミリーの家に集まり、先月シドニーで参加した

o/eセミナーのノービスコースをみんなで走ってみたのですが、ノービスとは思えない　おもいっきりハンドリングのあるコースで、みんなで一緒に相談しながら色々なハンドリングオプションを試してみました。

琴はかなり楽しそうにディーンと一緒に走っていましたよ。　前足の怪我からかれこれ、1年半が過ぎましたが、相変わらず今でも300のジャンプでアジリティをしています。

というのは今でも　過剰な運動をすると前足のジョイントが一部外れて足の動きが硬くなってしまうのです。この日の翌日も先生に見てもらったらやっぱり外れていました。

原因はAFrameの横跳びだったと思います。もういちどしっかりトレーニングしなければ。

コトの関節が外れている状態！なんですが、、

先生は多分痛みはないと言ってます、でも子供の頃、関節が外れた経験のある私にはものすごく大変な事に感じるし、やっぱり多少でも痛みや違和感があるのに500のジャンプを飛ばせるのはやっぱり無理。なので　多分琴はアジリティの競技会へ戻る事はもう無いのかもしれないけど、でもこうやってバックヤードや友達の家やアジのスクールで楽しめるだけでも大満足！

公園にもハイキングにも泳ぎにもいける！もうこれだけでいいや　：）

Here is a video of all of us, having fun with trying different handling at "S-Turn" :)



And another videos of Koto and Niah

Orenius/Emanuelsson Australian agility seminar weekend

The weekend with Jouni & Isabelle's seminar was so much fun! 
This seminar was 3rd agility seminar with working spot, but it was THE BEST SEMINAR so far :D and I am so happy to hear that they are most likely coming back to Australia next year!! 

Unfortunately, something was wrong with Niah... :( 
He was extra sensitive with Environmental noise, arena's echo and being scared.  
Yes, Niah has severe thunder/noise fear - 
 
I am not sure if the noise was only reason why he wasn't running and knocked that many bars.  We always train in 600cm height and he has no bar problem and I have never seen him running like this weirdly.. So I booked him in to check up with Sports Vet if he has rear end / or shoulder problem...
Except being nervous with Niah... I had so much laugh through all the weekend with friends, everyone was so friendly and relaxed mood - Jouni and Isabelle were absolutely beautiful people with beautiful energy - Great and fun instruction with a lot of inspiring tips, and I've got to try so many new moves and techniques. 


So What did I learn? 

Advices from Jouni

Independence
* Trust my dog and send sooner from distance, Teach my dog independence is REALLY IMPORTANT!! make my handling much easier and I can be always always in front! 

Yes.... My ear is in pain.  I have been hearing this again and again and again since I start learning with Jouni and Zeljko's online courses.. 

So... I am still on process, must improve this -  I have to teach Independence with verbal que.  Trish told me to test verbal que from 3-5 meter away, send dog with verbal only - without any body movement and see if my dog really understand it.
If no- then we needs to work on harder. If yes, Just trust my dog and go!!
 
Dogs line
* Give a space between wings, don't cross the dogs pass.  I have been baby sitting Niah too much and always on his way.... specially when I am doing Push/Pull, S-Turn, Ketschker, I am slowing him down too much and loosing his speed.   Make sure I think more of dogs line, and my position and most importantly, timing of que.
 
Eye contact on Blind Cross / Double Blind Cross
* Blind cross; turn my shoulder180° quickly, Don't afraid to excute Blind Cross early, and ALWAYS retain eye contact with clear shoulder direction when dog is taking off, showing where to go next.


Advices from Isabelle

Compare different handling options by: 

- Natural line
- Distance
- Time
* Always time with stopwatch, compare which option is faster and understand which option is suitable for us. 

Get low on dog's height, indicate clearly where to take off / where to go next
Show dog where exactly the take off point and landing point by hugging the wing jump when wrap. 
(This might be not necessary with Niah, He has good understanding with wrap/landing point. But take off point is important thing to consider indicating for him, he seems taking off from middle of the jump)


Do not backward walking - Face the dog, Think my chest direction (present) and feet always goes forward (future) 

Basically, human are better in walking forward, backward moving is always slower than forward moving..
So... "Japanese turn" (aka-Double Blind Cross) become very handy for me to keep us always being forward and in front of dog. shape the dog's line by Japanese turn, 
Retain eye contact quickly, let go with quick turn. Keep working on timing, motion, and connection.

Run Faster!!!
In general, YES, faster and faster... But don't run too fast everywhere.. 
Wait for him - Connect with him then RUN!! :) I have to connect with him more stronger. 


In summery, Isabelle and Jouni are world top class agility handlers and its obvious that I really can't do what everything they do.. we have completely different course, rules, and Level of competition is almost opposite. 
But Isabelle said beautiful thing for us.. 

The most importantly, Find what technique, option will suits us, and be good at it, make it your own move. All dogs are different, so shouldn't be restricted by One handling system...  Because WE ARE THE FUTURE who is changing the Australian agility, courses and handling :)
- Keep discovering what moves will suits us, better way to make dogs line,  and better time !

I really love that.  I totally agree with what she think about handling system. 

I went through to learn quite different systems last couple of years, and to be honest, I have been sick of hearing "You have to be consistent with ONE HANDLING SYSTEM" 
Specially where I live in Victoria - using one handling system is like "a cult group of agility". 
No, I never agree with this.  I have been just happy to pick what Niah and I can do, and keep on moving to search new challenge, and what elsewhere in the world is facing up to -and The biggest challenge is "How we can apply those new moves, new challenges into Australian courses?."
Isabelle and Jouni are not a method of Agility,  They are my big respect and inspiration for us, and it was the most inspiring agility weekend and I learn so so so much from them :) 

MY BIG 5 to practice for this year are: 

1. Blind Cross shoulder rotation and eye contact 
2. Independence
3. Double Blind Cross timing
4. RUN faster!!  
5. Chest and Feet Direction  

Here is a video from the weekend :)   
I will let you know what's Sports Vet says about Niah.... Finger crossed he is okay!!

seminar is coming up soon!

ちょっと前にJouni君からメールがありまして、賞品はなんだか解らないけど、
ニアくんと一緒にエントリーしたS-Turnチャレンジに入選したそうです〜：）
しかも最近FacebookでもT-shitsが当たったので
もうセミナーモードたっぷりです：）あと40日後くらい！
楽しみ!
 
Apparently, Niah and I won for Jouni's S-Line challenge competition!! 
it was unexpected suprise, because 
I won for another competition at Facebook group and received Jouni+Isabelle's seminar T-shirts from Facebook group as well~! its great way to make participants excited  about the seminar is coming up very soon! (40 days)

Here is the email I have received from Jouni!
"Hi Emi! How are you? I just wanted to let you know that you were one of the 3 winners in our s-line challenge The prices I had planned cannot be send to Australia, I already asked the department of agriculture and they said it is not allowed without an import permit. I will think of an alternative price for you and either mail it or deliver personally once we come to Australia. "

o/e Course 2-3 Jumping

I had a nice agility training with Trish and Sassy!
Such a fun day! 

And yes! Time for Hanami :D
庭の花は満開です〜　BBQシーズン始まり！

Orenius/Emanuelssonl Course2-1 with Tricia

I spent the most perfect/beautiful 25 degrees Saturday morning with my agility friend Tricia,  at her agility field in Daylesford. 
She lives in the most gorgeous property, and her agility field is surrounded by forest with many birds, and occasional alpaca visit! 
Not much photo of her place but we train o/e course1 together.
I've been only training at my little backyard in small section, so it was great to run in a actual setting, and Niah was very efficient with my que, He is not a fast runner, but I am very happy with him!

土曜は25℃、晴天と最高の天気！　久しぶりにアジ友達のトリシアとSassyと一緒に
o/e（Orenius/Emanuelsson Online course）のトレーニングをしてきました。
彼女のアジリティフィールドはステートフォレストに囲まれていて 鳥達がいっぱい。
馬やアルパカもたまにフィールドを覗きに来てくれんですよ：D
写真は殆ど取っていませんが　コース1は無事に完走できました〜
ニアはあまり速い犬ではありませんが、彼は本当に私の動きをしっかり見て
無駄な動きはせず、すごく敏感に動いてくれるので　ありがたい事に
本当に走りやすいのです。
最近琴とアジができていないので　速い犬とのアジの感覚を忘れてしまいそうですが、
ニアとならハンドリングの練習が効率よくできます（笑
私にはパーフェクトなんです！