The Shame of Novice A

Well, we had our second go at Novice Obedience.
And then Perri had to go.  Pee.

I cannot even put a word on the emotion that I felt at that moment, but embarrassed, astonished, annoyed, and "I paid 30 dollars for my dog to pee." might be some close attempts?

This was an outdoor trial.  It was hot.  Perri didn't want to warm up.  She drank water, but not obsessively.  She had peed three times in the hour plus that we had been there.  She had peed about five to ten minutes before the Novice A judge's briefing, and had made a big production of finding the perfect spot to boot.

Perri has, for months, practiced obedience in an outdoor ring.  If she has to potty, she stops working for me and then potties when I take her out of the ring: this has happened on multiple occasions.  She has never gone in that practice ring.  

I try to give my dogs ample potty break opportunities at both training and trials, and I clearly failed in that today.

But what's done is done: We did a forward, left turn, left turn, slow pace...  Perri was sniffing, not unusual.  Then Perri started forging.  VERY unusual.  Then she did a little shuffle and I thought, "This is not happening."

And then it happened.

I always say about myself, "I make every mistake possible at least once."
And there it is.  My dog fouled the ring.  Check that one off the list.

Of all of the things that I assumed Perri might NQ for, that was not one of them.

These last two trials, I have spent most every second wishing that I had not entered them.  I did not feel ready, I wanted to see what would happen.  And now I have seen.  Perri has spoken loud and clear.

We are going to take a break, obviously.  There are some local trials here in the Fall to look forwards to and possibly attempt if I feel confident.  Probably do some more Rally.

We are going to relearn heeling with the Silvia Trkman method.  Perri is making good progress with perch work already (and so is Molly, I am teaching both of the girls heeling The New Way.)