Friday Review

So we went to a match last Friday.

We got up late, so we rushed up there (turns out for no reason) and registered and sat for a few hours till it was our turn in the ring. He was sitting in my lap the whole time we were waiting, and some of the time in the chair beside me. I could tell he was upset with me, because he would occasionally get up and climb up my chest, stick his nose in my face and just stare at me like, "Lets do SOMETHING.....PLEASE."  And I would laugh and push him back down and take him for a quick potty break outside, but it was nasty and muddy outside so I wasn't trying to spend too much time out there so he could get yucky and come back and lay in my lap again. :/

FINALLY, it was our turn and Rugby trotted along beside me to the gate, and we took our leash off right before we went in. Maybe I should say - I unleashed the beast.

First was the heel free, and I had no big complaints. We need to clean up our transitions a bit. I am not sure if this was just becuase Rugby was so wound up he could hardly contain himself, or if we just haven't practiced enough, being stuck inside and all.

Drop on Recall and retrieve on the flat were good. We need to pound out our fronts and finishes. The finish actually is better than the front, but they both need work. Rugby ran full speed out AND back for the retrieve. He also ran on the recall, althought that is to be expected from him since we were someplace new.

Retrieve over the high jump was decent. I threw it wayyyy far, and to the right. I was starting to think he was going to miss the jump on the way back since he was coming back from the wayy right side. I was ready to give the dreaded sit command to stop him, but he pulled through and veered over to pop back over the jump. SUCH a good boy!

Broad jump was good as well. Again with the fronts and finishes.

We haven't been practicing stays at all just because they are so boring, so I was pleasantly surprised when he stayed sitting for the sit stay. This is also the only place besides the thursday night class that he has really done an out of sight stay too.

I really wish I had the match on video since he was sooo happy, and hyper the entire time. In between exercises his continuous tail wagging, bouncing, running and general uncontrollable release of energy on his part was the cutest thing.

It made my day to hear people outside the ring comment on how happy he was to be working. Little did they know they were looking at the terribly abused Rugby who had the misfortune of living with a barbarian... and training with an owner that uses praise instead of treats and doesn't think that adversives are the devil. Poor poor Rugby, put on quite a show!

The weekend is finally over, maybe now we can do something interesting and fun.