Still No A-Frame

I really have no idea what happened to Abby's A-frame. This once beloved obstacle is now completely shunned. We got it back for a bit after a practice session, but she refused it again in class. I am beginning to think that she might have come off it wrong in class and is now afraid that it "hurts". The only reason that I am thinking that is because after the one A-frame a few weeks ago, she completely fell apart for the rest of the class - refusing everything. . .including jumps. When she did take the jump, she took it crooked. I wondered that day if she didn't twist/pull/sprain something, but Abby is a pretty sturdy dog so I didn't give it too much thought.

But after class today, I think that I am revisiting my old theory - something about that A-frame "hurts". Abby did great the entire class, jumping perfectly at 16", took the dog walk both ways, but again refused the A-frame. I'm not sure if it hurts on the way up or the way down, but I think it might be the way up since I don't think Abby is smart enough to put the "what goes up must also come down" rule. We'll break it down again in a few weeks and hopefully we can get over it eventually.

After a few weeks of not training, I think that Abby actually does better without the constant push of training. Don't get me wrong, Abby likes to train - she gets all wiggly and prances around, but it was just the same old stuff. And if she did something wrong and didn't get a cookie, she got frustrated and confused. As well as she is doing, she isn't as mentally prepared for this stuff as some of the working breeds. Abby doesn't do wrong well. She wants to do well and shuts down when she doesn't. And once she shuts down, there is no getting her back. That's part of why I'm working on training in different places. It's stuff she already knows, but we are adding a new level of difficulty with a new environment. And even though she isn't comfortable enough to actually train in new places, I think that we are getting some benefit - relationship building if nothing else, and that helps tremendously in classes and trials.

Everyone is getting used to the new training program. Abby is very demanding after work and fusses about, expecting to out and do something. Mole finally understands that he isn't coming with us. I think that pocket is just happy to get that crazy dog out of her hair for awhile. I'll admit that it was very difficult at first taking Abby out without Mole - especially because he REALLY wants to go. . .and probably expects to go too. After all, he always came before. . . but I think that he gets it now. He stays home. I still feel guilty about it, and I think that it has made him more needy at other times, but that is ok. There are so many dogs in this house that if you don't demand attention, then you can get over-looked at times.