Chain of love.

As I read that post from the other day, it was super negative. I don't like being negative about anything in life, but for a while that's all I could focus on. The very beginning of our journey together was shaky, but now I'm growing and learning to slap out of that place.

So now I'll tell you about all the great things about Mach. :):) (this part is much more fun:))

Last Saturday we went to a funmatch in support of two ladie's WAO trip and well...it's a fun match, it's fun! A competetive enough environment but having the bliss of having fun!
I was super excited to go. Mach had been doing a lot better in training last week, and I knew it would be a great learning experience for the  both of us. I didn't know how he would react from all the commotion. At seminar's he seemed to shut down a little bit, but it was probably from my on-edge aura. I didn't go in there expecting anything from him. We'd just go with the fllow.

I had run Toffee before Mach, so I got a feel for the course (Toffee Rocked, duh. <<watch it) It started raining, and the battery was dying, so I only got Mach's runs. This was a day about Mach. He was going to have a rockin' video, no matter the outcome of the day.

I kicked off my shoes..(err, I didn't even put them on..), and grabbed his favorite toy and just went out and had FUN. It surprised me when I lined him up, he got all squirmy. He only gets like that when he's really super happy to see me/mom/dad/people in general, really. So I was like, wow, he's excited!! He was a naughty boy on the startline, though, shifted his paws a few times.

I broke him, and he came flying! We hadn't done much on the aframe other than running straight off, and the course had pull off's on the aframe both times. He went over and he did the conact beautifully! I was so happy, but then he missed the jump after that..hehe..



Mach waiting his turn at the FunMatch

We went on to do a rear cross, which he followed beautifully (better than Toffee..okay, my fault, but still!) I told him "weave", and he got the entry but didn't collect enough and by passed the second pole. I brought him back (usually  this results in him being like "Oh man! :(:(" ) But his eyes did something I had never seen before. I can't tell you exactly what they did, but I could just tell that he was having a ball!

I hadn't (still haven't) done 12 wevaes with him in alittle while, and in the past, if I hadn't, it seemed like he forget them completely. But he went into them like a pro, faster than he has ever done them. (so exciting). We went on and did more pieces of the course, breaking it up and rewarding at certain spots. I did the aframe a few times and went back and did another set of weaves.

I couldn't have been more happy about his performance, I was really blown away! love him :)



Happy Boy :)

Next was jumpers. It was a really cool course, nice and challenging for the starters dogs. I brought him out to the startline and because he was being such a good boy, I went back and rewarded him  for staying. I decided to try the entire course, as we haven't done much more than 10 obstacles ever...and it's usually not even that many, 3 or 4. He ran the entire course beautifully and kept a nice speed the entire time.

Finally was the tunnellers run. It had started pouring by then. The grass was basically a slip n' slide. Super wet and muddy and gross. I even had to put shoes on.... :\ I didn't think he'd really like this course at all. He's not a fan of tunnels (well, never used to be!!) so I thought he'd be pokey all the way through them, and since it was a mine field out there, I thought if he slipped, he'd be done for (yes, that's how sensitive he is..). But I was gladly proven wrong. He was a rock star, he even got the part that Toffee didn't!

I can't even begin to express how amazed I am by him. Each day we're growing as a team. He has made leaps and bounds from even two weeks ago. You know, life ain't too shabby ;)

And so here he is, The Machinator himself, being a pro at everything! I love him :)

As for everything else...

DW running contacts - straight and slight turns.
Aframe running contact - straight, pull off, "left" to a tunnel, decel into tunnel.
Weaves - able to pull off earlier and earlier! Getting much faster and trying to figure out that single step stuff!
Table - Pretty sweet, I must say
Teeter - muuuuch better. Still need to work on him driving to the end with speed every time, but like I say, much better!
Handling - he's super responsive. He's keeping me honest, that's for sure!!

I'll leave you with one last message...

Peace and love will give you happiness.