Was it a success or a failure?

Hi! It's Cinnamon.

Sorry I had a long break from blogging again. I repeatedly asked Mum to help me post something but all she did was say "Yes, I will when I have time". But, finally she had some time to help me today.

Well, l meant to post a video of a new trick every month, but Mum was not cooperative enough, and neither of us learned any new cool tricks last month. So, today I will show you something we tried for the first time instead.

Have you heard of Rally Freestyle Elements (also called Rally FrEe)? If you know Rally Obedience (also called Rally-O) and Canine Freestyle (also called Paws n Music or Heelwork to Music), you could guess what it is like.

Rally-O

In Rally-O you need to do exercises described in signs placed around a course. In Canine Freestyle you dance (do tricks) to music. Rally FrEe is something like a fusion of both. You are required to do exercises described in signs at stations on a course, but the exercises are more like dance moves and you will do them to music. There are also Free Choice stations, where you can do any move of your choice. Also, in Rally-O you don't only need to do every exercise correctly but also finish the course as quickly as you can. But, in Rally FrEe your run is not timed, although you may want to finish it before your music finishes of course.

Mum was very interested in this new dog sport but didn't have a chance to do it until recently. In early March our dog dancing team ChoreDOGraphy Connection and a few other people and dogs did Rally FrEe for the first time in New Zealand as a demonstration at a Rally-O Championship held in Mangawhai. Because it was a demonstration, we had been given the course a few weeks in advance so that we could practise before demonstrating in front of an audience (Normally the course is given to competitors a week before the competition so that they can decide what moves they will do at Free Choice stations). However, Mum was very lazy as always and we didn't practise it to music at all until the demonstration. So, now you can guess how it went, can't you?

Well, Mum says that I was very naughty, but I think I did well, considering the lack of practise. At least I really enjoyed it!! Here is a video of it. (The music stopped in the middle of the run because of flat battery but never mind!)

I think you can see how much fun I was having doing it. What do you think? Was it a success or a failure?

New Tricks 2014 - Jumping on Mum's feet

Hi! It's Cinnamon.

It's time to show another new trick I have learnt recently.

My new trick is "Jumping on Mum's feet"! What do you think I do in this trick? How could I jump on Mum's feet? Do you think it is something similar to so-called "Cop Cop" trick? No, this is something different.

I will give you a hint. Look at this picture. This is how I finish my new trick.

Now do you know what I do in this new trick? See if you guessed it right!

We are going to learn more new tricks, so stay tuned!!

Mint has got a girlfriend!!

Hi! It's Cinnamon!!

Yes, you got it right. It's true that Mint has got a girlfriend for the first time in his life!

Well, if you have been following our blog, you may already know the girl. In my first post of the year I wrote about her. Do you remember that Mint performed with a twelve-year-old girl in a Paws n Music (dog dancing) competition last October. Her name is Amy. Last month Amy and Mint set out for a new adventure together! They made a debut as a handler/dog pair at an agility trial!! Amy had never attended any agility classes, so it was a big challenge for her!

After the dog dancing competition last October, Mum asked Amy if she was interested in doing agility with Mint too, and her answer was yes. So, at our dog training club Mum asked an agility instructor if she could let Amy have a run on a course with Mint just for a try, and it went really well, so Mum entered Mint with Amy in an agility competition in January.

However, because there was a long summer break, they didn't have a chance to practise agility at the dog training club before their first competition. So, instead, Mum invited Amy to do some practise in our backyard. They had two short practise sessions in our small backyard. When she came, we also had some fun doing silly things like this!

Their first agility competition took place over the last weekend of January. Amy and Mint had two runs, all in the Jumpers C class, each day. On Saturday their first run went really well! It didn't went clear only because Mint knocked off one rail. Their second run didn't go as well as the first one, because Mint started sniffing. On Sunday in their first run Mint started moving before Amy gave him a cue to start, so she missed a chance to give him a command for the first couple of jumps. However, they did really well for the rest of the course. In their second run of the day Mint got naughty again and took off to check out something outside the ring not once but twice!

Although they didn't get a clear round in their first competition, I think Amy did really well!!!! As I said, she had never been to any agility classes. Nevertheless, she handled Mint really nicely as you can see in this video of their first run on Sunday. Well done Amy!!

Last week Amy and Mint attended an agility class together for the first time, where they did really well. I look forward to seeing them running together in their next competition, which is going to be a ribbon trial in early March.

New Tricks 2014 - Stacking

Hi! It's Cinnamon!

Do you remember that we took on the One New Trick A Month Challenge in 2012? It was a lot of fun to learn new tricks throughout the year. Last year we were so busy that we couldn't repeat the challenge, but this year we are going to learn more new tricks!

This is the first one we learned this year! (Well, it took me more than two years to learn it though (^_^;) )

Hope you enjoyed watching this new video of our new trick. Stay tuned for more new tricks!!!

Lure coursing at the Counties Dog Training Club

Hi! It's Cinnamon.

As many of you know, both Mint and I love lure coursing. It's exciting and so much fun!

Last Saturday a lure coursing event was held at the Counties Dog Training Club which Mint and I belong to for agility. It was the first ever lure coursing held at the club. We have been doing lure coursing at the Hound Racing Club since our puppyhood, but it was the first time that we participated in lure coursing at any other places.

It was the perfect weather for lure coursing, with some clouds and gentle breeze. At the beginning of the event we were all grouped into three sizes, Maxi, Midi, and Mini, and then each group was divided into smaller groups of three or four dogs. At the Hound Racing Club Mint and I always run together in the same group but this time we were placed in separate groups, because humans wanted us to lead other dogs in our groups, as most dogs had no experience in lure coursing and might not get the idea of what they were supposed to do.

The coursing started at a quarter to nine. Actually I didn't know what we were there for until I saw the first group start running in the course, but, as soon as I realised what they were doing, I got very excited and couldn't help barking! I don't understand why Mint could stay calm and quiet!

Cinnamon

Mint

On the day both Mint and I had two runs. Mint ran in the group before mine, but he was so stupid!! He lost the sight of the lure and got lost at the start!! Unlike at the Hound Racing Club where the lure is always in the dogs' sight, the lure was placed behind the dogs at the start. So, when Mum said 'Go', he turned around, trying to see the lure, and lost the sight of the lure which had already started moving forward! Silly Beagle!

Mint, why can't you position yourself facing in the right direction?

Mint finally found the lure, when the leading doggie was at the the first quarter of the course, and cut across the course to be back in the course just before the leading doggie.

"I am joining in!"

Mint cheated and joined the race halfway in the course.

Of course, I made a good fast start without losing the sight of the lure. But, well, I have to admit that I was clever enough to cut across the corners to take over the lure and waited for it to catch up with me.

Cinnamon cutting across a corner

Cinnamon waiting for the lure

In total 38 dogs participated in the coursing. Here are some photos of other doggies.

Are they Kangaroos?

Very focused!!

His mind must be running way before himself!!

Shanti  is smiling.

Quick is really quick!

Ha ha!!

Scooter is too obedient to run away from his mum.

It was so much fun!! I can't wait to go to the next coursing wherever it is, at the Hound Racing Club, at the Counties Dog Training Club, or anywhere else!