Obedience Trial

Yesterday was our obedience club's annual trial (North Shore Dog Training Club). If you've never been to one and you love dogs, you've really got to go! Fran, Emily and I were all stewards (helper-outers) in different rings, watching some of the top obedience teams in the country do their thing. It was a joy to watch. Above the dogs in Open B are performing a three-minute "Sit/Stay" while their owners are out of sight.

That's Emily on the left and me on the right being "posts" for the dog-and-handler team doing a heeling Figure-8. The judge has her back to the camera in this shot. Going to a trial is always inspirational for me - makes me want to run home and work with my own dogs. So I do!

The oddest conversation I had during the day was when a couple of women came into the trial to watch and one of them, looking at the dogs in the top picture, asked me "Are all of these dogs owned? Like are any of them available?"

I was completely taken aback, but tried to remember that most people aren't at all familiar with our rather esoteric hobby and asking questions is the way to learn. I explained to the woman that all the dogs in the trial do have homes, families, and are actually teammates of their owners. And that the performances she was watching were the results of hundreds and thousands of hours of training and competition.

I think she thought we were all a bit crazy, but she and her friend stayed to watch and learn.

We got the keys to our new space! How cool is that! I hired painters so that all the walls (except for the brick ones) will be nice and bright by the time we move in. Can't wait - for it all to be over! The next ten days will be crazy for us. We're moving on Wednesday and our obedience club's annual trial is on Sunday. We expect there to be many headaches and hassles - both with the move (thinking of the phone company, the movers and other stuff - don't even know what!) and the trial (the weather, lots of dogs in a confined space, the people - people complain about anything and everything). But I keep telling myself it will all be worth it. The trial will be over for another year, and I won't have to listen to water running in the apartment above our shop.

The friendliest girl in the world

Yesterday was Dax and my first Obedience Trial as a team. We've been working at it since she was a baby and I probably should have started trialing (how's that for dog-specific jargon!) long ago, but I didn't.
And, just like her first Agility Trial, Dax proved she's the most social butterfly around. She had to go see the little girl sitting ringside. It didn't seem to occur to her, momentarily, that she was supposed to be heeling with me! And that speck on the mat had to be investigated. And what's going on in the ring next door? That looked very, very interesting!
The upshot was we didn't qualify. It's not that she totally blew any of the exercises - it's just that our total performance was, shall we say, not exactly noteworthy.
I really didn't expect to qualify her first time out. Trials can be nerve-wracking experiences for competitors (both human and canine) with years of experience.
So - we got some experience. Which is what you get when you don't get what you want.

Wuss, wuss, wuss

Well - our club's trial is over for another year. Plenty of moaning, but no major problems (few minor ones, either!). But I wussed out. Or came to my senses, depending on your point of view. I didn't bring Dax.
I realized that our first competition shouldn't be the one that I'm working like a (you'll excuse the expression) dog and not able to pay any attention to my dog. She deserves better than that.
So - thank you for the good wishes. I'll hoard them until we actually compete. Then I'll polish them up and share them with Dax.