Saturday August 26th 2006 - team practice (inside BF)

(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)

Not much room inside so did some "runs" with just one jump. Did some turns without the eavestrough but as soon as we tried it with the ball, she cheated by only putting her hands on the box. Also, Jenn tried sending her while I boxloaded. For the first time I tried calling her while she ran to the box and it really seemed to give her more power, but it was hard to tell if she was actually running faster or not since there was hardly any running room. It will be fun to try that at the Training Hall where there's so much more room. A few times while I boxloaded for her with the ball, she turned around and looked at me after getting the ball as if to say, "Look, I got it, see? Aren't you gonna give me a treat?" but when she remembered that Jenn was the one doling out the treats she got the hang of it again.

Saturday August 19th 2006 - team practice (outside)

(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)

Started with boxwork, warming up to full runs. She was clumsy with the ball a few times but overall did well. "Passing" while doing full runs with Sammy went well too, but we did it mostly with Lucy first, then Sammy. Later on, for the first time, I tried being the boxloader while Jenn ran Lucy from two jumps back. The first time she did the turn but then stayed at the box, looking at me for treats (I hadn't put a ball that time). The second time I added the ball and she did better. By the third time (with ball again) she had it figured out that Jenn was the one treating her and she didn't so much as look at me. I didn't say a word to Lucy as she ran to the box today so as not to confuse her too much, but next time I'll try calling her to get her speed up towards the box. Did a bit of distraction work by having her do recalls while Tashtego was doing boxwork in the other lane. Also we had some new people there today including a boy who helped out and did some boxloading, which Lucy was totally comfortable with.

Saturday August 12th 2006 - team practice (outside)

(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)

Today was the team's first practice with our second set of jumps! Lucy did several full runs (now with all four jumps) with box sprung. I will make a point of doing two or three warm-up turns before bringing in the jumps and ball since she does much better that way. We ran out of time so didn't do any other exercises today. After practice our team went to watch some flyball in Carp. I got Lucy to do some sits, downs, and other stuff to get her focus while all the competing dogs were barking, to get her used to working with all that noise. She's pretty easygoing and doesn't seem bothered by the noise. I ballshagged for one race while Lucy hung out with Abby and barked. Thanks to Tim, here are some fun photos of Lucy at today's practice:

A little awkward at first...


Getter better...


After a few warm-up runs, now she's really into it.


On the box (this might have been a warm-up run with no ball)


Got the ball, now back over the four jumps to go get her reward for a job well done!

Thursday August 10th 2006 - lesson with Claire at another outside venue Lucy had never been to before

(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)

I am so proud of Lucy! Today we had a flyball lesson at another place she's never been to before, in the country, outside, unfenced. As soon as she saw the box and the jumps and realized she was going to get to play flyball, she got all happy and excited. We started with some boxwork, using a slant board instead of eavestrough, did two or three turns with no jumps or ball, then quickly progressed to full runs (3 jumps, 4th as wing) with springloaded box. She was so excited to be playing flyball, leaning into my hands as I held her back before releasing, and we both had so much fun. Then we did some work towards passing with Sammy, with one dog doing a run and on the recall actually running past the next dog who was being held and then sent after the first dog finished passing. This is a great exercise to get Lucy comfortable with another dog running past her and it went well. NOT ONCE during the whole lesson did she make any false starts, go offcourse to sniff this or that, or miss any jumps. Sure she was a bit clumsy with the ball at the box sometimes, but I can live with that seeing as she did so great with everything else. Fun fun fun!

Also, recently came across a piece called "Learning to Fly" by Marisa Coppage. The second last paragraph really sums up how I feel about flyball. It is so well written that I thought I would include it here:

The heart of flyball is not about points, titles, ribbons, or even world records. It is not about breeding or training for success and it is not about playing to win. It is not about form, or method, or speed. The heart of flyball is about an entire crowd of people stopping what they are doing to cheer a dog on. It is about a little dog who does her very best to get a ball and bring it back to her person because for some odd reason that makes her person happy. It is about stopping on the way home to share a scoop of vanilla, because, win or lose, you both did your best and you both deserve it. It is about getting to spend one more day in this short lifetime with a dog who makes your world complete.

Almost enough to bring a tear to your eye, no? :^D

Monday August 7th 2006 - team practice with Pam at outside venue Lucy had never been to before

Hooray! Despite all the exotic and enticing country smells, she didn't run off following her nose! That in itself was a huge test for Lucy and I'm thrilled she passed it. The tasty and smelly treats I brought did their job. We did a few turns without ball, then brought in the ball. She fumbled the first one but then did some good turns. Pam suggests putting a board (an eavestrough will do), straight out like a wall, on the right side of the box to help tighten her turn.

Saturday August 5th 2006 - team practice (outside)

(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)

Started with boxwork, had someone hold her back and I would race her to and back from the box to get her to run faster, but it's not working too well because I'm not exactly fast myself! She was a bit clumsy and dropped the ball a couple of times when the box was unpsrung. Then we did full runs with Sammy (three jumps only, fourth as wing), where as soon as one dog finished and was focused on their handler then the other dog would go. I noticed Lucy is more eager now to go and do her run, and I didn't have to ease her into it by adding more jumps one at a time. Then we did two-lane passing with Emily, the two lanes now only two feet apart, and the dogs were released simultaneously, passing in the middle. I noticed Lucy look briefly at Emily but she came straight to me, good dog! (The other times we did passing exercises, the dogs were released more or less one at a time, so this was new for her.)

Thursday August 3rd 2006 - home practice

(Backfilled in October 2009 due to impending closure of Geocities)

Have been practicing for 5-10 minutes every day this week since had the box at home, putting a jump 15 feet back from the box and springloading it. Either she's just had a good week or she has really improved in terms of getting her coordination and not accidentally dropping the ball and having it get all tangled in the jump/wing. In fact I don't think she's dropped it once all week. Also, if I practice with Walter beforehand she gets jealous so she's really excited when it's finally her turn, and she really pushes forward against me when I hold her back before sending her. Here's a photo of her getting the ball.