Bella & agility

Lydnad / Obedience:

Agility

6.10. Vi har tränad lydnad igen. Bella gör bra alla "gamla" rörelser (tex. följning, inkallande). Som nya rörelser vi har börjat att träna ställande och platsläggande under gång. Bella gör allt med glädja och med sviffande "svans". Hon älskar att arbeta med mig ! / We have been training obedeince lately after a pause during the summer months. bella is good with heeling work. She keeps a steady contact and follows rigth by my side. She does a good recall: first in front of men and from there to my side. As new stuff we have started lying down on movement and staying on movement. Bella does everything gladly ! She just loves to work with me ! A lovely little doggy !

22.4. Vi tränade lynad i en grupp idag. Vi gjorde korta övningar (tex. följning, inkallande) och sen jag prisade henne mycket. Hon var ganska duktig idag ! / Our obedience training group trained today for the first time this spring. We did small things: we split every movement into smaller parts and practised them separately. And I rewarded the dog amply after she had done well. Bella was working with a good attitude and she tried to figure out what I wanted of her. We trained a bit of heeling work, basic positioning by my leg, down stay and recall. Quite nice. And the contact was GREAT !!! She is such a clever girl !

26.1. Igen lydnadsträning ! Vi tränade följning, vändningar och plastliggande. / Again obedience training ! We did heelwork, turns to rigth and left, full turn left and laying down.

19.1. I års första träning. Vi tränade följning, också i trav. Vi tränade också en vändning till vänster för den är den svaraste för oss för Bella brukar att gå framför mig. Vi tränade också inkallande. Hon kommer först till mig, sittter framför mig och går till min sida från där. Hon är duktig med denna övning nu ! Vi tränade också platsliggande. Hon var ganska duktig idag. / I trained obedience with Bella for the first time this year. We did heeling work and turn to the left, which is the most difficult turn for her since she tends to place herself in front of me so it is not easy for her to trun left from that position. We trained recall which she has learned quite well by now ! She runs to me, sits in front of me and from there she goes to my side and sits down. Good girl ! We have also started to train lying down. She is by my side still. But the next step is for me to move in front of her and then gradually back away from her. Bella was a good girl yesterday. She trained well even though my friend was training agility with her dogs at the same time at the manége.

2007

10.11. Vi tränade lydnad med Bella när vi väntade på vår tur i agility träning. Bella var duktig, hon kunde koncentrera sig väl, och brydde inte om dom andra hundar som var där. Jättefint !!! / I trained obedience with Bella during the agility training session. It was a good distraction to have all the other dogs there. Dogs do get heated when training agility and there was barking and whining. Bella concentrated well so I was thrilled !
10.10. Idag vi tränade lydnad med en grupp, som bestod mest av schäferhundar. Bella var lite rädd av dom stora hundar först men sedan hon blev van vid dom och hon kunde koncentrera fullt av vad hon gjorde och brydde sig inte om dom andra hundar. Vi tränade följning med en full vändning till vänster, följning i trav och platsliggande. Hon var jätte duktig idag !! Hennes kontakt var bra nästa hela tiden ! / Today we trained obedience with a group. Most dogs were young GSDs and Bella was first a bit timid with those boisterous dogs, but after a short while she got used to them and worked well and concentrated. We trained heeling and also heeling in trot. Her heeling position is close to my leg, she is leaning to it. And for a small dog that is NOT the best place to be if you want to avoid me stepping onto your feet ! But she manages to be not stepped onto ! Her contact was great most of the time ! She looks straigth to my face and it is great to watch her ! We trained full turn to the left where she goes around my back and comes to my side again. We also trained down stay. She can stay down a longer period of time now. I am lenghtening the down time just a bit every time we have a success. But I am not rushing. If it is too much for her I'll step back a step. We are NOT in a hurry. I want her to feel comfortable and have a positive experience. Today we had a nice training session and it ended with a good note !
1.8. Idags lydnadsövningar: följning med vändningar till vänster och höger, platssättande när jag stannar, sitta på plats, kontakt och inkallande. Ny övning: Bella sätter sig, läggar ner och sätter up igen. Hon koncentrerade bra och jag tycker att hon kunde bli en bra hund till lydnadstävlingar i framtiden ! / Today's excercises: heeling work with contact, turns to the right and left, sitting down when I stop, staying sitting while I walk a few yards away from her, recall, and the new one: sit-down and sit up again. She has started working well now and can concentrate long times now ! And she stays put when I leave her side so that is the greatest progress ! She learns awfully fast and gets things with ease, so I am hoping that I can make her a good competition dog for me.
5.7. Idag vi tränade lydnad för två gånger ! På morgon jag tränade i mitt gård och på kvällen jag och min väninna tränade bakom travbanans domartornet. Bellas övningar var: följning (hemma hon var utan koppel !) och sittande och platsläggande. Hennes kontakt är bra och hon inte bry sig om andra hundar nu så mycket som förre ! Hon har gått fram hemskt mycket !!! Hon är en jätte duktig flicka !! / Today we had two training sessions in obedience. In the morning I trained in my back yard and then I kept Bella loose also. In the evening me and my friend Erja and her Vall Eevi trained in the race track behing the judges' tower. Bella's training consisted of: heeling (also on the loose, when we were at home), sitting and laying down and staying there. Also full turn to the left was introduced (in that movement the dog has to go round you to get to her place on your left side). Bella did well, she is a quick study and now she is not so bothered about other dogs like she used to be before. She has come a long way from the first times !! She is something else that girl !!!
30.3. Vi har tränat lydnad också. Hon kan följa mig med bra kontakt redan nu och hon vet hur hon ska sitta vid mina fötter. Vi har börjat att träna platsläggande och inkallning. Hon kan också sätta på plats på några sekunder när jag går framför henne och sen går tillbaka vid hennes sida. Hon kan koncentrera sig bättre nu !!! / We have started our obedience work as well as agility. Bella heels nicely with a good eye contact. She knows that she must sit down when I stop and she almost always sits in the rigth place. We have started to traing the down - command and she has got the hang of it ! Her concentration span has increased tremendously lately !!! She can stay put sitting while I'll go in front of her and then return to her side !! That is an improvement that has made me very happy indeed !!! Because of this we can now train the call -command !

2006

Agility:

(uppe / up)

10.11. Petri Hasu tränade oss idag. Jag tänkte först att banorna skulle vara för svårt för oss men nej ! Bella var FINT idag !! Hon har gått framåt mycket ! Det var jätteroligt att träna med henne idag. Hon är en fin flicka !! / This time it was Petri Hasu's training session. I thougth that the courses would be too difficutl for us but I shouldn't have worried about it. Bella worked like a pro and once I relaxed and learned HOW I really should lead her all went just nicely !! She is like a train that dog ! She is going to be something good one day !! I am pleased the way this day went !! Really pleased !! :-)
21.10. Training session under Sari Vähäniitty. Bella did well even though the courses were made for dogs competing at a higher level than where we are.
15.10. Vi tränade i vår hall idag ! Bella gjorde två små banor och gick bra. / Our first indoor training session. Bella did two small courses and went well. She has learned to negotiate the weavepoles quite well ! Clever girl !
10.10. Sista gången när vi tränade ute med vår gruppe ! Vi ska träna i vår ny träningshalle den nästa gången vi har träningar !! Jippii !!! / The last time we trained outside with our training group. Our agility club has gotten an indoor arena for our training use so the next time our group trains it will be there ! Hooray ! Today we just did the finnishing touches for the upcoming competition on Saturday. Bella went quite well. She even negotiated the weavepoles with quite a nice speed. Well done. But I don't expect much on Saturday's competitions. But she is improving and that is a good thing.
1.10. Banträning. Vår bana var densamma som var i VM-finalen i Mediklass i år ! Bella gjorde bra, bara med slalom hon hade svårigheter ! Jättefin flicka !! / Course training. Our course was this year's World Championships's final course for Medi Class dogs. Bella could do all else well, only the weavepoles caused her difficulties. But she did great job !
3.9. & 5.9. Vi har haft två träningar i den här veckan. På Mondag vi tränade men vår enen grupp och igår på Onsdag med Jonnis grupp. Bella gjorde den samma banan som Jonni !!! Och hon gjorde slalom efter tunnel !! HURRA !! Duktig flicka !!! / We have had two training session this week. On Monday we had out own group and yesterday (on Wednesday) Bella trained with Jonni's group. She did the same course what Jonni did. And she could negotiate the weavepoles after a tunnel !!! Great !! Amazing actually !!! Way to go !!!
29.8. Vi tränade en lång bana idag ! Och vi hade två "första gånger" : vi hade slalom i banan (vi har gjort den som en ensam hinder) och Bella låt mig göra en "rear cross " !! Jättefint !! / We trained a longer course today. Bella did two "firsts" : we had the weavepoles on the course for the first time (we have mostly trained it as an single obstacle or just with 1 or 2 jumps) and she let me do a "rear cross" !!! How great is that ?! :-) Wow. She has improved a lot in a short while !! That's my girl !
3.5. Vi tränade med Jonnis grupp idag. Bella gjorde svårare banor idag än hon har gjort förre men när jag ledde henne liksom jag leder Jonni hon var jättebra ! / Today Bella trained with Jonni's training group. We did more difficult courses that she has ever done in the past but when I led her like I lead Jonni she did a great job ! I have been a way too careful with her ! She has matured a lot in a very short time and she need to be lead like a more experienced agility dog. Otherwise she will get bored, just like Jonni does ! Wow. I have a handful in her ! Great !
16.4. Vår (Bellas och min) tränings grupp samlade ihop den första gången. Vi gjorde inte mycket nu men vår träning började här ! / The first meeting of our agility training group was today. We did not do much but this was the starting point of this year's trainings. And we are training the first time in a group !
15.4. Vi tränade agility idag. Tuija Kokkonen var vår tränare. Vi hade två korta banor och i slutet vi tränade kontakt i bommen. Bella gick jättebra ! Hon är så duktig ! Vår tränare sade att hon är snabbt i banan och hon är ju det ! / First training session outdoors ! Tuija Kokkonen had come here to train us. We had two short courses and at the end of the lesson we trained the down contact on the dogwalk. Bella went well today. She could concentrate and she executed the tasks in hand very accurately and fast. I was so pleased with her performance. And our coach, Tuija, complimented Bella's speed on the course. That was nice !
5.4. Vi tränade slalom hemma i vår gård. Bella kunde göra en kombination: hopphinder och slalom !!! Den här van den första gången jag har försökt att göra det !! Och det gick BRA ! HURRA !!! / We trained on our back yard. We tried for the first time the combination: jump - weavepoles and Bella DID IT !!! Wow ! I was amazed ! She just has learned to do the weaves OK in a good rhythm and now she is can even add a jump to it ?! She really is a CLEVER girl !!!
30.3. Den sista gången i manége. Nästa agilityträning är UTE ! / Last training indoors. Bella was calm and perfomed nicely. Next time we are training outside !
9.3. En träningsdag igen. Vi hade 3 korta banor. Vi också gjorde slalom som ett enstaka hinder. Bella var duktig idag. / Another training session. Bella is busy these days ! Today we had 3 short courses. She did well. She is starting to act like an agility dog ! We also trained the weavepoles as a single obstacle, not part of the course. It is better this way since Bella is still learning how to negotiate this obstacle. This new routine (training few times a week) seems to suit the lady !
7.3. Bella tränade agility i en grupp som består av stora hundar: tervueren, malinois, border collie och nova scotia duck tolling retriever. Vi övade bara korta sträckor och slalom vi hade som en ensam hinder. Bella var lite nervös först men efter en liten stund hon kunde koncentrera sig bättre. / Bella trained agility in a group that has mostly big dogs: tervueren, malinois, border collie and a nova scotia duck tolling retriever. We had only 3 to 5 obstacles that we trained at a time, then we had a break and then trained a little more. The goal was to keep the dog concentrated the whole time, not to do too much at a time. We managed that finally. Bella worked quite well in the end. I was happy about that. We trained weavepoles as a single obstacle. First it did not go well but then I got better treats and THEN Bella negotiated the obstacle in an orderly fashion ! I was suprised ! But she had a great "motivator" : small bits of a sausage !!!
17.2. Bella och jag tränade under en agility coach. Tuija Kokkonen var vår tränare. Vi hade svårigheter först men efter en stund vi gjorde bättre. Den här var Bellas första "riktigt" agility träning !! / We had a REAL agility training session today !! Our coach Tuija Kokkonen was here and we attended her training lesson. We had 5 dogs in our group. Bella had difficulties in concentration at first but we did manage to get things done, too. After she'll get used to being in a group and is more focused on what we are supposed to be doing she will become a nice dog !
26.1. Vi tränade bara slalom. Hon gör det mycket bättre nu. / We did intensive training on weavepoles. Bella seems to have learned the basics and she has found a rhythm to her weaving ! It won't be long until she gets the hang of it and starts weaving for real !
7.1. Nu vi har börjat att träna slalom på allvar. Bella behöver att lära det inom våren så vi kan börja att tävla före sommaren. / We have started to train weavepoles in earnest. Bella has to learn them so we can start competing. We have been training the going-in and now that I have just continued (and not stopped after the first 2 poles) she has done the weaving just fine. So the pre-work has paid off. I am still doing the weaves by backing but I have started to teach Bella to weave while I am facing the direction we are going to. I am hoping she will learn the weavepoles by the end of March so we could start competing before the summer.

2007

17.11. Idag jag hade bara Bella med mig. Vi tränade platt tunnel och Bella lärde sig den ! Vi gjorde också en liten bana och tränade hur Bella borde gå in och börja göra slalom. Efter vi hade tränat dom räckte det för dagen och vi gick hem. / This time Jonni wasn't with us so I could concentrate on Bella alone. We trained the flat tunnel and to my surprise Bella learned it very quickly. Just 2 times through the tunnel "the wrong way" (I lifted the canvas and she went through) and then she executed the obstacle correctly ! That was easy ! It took Jonni a lot more time to learn this obstacle ! Then we trained how to start weaving and we had a small course at the end of the training session. Then it was enough for this time and we went home.
Bana / course design
10.11. Idag vi började vår vinter träning i manége. Bella tränade slalom, hur det är bäst att gå in. Hon tränade också A-hinder för hon hade en dålig erfarenhet av hindret i Kuopio. / Our first indoor training session. Bella had only few things to train. We had the weaves, how to enter it. Also we trained the A-frame because Bella fell from it in Kuopio. She went over the frame so all is OK I guess.
13.10. Jag tränade med Bella när Jonni tränade med Niina. Vi tränade balansbommen och gungbräda. Vi gick slalom några gånger och gjorde en liten bana till slutet. Bella gick bra idag. / Even though it is Friday the 13th (! I am NOT superstitious !) we did go to train a bit of agility. Niina worked with Jonni while I trained with Bella. This time we trained the dogwalk and seesaw. We did the weavepoles a couple of times and finnished the session with a small course. Bella did GREAT !!! She went ahead of me and when I asked her to go to the tunnel SHE DID while I was behind her ! So she can do the obstacles more independently than what Jonni can ! And that is GREAT !
6.10. Idag vi alla, Jonni, Bella och jag, gick till agilityträning. Bella tränade balansbommen och också platt tunnel som en ny hinder. Hon klarade bommen bra nu ! Och hon var inte rädd om platt tunnel heller. Vi också gjorde en liten bana som gick bra. Bella var en duktig flicka idag ! / Today we all went to train agility. Jonni did some last minute excercises for tomorrow's competition and Bella did the dog walk and a flat tunnel as a new obstacle. The dog walk went well now. There was no hesitation today. And the flat tunnel wasn't scary either. We also did a small course which went nicely. Bella was a very good girl today !
24.8. Vi tränade agility igen. Idag vi tränade både A-hinder och gunbräda. Bella gick över A-hinder mycket bra. Gunbräda behöver lite mer träning. / Today we had another agility training day. This time we trained seesaw and A-frame. Bella can execute A-frame well now but seesaw needs some more practise. She stops when the seesaw is going down and only after it has stopped then she dares to go forward. She should however go straigth to the other end and wait there until the seesaw has touched the ground. But practise makes perfect.
17.8. Idag var också en agility träningsdag. A-hinder gick bra ! Jag var överraskad över hur lätt Bella lärde sig hindern ! Men hon ÄR en jätteklog liten tik ! Vi tränade också slalom med alla 12 pinnar. Och vi gjorde figur 8 med 2 hinder. / Another agility training day. A-frame went easily ! Bella learned that obstacle with ease ! That surprised me ! But hey, she IS a clever little thing ! We also trained figure eight with two jumps. The weavepoles were also in agenda. This time with full length, all 12 pins. So far I have trained with 6 pins but now we did it with all 12 of them. Bella did it. She was not fast and she needed a lot of help BUT she seems to understand what is asked of her so...all's well so far !!!

16.8.

15.8. Vi tränade agility med Bella idag. We tränade bara en hinder : A-hinder. Bella var lite rädd om den men efter hon hade gått över den med min hjälp hon kunde göra den sig själv. En duktig flicka !! Hon har mer självförtroende nu och hon gör sådana saker nu hon kunde inte ha gjort förra år !!! Hon har gjort ett stort framsteg !!! / We trained agility a bit today. We trained only one obstacle : the A-frame. It was a bit scary first but after Bella had gone over it a few times with me helping her she could do it by herself. Brave girl ! When she did it onece wthout my help and with cofindence I called it a day and gave her a huge praise with lots of goodies. We'll do more next time. It is better to quit while we're ahead !
5.7. Igår och idag vi tränade agility också. Bella gör nu små banor ! Och dacket har kommit med i övningar. Slalom är inte med i banor ännu. Bilder av vår övningar finns här. / We trained agility yesterday and also today. So Bella had a busy day today ! She now trains small courses. And the tyre has been added to course. Weavepoles are still practised as a single obstacle. She is not yet ready for it to be included to the course. Drawings of the courses we trained are here.
30.4. Bellas träningsbanor från igår finns här. / Bella's training courses from yesterday (Sunday) here.
29.1. Bella var med mig och Jonni när vi tränade agility. Bella gjorde något också. Vi övade slalom, tunnel, hinder-tunnel -kombination och hinder-tunnel i U-form-hinder -kombination. Vi också gjorde lite lydnad. Bella gick bra ! Hon är en duktig flicka. / Bella was with me and Jonni when we were training agility. Bella did some obedience work first, then some agility, too. We did weaves, jump-straight tunnel -combination, jump-tunnel in U-shape-jump and figure 8 around one jump. She was more focused now and did not mind too much about other dogs. She did great in that respect ! I am so proud of her improvement !!! Good girl !

2006