Today we went to train at the arena with Jess, Toni and Kris. It was our chance to introduce the full-size dogwalk. Last summer, each time I raised the height of the dogwalk, Shasta would run by it a time or two. I expected quite a bit of concern by Shasta. But that was not the case. First approach, she put her head down and did it slow but steady. Second time the same. A number more times the same, with a tiny increase in speed. About the sixth one or so, she did fall/jump off from the top, shortly after being on the top board. She landed pretty softly. Perhaps our early training where I tried to show her jumping off was ok to do paid off. Now, what would be her reaction? Seemingly no reaction, right back to the dogwalk, same methodical approach and across a few times. We not only introduced the full-size dogwalk but also introduced our first fall/jump with no negative reaction (at least not today). All good!
We also had two more sessions with the weave poles. They also went really well. First session she was better than yesterday right from the start. By the end she was really good at three of the four approaches. In the second session, awesome at those three approaches and very good with the fourth approach. It's going perfectly at this point.
I wrote yesterday that I was going to keep at this spacing until I have all of our entries from all angles but I have now decided to adjust that some. Looking at the poles, I think they are a little too far apart, that the entry look is not going to be enough like the final product to drill the entries. Shoot, I was I had notes on my training of either Roxy or Sonic so I knew what I did with them. I love the complete independence in weaves (entries and weaving) that I had with both of them. Anyway, next time with Shasta we will do a few more where it is and if she continues to be good from all four entries I will attempt to bring the poles in closer.
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