Weekend Update

Wyatt did not qualify in AKC Open obedience yesterday.  He froze on the drop on recall.  I may have shouted too loudly and harshly.  I thought going in that that may be the secret but I may have overdone it.  He seems scared coming in and came in front very far away after the second command to come and the drop.  Then he got up on the long sit, which is typically a sign of stress.  I think he may have been stressed anyway.  I was due to the snow situation at home. 

Today, he got a first and Q in NADAC Elite Regular (standard) and he finally got the last Touch and Go Q for his Elite TNG title AND his Elite Versatility Award.  We have been shooting for that for a while and it took many months to get that last TNG Q missing by either a contact or less than a second many times.  We did not get a Chances Q today; the course was very hard.  Only 2 dogs got it.  Weavers, tunnelers, and jumpers to go.  I may scratch jumpers.  I may have to go home today to help with the snow at home. 

Distance Workout

I had a private lesson last night with Wyatt.  We worked on distance and we also had a general tuneup since we have not practiced in a while.  We have a NADAC trial this weekend.  Wyatt needs 10 Chances Qs and 7 Regular Qs for his NADAC championship title, the NATCH.  Everything went well.  He did seem eager to practice though he seems to tire at the end.  He worked very far from me.  He did good weaves and contacts at a distance.  He did show some attraction to contacts in obstacle discriminations, for which I had to compensate.  I needed to watch my footsteps and hold back at times when I was coming to a distance line I could not cross and had to work on my timing for certain things.  It did seem to hold back when Wyatt was committing to obstacles and weaves.  Hoping for a good weekend! 

Quiet

Things are kind of quiet.  I am training Wyatt and Patriot every day in obedience.  I have a 3 obedience trials coming up in February and March so we will try again for a CDX leg.  Wyatt did pass in a match in January.  We also have a NADAC agility trial at the end of February.