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    This weekend, it's back to Vallejo for two trials.  That means a week of focus and work.

    I started with a good session with Mary Vogler on Sunday.  She warns me that I am still "helping" Spur too much.  I tend to watch him as we heel, to offer praise a little too frequently, to be too quick to haul out the Charlie Bears.

    None of those things can happen in the ring, and it's time to make my training as ring-like as possible.  While keeping it fun fun fun of course!

    Sometimes all the necessaries seem in conflict, and pulling everything together is hugely challenging.  But the frustration ends each time I pull out Spur's special training collar and he goes wild with joy.  He loves to go and train!

    Monday evening we went to Alan Miller's class, but not as participants.  Instead, we set up our own ring right alongside Alan's area, and ran through the exercises - and a few fun games! - with the challenging distraction of 20 dogs racing about just a few feet away. 

    At one point, Alan had organized a fun chase exercise and some of the class dogs were suddenly right in our faces.  "I'm sorry!" one owner called out, but Alan was just laughing.  "She wants that!" he called.  "It's why she's here!"

    Exactly right, of course, controlled chaos is the name of the game.  Alan gets it, which is one reason he's so practically helpful.

    Spur did remarkably well on everything, including the ever-challenging go outs.  I began to have a little hope that perhaps we are getting on the right track.

    Tuesday nite we took off to the park and found an ideal area to practice for the weekend's indoor shows - an unused tennis court.  The distractions weren't as intense as Alan's class offered, but they were still helpful.

    My plan is to visit a different locale each evening.  The automatic doors at Raley's, the basketball players at Folsom's Davies Park, the soccer kids at Phoenix Field - they will all be seeing us.

    Will there be a payoff this weekend?  I cannot predict.  Mary tells me this phase we're in is normal, that we are working in the right direction, and that our little team is definitely going to make the grade.  I believe in her, in Spur and in myself. 

    I think!