Recovering from Springfield

I was so depressed when I got home from the Springfield show last night.  I just wanted to cry.  But we just have to practice more.  We just are not ready yet for such a big event.

Today I took both dogs to daycare.  Well Quinn went into daycare and Oliver went into day boarding. After work Quinn and I went to our healing class.  Ann told us Celeste came home sputtering how horrible many of the dogs and more the handlers were. I knew she meant me amongst them.  

Our healing class started with just getting their attention.  The name game and up here. 

Healing I was to pop him every time he looked away and praise/treat when he looked at me.  My boobs and fat belly make it difficult to see him.  I need to loose weight so bad, you would think this would be motivation!!!

We practiced step-to-the-right-pop, which was new to me.  

Ann showed me the beginnings of the Nose Bridge, another thing we did not know. Also "get-ins from "brick work".  Another thing we have never trained.  

My home work is to work on the nose bridge, get a brick and start the brick work.

Also practiced figure 8 and getting him to set up straight and pay attention.  I did the heel-boot-his-butt, but he quickly figures that out and would hop to the left every time I even moved my foot.  

Finally we worked on stays.  I learned that I should not bend over and tell him to stay.  I should give the command, "sit" and then wave my hand in front of his face and say, "stay" and walk away without bending over.  Same with the down.

After our lesson I put Quinn in a crate and brought Ollie in.  Then Sharon asked me to help her with her dumb bell work with Joey.  I was surprised to see her working the dumb bell when she hasn't done her CD.  But maybe that is where I am wrong.  Maybe you are not supposed to do your CD until you are really ready to start Open.  I just don't know.  I have never had anyone explain the whole deal to me.  I thought you just moved from one thing to the next.  I feel like an idiot.

I worked with Ollie for a while, he did really good compared to last time.  All we did was walk back in forth in front of the crates practicing "with me" and "attention".  I would pop and turn around every time I caught him not looking at me.  He did pretty good.  He had a couple out burst with other dogs, but not to bad.

Finally, Celeste spoke to me and told me, "Girl you need work, you were so lost out there!"  I was humiliated but knew she was right, I did need work.  I do not if I was so much lost, but maybe I was because I was lost on how to get my dog to pay attention to me.  He was, as they said, "not committed."

Well, I have so much more work to do and do not have the time or money that these women are so lucky to be able to do.  I will do what I can.  I wish they had a book.

Learning to Show Dogs Entry 1

I am a NOVICE A competitor.  I purchased my "show" dog 2 and 1/2 years ago and wish I had started my blog back then!  I have some notes here and there that I will dig up an post later.

My dog:  Sure Haven Mighty Quinn, Russell Terrier born in July 2008.  

Training to date:  I purchased Quinn in August 2008 and took him home September 6, 2008 and we went to Puppy Class on Sept. 8, 2008.  We graduated Puppy Class and entered Basic Obedience and graduated in December 2008.  We took a break over the holidays and then signed up for and passed Canine Good Citizen in the Spring 2009; next we completed an Clicker Off Leash Class.  Then it was Summer 2009 and we took another break.  I was unable to find any Obedience classes beyond Clicker Off Leash.  Finally I found a Healing Class with Ann in Fall 2010!  

September 2009 Beginner Rally, Intermediate Rally, then Advanced Rally. 

Started Agility with Maureen in Fall 2009 then due to school (finished my bachelors) had to switch to a different day and picked up with Julie.  First Match in Winter 2010 was great fun.  Continued to train in Rally and Agility through the Winter 2010, then in the spring had to stop to save money because my daughter was to be married in June 2010 and then my son in September 2010. 

So we begin to show:  

In August 2009 I went to a dog show in Keene and saw my trainer while watching a Rally class.  She asked if I was signed up.  I thought to myself, "Me??? Really you think I could compete?" I then began to think after watching the Rally Class that Quinn could do that.  The next week while at lessons I noticed a trial in Maine. It was an UKC trial not AKC but I asked Ann if she would help me prepare.  When I came for my private lesson I realized I was SO NOT READY!  I had spent much time on the internet watching YouTube videos of novice dogs and thought I could do this, until I was in the ring with Ann actually trying to do it!  

September 2009: We went to Maine; Bob and LouAnn were nice enough to let me stay in their camper.  First day we qualified with a 171.  Ugh.  But we Q'd.  The second we disqualified for moving during his honor dog.  The spot where the dogs were honoring most of the day was covered with slobber; I decide I would set Quinn up a little behind the slobber; mistake, he wormed his way up the the slobber.

September 2009: Show and Go in Merrimack with Ann.  Our first outdoor event.  We did okay, not great.


Winter 2010: Agility Match:  Did great through the course except for the Teeter Totter and Weave Poles.  We have not mastered those yet.  HAD A BLAST that day.

 August 2010 our first AKC Obedience Trail in Canterberry.  3 Novice A Rally and 3 Novice A Rally.  Earned 1 Obedience leg and 2 Rally Legs.

 

October 2010 Second AKC Trial in Amherst.  3 Novice A Rally and 3 Novice A Obedience.  Earned 1 Obedience and 1st place in Obedience.  Earned 2 Rally legs, our RN Title and a perfect score on the last day!

November 2010 Third AKC Trial in West Springfield, The Big E.  2 Novice A Obedience.
A shit show.  An abortion.  Awful.  Quinn acted as though he had never been on on leash before!  Feeling very depressed to say the least.