K-9 OTC AKC Trial - Meeker Gets His AXJ and his 1st QQ - Annotated Video
27 May 2010
This past weekend Meeker and I competed at the three day K-9 Obedience Training Club AKC AKC agility in Menomonee Falls, WI (love that town name because it reminds me of the Sesame Street Menomena song. At our last AKC trial Meeker earned his AX title and we needed one Ex-A JWW leg to get his AXJ and start working on “double Qs” (QQs) toward qualifying for AKC Nationals and his MACH title.
The judges were Terry Elger and Nancy Davis. I liked both of their courses all three days and they both kept their cool even when the temps were in the mid to upper 80s with humidity on Sunday.
I’ve annotated the video below so you can see how we did. Big thanks to Marty, Ashlee (at 19 QQs) and Jim for videotaping! Since I didn’t “need” the Ex-B Std Q on Friday I tried to use that run to verbally mark Meeker when he didn’t step into 2o2o position on each of his contacts. A side effect of that was sending him off course when I was too busy watching him and not where I was sending him. We got the Q in JWW on Friday so we had the opportunity to try for two QQs the rest of the weekend. Meeker entered 2nd pole on the weaves in JWW on Saturday so that was that for Saturday. On Sunday we got it together and got our very first QQ.
My favorite run was Saturday’s Std run; a bunch of us were discussing the pros and cons of how to handle the 90 degree turn out of the chute to the tire and the subsequent jumping sequence. A lot of folks used Rear Crosses Learning the Rear CrossRear Cross but had wide turns or even had dogs pass the next jump. Tim and Visa successfully used two Front Crosses Learning the Front Cross - VideoFront Cross and I used one Front Cross and a Backy-Uppy.
I’m proud that Meeker earned his AXJ this weekend and we got our first QQ. Now we are in the “same boat” as all those other Ex-B teams; trying to earn QQs and get speed points toward the MACH title.
I’m doing a lot more trialing with Meeker than I’ve done in a long time. I was never one for trialing; I’d rather train than trial. But Meeker does pretty well in the trial environment so I’m pursuing titles with him that I never tried to attain with Mr. Peabody or Milo. As a trainer it is also good for me to experience what is involved in accomplishing these goals so I can better help my students. Besides it is fun…
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