Tweaking a Threadle Through the Family Room

We have a lot of books.  Real books.  (Kindle is intriguing, but I haven't gone there yet.)  Since my back got hurt I've been reading a hella lotta books.  We often give books away to friends, or to Hospice.  We sell a few, too.  Did you know you can sell books through Amazon?  It's almost as easy as buying them.  It takes me a while to let go of some books, though.  For instance, I'm likely to hang on to my Mecklenburg books for months....maybe years. 

It depends on how my new approach to agility goes.  I think of my new approach as HYBRID HANDLING, and - in my imagination - it's a brilliant mix of the Derrett and Mecklenburg handling methods, geared toward people with "issues." 

Hybrid Handling solves some of the issues faced by Ladies of a Certain Age.  For example:  lumbar issues, knee problems, bunions....      Hey, sometimes the simple act of stopping and turning for a front cross, threadle, or 180 (and we must turn quickly enough to WIN a Big Dog class) leaves us dizzy or disoriented.  So-o-o-o.....we must make adjustments.   

Hybrid Handling would also, naturally, solve some of the issues faced by Dogs of All Ages.  The dogs whose handlers always get twisted up and lost, for instance.  (Ahem.) Or dogs that don't like lead-out pivots.  Or dogs with ETS!  Wouldn't that be cool?  (Yeah.  Dream on...!!) 

I have every Greg Derrett DVD (except the last one, which I should get), I've been to a few Laura M-Derrett workshops, plus a couple with Sharon Freilich, and Moe Strenfel, and now I have Linda Mecklenburg's books.  I've watched quite a few videos - especially while laid up these last six weeks (thanks to friends on FB and various YouTube accounts).  Many of the videos are examples of one method or the other.  However, it must be noted that some of the videos show handlers using a mixture of both method - woohoo! Hybrid Handling already exists!   Other videos feature what I call the Unique Handling Method, otherwise known as UHM.  (A method I myself have fallen victim to, in days gone by....) 

Because my brain is at least as old as the rest of my body (figure that one out), it's going to be a challenge for me to get up to speed on this.  But I'm working on it.  I started my new handling notebook.  I have two new rules in it already - although they are about "salvaging the damaged lumbar region," not hybrid handling.  (See "The Art of Waiting" blog entry for Rule #1.)    Here's Rule #2:

NOTE TO SELF:  Want to change the word "RULE" to something else?  Rules are made to be broken.  Isn't there a better word??   Mmmmmaybe not.  It's fun to break rules.

This morning my husband asked me what the difference is between the GD and LM methods.  I chatted about "position-based" vs "motion-based" but he just went blank.  So I tried to show him a threadle.  We recently moved the furniture in our family room (so I could lay flat on my back and watch the Giants lose a few games on TV) - and it's in a pretty good threadle configuration right now. 

I jumped up (carefully) and showed him how I thought a Derrett disciple would do a threadle, versus how an APHS afficionado might do one.  (APHS = Awesome Paws Handling System.  Hey, don't look at me - I didn't come up with the name.  It all started with a much-loved dog named "Awesome"....)

Anyway, I tried to show him two different moves, using the furniture as jumps....

...forgetting that Riff might want to join in on the fun. Wowsers, for a second there I thought he was going to jump the couch!  and then the chair!  ....but it was easy to him call off.  whew... 

I need to do a bunch of thinking and note-taking on this - plus PLENTY of training and experimental practice, once I'm back in shape.  Hopefully I won't be an antique by the time I get to try it out.   

Yes.  Well.  For now, I'll just get back to my novel.   This is a Holiday Weekend, right? 

Ever onward.