Maxie's Worst Run Ever

So, today I'm playing with the "embed" feature from my new FoohMaxAgility YouTube Channel.  Of all the videos I took (and so far I've not missed one of Maxie's runs - 16 Q's out of 24 runs), all but the last 2 of them are off my computer and stored solely on my Picasa Web Albums.  I recently discovered I can't transport them to this blog, nor can I ever get them back on my computer!  As I said before, loudly and vociferously, BUMMER!  The only 2 videos I still have on my computer I uploaded to YouTube last night.  I embedded the best one in my last post, and the only one left, it turns out, is truly Maxie and my worst run ever (to date).  But, it's all I've got to work with until Lake Charles at the end of this month.

So, hey, I'm taking advantage of what I've got, and posting MAXIE'S WORST RUN EVER.  It will be a good one to comment on anyway, for all the things that went wrong.  It will help me analyze my problems and get better.  It will help me figure out the judge's calls as recorded on the Scribe Sheet. So here it is:

Maxie and Michele, XS, Saturday October 23, 2010, Kiln, MS
NQ, Eliminated, SCT 74 seconds, Dog's Time: 71.39 sec.
2 Refusals, 2 Wrong Courses, 2 Failure To Performs/Eliminations 

To start with, all 11 8" dogs were eliminated (you can see their videos and scores under my Links (Maxie's Competition Videos - Kiln).  There was not a single Q.  There were a few especially tricky spots:

1. the jump right before the table points straight to the chute (a trap), you have to call D hard to get that left turn to the table.  A lot of large dogs missed this turn and took the chute.
2. The jump right after the table is on a steep angle, easy for D to knock the bar that way, then requires a tight wrap to the chute.

The rest seemed pretty easy, except for those dreaded weaves with the deep divits.  Not all of our rough spots were faulted, and frankly I can't see all the faults that were listed on the scribe sheet.  But I shall comment on each mistake I can see.

1. Maxie broke his start line stay (very rare for him) and had to be repositioned.  I did have enough presence of mind not to cross back over the start line, or I would have had to take off with him from behind the line.
2. Maxie wouldn't come when I called him thru the 1st jump.  I had to move closer in.  What was he waiting for?  Where was his mind?
3. WC, E. Jump after the see-saw, Maxie ran a wide circle backwards, opposite direction of the chute/table problem I had anticipated, and opposite of my body cue.  To make matters worse, I panicked and instead of running behind the jump to pick him up, I ran in front and he took the jump backwards and knocked the bar besides.  My extremely dumb mistake. Where was my mind?
4. Maxie was making mighty wide turns, after the tunnel, after the dog walk.  What caused that?  Was I running too slow to keep him interested? 
5. R, R. Maxie would not do those weaves for anything.  Kept popping out.  They let you try 3 times, even though the run is already an NQ, I'm not sure why but guess it's because you paid $22 for the run and it's bad practice to let D get away with popping out of the weaves, ever.
6. I appear to be walking through half of the run.  Where was my get-up-and-go?

One of these days I'm going to have a more experienced person view this video and tell me where my 2 R's, 2 WC's, and 2 E/F's were.  I truly don't see them all.

And now, from Susan Garrett's blog:

"We are never as omnipotent as our biggest fan may envision– nor are we as incompetent as our worst critic would have us."

Not that I have any fans except a few family and friends rooting for us, but I am sure I have critics, myself included.

So much to learn. Upward and onwards!