Here Chicky, Chicky, Chicky...

This is a video of practicing the "hock with distraction". At a Road Trial, the "hock with distraction" exercise is where Crosby must remain at hock while we pass a hiker with another dog on leash. I don't have anyone to walk by with a strange dog to help me practice, so on this day we hocked past the cat and the chickens. The video was taken a few weeks ago.

DAY 41 (Sunday): A day of rest! I woke up late and didn’t even have time to take the dogs on a walk. This was a planned day of rest, anyway. When building endurance, the muscles need rest days to build muscle tissue.

DAY 42 (Monday, October 12, 2009): I walked the dogs at 5:30 AM in the dark. It was about 25 degrees outside, warmer than I expected. Crosby practiced one sit-stay with distractions. Again, he did not hold the sit for the entire minute while I waved my arms, etc. After one correction, however, he stayed for the full 2 minutes. After work I saddled Pate and we rode for about 3 miles. We practiced the judged exercises right “out of the gate”. Crosby did well in the hock (although he still forges) and the recall, and we had a GREAT speed, but on the stay, he got up almost immediately (as I moved the horse away). I did not re-command; I just quietly got off of the horse, calmly approached Crosby (who was standing), and grabbed his “tab” on his collar and gave a firm correction. After that, he did stay for a full minute and a half (all I required). Later, we practiced the stay again, and he stayed a full minute; then I moved the horse around behind him, and that was too much – he got up. I re-commanded, and he sat back down (positioning himself so he could see me). I feel we are making good progress here, but I will have to keep up the practicing with distractions, just to make him more solid on the sit. It was about 34° when we rode; the dogs were not bothered at all by the cold.

Mileage: about 4