Practice with the Team-Dog show debrief.

Of course we went to practice today.

I mean, what else are we going to do?

The video shows a startline disconnect with Gustavo. I was talking to Mary, handed her the ipad, and didn't hold little buddy's attention to the startline. Very dog show. Shit happens at dog shows. The scribe is talking to you. The gate person's talking to you. The judge is asking for a dog. The timer is saying hold on. It's not always an easy trip in there.

The ring game, though, works right now to get him back. In fact, I used it on some runs at the dog show over the weekend with his leash. Leash off, let him leap his little head into it like it's his ring. You can see him a little stressy off the start in the video, so I don't even lead out, we just go. He seemed off over the first jumps, so I take a break, have a couple ring tosses, then off we go.

Of course, not a good sign when it happens during on a nice, quiet sunny morning with no distractions other than whatever talks to him from the forest.


Here's the ring game.

Otterpop ran some courses, did some gambles. We sure do have a good time, me and her. Several times over the weekend, she shut down in the poles, breaking to the trot halfway through. The weave poles have always been her go-to spot. If she seems slow and weirdo on a run, if I can get her to a tunnel or the poles, that usually solves everything. I can't even imagine her slowing down in the weaves when we're practicing. Not the case this weekend. Otterpop and slow weave poles, now that was a creepy one.


We test drove a few here, and all systems fast.