Clean Run Magazine - April 2007 - 80

cake, the competitors themselves were already highly energized. All that excitement made me a nervous wreck. Mr. Oliver, however, was too busy focusing on the food vendor to care. Then there was the noise factor. Obedience trials are very quiet; you could hear a pin drop. In contrast, agility trials are exceptionally loud. Everyone was very supportive of each other. Even the judge clapped, especially if the team failed to qualify, which was often. Everyone was screaming, yelling, and clapping. Dogs were barking. The noise was deafening. The temperature outside was pushing 100° with almost as much humidity. The indoor facility had barely functioning airconditioning. Mr. Oliver and I were melting. I believe I even smelled by the end of the day. In obedience, people wear the dreaded vest. Pomp and circumstance prevail. Formalities are observed at all times. B u t desperate times called for desperate measures. So in desperation I waddled over to the clothing vendors. Shopping was the only part of the agility trials that I did understand. I actually bought some shorts. For the first time since I was a teenager, I appeared in public wearing shorts. Looking for New Agility Titles? You can buy them from us! Clicker Basics for Dogs & Puppies Written by Carolyn Barney, Published by Clean Run 104 pages, $15.95 (bulk discounts available) It’s a lot to manage—the clicker, the treats, the toy, the leash, never mind the dog. Sometimes it’s hard to remember what your instructor said about reinforcing recalls, what to do if your dog gets up during a sit-stay, or what to practice over the coming week. This book is written just for you, supplementing what you learn in class with an overview of the theory behind clicker training and a series of homework progressions for basic behaviors. Lots of insider tips are included to make clicker training work better for you and your dog. Then there was the running business. If I had wanted to run, I would have taken up running. To my mind, Mr. Oliver can do all the running for both of us. I may on occasion indulge in a brisk walk or even a pleasant trot, but that is the extent of my running portfolio. I do make an exception for the few paces of fast in an obedience class. Flatwork—Foundation for Agility Written by Barb Levenson, Published by Clean Run 80 pages, $15.95 Flatwork isn’t about the obstacles; it’s about what happens between the obstacles. It’s about developing a communication system with your dog as you teach him each agility handling maneuver without the distraction of obstacles. As you follow this training program, you will develop a set of cues and movements that indicate speciﬁc behaviors to the dog, and you will become aware of exactly what your body is really “saying” to your dog. Our Big Moment The big moment arrived. We had to walk the course, the ultimate test of my directionally impaired mind. Given the extreme heat, I became memory-impaired as well. This was a situation. Recognizing my imminent mental and physical collapse, my agility instructor actually walked the course with me—as my dog. If she had been my dog, she would have had several concussions by the end of the walk-through. My instructor planned various and assorted front and rear crosses. She choreographed a most elegant run. However, when it came time to actually run, all I could remember was the course order. I was lucky to remember that much. So I relied on our secret weapon. I called Mr. Oliver to heel for tight turns and changes of direction. It was not pretty, but it was effective. We managed to make it through our runs. One by one, the entire Australian Shepherd contingency quietly took me aside asking, or in some cases, practically begging me to let one of them run Mr. Oliver. I think I was embarrassing them. Clearly I was beyond embarrassing myself. Thankfully, Mr. Oliver does not believe in getting embarrassed. We finished both the Standard and Jumpers titles. There was a collective chorus of “Oh, thank God!” Wouldn’t you know that the club ran out of new title ribbons before I managed to ask for one? D Elizabeth M. Jarrell, Esq. has written a monthly column of short stories called “Who Knew?” for Front and Finish since 2002. She has also been published in The Canine Chronicle, Off Lead, The Australian Shepherd Journal, The Australian Shepherd Annual, Clean Run, and elsewhere. She has received multiple nominations from the Dog Writers Association of America for their annual writing contest. Clean Run | April 07 ® www.cleanrun.com 80
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Clean Run Magazine - April 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - April 2007
