The 4 star was a 5 star :-)

OK, I know it has been ages again since I have actually updated the blog! I realized it was time to actually find time to sit down and write when several people actually asked me about Riesen and how she was doing, it was at this point that I realized that I had not let anyone out there know the great news! Although she had 3 mammary glands removed the "tumors" were all benign!! A downright miracle I would say.

Auntie Julie is of course taking the very best care of her and she is happy as a pig in mud, wrestling and tugging with, and, on her cousin Crush. What a life!!

I can say in all honesty that I have had very little chance to do much training since my last entry but I have worked a bit more on Mergers A-Frame. I have barely begun the dog walk training but if his progress on the A-Frame is any indicator, I think the dog walk will turn out as well.

Merger is definitely getting the hang of the additional "hit" at the base of the A-Frame and is genuinely seeking it out I am proud to say :-)

I am currently in Minnesota to teach at a 3 day seminar for Annelise Allan and Agile Canines, near the twin cities. When I get home I will do another video session and show you our progress! And, yes I really will put the videos up, I realize I have yet to download the SoBe fun match videos :-) OK, another thing to put on the to do list for when I get home.

SoBe is on vacation with auntie Deb this week as I opted to not take her to the Wasatch USDAA 4 Star event. A very good decision on my part as the show was very busy and the weather very unpredictable. The show itself was FANTASTIC! 

Let's talk about SoBe first, and about making decisions that impact the remainder of our dogs careers. SoBe occupies my thoughts a lot these days, not just because she is the spoiled little miss Princess SoBe that my World revolves around, but, also because I absolutely, positively know the potential that little dog has and I am consumed with trying to figure out how to get it out of her :-) 

As you all know I am certainly not referring to drive, she has that oozing out of every pore, I am, of course, referring to her need to take control of every situation. I firmly believe that is truly the crux of the issue, she is a control freak!!! 

I suppose it takes one to know one but if that is the case then "I" need to be in control. 

It does not need to be pointed out to me that the degree to which she has been spoiled does not exactly help this situation, but, I spoil all of my dogs and it has never come back to bite me in the butt with the ferocity that it has with SoBe.

I am a firm believer in picking battles, because of this I am rather lax when it comes to household rules. 

I am not even remotely lax in my expectations when I am training, so, it is a bit hard to take when there is a dog for whom the lines seem to blur.

It is quite obvious to me that SoBe is going to have to be "required" to be more responsible around the house if I am ever going to get her to be responsible on course, this will be tricky for me but I will do what needs to be be done to get everything out of her that there is to give.

I guess SoBe is going to have to join the rank and file of dogs that actually have to wait in their crate while the door is opened and actually stay there until released! I surely hope this new and improved household dog training does not kill one or the both of us :-)

One thing is for certain, at the upcoming USDAA trial she will hold her stays or she will not run, she will do her contacts properly or she will be escorted off of the course, she will do her weave poles from start to finish or she will be escorted off the course, and, she will not be entered in another trial until we have proofed all of these things to withstand, earthquakes, tornadoes, or any other force of nature in a training and fun match environment.

You see, it is one of the hardest things to do, pulling a dog from competition. It is also impossible for me to imagine spending this entire dogs career fighting with her in the ring when I can spend a few months or even a year getting it right. :-)

There are just some things that cannot be "fixed" in the ring and I believe that SoBe and I need to come to an agreement about who does what when and where, ultimately it is going to be awesome, right now it is going to be tough...

Next topic, the Wasatch 4 star USDAA event!! It was great! My friend Colleen Hawker puts on the most amazing trials and is very fortunate to have great workers and because of her dedication to the sport and the wonderful trials she puts on people come out of the woodwork to volunteer!

I would definitely give this 4 star event, 5 stars! The weather was a little weird at times but overall it was great. The trial was held at one of my all time favorite agility venues, outdoors on fabulous grass with a tree line surrounding the rings that provide tons of shade. We RV onsite and myself and a bunch of friends always have yearly bocci ball tourneys, (I think it is the bocci ball that draws us :-). We were semi rained out this year though and had to cut the games pretty short :-(

However, what made this event so awesome was the great competition that showed up, lots of people from different areas of the country that you just do not get to see anymore except at the big events.

I truly enjoyed going to a local trial and treating it like a Regional, it was a blast to have that kind of adrenaline pumping through me at a local trial :-) 

I also have to mention how fantastic my "students" in Utah are doing and what a great job they did at the trial, way to go guys!

Oh yea, I had the pleasure of running my student LaVar's fantastic sheltie Nic in the GP and we qualified!!!! I gave the Steeplechase a try but Nic had gotten wise and realized that dad was there and when he rounded the first major turn at the top of the course Nic decided to keep turning and head right out of the ring to dad! Thanks LaVar for the opportunity I had a great time!