Gem's progress 2...

     I started seriously training Gem in agility a few months ago. I needed to wait for her to be ready. It has taken time, lots of time. She is still immature, but I see flashes of what the grown-up Gem will look like every now and then. Gem is in no hurry. I have learned to step back and wait her out. This has not been easy for me. She isn't one to be pushed. She is a thinker. She needs to know how things work and tick before she commits. She isn't impulsive and she isn't one to be drilled. Early on, I tried to push her too hard too fast and I paid the price. She shut down and disconnected. Lesson learned. When I signed her up for a 2 hour workshop and she stayed focused and happy, I knew she was ready for real training again.

     So, I began again, only slowly and methodically and allowed her to set the pace. For some things, she likes to learn them quickly, for others, not so much. When I first tried to teach her weave poles, I tried the 2x2 method. I became frustrated with the lack of progress and her unwillingness to offer behaviors. I then tried the channel method, which was an epic failure as well. I stopped teaching her weaves again. What I realized was that she wasn't ready for this particular skill yet. So I focused on other skills and behaviors instead. Eventually, I went back to the 2x2 method, using Mary Ellen Barry's twist on it, which made more sense to me. With the guidance of Gem's instructor Donna Rohaus, we dove back into this method. It has taken several months, but she is finally doing 12 weaves with speed and drive.

     Her jumping foundations are coming along too. She easily gets bored with too much repetition, so I break it up with tugging and retrieving sessions. The lessons she has taught me have been hard won. She isn't like the boys. She is thoughtful, soft and sensitive. The boys are not any of these things, at least in agility. I can see her joy in jumping now, no longer tentative, but joyful and driven. I love that.

     Gem is being taught a running A-frame. At times, I think I'm crazy. I'm about to be 50 years old and a triathlete I am not. Her zest for learning this is infectious. She IS getting it and hits it more times now than not. As I have never taught this before, her missing it really doesn't bother me. She is figuring this out and I am so enjoying the process. I just hope I can keep up with her.

     I recently entered her into a few classes in Level 1 in a CPE trial. We still have lots of things to work on, but this showed me that I was on the right track in her training. She did qualify in several classes and got some ribbons, but that really wasn't the important part. The best was that she was happy, not stressed and having a great time playing the game with me.

     For now, it is back to training. I plan on running her in November in a few more CPE trials and maybe launching her into USDAA and ASCA too. More than anything, I want to enjoy the ride with her. I want her to stay happy. Titles don't really mean anything right now. Her enjoyment and confidence are my goals. The other stuff will come in time. I know that now. Gem is on her own timetable and I'm along for the ride. I plan on enjoying the journey with her...

A smiling, happy Gem