Training

So last week our Tempest instructor got stuck in traffic and couldn't make it to class. The make up session was this past Sunday. Well, I guess nobody else could make it (not even our instructor) so it was just us and Jenn Crank. If you don't know Jenn you are missing out. Jenn is AMAZING and has been on the USA World Agility team and she coached the world team this past year with her mom Susan. Jenn owns the training facility Tempest goes to. Since nobody showed up for our class we got a one hour private session with Jenn! It was SO cool. Dadster was kind of nervous and kept messing some things up, BOL. But the session was awesome. Tempest worked the entire hour. Jenn asked what we needed to work on and told her about how Tempie is scared of moving objects and noise. So Jenn evaluated her and tested her on some things that moved but didn't make any sounds and guess what Tempie did them just perfect! So we learned that Tempie isn't scared of the movement it is the noise. We told Jenn we have been working on dropping pans, popping bags, stomping feet, etc. to get Tempest used to sounds. She told us that you want a dog who reacts to the noises what you're looking for is the "bounce back" after it is over. Tempest didn't seem to be horrible at the bounce back factor. Jenn told us that Bokeh's confidence will actually help Tempest as well. The session was just amazing and we learned so many new things. Tempest did a sequence of 3 obstacles, table, tunnel, tunnel and was having a blast doing it. Jenn seems to think that Tempest is going to be right on the border of jumping either 16" or 20". We are hoping she jumps 16" but we will see. Jenn said we may need to work on some training to get Tempest to stand the right way when being measured to make that happen. She told us the judges don't like to let border collies in the 16" class and will try to measure them up to 20". We have some great trainers on our side to help us through each process though.