SacPaws.com

    I have not been a very good blogger of late - life is very full!  And we have been busy on the campaign trail.  We were at two shows in Vallejo, we've been to Alan's class in
Sacramento and spent much phone time and a class with Mary Vogler in Lodi. 

    The bottom line is that, for the moment, Spur remains a legless dog after six trials.  One friend noted I haven't been blogging much of late, and said she hopes that doesn't mean I'm discouraged.  I can't say I'm not discouraged, but I can say I am a realist and . . . forgive me . . . I am rather dogged about this.

    One fact that helps me keep it real comes from the simple act of observing what happens at the trials I attend.  In six shows, I've seen just two dogs qualify in Utility A.  Proof positive, in case I hadn't noticed, that utility is tough, indeed.

    And if I'd hoped to find solace in watching the B dogs, there is little there to warm the heart.  Of late, it seems to be fairly typical that about a third of the class entries actually achieve qualifying scores.  These are highly experienced dogs, and recognizing how many of them fail a given class is a tremendous reality check.

    There are signs of encouragement.  At the show last week, once again, Spur refused to do his goes.  But when our turn in the ring ended, Judge Rosalie Alvarez approached me with a smile and an enouraging comment.  "This is a good dog," she said of Spur.  "He's going to get there.  Don't worry about today.  Utility is hard!"

    Also on the encouraging side, my friend Christine Johnson and her Corgi, Pearl, just completed their Utility Dog title- after a full year of trials.  "We struggled for so long with a whole variety of issues in the ring," Christine told me.  "Then suddenly it all came together, and we got two legs in a row.  As if it were easy."

    It isn't easy.  It's very difficult.  There are people who make it look easy.  They do it with hours of practice, with total dedication, with a real focus on learning how to establish that rapport and communication with their dog, with an eternally upbeat perspective and never-say-die attitude.

    I admit, this is a greater challenge than I had anticipated.  What makes it all worthwhile is something more than the goal of earning a title.  It's the great rapport with my dog, with my trainer and with my companions on the campaign trail.

    We are a community and being part of that community is its own reward.

    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!