Fast Forward Dog Sports
Providing the finest in agility training
Located in beautiful Atascadero, California, Fast Forward Dog Sports is owned and operated by top agility competitor, Rachel Sanders. Fast Forward Dog Sports offers private and semi-private lessons by appointment as well as seminars and workshops.
Fast Forward Dog Sports is located in rural Atascadero on several fenced acres. Two fields are available and all levels of agility training are offered.
Gifted’s First Trial – January 2010
Gifted (Photo courtesy of Erika Maurer)
I decided to enter Gifted for two days at a 3 day AKC trial in Santa Rosa, California. I liked both the Judges and thought they would put up good courses for a young novice dog. At 16 months old I wasn’t really sure what he would do but was hoping that he would look young, inexperienced but with trained skills:) I couldn’t have been happier with him! He qualified 4 out of 4 times – made 2 errors that were 100% me. I was a little disappointed in my errors – but I can learn:)
The morning I left for the show I realized that he hadn’t done any sequences without a toy! oooops. So off we went to the field – I dropped the toy on the ground and led out and turned to see him looking over his shoulder like an owl staring at his toy! He managed to focus forward and work, went over the A-frame and promptly took off to reward himself for the perfect A-frame he had done!!! Anyway we worked a little more before my client arrived for her lesson and I decided that this would be a future work in progress:) and off we went.
I have never had a dog close to being ready to compete this young. Even Whist was 19 months old and did not have the skills and understanding that Gifted has – 1995 was a very different era! Until very recently he has been doing individual contacts and weaves, and very short 3-6 obstacle sequences with jumps and tunnels. In December I took him out to work with Stuie and he could do all her drills but I broke them up a little to reward him. In January I took him with me to PA when I taught for Mary Ellen Barry – he did the drills I set up for the intermediate and masters level dogs. I was thrilled at his confidence, focus and maturity – something that is just him, that stuff cannot be trained!
He is a very cool dog to live with, train and now compete with. I can’t thank Tammy enough for leasing Wyn to me to breed to Spinner.
He won’t compete again until March so back to more training.
Gifted’s First Trial – January 2010
Like Father Like Son October/November 2009
Photo courtesy of Erika Maurer
Gifted’s agility training is coming along nicely. Gifted learns like his father. He is confident, quick to learn and so far if he makes an error he is easily put back on track. He recently had another jumping lesson with Susan Salo and there were very few if any “oh my’s” He has kept his superb temperament even as he matures and is pushed around by his father, who at nearly 18 is not ready to step aside to anyone!!!!
Gifted’s herding is also progressing and hopefully he will trial next year. Just like his other training he has never got stuck at any one stage of learning. We only get to work sheep once a week (probably for the best so I don’t mess things up) but he improves from week to week and “gets things” from his first run to his second in a lesson.
This may not be that impressive for some but after working with and through issues I am very happy to have it a little easier.
