So our last flyball class was this past Thursday. Paris did quite well. The classes are over but the flyball team practices on Sunday afternoons, and since the classes are over they told us we could come to the practices to continue to work our dogs....

So yesterday I took Paris up to the practice. Only 4 people showed up, but WOW! Much improved! I just cannot believe her, now that it finally "clicked' she loves it! and each time I take her she just turns on and gets more and more drive.....

Yesterday was the first time we actually cocked the ball back in the box so it would trigger when she hit the box. Before yesterday we just used some velcro to hold the ball in the hole so she could just hit the box grab the ball and go.... but triggering the ball didn't bother her at all, if anything it got her more excited to run the course.

As far as her spitting the ball out, I now have her running the course start to finish with 3 jumps and her bringing the ball back to me without spitting. I think she could have probably did 4 lastnight, but we didn't want to push it... so we just left it at 3 for this time because we didn't want to set her up to mess up...

We ended the practice by running a vetran black Lab (this dog acts like a 2yr old!) owned by the lady who owns the training building and Paris like they would in a competition, only just 2 dogs and 3 jumps... we did that about 3 times I think.. by the last run though Paris was really booking it down the course and back because she got so excited running with another dog..... the lady that owns the training building asked me if I was interesting in competing with her....

Its just amazing to me. Paris is the first dog I've ever done flyball with, I've seen it before and always thought it looked fun, but until recently never really had the chance to try it.... and Paris wasn't the dog I was originally wanting to do flyball with, I was originally wanting to do flyball with Paris' sister, Kelsey (who is my ball and toy loving dog).. but Kelsey came in season right as the first class was starting and then I bred her, so I took Paris instead. At first Paris wouldn't look at a ball, she wouldn't chase a ball, she wouldn't touch a ball... she loved the running part though... but I just didn't think she had a chance of getting this down and I almost gave up because she just didn't seem like she enjoyed it or that she'd ever figure it..... After a few weeks of clicker training, first training her to just look at the ball, then touch the ball and finally pick up the ball... it clicked and she just loves it. She is not one that tugs but she is food motivated and will do anything for it!! Now when I take her to practice she is excited, tail wagging, barking and ready to go!! LOL