Last Hurrah

Any trial in July can be iffy, and Ridgefield is like an oven when it gets hot. I was thinking it was getting so hot this afternoon … it was 77. Heh. Yeah, Summer trialing, it’s not for me. I wanted to do a last hurrah with the dogs before Summer break though, and we did have fun.

I am in sort of a funky place with all the dogs right now, we’re not necessarily working on anything new, but in a holding pattern. Haku needs ‘double qs’ in obedience, Bright needs ‘double qs’ in agility and Navarre just need to be a baby and grow up. So they’re all doing, well, what they have been doing. And there are things I COULD work on, like working precision with Haku’s obedience, attempting to fix Bright’s running contacts or taking Navarre to fun matches to reward in the ring for focus. I COULD go do those things, but I probably won’t. Haku doesn’t enjoy working on precision, Bright is going to do what Bright is going to do at this point, and Navarre will grow up when he’s ready. Which doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun, but I always enjoy the process more than just ‘running agility’ or ‘doing obedience’, which is where I feel we are at this point.

Lots of good stuff at the trial, Navarre gets the gold star for contacts today with 2 great teeters, and a fabulous dogwalk and aframe. Bright actually got a double Q. Courses were nothing exciting, just straightforward AKC. Premier had a funky straight line exit that was interesting, we attempted it one way, requiring a rear cross which Bright didn’t read (shocking, I know!). She also dropped the triple.

Navarre was sightseeing like crazy, so wide as he would be gazing out and around at every turn, waving to his fans, checking out the universe. Sometimes I forget that he’s not Bright and don’t cue things correctly, but he was going super wide when there was no other equipment even in sight. Still managed a T2B Q, and standard he dropped a bar and fell out of his weaves. Jumpers he was more connected and with me, working hard … and then ran around the last jump because he was waving at the leash runner – ARRGH. And I got frustrated, which I shouldn’t, he’s just a baby. It’s much easier if he’s a baby the WHOLE run instead of at the last jump though.

Such a dorky puppy, but, yes, still very much a puppy – and will be for some time. When we practice we often have people coming in getting ready for classes, and I don’t get the same behavior at all – it’s just a trial exposure thing. Navarre has always been a very outwardly focused boy. Though, let it be said, he did such a nice job running through tricks outside the ring waiting for his turn – he really is such a fun trick dog as he learns so methodically. With my trick classes this summer I imagine we’ll be working on lots of new stuff as he will get to be guinea pig. I love tricks, and having good excuses to train more tricks!

Oh, and Haku did some go-outs at the practice jump area – and after coming up short a couple times he was back to his good behavior.  Which is kind of the theme at the moment, he’s needing a couple ‘questions’ before he does it. Which isn’t super helpful for actually competing, so we’ll keep working on it. Also need to work on some glove pivots in novel environments, I have not felt really secure with this in competition either. Love my Haku, such a good boy.

Lucked out yet again with some BEAUTIFUL weather for hiking this week. Overcast and like 65, which is just nuts for July. Went with Linda’s terriers, wasn’t sure how that would go. Bright, Super Bitch, found them completely inoffensive. Tucker was actually HUMPING HER and she did tell him off, but even then, none of her normal displays of bitchness. Can’t explain that one. And Navarre, who got to play with Mable quite a bit when he was growing up, just wanted them to race and run with him – and they had no interest. Heh. Keeping in mind that Tucker is like a year younger than Navarre, but Navarre was the ‘youngest’ one there by far. Dorky puppy indeed.