AKC TRIAL

 I had very low hopes for this trial but we qualified 4 out of 4 runs.  Halleujah(sp)Last weekend at the ASCA trial Dare only qualified in one out of 6 runs. Dually qualified in 3 STD runs.
So Dare won his first ADV sheep leg and got another ADV duck leg.  2 firsts.
Dually got 1st in STD sheep and 2nd in STd ducks and 2 legs.

I can only attribute any sucess to the fact that we practiced over on the field this week.  We used the duck field and I worked sheep too. I was lucky enough to not get the facility owners sheep but the borrowed sheep who didn't have as strong a draw to the repen and so was able to get the cross drive.  First Time Dare has ever completed a sheep course at a trial or even at home.
 He didn't break his stay at the beginning and he didnt' crossover. He was not upset about anyone holding sheep or holding the duck ring so those are all big big big huge improvements.
Dually need to learn to rate.  Hmmmmm

Talent show

The Hospital  benefit talent show was last Sat night and Dare pulled it off without a hitch.   We flanked around the ducks for a few minutes and then I put them over the bridge twice and into the dog crate on  a  very slippery 15 by 30 stage.  Most of the feedback I got was about the ducks not the dog.  How cute etc.  Oh well.

The Monsta

    I'm sure I'm not the only one who grew up knowing  something but not knowing it at all.  I was just thinking about this piece of furniture that now resides in my basement.  My Dad made it probably 50 yrs ago for my Mom to keep her sewing machine and other stuff in it.  It originally was in our very small kitchen in Auburn where I grew up and I remember it very clearly there.  Anyway it's pretty big and for whatever reason he painted it a pink or peachy color.  It had a name.   It was called the Monster.  I've always called it the Monster and it will always be called that by every member still left of my family , but the funny thing is I didn't realize  until I was well over 30 that a Monster is not a particular piece of furniture like a table or a desk. One day it just dawned on me that it was a  nickname.   I don't think I ever went to a furniture store and asked where their Monsters were, but that would have been pretty darn funny.

Rain

And the rain goes on... 
However, I have been able to train between raindrops.  I have also been working both dogs on attention and heeling and  fronts.  Dare gets it , but Dually does not.  He thinks it's dumb, but Dare would do just about anything for food or toys. Dually doesn't care about food which makes it a little harder. Especially when I am trying Dawn Jecs " Choose to Heel" method.  Not sure if I like it yet, but  it beats jerk and pull.

The Talent show

    I have been asked to be in a talent show for the local Hospital. I hemmed and hawed and finally said yes.  It's a charity event so I guess I can try to be charitable.  They wanted the dogs.  I am giving them one dog and 3 ducks.  We had a rehearsal last night and I  just wanted to see if would be doable on a stage.  It wasnt' too bad. Dare was sort of out of control and I couldn't set him straight because there were people there.. They wouldn't have understood. I also had to drag the ducks out of the crate and I dont' think the people thought that was amusing although I thought it was funny as hell.
    There was a singer who sang Memories and I was truly afraid Dare was going to start howling along with her. I don't think she would have a sense of humor about it. It would make the whole show though.  Maybe I will suggest it. Peaches is a great howler and Dare is good too.

So I have to write up a thing about Dare and what he is doing and I  will record it and it will be played with music while I am working Dare.  I think a couple of flanks and some walk ups and maybe put the ducks over a bridge and the finale will be trying to get them back in the crate.   Hope nobody calls animal control on me, but you never know at these public things.

Call duck work

    I picked up my male call ducks today from a friend who had borrowed them and I brought them home to reintegrate them. The females were all very angry with them and gave them what for.
    I had to work them to see how they would work because I have agreed to be part of a talent show in a couple of weeks which will involve herding call ducks on a 15 by 30 stage.  I wanted to see 1. if they  would herd and 2. if my herding dog could work them. . The answer is yes to both questions. Dare was quite nice on them,staying slow and way back without me telling him to do it.  They also are going to be very  good in teaching him how to push straight. I had him fetch them to me and they didnt' want to come to me so he had to push and cover. It was a lot easier than doing Indian runners. The calls are so much slower that he could get the idea of cover and push.  It was a lot of fun.  I am going to enjoy working them and getting what I want out of Dare.
       

     I downloaded the aussie natl's premium today to see what I want to enter and maybe I will work on some obedience and enter the dogs in that in addition to stock.  I don't think I want to try agility with them. I would be too much work and I just don't feel it. But I could  whip them into a Novice obed routine fairly easily,maybe even an Open routine.  I will start playing tonight. Nothing like a good goal to motivate.

I'm back from clinic oblivion

   Just took Jan to the airport at 6:30 this morning.  We had 7 straight days here of 2 dif clinics.  Lots of good work by many dogs.  Weather was good except for yesterday.  We got to use my new arenas. We used the duck arena a lot and the bigger arena a few times.  I only had 4 sheep to use for all 7 days and they are very glad the dogs and the people have gone home . 

I am tired too, but I went out and worked Dually and Dare today and Kathy worked Ben and Tru. We tied all the dogs at one end of the arena (inside) and I had Dare push the duck up there. That is what he has a problem doing at trials and of course it was not a problem here.  The ducks didn't care that they were going right up towards dogs. They didn't push back much at all so I had Kathy stand up there and push on them. That helped some and he did have to push. 

So  I will spend the next week getting things back to normal around here and getting rid of the extra food.