Re-evaluating

During the drive home last night, I started to re-evaluate my current goals with the dogs. Due to some other things that have come up, I've had to scale back some of my training and well, show attendance. So what now?

First off, since Frankie and Dove are finished, that means I can concentrate on performance. I had three shows this year where there was a ring conflict with obedience. I chose to donate to the club rather then rush, worry and not be totally into the class at hand. Wise choice as each time we ended up with a major on a dog, a huge BOB win or in Dove's case a great best puppy in group win. The hooligans won't be ready to show till December, so the month of November is mine for obedience.

But who to take? I've been working on and off with Merlot and Frankie but neither is there yet. Still some focus issues with Merlot...squirrel....er uh, what were we doing? Fun and really gets it when she's paying attention. Frankie-he's just so soft and just not a super happy kind of worker that it will take some class time for him to really get the hang of it. Once he does, he's awesome though. I foresee both dogs working on their RN's this coming spring.

Then there's Moose. Yes we have one CD leg. Yes he has a 196 from fair this year with the Ms. But the last month he's gone back to the Huh? look and way out of it. We are back tracking to things he knows well and I have enteries in for shows in November. The money is spent, I will get that CD taken care of. I am though, debating on sending the kid in with him at least once. She's got his buttons figured out and damn it, they just look so cute together :)

My other issue has been the shows in the fall. I knew that the Des Moines shows would not be his cup of tea. He gets distracted too much - it's all about his adoring fans that he must suck up to. That's just him and I don't expect anything less. Leads me to this--know your dog. Understand their personality. None are perfect and if you know their weaknesses, then work around them,through them and make sure to laugh when they do exactly as you expected. But what I don't like seeing is people work dogs and then pushing them when they know they just aren't there. Waste of other peoples time, your money and that's what fun matches are for.

I couldn't show in Cedar Rapids just because I had to work at the show. A couple other venues I love going to have discontinued obedience so the pickings are slim. Trying to hang out closer to home, it just wasn't in the cards to travel 5-6-7 hours for obedience. Kick me though as one of my upcoming entries is a huge distance, but lots of other things going on with the trip that make it one I can't pass up.

Mason City has novice in the conformation building, again, for Moose's personality, not a great place to get him to focus on obedience. But there are a couple other shows that have great venues and I think he can work with some sense of purpose.

So last night I worked dogs. Eddie is, well, Eddie. Until we can bottle his happiness, novice is a long way off, let's get through Moose's CD, Merlot and Frankie's RN, then I can try to get serious with the clown. Merlot, always a challenge but she had a few good moments last night. But Moose, he and I went a totally different path last night -- tracking of course!

I laid two tracks out in the south hay field. The first I laid a little more scent and bait for him, just to remember. The second was the same length, but less for him to snack on, more purpose driven to get to the end. WOW! He's got it. The first track he wandered but I laid more food. The second - pulled me down the line, straight and with gusto. Got to the end and we do need to work more on our indictation down but I'm happy with the progress. Tomorrow on the way home, Meredith and I will lay 3-4 lines at the park, go home, change and then run him through those. That should be about the right aging time to.

We ended with some recalls and finishes-his weakness right now. Not too shabby at all. Once he quit scenting up to me-it was actually cute but also shows that he doesn't change "tracks" very well and needs some down time to go from one event to another.

The goals now-finish that CD by Christmas. Frankie and Merlot-RN's by March and then back to Moose for his CDX. I think that's what I can handle right now and the dogs too. Then there's Eddie.......


Later gators....
C