This is where she shines!

   You know when you see a dog light up and do something for sheer joy? That is what happens when Diva gets to do agility. I haven't done any formal lessons or classes in more than a year but after we got settled from the move I decided that it would be good to get back into it. I want to work towards her ATCH in ASCA and Diva just loves agility. So what better way than taking classes with a good friend! Rae and I train together a lot anyway so the opportunity to share a class with her and the girls on Tuesday nights was perfect. Prior to signing up for class I wasn't familiar with Cynthia Hornor (the instructor) but Rae had nothing but good things to say :-). As my luck would have it the week before classes started I fell down the hill and sprained my ankle pretty darn good. It took me a few days before I could bear weight well but being the trooper I am I wrapped it up tight and went to class. Cynthia promised to take it easy on me since my ankle wasn't well but I found once the adrenalin of the running kicked in and the fun of the courses I wasn't paying much attention. Later came the Alleve and ice ;-). We have now done 4 classes with Cynthia and true to her word she keeps making me run faster as the ankle heals, lol. 


For class number two Rae was out of town so it ended up being a private session for Diva and I. Diva was feeling her groove really well but Cynthia made comment that she looked very uncomfortable coming into a 2o/2o (two on/ two off) position on the A frame. She suggested I try a running A frame with her and see if that worked out with her natural striding. To say that Diva enjoyed the running A frame is an understatement! She was loving it and I was really having to run now. That first session she seemed to have it very naturally and so we decided to just keep training it and see how things went along. 

Class three brought out a whole new level of drive for Diva and on our first course when she hit that A frame she lept over the apex and landed in the yellow and took off running! While this might be ok for some since she did get in the contact zone it is way to dangerous for my comfort level. Thus we began the actual box training method so that she learns to run all the way down. Gotta love a dog with obstacle drive and enthusiasm! I can remember Rae commenting at the end of our first run about how she had never seen her go that fast. When she hit the weave poles it was with intensity. Diva likes to go fast and she positively lights up when she gets to run agility. I just need to learn to keep up or else I am never going to get in those front crosses!


I didn't realize how much I missed taking classes until I got started again. Sometimes when you train on your own to long you forget just how fun something is. I think Cynthia is great and her style works very well for us. Expect more blog updates on agility because I intend to keep going to classes!