Sunday Salutations and Double Dog Duty

Last weekend was double the writing, so I guess it only makes sense that this weekend would be double the dog training. Crokell and I had our normal Saturday class yesterday, and while I was hoping to get ready for the trial next week, I forgot to sign up for it (omphf). But while we won’t be competing for real, we did have fun today at a Show and Go training session at the local club we train with. (At a Show and Go, they run it similar to a real competition, but it’s training, so you can use treats and whatnot. -Tod)

We got see several other people train and met a few people from the club that go on weekdays when we do not. We did 2-3 runs through a rally course and found once again that Crokell knows when I have the cheese and when I do not. Since I am not competing next week, we have a bit more time to learn to wean him from this cheese so he pays attention to me with and without treats. I cannot complain much, even when Crokell isn’t hyper focused on me, he does “mostly” do what I ask him. It is just a slothful Newfie pace instead of the intensity that he can manage when I have cheese. (To defend both Anna and Crokell, the cheese helps when he’s being slow and distracted. But he can be attentive and more intense without the cheese. But that is dependent on factors we’ve yet to resolve. -Tod)

Tod took a few videos of me running the course. The first time I missed a sign and didn’t notice. The second time Crokell was about half awake. And the third time I had the cheese. I am not sure which video Tod will post. (The one with the cheese. Because newest video on the phone is easiest to find. -Tod)

I was also given good advice about not just keeping my energy up (which I have been working on), but on trying to make sure I have his attention before we start. I might need to figure out how much time I have to get it… Because Crokell is bad at looking at me when we first start. More attention games are on the training menu.

Other than that, we got to pet some puppies and play with others. I wanted to borrow (read steal) Christa, but I like Sandy too much for that, but someday I will have my own Mini American Shepherd.

So, I call it a win. I am closer to my life goal of petting every dog breed. I might need to start a list.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. And I have to thank Tod for being a wonderful husband that put up with hanging out in a warm dog ring for about 4 hours while we watched other people run or did the runs ourselves.

~Anna and Tod