DAY 50- ONLY ONE DAY OF REAL TRAINING LEFT!

DAY 50 (Tuesday, October 20, 2009):
This morning when I got up it was pouring rain. We walked (on the flexi) anyway (1.3 miles). We practiced one 2-minute stay. We walked in the dark and came back looking like a muddy mess. Crosby got dried off and then I was off to work.

After work, the rain had stopped, so I was able to ride. We rode for a little over an hour. The temp was probably about 45°. The trail was muddy. I asked for obedience “right out of the starting gate”, as usual. We practiced all the exercises, all in a row, with “down time” in between, just like what might happen at a Road Trial. I also gave no treats until all exercises were completed (although I did give lots of praise between and sometimes during the exercises). Crosby performed each exercise very, very well. A little forging on the hock; a little whining on the stay; but these are just points off. His condition is also good, and his conditioning seems to have paid off. I am just so thrilled with his progress.

I can honestly say that I feel just as comfortable with Crosby “off-leash” as I do with my own dogs. He responds to my commands all the time. Of course, the Road Trial will be a new location with new distractions, so we will see, but I am confident he understands what I want of him, and he wants to please me. MILEAGE: about 5

Perfect Hock!

This is a video taken on day 47 of the Hock exercise with Crosby (red collar, closest to camera), and Rad. It's a beautiful example of what Dalmatians do best!

I forgot to remove the "tab" (piece of rope) from Crosby's collar, so it is swinging while he gaits, and it probably affects his front action, but this is a lovely video of the hock exercise.
Video taken in my front hay field, in front of the house in Crane, Montana.

DAY 49: Training walk on the flexi in AM in the dark. After work it was off to the vet for a health certificate. Then it rained until dark, and it was a cold rain, so I decided not to saddle the horse. I did stop at the park in town in the rain with Crosby, and we practiced some quick heeling, come, and stay in the rain in a new location. MILEAGE: 1.3

SPEED! Keep up with a galloping horse? Not a problem!

This is a video taken Saturday, Day 47. It shows Crosby (red collar, closest to the camera), and Rad practicing the "Speed" exercise. Obviously, Crosby has no problem keeping up with a galloping horse!

SNOW! (Well, a little snow...)

This is a video of Day 45, the day we rode for 9 miles in preparation for the Road Trial. It was a cold day, and the cold turned into snow before we got done. I actually cut the ride short a little due to the weather. As you can see in the video, however, the cold does not seem to bother Crosby, as long as we keep moving!

DAY 44 (Wednesday, Oct. 14):
I walked the dogs in the AM, but didn’t have time to ride after work. We practiced sit-stays (2 minutes), random recalls, and heeling. Mileage: 1

Day 45: (Thursday, Oct. 15):
No school today, so I was able to ride. My goad was a good long ride; perhaps nearing the 12 mile distance. I walked the dogs in the morning, so that was about 1 mile. Then I mounted up Shadow for a long ride with Crosby and Rad. We went out to Gartside Reservoir, and then 3 or so miles up the canal road, and another mile up some dirt road, and back again. It started snowing on us about an hour into the ride. The snow then turned to rain, which is worse (if you don’t have raingear). I was not dressed for rain, so we headed home. Crosby practiced several recalls (staying recalls and free-run recalls), and several hock exercises, and three sit-stays ( two minutes each). He was PERFECT in every one. It was a good ride. The mileage we did today was a lot, but I needed to do it today, because I may not get another chance for high mileage before the Road Trial, and if I’m going to do “high” mileage, I need to do it at least 5 to 7 days before the actual Road Trial. Then a day of rest. Then “maintenance” mileage until the trial. MILEAGE: 8 or 9.

DAY 50 (Friday, Oct. 16): Crosby gets a rest today for muscle building. We walked in the morning (1.3 miles), and we practice stays. MILEAGE: 1.3

This is a video of riding in the Seven Sisters forest. It shows how close Crosby stays, even without a command.

DAY 43

DAY 43 (Tuesday, October 13, 2009): No walk in AM. Horse ride after work. Windy and cold, but above freezing. Successful 2 minute stay on the first try. Great hock, great speed, great stay. Crosby wouldn’t leave for a recall, but he did come quickly to hock when I called him from about 15 feet away. Later I made him stay for a recall. He wouldn’t stay at first, but performed a perfect stay-recall the second try.
Mileage: 4

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