Impressive behavior

[wizard]

As some of you may remember, I was having trouble with Gossy zooming off in agility class after we started with sequence training. To try and counteract this, we've been working with leash attached. In addition at home I've been working my way through "Control Unleashed" and we've also been taking a "Revamping Recall" class.

So last night in agility class, we started right off with a complicated (for me) sequence to do. I decided to run Gossy without the leash to see how she'd do and because I didn't want her to get tangled.

OMG - did she ever surprise me! Not only did she not zoom off, she stayed relatively close and was obviously paying attention to me. She ran slightly ahead of me so I couldn't always use hand signals on some of the obstacles but she did whatever I called out. Even our instructor was impressed. There's hope afterall

[Basenjimamma]

Glad to hear you found something that seems to work..sometimes giving more (or less ) rein works.

[agilebasenji]

wonderful news. so glad you are getting to see those moments of brilliance

[lisastewart]

great news,

[DebraDownSouth]

YEAH! Now, video please!

[Kipawa]

I'm with Debra - would love to see a video of Gossy!

How our basenjis surprise us! Further proof that they are not an unintelligent breed, but rather one that will do things when the time is right for them.

Good work - keep it up!

[Patty]

< Further proof that they are not an unintelligent breed, but rather one that will do things Exactly so Fran!
Wizard, congratulations to you and Gossy.

[agilebasenji]

this is actually part of a master plan by your basenji to humble you in public. she will be oh, so awesome in class only to look blankly at you when you speak her name at a real trial. Not that I have anything like personal experience with that sort of scenario. :p

really, it's a very fun trip.

[tanza]

LOL agilebasenji… that is what all Basenjis live for, regardless of the venue!!! Same happens in the show ring... I do what? I stand how? I gait easily? I think NOT

[agilebasenji]

Oh hard stacking Zest in the show ring was always a major PITA. You could pick a foot up, but then she was NOTNOTNOT going to put that foot down. You could put it down for her, but it would spring right back up.

Digital the brindlewonderkid would never put a foot wrong in the show ring, easy to stack, wonderful to gait (all I ever had to do was just hold on to the other end, literally, and he'd trot out to the end of the leash), but he would do it all 1/2 asleep. For some reason judges like to see alert looks on the dogs' faces.

Ah well, best to have a sense of humor.