Hey everybody, it’s Penny here! I’m interrupting mom’s travel and photography posts to tell you about me! Cause I know you’ve been missing me. Speaking of missing, mom was missing for almost an entire week! No one got my permission for her to go gallivanting but I guess my vote doesn’t count. Anyway, she was gone from last Saturday to this past Friday afternoon.
Where have you been, mom?
And on Saturday and Sunday morning she had registered me for an obedience trial! So when she got home Friday mom and I got right into the ‘working’ mode. I know what the word work means. It means treats! Special, extra good treats! So we went to the trial Saturday morning. Mom said she had zero expectations, given we had N-Q’d last time and she had been gone the week before this trial.
When is it my turn?
But guess what? I did great! I did all 5 exercises pretty perfectly. I sat when I was supposed to sit, I paid attention to mom and I stayed when I was supposed to stay. I ended up with 198 points out of 200, and first place! I guess, though, I have to admit that I was the only one in my class, so as long as I finished everything I was destined to get first place! Mom said she was very proud of me.
I got first place AND best sheltie (It was a sheltie hosted trial).
Then on Sunday we went back to the trial to do it again. Mom was a little worried because I generally don’t like to do stuff more than once, but she thought maybe given it was a day apart it would be ok. And again, I was doing great. Sitting when I was supposed to sit. Paying attention to my mom and heeling like a good girl. I let the guy judge pat me on the head during the sit for exam without protest.
Me and my mom after my first day at the trial.
Then came the stay where I’m supposed to sit in the middle and watch mom walk around the perimeter of the ring and then back to me. And guess what? I got bored so I laid down. Mom almost made it around the room before I gave up, but I think she needs to learn to walk faster.
Oops. That disqualified us right there. We still finished everything, and my recall was beautiful. The judge and mom were very sad. I, however, just wanted to get out of the ring so I could get my jackpot. I know what my priorities are!
I promise not to give up next time, OK mom?
Anyway. I’m now 1 for 3in my Beginner Novice Obedience trials. Mom says we’ll keep trying. I only need two more legs to get my title! LOL No rush mom, I’ll get there! On my schedule, not yours.
Penny here. I interrupt your August to bring you a special announcement. Mom and I NQ’d yesterday.
But I can explain.
You remember last weekend when we went to a ‘fun’ match and I decided in the ring that I wasn’t having fun so I refused to participate?
Mom? Why are we up so early?
Well. The real trial was this weekend. Mom signed us up for both Saturday and Sunday, back when she had high hopes. Possibly when she was wearing those rose colored glasses you have heard about. She went to an eye appointment this past Wednesday and doesn’t have rose colored glasses anymore. If you know what I mean.
My crate is really nice.But I’d rather be sitting on mom’s lap.
So yesterday (Saturday) we got to the venue with a couple hours to spare. Mom wanted me to be fully acclimated to the building and the noise and the other dogs and stuff. No problem mom, none of that stuff bothers me at all!
They were supposed to start my event about 10:50, and we were the third dog in our ‘class, Beginner Novice. Beginner Novice is supposed to be easier stuff than Novice, and the judges just might give you a little more grace if you’re slightly off.
That’s what mom hoped anyway.
Sitting next to my mom, waiting to compete.
So last week at the fun run was a disaster. This week mom and I practiced every day and I did everything perfectly in my training basement, and in my driveway and even on my group walk on Friday night.
My Friday night group walk was in Holly and they have this cool mural on one of their buildings!
So Saturday, while we were waiting mom tried to balance my in crate rest time with some playful, upbeat practice time where we’d heel around the room a little, or go outside and work on my recalls, which I might add, were perfect.
The judge was running long, so it was 12:45 before our event started. And I was the second dog instead of the third because a dog didn’t show up. Mom wasn’t too worried, I seemed relaxed, happy and alert.
Is it time yet mom?
But as soon as we walked into the ring (and mom started heeling me from way back so I was all focused on her when we entered) I started to act different. I refused to sit on my own, and she had to push my behind down and stare at me real hard.
That freaked me out too, and when we set off heeling I stayed a bit behind her just to be safe. Mom was not amused but she just kept walking hoping I was back there somewhere. I did sit when we halted at the end of the heeling pattern. But it took me awhile.
These evening walks have such great light.
I lagged as expected on the figure 8, but I sat each time we halted. Slowly, but I sat. I was getting kind of ticked because so far there had been no cheese offered for all my hard work.
Then I let the nice lady judge do her sit for exam thing. I sit, she pats me on the head. I’m not supposed to move. It was the least I could do, as it was obvious she wanted to pet me. I mean, who doesn’t?
Plus not moving was becoming a thing.
I sat still as a rock in the middle of the room for my long sit while mom walked around the room. Everybody in the area was staring at how beautiful I looked sitting there. I didn’t move at all except to keep my eyes on my mom.
Last week’s Friday night walk was in an enchanted forest!
She was feeling pretty proud of me and obviously she forgot to give me my cheese.
The last thing I had to do was a recall. I love recall. I get to run straight to my mom and I know I look beautiful doing it. It’s one of my favorite things to do. But mom could already tell from the way I walked with her over to the start line that I was getting more and more miffed about the lack of a proper reward.
So she set me up and kissed me on my head and whispered in my ear to please just come to mom, and she walked over to the other side of the ring, turned around and called me.
I’m really more of a couch potato than a fierce competitor.
And I sat. Very still.
Mom knew she could call one more time without disqualifying us and she tried to make it a happier, more excited call, but I didn’t move a hair. The judge even tried to walk in back of me thinking I’d get up and run to mom.
But I didn’t. Nope. Nothing.
Here’s the deal. No treats, no worky. Mom shouldn’t expect me to work for free. I’m holding my skills as hostage until she gives me what I want. And what I want is treats!
So that, ladies and gentlemen, was that. We NQ’d which means we didn’t qualify. And the judge was sad and the crowd was sad, and mom’s friend who is helping to train me was sad.
But mom wasn’t sad. A little disappointed because we were this close, but not sad. Because I had done a lot right that day when I didn’t get freaked by loud noises and other dogs and lots of people going by me real close and stuff. I didn’t get tired of waiting, and I stayed engaged with her right up until we walked in the ring.
I’m happiest at home with my folks. Especially my dad.
Mom says she’s realy happy with all of that. And now she says we’re going to work on tightening up that heel and getting a reliable recall and then, whenever that is, we’re going to try again.
She says she loves me very much and she knows I did the best I could. But she also says I’m going to have to get over the not getting treats thing.
Cause, she says, that starts today.
You wouldn’t withhold cheese from this face, would you?
Uh oh.
Signing off for now, your home loving sheltie girl Penny who will probably ask you to overnight her some treats to a secret post office box very soon.
(PS: I don’t have any pictures of me in the ring, so these images are mostly from my walks this past week and of me hanging out at home. There’s a couple of me waiting with mom at the trial yesterday.)
Change Is Hard 