SacPaws.com

    I start my 4th of July celebration the same way every year - at the Sacramento Dog Training Club's annual match, held at American River College.  Some years I volunteer to help as a judge or steward, some years I'm just focused on taking advantage of a great training opportunity for my own dog.

    This year it was all about Spur, and it was a terrific day.

    The weather was cool, the venue was shady, the volunteers were experienced and well organized.  A handler could hardly ask for more. 

    Perhaps because of current high gas prices, turnout was slightly less than it has been some years.  There were only about a dozen dogs entered in the utility rings, and for that reason Alice Webber was able to give each of us some extra time.

    For several years I trained with Alice, and her then-partner Marsha Dandridge (who now lives in Oregon and has gone on to become a fully accredited AKC judge).  Alice is an expert, and she put us through our paces with some tough love.

    Even at a match, it's all too easy to become distracted, nervous, or hurried, and completely lose the sense of what good handling is all about.  Alice noticed that happening to me, and stepped in to set me straight with some excellent guidance that was fully in tune with the training methods I've been following with Mary Vogler.

    In fact, Mary was also there, and watched us in the ring with a complete sense of approval.  Afterwards, she was also able to add some further direction and reinforce the positives.

    The biggest challenge remains the distractions.  If I get a little nervous, a little harried in these settings - well, one can only imagine what Spur must be feeling.

    And those feelings definitely show up in his performance.  He may stare directly at me as a signal is given, and then ignore it completely.  He may look away at a critical moment.  He may feel uncertain.

    The object of training and practice these days is, yes, to reinforce his knowledge of the exercises, but also to build his confidence.

    I saw that confidence beginning to grow this weekend.
   
    On the go-outs, for instance, I now create a little row of tubs of cookies he must run past to get to his destination.  That has been difficult, but it is starting to happen.  When the tubs go away - the exercise is suddenly far easier for him. 

   On Sunday, two days after the match, we were back at the park in the cool of the morning for more practice.  Perhaps I'm delusional, but I believe I'm seeing incremental improvement.  He seems to have an ever increasing sense of certainty about what he's doing.

    This week will be very hot, and so we will not be able to get in much practice when I arrive home from work each day.  On Friday, we head to Carmel for the annual trails put on by the Del Monte Dog Training Club. 

    I don't know what to expect.  We'll do our best.  Worst case, we'll come away a little wiser about all the things that can happen at a trial, and at least a little bit more prepared for the next big competition.