New header

Figured it was time for a bit of winter in the blog too - to match Norway this time of year. Check out the new header :-)

What would life be like without me?

Tried to imagine how to catch photographically how it would affect Storm if I died before him...

About time for an update!

It is definately about time for an update here... I see in my statistics that quite a lot of readers visit the english version of my blog, even though I don't really take the time to update it. Shame on me!
My goals for january are set on the competition next weekend: I want two clear runs. The major problem lately has been Orkan finding no value for the weave poles in competition settings (he runs straight past it like it doesn't exist) - a problem that never occurs in training situations. Frustrating!
He has not been well this last week, but looks better today (no more puking and the fever is gone), so I hope we can do a bit of training tonight.
I've also gotten myself a new camera since the last time I wrote here: a canon EOS 7D. Dreams coming true! Promise to post some pics shortly :-)

Thoughts on RC

A friend of mine is starting RC with his new dog. I wrote down some of my thoughts on the different methods to him, and if any of my readers are thinking down the same path, here is my thinking:


Running contacts are great when they are great, but it is a heck of a lot of work to make them great. For the record, I'm not done with them yet, Orkan doesn't have the perfect turns that I want (planting his paws on the last 10 cm of the plank, not turning before the end, but not having a wide turn etc).
I would not recommend doing RC to anyone who isn't really sure that is what they want to do - it is so difficult, and requires such a lot of thinking and re-thinking.
But to me it was a delightful process of developing a method that not many has done, and certainly not exactly the same way that I did it. I have very reliable contacts, don't need to think about maintaining criteria in competition (which is what makes trouble for most 2on2off contact dogs, since they are no longer sure what the criteria really is).
And another problem with 2+2 is that many dogs don't understand that they should run fast into position, THEN stop (not creep slowly down into position).
I think that no matter what method you use, it requires a LOT of work... The difference is in some way that when the dog finally GETS the RC, you're kind of done, but with 2+2 you continuously need to keep working on it...


I wish him good luck! RC is so much fun :-)

Exams in my head...

Yep, the echo of three different subjects is messing with my head right now... So there isn't much time to think about dog training. Anyway I want to share a beautiful piece of lyrics with you, making me smile today :-)
If you think you like it, look for BigBang and "something special" on youtube or spotify - you will fall in love...


Did you ever write my name with a fountain pen
In your books or on your desk
or did you tell your friends
That I was someone special
Did you ever lie awake the entire night
Glowing in the dark with no sheets or light
Thinking that I was someone special
You got me running
running late at night
trying to find you
And I started thinking
thinking all the time
But what could I do

I had something for you
Was there something for me
I had something to give you
But it's a mystery

Did you change your clothes
did you hesitate
walking back and forth, always being late
Cause I was someone special
Did you ever take a shower
did you wash your face
making up the bed thinking just in case
That I was someone special
You got me running
running late at night
trying to find you
And I started thinking
thinking all the time
But what could I do

I had something for you
Was there something for me
I had something to give you
But it's a mystery

You got me running
running late at night
trying to find you
And I started thinking
thinking all the time
But what could I do

I had something for you
Was there something for me
I had something to give you
But it's a mystery
I had something for you
Was there something for me
I had something to give you
But it's a mystery

Something special

Agility training

The contacts worked! Yay! Some other issues to work on, but all in all I'm pretty happy.
The talking on the video isn't me, even though it sounds like it. People on the other half of the course (behind the cam).

Boring weather!

I am sooo tired of this boring weather! It's either raining or really cloudy. Don't even remember when I saw the sun the last time... Blah...

Running contacts repair...

I have been paying too little attention to Orkans contact performance lately, letting through hits that were not low enough. Gradually the criteria has slipped, and on sunday I noticed several really bad performances. The good thing is that it doesn't seem to be very hard to fix it:

A check-up with Orkans jumping technique

We have a bit of work ahead of us! Although I'm not all sure what to do... But his hind legs go all high when I push him to take off close to the jump...

Running dogwalks in competition

These are the three dogwalks from competition that I have on tape:

During training I have seen him sometimes hit a bit higher than I like. Is that something I should worry about? He has never been close to missing the contact, but isn't caring as much for where he places his feet any more. I am considering doing a bit of work on that, or should I leave it the way it is as long as he always runs, never jumps?
Comments, please :-)