This weekend was AKC obedience in Ruston. The weekend started off badly.. I managed to leave my purse at home and had to back track to retrieve it in Krotz Springs (thanks Mike for meeting me part way).
Grace was entered in Rally Exc. She was not real sure of her surroundings on Saturday so she refused to stand while I walked around her (she sat down) and then wilted on her sit stay as the honor dog. Sunday I got her out early and we played a long time in various locations on 3 sides of the ring. Much better performance after her play time - she was so confident she dashed off several times to go check things out and then came back to do the signs. She did every sign about perfectly... but how do you judge the performance if the dog doesn't heal between signs? The judge just gave us a 70 so she got her green ribbon. We need to work on her healing attention between signs. I think she is too smart for her own good... she dashes off and meets me at the next sign.
As I feared it was cool in Ruston and the heat was cranked up in the building. It was uncomfortably warm both days. The outside doors were open but the building remained stuffy. Not good news for a black fuzzy dog Bern in his winter coat. However, Bern had a Q going into the out of sight stays on Saturday. The he wilted on the 3 minute sit (his first bust for that) - I'm sure he was hot and miserable. On Sunday he managed to NQ three exercises including the out of sight sit. Hey.. no one fussed at him for lying down Saturday so he did it again on Sunday.
Homework: keeping a "sit" when Mom isn't watching, healing attention (both dogs), Bern dropping a bit sooner on his drop on recall.
The holidays are just around the corner. The neighbors across the street jumped the gun so to speak and put up their outside Christmas lights on the house last weekend. It seems a bit early to me...I'm waiting until Thanksgiving weekend.
