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    Some days it is just flat tough to get out and train.

    I do have a life apart from dog training.  In that life, I own a small business, go to a lot of night meetings, play a little golf, spend some time with friends.  Or occasionally, when I get home from a long day, I just feel like crashing on the couch.

    The problem is Spur.  He greets me with a toy.  "At the very least let's play some tug!" he seems to say.  And he is off and running, frenetically squeaking his new plush coyote critter, or dropping the tug toy enticingly at my feet.  Irresistible.

    Then there is the reality of the thing we want to do - to win recognition and titles.  We have to train if we want to achieve that.

    Years ago I ran a marathon.  That experience taught me that I can do almost anything - within reason of course! - if I am only willing to do what it takes to get there.  For me, the marathon meant months of long daily runs, and a 10 or 15 miler once a week or so.

    Training Spur is far less rigorous, but it does have challenges.  I must keep it fun and fresh for him.  The minute our practice becomes rote or repetitious, I am done for.  He will quickly realize that the dogs in the next ring, or the spectators, or the casual passersby, are all far more interesting than his boring mistress. 

    So I watch the calendar and try to make sure we get out to a location away from home at least four times a week.  At home we practice the little things.  It's easy to practice fronts or get-backs or a back rotation for glove three right in my own living room.

    And the fact is, once I get into it, training is fun.  In trying to make it happy for Spur, I wind up making it happy for myself.  It's long been said that even faking a smile soon makes you feel truly smiley inside.  I am living proof the old adage is true.

    However reluctantly or crankily I started out, I always end up feeling . . . well, just great.

    Many of the people I'll eventually be competing with live full time in the dog world.  They are judges, trainers, vets, vet techs, or reitrees who love dogs.  They have a universe of time that isn't available to me.

    But I still think we can get in the game . . . . as long as we do what we must.  And so . . .  off to the park!