Kim getting ready

Watching Hanna

Hanna and Rosco get start line instruction

Swindle is not a barking dog (according to Swindle)

Dana and Tangle

Rhea and Sarah

Beginning jump training

Dana helps Mojo with a one-jump drill

Waiting for their turn

Agility to Sleep By

www.youtube.com/v/9n2qV6V0t3I?fs=1&hl=en_US">

Running at the speed of dreaming.

Or the way you hope it will be after the mortal race is through. Forever perfect. Even imperfections burnished by the lushness of eternal time.

I'm continually spellbound by the amazing little films being posted by this Czech agility film maker, Michal Vokrouhlik. The term "agility video" just doesn't seem to cover it.

Dog's lives are so short. And this one makes me think of how it will be someday when we rejoin the ones we have lost.

In memory of Tory.

Welcome to the Dana Pike Seminar 10/29

New! Help your dog master weaves and contacts at the Dana Pike Contacts and Weaves half day seminars, Oct. 29, 2011 at Town and Country Kennel Club in Bloomington, Illinois. Private lessons on Oct. 30. Get the details here. Download registrations forms at www.tckc.org.

Samurai's first match

Notorious no longer (at least for today).

We bundled up our courage and took Samurai to his first ever agility match away from his home base. Samurai can be unpredictable (to say the least). So I only signed him up for two runs only…just in case. Should not have worried. Although he did have to give stink eye to some of his newfound BC crating companions, he maintained his cool. Went into the ring like he’d been doing it for years. Ran the course clean.

Second time, we ran it sans reinforcers. He didn’t miss them. Ran fast AND clean. He’s still clearly a green dog and has lots of room to build confidence. But he paid attention (big victory) and really seemed to care about doing his job well. Stayed connected with handling throughout and came off the course without breaking a sweat. Surprisingly enough, he actually reminded me of the first time I entered the ring with another out-of-the-box cool customer -- Samurai’s Uncle Taylor (who walked into his first Novice Agility ring at no less than McCormick place and performed as if he owned it).

People who know us know that getting Sam to this point was not easy, and there were days when I honestly believed he would never work off leash. Would never get over his extreme reactivity. Would never run in his floaty, graceful way outside an empty room. Would seriously even survive his bent for thrill-seeking, hair pulling danger during his first year and a half. But thanks to lots of effort, and the support of some wonderful, supportive people, he seems to be crossing the threshold.

I feel that even if Samurai does nothing else in his life, we’ve been able to share at least this one day of victory. I look forward to whatever else is to come.

18th QQ to PAX2

Taylor packs away one more QQ

to the next big title

It's gone a little slower this time, but still not too bad. After a crash on the dogwalk at a trial last July, I had Taylor checked out and discovered he is developing a cataract and also some arthritis in the knee that he had surgery on several years ago.

I always knew that the curtain on his performance career would be coming down a little early, but now that I'm actually seeing the writing on the wall, it just has not been easy.

Mainly because mentally, he's not ready to retire. He's still loves, LOVES, going into the ring. He's happy and just lit up like it was his best ever birthday every time he sees those ring gates.

Not sure why he's like that, or how he got to be that way, but he just is and it's just the best thing when he's like that. He dances around, wiggles his behind and kitten pats after his treat. Just THRILLED to totally be there.

Always comes straight out of the box like that, full and dead accurate, my little Precision Clockwork Mouse.

It's no secret he's covered for me plenty of times all these past years. Now, I'm helping him too.

Giving him lots and lots more verbals. Talking to him all the way through the tunnels. They can get pretty long and dark for a little dog that can't see very well in dim light.

I point out each and every contact approach, and instead of sending, stay with him every step of the way.

This seems to do the trick for now, but who knows for how much longer. Until then, I enjoy each and every golden opportunity I have to run with this brilliant little dog.

To have had the kind of seamless communication, trust and bond that we've had working together is something that not everyone has the joy of experience, whether human or animal.

For this, I will always feel fortunate.

EO2010 Liberec SLOW MOTION VIDEO "SPECIAL REVERSE EDITION"

Taking it back.

If you've ever fallen on a course. If you've ever had a dog that turned too hard or injured itself in training or competition. If you've ever wished you could take it all back, this video is for you. Posted by BlahGolfIV as part of a series of videos taken in HD at the 2010 European Open and shown in dramatic slow motion. This time, slowed down AND played backwards.

A version of this would be nice, wound back all the way to puppyhood. Or to a time when we all could run faster and more free. Enjoy.

Slow Motion Video of Dogs Competing in Rain

This is just a phenomenal piece of video posted recently from European competition. It highlights both how committed and driven some dogs can be, and also what a toll slipping and falling takes on a dog's body. It's easy to blink and miss this stuff when you see it happen in real time, but the slow motion capture in this video brings it home big time. Warning: turn down the sound if you don't like hard metal music.

Slow motion video brings home

the impact of slippery conditions.