Piper

We're 5 weeks away from our last obedience trial of the season (a 4 day show) and Piper is peaking at just the right time! We had obedience class yesterday and Piper did the best he's done all year...he was spot on for his scent discrimination (he's been off the metal for a couple months), he took the metal without hesitation! His seek back is always good of course but his fronts and finishes and his heeling were so good...better than they've been in 2 years (this of course is where you lose the most points). I've been working him on his fronts with 2 2x4's that I funnel out. I leave him (on a recall) a good 5 feet away from them at an angle so he has to correct his angle...what an amazing difference it's made! I know this is just practice and the trial is a whole nother ballgame but it's got my hopes up. I'm also working daily on his directed jumping...I need to get him to where he was a year ago when he didn't mess up his jumps. I figure if I do them EVERY day for 5 weeks he'll be confident on them.
Finnie is another story....this boy anticipates EVERYTHING! The jumps (the worst), the signs, turns, heeling...my instructor laughingly said she's never seen a dog that anticipated Rally before!
His heeling is considerably better since we figured out I was going too fast but now I need to teach him he doesn't know as much as he thinks he does! Little brat, I do a recall to front and then get him to finish without the front (Rally sign) then next time I do a normal recall he wants to go straight to finish....smarty pants!
I must say though, I watched a video of Piper and I from May and I was heeling so fast....it's no wonder I'd get a forge now and then from Piper...poor guy didn't know what I was doing! I've been practicing with a slower heel with Piper as well and it's made such a difference. Now just to pick it up a wee bit and we're perfect!
Looking forward to the trial (November 8-11) on holidays and 4 days in a hotel. It's actually going to be a real holiday (aside from having to get up at 6:30 every day lol).
Now if Mother Nature cooperates and keeps the snow away until after November 11! I hate highway driving at the best of times and it's a 3 hour drive.

 

Piper will, I have no doubt of that Gloria. Now Finnie on the other hand.....
It's funny but in almost 2 years of Finnie being here I've seen zero aggression from him or Piper towards the other. However this evening I had a bowl of cereal and let them clean it out ( my bad, I know) and Piper actually turned his head and bared his teeth at Finnie! No growl, just the teeth. My boy has decided to stick up for himself . I'm going to have to make sure it doesn't become a problem.

 

How many points do you need? Is that anything like ours where you compete in Excellent and Masters in same trial?
I'll do Masters with Piper eventually but not until we're done obedience...too many signs that can mess them up for Utility. We're going to start first on his RAE. $400 entry fees...plus hotel!

 

That's for both dogs though. Piper's is the most because I'm entering him in Utility for all 4 days (100) and doing doubles with him in Rally (192) but I've since decided to enter Finnie in prenovice for the Friday and Saturday (to get him more ring experience in obedience) so it'll be another $58.00. Of course they are having day of entries so if Piper should get him OTCH then I'm going to enter him in Open as well lol.
Dedicated yes but also addicted to dog shows!
I told my mom I could do ALL my Christmas shopping with what my entrance fees are lol. She said but you don't go anywhere on holidays so why not. I'm thankful that at 91 my mom understands and doesn't give me grief for what I do with them. When Piper was 2 and we'd been doing obedience at the same class for over 6 months my mom asked me "Piper's been going to this class for a long time, when is he going to graduate "?......my response.....never. She understands now lol.

 

Oh my goodness! Poor Beau! That's just the sort of thing Finnie would do to Piper lol. Our boys are so tolerant of these juveniles!