Flyball competition!

Well me and Ernie have just come back from a flyball comp! It's Ernie's 2nd flyball comp ever that hes ever competed in and he did fantastic! It was a lot different than last time, instead of netting they had wings so I couldn't run alongside him which caused a few hiccups. The first run he did well on, except he decided he didn't want to get the ball. Then, he realised that instead of jumping over the jumps, he could go round. That's exactily what he did, so I ended up having to run over the jumps ahead of him, waiting for him at the box, getting him to grab the ball and then running out of the wings again while my nan called him down the jumps. He did really well on the last few races, after lots of clicker training on him grabbing the ball in the break and in the 2nd half of the division he really got the game and did great. Altogether we came 3rd, his first ever achievment above a 4th! I am so proud of him!
The field we went to was absolutely beautiful. There was TONNES of dog-walking space, and when I said there was lots when we went camping, that was nothing compared to this. The field stretched on forever, woods outlined the field and all my nans dogs could be let off at once for a good run. I was so annoyed I didn't take my camera as usually at places like this the fields are tiny! Oh well, if I go next year I will defo have to remember my camera.
It was a great experience for Ernie, he met tonnes of new dogs and even played really nicely with Lexi the yorkshire terrier. Ernie is a very loud, rough player and it sometimes comes across as aggression to other people and dogs. When he played with Lexi he was pretty quiet except for the odd growl, and he was really gentle! Lexi camped with us at a flyball show one year as her owners were away so they knew eachother, but hadn't seen eachother in ages!
All in all a very productive day. I know what I need to work on in flyball now, Ernie's confidence in other dogs and people is really going up with all these socialisation acitivites but most importantly we both had tonnes of fun!
No new pics, I wish I had though!