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.
Summer Expedition
June 6-24
Well, after a near disaster with the electrics we found ourselves on our way on Saturday. I cannot thank Ed at Pro RV for all his help driving and picking up the RV when it had to go in the shop to get something fixed that we accidentally caused...anyway that all seems so long ago now....
The trip out was uneventful baring the rain from California through to Wyoming.....it was great to have the garage to put the dogs in to dry off while we stopped for lunch etc. Yep I'm sooooo glad I listened to Michael and we got a bigger RV :)
We arrived in Illinois and stayed at Dana Pikes for a while before driving off to PA and the Keystone Regional...yet another good decision there—I had decided to enter Fable at 22 inches so as not to use that regional as one of the shows for World Team points.....she hasn't had much training in the weeks leading up to the drive out and after 5 days in an RV I wasn't confident how she would be. As I thought we got a mixed bag....great GP round 1, really great effort in the rain and sloshing mud for Steeplechase round 1 but then got a little wild on GP and Steeplechase finals anyway enough about that except to say I was glad it was all at 22.
From PA we drove north to Canada to teach for Theresa Rector and Summer Sizzle (sometimes Summer Drizzle) for 5 days—Deb and Dave Desjardine are fantastic hosts, the evening meals and conversation over dinner is just a great way to end the day. Linda Barton and her team of workers did a great job of feeding us during the day and anything else we needed. It was great to work with so many nice people and their dogs, I had a great time. My dogs loved their week there.....the facility is on several acres with access to many many acres of fields—several paths had been mowed through the long grass and every AM and PM we all went for a long walk/run. In addition Fable, Stuie and Gifted all got some well needed training in the evening.
For the past few days I have been at Jen and Bill Pinders in MI.......Gifted learned to swim in the pond and the pool, Trump and Fable nearly lost their minds in the pond and the pool, Better spent her time between swimming hunting frogs and the muskrat that thinks he has found a new home (not for long!!!) Stuie got special time swimming on her own—she won't chase the toy into the water if the others keep taking it. Whist and Spinner splashed about a lot and actually went for a swim in the pool.....Fable, Stuie and Gifted got some training, the RV got cleaned out and an oil change and Better did a fine job as a demo dog for my Running A-Frame workshop that Jen hosted....
Tomorrow we are on our way back to PA to teach for many days for Mary Ellen Barry.
Highcroft Gift—"Gifted" Diary
April 2009
Gifted's training is progressing well....he continues to be a fun dog to work with.....toy envy is still there but grabbing and stealing has lessened.....but if Stuie continues to give up the toys I will only intervene for so long.....
A month or so ago I put Gifted on sheep just to see....if I say so myself he was fairly impressive... I took him a second time and although I have very limited knowledge of herding I know enough to recognize raw talent when I see it:) I decided to seek out some professional help and now Gifted has herding lessons every week.
I strongly believe that the reason why Border Collies are so multi-talented physically and mentally is due to the herding dogs they were bred from. As we start to breed for specific sports, Agility, Flyball, etc we need to inject back some of what has made this breed so versatile. If Gifted is a talented sheepdog he should be encouraged to use this innate gift...he has a great temperament and hopefully if he gets a clean bill of health when he is old enough he may get to be the father of my next puppy! Right now there is nothing about him I don't like....
A side benefit from the herding is that his recall, down stay and overall impulse control has improved greatly.
As far as agility goes he has had a couple of baby jumping lessons with Susan Salo....and I am laying the foundation for his contacts. I need to start a new trick and make sure that I am doing all I can at this age. I know when he gets old enough to jump, learn weaves etc. some of the more tedious training may take a back seat ... so better get it done now!!!
May/June 2009
Gifted continues to learn although I only get to train him in spurts....getting distracted with life, lessons and the RV!!!
Gifted will be 9 months old on the day I leave for PA and I am hoping to be able to get some consistent daily training in with him for the 9-10 weeks I am gone... Stuie, Fable and Better could all do with some too!!!
Gifted's weekly herding lessons with Laurie Batson are going great.....I am really enjoying the lessons and especially enjoying working with him....I am enjoying the learning process of something new....getting my timing down, when to correct, when to let things go etc etc...I think he is good enough to trial. It's wonderful to have a pup with great instinct for the job the breed was originally bred for, who also appears to have great agility potential....
I love the idea of training these dogs for other sports—not just agility—I believe it helps them with balance both mental and physical, impulse control and as far as herding is concerned you often see a completely different dog than the one you sit with on the couch....just ask Stuie!!! All these things help with building a partnership and give you insight into how your dog learns etc....
His temperament is the best and even though he is obviously turning into quite the male....he defers to older, stronger adults and continues to love puppies and take most things in his stride....
At just under 9 months he is working on his Dog Walk, Teeter and I have just started his box training for the A-Frame. He has done some baby jump grids and some work on the table....along with his recall, his stays, his herding and general training—you know the stuff...what to pee on and what not to pee on....not grabbing everything I am holding....not diving onto the couch when I am eating....
After owning Fable I don't think I could have 2 dogs who bark and jump around when they see/hear other dogs working—Fable was hard wired to do this from the day I got her and with working away from home all day it was difficult to separate her from this environment. I now work from home and I was very diligent with Gifted in getting him to be quiet when I work another dog.....I used both Stuie and Better and worked in tiny increments to get Gifted to settle when I was interacting with another dog....first just playing, then one jump, then a tunnel etc etc....I rewarded him frequently with treats and praise and it took a month +/- but now I can take him out to the field with the others and he patiently waits his turn.
