Fly

Take a bow

"Ok guys. I want you to send your dogs down this line of jumps and I want to see all of you really pushing them. Poppy, you and Storm can go first". I looked up at my girl; she looked at me. We stood up together and made our way to the first jump. After putting me in a sit and stay, my girl walked to the far side of the wing of the first jump and paused for a moment.

The magic word released me from my stay and we were off. It was only a line of 6 jumps but the aim of the exercise was to send the dog down the line ahead of the handler. This was something I still struggled with as I preferred constant contact with my girl. I managed to complete the task fairly easily although my performance could have been much better. I made a mental note telling me to practice this tomorrow during my morning session with Breeze. My girl threw my green and red toy for me before we had some feedback off Mr. Griffiths.

Mr. Griffiths still maintained his authoritative stature when my girl and I approached him. However, he spoke with a surprisingly soft, patient voice. "That was pretty good for a first run. Today is all about assessing everyone's strengths and weaknesses so I can plan my lessons accordingly. Well done!" he told my girl before calling Joe and Cooper to the ring. We rejoined the group.

After everyone had taken their turn to run down the line of jumps, Mr.Griffiths set up a slightly more difficult exercise for us to try. Five jumps were arranged in 'star' shape with the aim of helping us learn how to turn and bend our bodies properly. This was a task my girl and I had practised loads as turning had never been a strong point for me.

Once again, my girl and I went first. I did the series of jumps clockwise first, then again anti-clockwise. Both times, my girl and I completed the task to a near perfect standard. Mr.Griffiths nodded his head and Joe and Cooper entered the ring to have their go. While we waited with the other students, Breeze walked over to me, her head hanging low. Something was wrong.

"Storm, I can't do this. I've never tried it before..." she whimpered nervously, fear filling her eyes. I'd never seen her like this. I couldn't understand why she was so nervous. I caught her staring at one corner of the ring; standing there were two men, dressed in the finest looking suites, seeming to look out if place in amongst the group of teenagers dressed in casual clothes. Breeze looked at me again and I realised who they were. Her owners.

"Breeze listen to me" I tried to talk to her but she was panicking now, and my words seemed to fall on deaf ears. I tried again, louder this time. "BREEZE! Look at me. You can do this; you're better than you think you are. Just watch Lily closely and listen to everything she tells you. Okay?" She nodded this time, absorbing what I had told her. She muttered a nervous 'I can do this' as she and Lily made their way to begin their round.

Breeze watched Lily with complete focus throughout their run, earning her two perfect runs. My tail wagged at her success, but also the look of surprise on her owners faces. They were obviously expecting her to fail. As the pair made their way back toward us, a full course was being constructed behind us. Our handlers us at the entrance to the ring so they could walk the course.

"Thank you Storm" was all she needed to say. The gratitude in her eyes, smiling, contented face and relaxed body said the rest. I looked warmly at her before we both turned to watch our handlers walking the tricky course.

I worked out that the course consisted of jumps, a long jump, rigid and flat tunnels, weaves and contacts. We were first to go again. My girl called me over from where I had been at the entrance and put me in another stay a few strides away from the first jump. I waited for my signal and we were off.

After effortlessly soaring over the first three jumps, I charged into the flat tunnel and pushed my way through the material to reveal the A-frame in front of me. I used all the force in my back legs push myself up the steep side of the obstacle, and used my front legs to slow me down enough to touch the yellow contact on the other side.

Next was the long jump. I quickened my stride, extended my pace and flew over the jump as if it was little more than a pole on the floor, earning a scattering of applause from students in all four agility rings. Seriously, why did everyone want to watch us that much? We weren't that good.

Anyway, I pushed all the distracting thoughts out of my mind and refocused myself on the course I was supposed to be running. My girl was urging me into a rigid tunnel which I ran through without hesitation.

The rest of our run went smoothly and we finished with one of our best runs yet. Lessons had stopped in the other three rings and not only the pupils, but the other instructors, were all watching us and applauding our run. My girl looked at me, smiling, and clapping along with everyone else. "Take a bow, bud. That was incredible!" I tucked my front leg under my chest and leaned my head toward the floor in a 'doggy bow'.

Everything was going well until I noticed Breeze's owners heading toward my girl and I. Both of the men's eyes were filled with power, greed and determination. My girl tightened her grip on the lead and turned pale, as if she had just seen a ghost.

It wasn't a ghost though; it was much worse. The man now stood before me was Jake...

-------------------------------------------

Picture is Cooper.
Hope you enjoyed it,
Storm xx