Sue & Waldo

I also aim for the best we can do together and high on my priority list is that we love it together. I am also competitive by nature and have learnt to compete with myself. I started to think about this when I watched a fellow competitor pull out literally seconds into a heeling pattern because his dog "wasn't working well enough" and would not win the ring. It was my second trial and I have since seen him at other events and he is so compatitive and demanding. I admore his dedication but I hope it is not as stressful as it seems. Anyway if I could bottle Cindy's heeling in training this morning I might even get tempted to aim for high scores!

I would NEVER tell a handler that they were crap. That is really bad instructing. Now unless you have given your dog to someone else to train, it is you that has produced a dog that is ready. Therefore YOU are ready too! My aim is always a pass. I am not going to win. I got a little bit freaked out by the whole winning thing at the trial I did. But I know that you do drop points due to nerves so I usually aim to be sitting on a very high percentage in practice before I enter. Anyhow you are braver than me. I got told I was crap and haven't been to training since ;) Sorry you haven't been back to training. I am not sure if I am brave, a glutton for punishment, stubborn or plain stupid. (Pity sure I am not brave though! You should see me if i think there are rodents about.)

I agree with the idea of doing a test to pass it is just that my pass mark for the next trial is for me to relax and enjoy; Cindy to be happy; and for her to do the figure of 8; and for me to keep an even speed in heeling.

what a compliment-a happy dog. to me that is vital. My problem is that all Cindy's early training was before I knw what I was doing so her handicap has always been me. I just mean that she is my first dog I have really trained so she has suffered all my learning curves. She is very patient.

Well it is 8 days until our first novice trial. I was told that Cindy is ready but I am not. No surprises there! As usual it is our heeling that is the problem and my speed. I keep slowing down. I keep telling myself not to I have recorded a metranome on my phone and I am about to try that. No idea what the other park users are going to think. I am already a source of amusement! I have a very bad sense of rythm so if anyone has any other ideas. Also how often do you treat when trying to keep a dog in position? Do you fade treat during the lead up to a trial? At least nothing else is broken (yet) and I am not panicing! I am still not aiming for a Q just a good round from both of us! (No panic posts yet!) Wouldn't mind a pass though! Which raises another question. Some people at training will not enter until they can be confident of winning the ring, a score of 197+ and will withdraw if they can't get that. I am just not that competitive and happy with a Q of 175. Is that accepting mediocrity from the dog (or me) and should I push for higher?

Yes they are great and are MDBA trainers of the year this year. I am going tonight!

WELL DONE

Awesome work and so pleased the training repair work is going well. That video was amazing-now I know I am not ready for a trial in 2 weeks

great pics and good on you for your training efforts. It is great when you see improvement in your dogs and yourself.

Priceless :D It is funny now but then....yish Weird thing is that Cindy only lost 1 pt in the SFE & 2 pts in recall. Pity about the heeling/handler! Ah well!

Good luck and enjoy! On my first CCD trial the judge was great and I was a total wreck. After the first halt on the heeling pattern she said "Forward and for God's sake breathe"

Argh now that you have entered you can come and join myself and Bedazzled and watch it all come tumbling down :D Our current training plan is called break, patch, repair as best you can and cross your fingers This is followed up by mumbling something about whose great idea it was to enter the upcoming trial. Add to this the fact that ALL our other class exercises are crumbling and our confidence is down around our knees. I guess the only way is UP from here - so wishing you Good Luck, stay calm and looking forward to hearing how you get on. I have blown the dust off Soggy and will be bringing her out for her first trial in 5 months this weekend. Looking forward to seeing what she remembers Then I'm right on track following the guru training plan. Rory failed his heeling on Sunday - mega distracted, missed drops and a sit. BUT - his SFE was rock solid - yay, and he came in fast on the recall even though it was a short distance - did sit wonky though. I didn't bother with stays or the afternoon trial - don't want him practising mistakes. Good luck S&C and WA troops. yep I am on track! Cindy is not broken but my footwork is! I am in TOTAL admiration for people who do DWD! (Mind you I can't dance AT ALL SO...)

WARNING! WARNING! TAKE COVER!!! In a very rash moment I entered Croydon trial on April 17. Originally I had decided not to enter anything until May (Berwick) but I have been going down to FOO at KCC Park and Cindy did SO WELL on Tuesday night I thought why not! In the cold light of day it seems somewhat brazen. HeHe. Now you will all remember the panic-ridden posts when I was in CCD so just wiat for the CD ones. I know that Cindy is close to ready but I know that I am not so when I panic: 1. Do this to me 2. Remind me that I do it because it is fun To try and calm myself I set myself the goals of: Enjoy the ring Good return to heel following recall Not missing any drops Keeping my own speed even during the heeling pattern

It was a trialling run. Shhhh! I am aiming for Berwick double trial. (Better be better than my CCD effort at that venue. )

So pleased the Toby's soundness is improving. Good luck for agility!

Well done! You must be proud.

Well duh, of course they are! Sometimes we just have to accept that our dogs are smarter than us and move on :D It is the moving on part I have trouble with-honestly my nerves are Cindy's biggest handicap! BTW I already knew she was samarter than me

Apparently Figure of 8's are designed for: a chance to get a pat from both judge and steward or take a shortcut around the front of the person and pick up a perfect heel position as I go around Never ever done that before. At least I was consisent-I paniced and assumed Cindy was broken!

How did the final go?

:D FAILED!!!! ;)

Well done! great work.

I love this thread! http://www.flickr.com/groups/macs_friends/...75706249/page2/

Well done!

Sorry Mason is unwell-hope you are spoiling him!

We were going great guns and were at the stage of open mouth and reach for it...then close mouth on it....then take off with it!!!! hmmmm not what I had in mind!!! Puppy is now on a lead while we shape the retrieve! :D He is just at the age of taking off with everything as a wonderful trophy Cindy has rarely taken off with anything, even as a puppy so it is a challenge. She still paws things rather than mouths! Has done always. If I give her a squeaky toy she paws it to make it squeak rather than pick it up. Had the vet check her teeth but they are ok so it is just her trait I guess. perhaps she could soccer the dumbell to me! I am now moving to the holding stage. Thanks.