The Trial that Wasn’t

We ended up scratching our last trial of the month. I had traded this trial for our Friday hike this week, and it was a mistake. We ended up getting there and the courses were not fun and the spacing was super tight. We ran one course where I was already unhappy and negative, and, yeah, it was clear that this is not where I wanted to be.

So we left and had a wonderful weekend just hanging out, going hiking and field runs and cleaning the house and snuggling with cats and it was definitely the right choice. What amazing weather we’ve had! And probably the most perfect weather for hiking – I am just loving this Fall.

I’m sure I’ll enter some other trials this year, but it is disappointing to get courses that make me not want to run them. I’ve never really judge-shopped before, but I think I may have to start doing that. But the best trial season is about over, there are just a few more trial possibilities this year. I’ll have to see what’s available and who is judging. For now, back to training – more fun.

Navarre had a torn stop pad last week that he keeps re-injuring, so we haven’t done much agility practice. Hopefully we’ll get back to working our collection and chase homework again. Justine is doing an international prep class too, so that will give us some fun things to work on.

Just as a reminder, what we are looking at:

• Chasing the Hand

• Chase the Draggy Toy

• Dropped Static Toys

• New Collection Verbal

• Multiwraps

• Recall to Heel

As for the Justine stuff, week one was looking at independent backside verbals, which I’m sure both dogs need work on, and challenging weave entrances. I won’t be able to set up any of the exercises until League is over, unfortunately, but we can still work the one and two jump stuff. Bright could probably use some contact work too.

Was contemplating obedience, thinking of maybe using the Fenzi Team stuff to play around with for Navarre. Level one requires props, which I haven’t used, I’m not a huge fan of props that I have to fade. But maybe Navarre would like props? Hard to say, I’ll look into doing some at the arena and see what he thinks. I feel like our heeling has improved somewhat, though still not what I want with the hand touch. We still have a long way to go though. Navarre definitely has a different vibe with obedience, I truly think he feels it’s stupid and is just humoring me the whole time.

As for herding, I always get very motivated to practice after our lesson, then it gets pushed way down the list as you can only practice with sheep, and, well, that doesn’t often happen. We still have the same homework, which we really should practice – we have a lesson next week, don’t want to look like a total slacker. I DID learn to use a herding whistle, which, much like everything in herding, seems unnecessarily complicated. I haven’t practiced that much, as the theory is practicing in the car when the dogs aren’t with me – and the dogs are almost ALWAYS with me. Still, while I can’t play the Star Wars theme song, I can do high and low, short and long, and that seems like a good start.

Life continues to be remarkably relaxing after Fig’s departure, I don’t think I realized how much work she was until she was gone. Good god my dogs are easy by comparison! But, knock on wood, she hasn’t gone psycho resource guarder since the first day at her new home, they’ve been working on it and it sounds like she’s learned quickly. They sent some video of her working a little agility and lots of play and she looks really happy. I hope it works out for her, I think she’ll be a fun dog to train in agility.

It was funny how seeing videos of her training made me want my OWN puppy, one that I picked out that I would be training to actually do things I want to do. Which isn’t going to happen for another couple years, and never goes like you think it will. Much like with Fig and her complete lack of interest in food, they all have their own journeys. Still, imaginary puppies are really good at being fun. I don’t actually want another dog right now, but I like the idea of it for the future. Soon enough. I REALLY want someone local to get one of Karen’s current litter though, which is a cross of Bright’s brother and Navarre’s sister – I mean, come on, hard to not to wonder what that mix will be like. I do assume they will be BIG, lots of ponies on both sides of that pedigree – and mama is a substantial girl. But there will be brown heads! Which I know these puppies really won’t be that related to London, but I bet they kind of look like him and his relatives.