These are not really supposed to be part of a handling system.

OK. I am not sure what Greg Derrett's system says about weird pointy fingers. I haven't gotten his videos yet to do my review session. I can't really remember if claw-like, pointy talons are a big part of his handling system. I am going to guess that this part I have improvised all by myself! There are so many nice places one could point while running around a course to indicate grass, sky, judges, parking lot, shoes, and ears.


Here is a nice picture demonstrating the sheer panic pointing finger. I actually remember why, I had missed the front cross I was hoping for and had to run this whole little section of the course with rear crosses, which I am convinced Hobbes hates me doing with him, and I know I did something weird, I was so paranoid of making him hate me, and he hit a bar. So that all covers the sheer panic screamy face, but not sure what I am pointing at to go along with it? Sheer Panic Gratuitous Pointing, not part of the system.


So I believe that my left hand is doing an out, which is part of the system. Hooray! But it is like an arthritic claw of an out. Uh oh. And my right hand is pointing to what would be a blue circle if we were on the Twister mat. Just sort of running and pointing and luckily Hobbes knows the system and is not wondering about where the blue circle would be if we were doing Twister. Will have to check, but I believe arthritic crab claw is part of that T-Touch stuff and not Greg Derrett Handling System.


I am VERY sure kneeling at the 26" table and showing fangs to the dog is NOT in the system. Like I am boring him into laying down and staying there with the sad saga of my front tooth. Wait til you hear that story. It's a doozy, but I won't tell you because you'll never come back to Team Small Dog. I believe that Independant Obstacle Performance is part of the system, and either scaring dog with fake tooth or boring him with the whole story of the dental fiasco to get a down on the table is Not Independant Obstacle Performance. But possibly not pointing here, may be crossing fingers behind my back if I am telling him some kind of fib that will get him down on the table. "Hobbes, it looks like you have something on your tooth? Like some spinach? Is that basil? No, that tooth, over there..." until the And Go.


Here is a pointing hand pointing at the earth. I suspect my left hand is pointing somewhere too. And Otterpop is like, "Duh. Teeter going down. Called Gravity, you knucklehead. Don't need to point at it." Gravity, definitely part of the system. Pointing out to the dog? Not.


Crooked pointy finger indicating the grass at bottom of entire yellow zone. Let's put that in the independent obstacle performance group. Because pointing at the grass at the bottom doesn't really have anything to do with run all your stubby little legs through the yellow painted bit. That is a lot to explain with one bony finger.


Pointy finger indicating a late front cross. Or perhaps this is on time. This is either a stunning example of my handling system or just really sucks. I can't tell anymore. I believe this is correct pointing unless Otterpop interprets as giving her the finger and gets mad and tries to bite it. I like this picture. It's not often I get to see Otterpop looking like a tiny, little pony. I can tell you I never, ever point at the real ponies though.