A midsummer night's obedience dream

“If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got.”

In other words, the definition of insanity is doing something the same way every time but expecting different results.

Over the last three months, I’ve enjoyed the beginning of an incredible journey with Phoenix. We’ve debuted in the obedience ring, had a tremendous amount of fun, earned some titles, had some spectacular successes and some resounding failures and I’ve learned a lot about my dog along the way. The best part of it has been spending time with a dog I love very much and a group of supportive, creative, wonderful friends.

Since we have two months off from trials, now is a great time to re-evaluate where we’ve been, where we’re going and how we’re going to get there.

My training goal is to be ready to show in UKC Open Aug. 8 and 9 in Ft. Dodge. (Hopefully we won’t have to camp in the chicken barn again.) In order to do this, we need to:

• Put a turn, front and finish with the broad jump while continuing to cement the concept of jumping the center of the jump, not cutting the edge. And not touching any part of the jump with any part of the dog.

• Proof the drop on recall so he understands HE doesn’t get to choose when he drops, even though that is apparently an incredible amount of fun.

• Continue heeling training: body position, head position, turns (especially driving and wrapping to the right) and halts, plus maintaining position during speed changes. In other words, pretty much every aspect of heelwork.

• Proof retrieves both on the flat and over the high.

• Continue building speed on all recall/retrieve exercises.

• Continue to work out of sight stays, especially around the house when he thinks I am not paying any attention and might not actually mean it.

Perhaps the most important thing on my training to-do list is attitude building. Obedience will always be about precision, control and formality. That’s the nature of the beast. But don’t get me wrong, that can all be done with a great deal of joy and enthusiasm and that is my #1 goal beyond any title or score.

So here’s my final goal for this summer: to build attitude without over-reliance on toys and cookies. I was so pleased to have quit using so dang many cookies until a dear training friend pointed out I had just substituted toys for the cookies and was still very reliant on those external motivators to get attitude. Thank you, RS!

There! I’ve put it out there on the Web for billions of people to read! People in Timbuktu know my training goals! If that doesn’t get me off my arse and outside to train my dog, I don’t know what will.