Spryte's first agility trial

Last weekend was Spryte's very first agility trial and I am pleased to say that it went very well.  She Q'd in 6/8 runs and handled all the distractions like a pro. 

As always in agility the mistakes were mostly mine.  I forgot to tell her "bottom" on her dogwalk and teeter and that resulted in some pretty impresive flyoffs.  Snooker was a challenge and I didn't keep her focused enough on me, a dog like that just HAS to take equipment.  Keeping her off of stuff is practically impossible.

It is such an adjustment going back and forth between Strider and Spryte.  On the Saturday I was in sync with Spryte and we passed 4 out of 4 runs, while Strider and I were not in sync and only passed one out of 4.  Spryte I can trust to take stuff, she has wonderful commitment to obstacles and great distance.  Strider has better handler focus and will easily pull off of equipment if I dont support it and drive him right to it. So remembering which dog I have, who I need to stop on contacts, who I need to drive to obstacles, who needs closer handling, was my biggest challenge of the weekend. 

Sunday I had Strider figured out again and we passed 4/4, but then Spryte and I where not as connected and only passed 2.  The balance is coming and hopefully a few more trials and I'll have them both figured out.  This coming weekend Spryte and I will be at the 2x4 trial.  Just her, so it should be a bit easier for me. I'm looking forward to it and maybe she'll even get that last leg for her ADC title.

On another note, I had a phone call yesterday from a lady with a sheltie bitch who does agility.  She is looking to breed her girl but hasn't settled on a stud dog yet.  Asking around she had several people tell her to find out who Spryte's sire was.  What a great compliment!  I'm so excited that at only 18 months and limited showing in performance sports she has already impressed several people with her ability and athletisism.  I love the Dynstar shelties and I have been impressed with so many of Leane's dogs, and I think it's great that other people are discovering her dogs too. It would be so wonderful to see more Dynstar dogs in the performance sports. They really are natural atheletes.