Friday, April 1, 2011

Let the games begin

Tomorrow Phoenix and I debut in Utility. I'm excited! Utility has always been my favorite class to train for, show in and teach. I think it's because my first Utility dog, Jess, was so insane and loved it so much and it left a lasting imprint on my mind - Utility rocks. Plus I really like the whole instant gratification of knowing that you either passed or you didn't when your run is over, no agonizing wait for sits and downs.

I haven't shown in Utility for 4 years. Yikes! Jamie retired from regular obedience in the early summer of 2007. Wow. That was a long time ago. Phoenix will be the first dog I've shown in Utility since the rules changed so every exhibitor gets the same glove on the Directed Retrieve. No more obsessing about which glove we'll get - it will be posted ring side along with the order of exercises.

Are Phoenix and I ready? Yes! I think one of the reasons I'm looking forward to showing tomorrow is because I don't care if we Q. My goal for the weekend is to find what exercises Phoenix can generalize and perform with confidence in a new environment. Utility is a class that demands a lot of training in new places around new distractions to really hone the dog's focus. We've done a little of that but I'm looking forward to warm weather and hauling jumps and ring gates all over the place.

So we'll go in the ring tomorrow and do our best. No pressure. No setting myself up for unrealistic expectations. He's young. He's green. He's also freaking brilliant in training, a creative thinker and a clever problem solver. I can't wait to see where our teamwork takes us. If we Q, awesome! If we don't, we train some more and try it again.

Plus I have friends showing in every single class from Novice A to Utility B. Good luck to everyone showing at DeWitt this weekend: Michele/Cider, Carrie/Addie, Tracy/Rogue, Pam/Chance, Paula/Petra, Johnette/Rufus, SueAnn/Willow and Becky/Ninya (I think?) and anyone else I might have missed.

And the concession stand has the most amazing homemade pie . . .

9 comments:

  1. GOOD LUCK to you and Phoenix on your Utility debut. Can't wait to read all about it next week. YUMMY - pie to celebrate!
    Renee

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  2. GOOD luck! and have fun! I can't wait to hear!

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  3. Good luck! It's so much more fun when you have friends showing too!

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  4. Good luck on your Utility Debut!

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  5. Good Luck !!! (PIE - how do you get a concession stand with homemade PIE !!!!) As you said, no stress, no obsessing. See what he does. I did the same with my young dog a couple months ago and it was nice to just relax, handle her, and see what we got. I was pleasantly surprised, no Q but a darn nice class.

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  6. Good luck! I love your attitude and outlook on it. You should write those motivational/inspirational books with the cute pictures of animals - you'd make a fortune selling them to dog people!

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  7. Good luck! I am debuting a dog in Utility at our national next week and like you my only goal is to have fun and see what happens.

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  8. SO excited for you guys! Have a wonderful time and can't wait to hear all about it when you get back. Good luck!!!!!

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