Agility – Pet Momma

Agility Diaries: Trial #2 & Stan’s New Ride!

Not sure what I was thinking, but I have another trial on Saturday! We’re only doing three runs: Standard, Colors, and Jumpers. We did well in Colors last time, so we don’t really need the points, but it’s all good experience right now. Hope it goes OK!

I also bought Stanley a stroller. I feel a little silly about it, but I think it’s going to make things so much easier. At the last trial, I had to leave Stan in the car while I brought in his folding crate, my chair, and two bags of my stuff and his stuff. This time, I’m hoping to throw my chair over my shoulder, put our bags in the bottom of the stroller, and just wheel right into the venue!

I’ll be trying it out for the first time this weekend, so we’ll see how it goes. I hope it works out as well as I think it will. So far, Stan really seems to like hanging out in it! And so does Puck! I’ll write a review of the stroller once we use it at Trial this weekend.

One trial in the Books!

Thanks for the support and photo Tammy Morse!

We Did It: Stanley’s First Agility Trial!

Sorry for the delay on this! I just realized I never published it! Next trial in less than two weeks! I think I’m addicted!

Last weekend, Stanley and I completed five runs over two days at our very first agility trial—and we survived! More than that, we had a wonderful time, learned a lot, and even came home with a first-place ribbon, and more importantly, points on our record!

Most of the weekend went about as I expected for a first trial. There were nerves, lots of new things to take in, a few moments that did not go exactly as planned, and plenty of lessons for both of us. But we also managed to earn one qualifying run, or “Q,” which means Stanley earned points toward a future agility title. To make it even more exciting, we took first place in that run!

I am so proud of my little teammate.

A Warm Welcome

One of the biggest things that stood out to me was how fantastic everyone was. What an amazing community!

I walked in on the first morning loaded down with a folding dog crate, treats, blankets, snacks, a chair, and everything else I thought we might possibly need. I am sure I looked like a deer in the headlights as I wandered around searching for a familiar face.

Several people I had never met stopped to say hello and asked how they could help. Everyone was supportive, patient, and kind. That made such a difference, especially when I was feeling a little overwhelmed and trying to figure out how everything worked.

The trial itself was very laid-back and friendly, which made it a wonderful learning environment for a first-timer. I could tell that people genuinely wanted to see one another succeed. it was amazing hearing people I knew and didn’t know cheering for Stanley!

Stanley’s Big Weekend

I was also a little worried about having Stanley measured before the trial. The judge could not have been kinder. He did not even mind when I asked him to remove his baseball hat, since hats can sometimes set Stanley off. That small bit of understanding helped Stanley—and me—feel much more comfortable.

Stanley was excited all day and clearly had a great time. He loves agility, and that enthusiasm definitely came through in the ring. Sometimes, though, his excitement got the best of him. He did not always stay with me, and I had to work hard to call him back and keep him on course.

That is all part of the learning process. We now know we have plenty to work on, especially coming back to me at the end of a run. I definitely do not want to hold up the next team because I cannot get Stanley out of the ring!

Still, I would much rather have a happy, enthusiastic dog who needs to learn a little more focus than a dog who does not enjoy the experience. We will keep building that teamwork one practice at a time.

Lessons and Motivation

I am so glad we went, and I am relieved that the first-trial jitters are behind us. It was a great reminder that trials are not only about ribbons, Qs, or perfect runs. They are also about learning how to handle a new environment, figuring out what skills need more practice, meeting wonderful people, and most important of all – having fun with your dog.

The weekend gave me so much motivation to work harder and level up our skills. We are back in classes, working every day at home, and focusing on the things that will help us become a stronger team.

And we already have more adventures planned: I have signed us up for another trial in October and one more in November.

Team Stanley—we can do this, as long as we keep having fun!

Agility Diaries: One Week to Go!

One week from today, Stanley and I will most likely have finished at least one run of our very first agility trial. I cannot believe it is only a week away. Yikes!

I also cannot believe I signed up for a fourth run. At first, I entered three games and no Standard agility, but then I realized that a Level 1 Standard course should be a very reasonable challenge for us. In class, we are usually working on much harder courses—often Level 5—so adding the excitement, stress, and energy of competition to a Level 1 course feels like something we can attempt.

Of course, we will see if Stan agrees!

Four runs may end up being a little much, but I can always scratch one if he seems tired or overwhelmed. I could also use one of the runs as practice time: get into the ring, work together, and make it a positive experience without putting too much pressure on either of us. We will see how the schedule goes and how we are both feeling.

We had class again last night, but the weather did not cooperate, so we were indoors. It was not Stanley’s best night. He has not been indoors in a while, and I think all the new smells, close quarters, and dogs hanging around near the course were very distracting for him.

His first run was pretty awful, honestly. But after that, he started to figure it out and listened much better. That is what matters. The new start-line routine—simply putting him down and going—is still working fairly well. I would still love to eventually have a reliable start-line stay, but with competition only a week away, I think it is more important to use what is working now. We can keep refining the stay after the trial.

Today there is no class, and it is absolutely beautiful outside. I am hoping to make time this afternoon to set up a small course in the yard and do a little practice. I keep the jumps very low so we can work on focus and discipline without putting unnecessary strain on his little body.

Tomorrow should be a fun adventure. A little roadtrip, and we are going to watch some of our friends compete, which will be great experience for me—and good exposure for Stanley—without asking him to do much physical work. On Sunday, I am hoping to find time for some simple obedience practice.

Then next week, we only have class on Wednesday. Maybe I can get out to the outdoor course for a little practice Thursday evening. Some walks and obedience practice on the off days.

And then Friday… yikes!

Stanley and I are definitely not going into this trial expecting perfection. My goal is to have fun, keep him feeling confident, and hopefully finish at least one run together. Everything else will be a bonus. This first trial is about learning what competition feels like and celebrating how far my little guy has already come.

Agility Diaries: T-Minus 9 Days!

With our first agility trial about two weeks out, it hit me: I should be keeping a journal of our training journey. Probably should’ve started this back at day one, but hey, the next best time is now! I’ve mentioned agility here and there before, but from here on out, this is officially our agility journal.

We had a great class tonight. Only two dogs showed up instead of the usual six, which felt very strange, but it meant extra time in the outdoor ring and some one-on-one coaching.

Stan was fantastic tonight. Not perfect, no, but he was listening, and honestly, that’s all I can ask for. My biggest challenge with Stanley right now is his (non-existent) start line stay. We’ve been working on it in class and at home, setting up one or two jumps and practicing wait, jump, wait, jump. We’re also practicing “wait” without any jumps or obstacles at all. The trouble is, the second we’re in the ring with other dogs and people around, he gets so excited that all he wants to do is run. He forgets to listen and tears around the ring with the zoomies! Fun for him, not so fun for me when I’m trying to direct him through a course.

The thing is, he doesn’t have to have a Start Line Stay to be a good agility dog. Tonight we tried something new: I carried him into the ring, slipped off his collar, and set him down right in front of the first obstacle instead of letting him build up steam beforehand. For the most part, it worked! He took off and followed my direction through the second obstacle and beyond.

We also worked on treats. In training, Stanley gets rewarded constantly, first after every obstacle, then gradually less often. But in competition, no treats are allowed in the ring at all. Tonight, I gave him a treat outside the ring when I picked him up, and then we ran our whole course treat-free until he was done! The one exception: he got distracted and wandered off at one point, so when he came back to me, that earned a treat too, and then we finished the course.

I did some work of my own tonight, too, on handling skills. The big one is being intentional about where I’m pointing and guiding him: leaning down to his level and being crystal clear about where I want him to go, using my body to direct him instead of just my words.

Speaking of words, there are two things I need to work on there. First, being quicker to call out the next obstacle. The moment he commits to one, I need to give him a heads-up on what’s next, because the faster he knows where he’s headed, the faster he can run the course.

Second, my trainer suggested I trim down my commands. I’ve been saying “Go jump” or “Go tunnel,” but really, all Stan needs is “jump” or “tunnel.” Dropping the “go” gets the command to him that much faster. I gave it a try tonight, and it’s going to be a hard habit to break, but I could already tell how much it’ll help, especially once the obstacles get closer together.

We have another class tomorrow night, so our sessions are overlapping for two weeks straight. I’m looking forward to trying all of this again and seeing how it goes.

On Saturday, some of my agility friends are competing in Maine, and I’m planning to go watch. The weather looks great, so Stanley’s coming along too — he’ll get some car-crate practice, a chance to walk around amid all the excitement, and a fun car ride to boot. I can’t wait to watch a trial before we compete ourselves, especially since two of my trainers (and some other friends) will be out there running. Nine days until our first competition, yikes!

Stanley’s New Trial Gear Just Arrived!

Guess who’s got a brand new agility accessory and could not be more excited about it?! Stanley just got his very own custom fleece martingale collar and leash set from Dream Dog Designs, and I am obsessed.

We picked out custom colors just for him, and they even personalized it — so it’s 100% one-of-a-kind, just like my little guy. The fit is perfect (seriously, martingales can be so finicky to get right, but this one is exactly right), and it’s so soft and comfortable for him to wear. The quality is excellent. The fleece is soft, the buckles are smooth and everything is so well put together.

The timing could not be better either, because Stanley’s got his first CPE trial coming up soon, and now he’s going to look as good as he runs. We’ve been putting in the work on our sequences and reverse spins in class, and honestly having gear this cute just makes me even more pumped to get out there with him.

Fake it til you make it… whatever happens at our first trial, Stanley will be looking good!

Sassy, Classy, and BadAssy!

That’s how I’m attacking this upcoming year! Thanks to Skye for the motivation.

I’ve added a bunch of stuff to my eBay listings, there are over a 100 listings now including handmade jewelry, crystal bracelets, and still lots of books. I’m hoping to add some pet products at some point, but still experimenting and learning how it all works.

Cats

The cats are doing well. I am always grateful for the everyday joy that comes with sharing life with them.

Bean’s fur is growing back quickly—possibly a little too quickly for my liking! I am hoping he makes it through the winter without needing another shave, but for now, it is nice to see his coat filling back in.

Puck is, of course, still Puck: sweet, lovable, cuddly, and always ready to make himself comfortable nearby. Some things never change, and that is one of the best things about him.

One thing I need to improve on is brushing their teeth more regularly. It is easy to let little routines slide when everyone seems happy and healthy, but dental care is important too. So that is my reminder to myself: make tooth-brushing a more consistent part of our cat-care routine. If I need motivation, remember the cost of a vet dental cleaning!

Hector

Hector is her usual cranky self. Yesterday, while I was on a Zoom call, she was screaming, whistling, chirping, and banging toys in the background. Thankfully, I do not think anyone else on the call could hear her!

First Agility Trial!

Stanley and I have been working hard, and I officially signed us up for our very first agility trial. I am so excited! My only real goal is to show up and experience what a real trial is like. If we actually finish a class, that will be a wonderful bonus.

It is a three-day trial, and on the first day we are doing three game classes: Jumpers, Colors, and Full House. We are entering the easiest level in each class, and little Stan only has to jump 8 inches.

Jumpers is a set course made up of jumps and tunnels. We will need to complete the course within a certain amount of time—hopefully without going off course, refusing obstacles, or knocking down jumps.

Colors has two courses set up in the arena at the same time. We get to choose which course to complete, which gives us the opportunity to find the one that works best for us.

Full House sounds like it will be especially fun. There will be a variety of obstacles set up around the arena, but no assigned course. Each obstacle is worth a different number of points, and we will need to earn a set point total within the allotted time. A jump might be worth one point, while an A-frame or weave poles could be worth five points. A tunnel or tire jump may be worth three points. We can choose the order in which we do the obstacles, so if Stan decides a tunnel sounds more appealing than a jump, that is completely fine—as long as we meet the requirements!

I have also signed us up for another Jumpers class on the third day. I am thinking it might be good to give Stanley a day of rest and then return to the trial atmosphere while it is still fresh in his little mind. Of course, I can always skip the Sunday class if he seems like he needs a break.

Back to agility class tonight! We will be doing lots of practicing over the next few weeks as we get ready for our first competition.

How’s your summer going? What are you doing to keep your pets busy and engaged? Let me know!

Exciting News!

It’s time to declutter! I’ve been going through my house and selling off a bunch of books and other items. It all started a couple of months ago when I had to pay for two cat dentals in less than two months. Needed some extra cash, and selling off a bunch of stuff I wasn’t using seemed like a good ideaand, I discovered that I’m enjoying reselling!

Finding items, photographing, listing, packaging and mailing. It’s been fun, so I’m going to keep doing it!

I’m mentioning it here because the name of my business is now PetMomma’s Picks! You can find me on ebay.

Right now there is a huge variety of books out there, Stephen King, horse books, and just novels. Feel free to take a look!

Sales are going to help fund my pet expenses and new obsession with Agility, and I’m donating part of my sales to my local animal shelter 😉 Hoping to add more pet related products as time goes on. What would you like to see me selling?

Saying Goodbye, a Sick Pup, and a Tricky Cat: Never a Dull Moment

Happy 4th of July!

A little sad news to start today’s post: I lost my bearded dragon last week. She’d been slowing down for months, pickier about food, sleeping more, and less active, and I knew she was getting up there in age. I got her about eight years ago when she was already around five. I’ll miss her watching me work and tapping on the glass whenever she wanted to come out.

Stanley picked up kennel cough while boarding during my daughter’s wedding, so he had to sit out our 4th of July trip. He’s doing fine now, and thankfully a friend stayed at the house to take care of him and the rest of the pets, I think she enjoyed the relaxing weekend. His quarantine ends this week, so we’re excited to get back to agility after missing two classes.

Hector seems happy the foster bird went back to the shelter, though I’ll admit I loved watching the two of them interact.

The cats are doing okay. Bean’s haircut is growing in nicely. My son’s cat’s urinary issues have flared up again: he’s peed on a new bed and the couch several times despite closed doors and a tarp. It’s rough since he’s such a sweet cat, but we may need to try anxiety medication. For now it’s back on the calming prescription food.

Never a dull moment!

Agility and the Foster Bird

What a day! I volunteered with my new Dog Agility Club at a local charity dog walk today, and it was such a fun but exhausting day. Stanley and I got there early to help set up, then spent time walking around the park, checking out the exhibits, and meeting lots of dogs and people. Stanley did really well with all the excitement — even after an unexpected little escape from his crate when I went to give him water! Thankfully, I stayed calm, caught up with the little rascal, and after that he stayed in his crate with his leash on.

We ran the agility obstacles a few times, and after a few wild loops at first, Stanley settled in and really started listening. The crowd loved watching him fly through the weave poles, and he sailed through all 12 like a pro. On our second run, he listened even better and we practiced some serpentines too. I had so much fun watching the other dogs, helping new people try the obstacles, and chatting with everyone. I’m so proud of my boy — great day all around!

Another bird update: one of the foster birds is still with us for a little while longer. The lovebirds have already gone, but the shelter still isn’t bird-safe yet, so I agreed to keep the little Senegal parrot a bit longer. He really isn’t too much trouble, and it’s definitely easier having just him here instead of him and the lovebirds together.

Warmer Weather and Wagging Tails

Warmer weather has officially arrived, and Stanley is very happy about it. If there is a patch of sunlight anywhere in the house or yard, he plans to be lying directly in it. Honestly, I get it.

We’ve also been taking LOTS of walks around the neighborhood lately, which has been really good for both of us. Stanley loves exploring, sniffing absolutely everything, and soaking up the sunshine. I love getting outside more and enjoying the longer days.

We are still taking agility classes and really enjoying them. Last week, I helped the agility club put together the outdoor agility course for the season. Stanley got to come along and wait in his crate while we built everything, and then he became the very first dog to practice on the course for the year.

Running outside on a full-size course is so different from indoor practice. The obstacles feel huge out there! I was honestly a little intimidated by the full-height dog walk, but Stanley didn’t hesitate for even a second. He marched right up like he owned the place. He also absolutely loves the full-size A-frame and seems very proud of the view from the top.

We went back earlier this week to practice again, and… well… it was not Stanley’s best night.

He was very distracted by all the smells in the ring, and keeping his attention was definitely a challenge. We did successfully do the dog walk a few times, and he even went up the teeter! Unfortunately, I think he thought the teeter was the dog walk and just ran straight up it. Thankfully I was close enough to grab it before it slammed down. The last thing I want is for him to get scared of it.
Eventually, I got tired of him ignoring me, clipped the leash back on, walked him over a few simple obstacles, and called it a day. It was hot, and honestly, that was enough for both of us.

The good news is that class last night went really well. Stanley was focused, listening, and working nicely. I was actually the slower half of the team this time with my handling! He’s really starting to understand things.

I think for the summer, I may pause formal classes for a bit and focus more on obedience work and a few small agility exercises at home. We still have access to the outdoor course for practice, and I’d also like to make some trips to the dog park to work around distractions.

As for the rest of the pets…

The dragon worried me a little recently. She was acting quiet, wasn’t eating much, and just seemed “off” for a few days. Then she disappeared into her little cave hide for basically an all-day nap, came back out, and suddenly seemed completely normal again. At this point, I honestly don’t know how old she is, but she definitely isn’t young anymore.

The foster birds are all still here too. They’re cute and everything, but I’m definitely ready for them to move on to their next homes. They’ve completely taken over my downstairs craft desk area, and I would really love my space back.
The little Senegal parrot is adorable, but having him out loose is complicated because Stanley gets jealous and wants to chase him around. Between dogs, birds, reptiles, agility equipment, and crates everywhere, the house really does feel like a zoo sometimes.

We’re planning to visit family over the 4th of July and bring Stanley along for the adventure. Hopefully he behaves himself and enjoys the outing.

What are your summer plans with your pets? Any trips, adventures, classes, or favorite warm-weather activities?