The Spiritdance Dog Tracking and Sheep Herding Blog ~ a Life's Journey ~ 2005-2012: Schutzhund in Calgary today

I love going to Sunday SchH practice. The crowd is very nice, and I get so much help and advice for working with Caden. Everyone gathered to comment on my new trailer. Many of them knew the man I bought it from, and his dog as well. Do you think I look like "one of the gang" now?
I have no pictures of Caden working today, but that is OK. I mostly did Fuss work with him (heeling and attention). The big highlight today was that he continued to work and pay attention even though someone was cracking a whip on the field. That was HUGE because Caden just loves protection work. We have not done any protection for about 8 weeks while I focus on his control on the field. I actually was complimented on how he and I are coming along. But we have a lot of work ahead of us too.
One thing about Caden is that he will work and work, he has a ton of "GO!" Below is a picture from last spring of Caden, learning to bark at Wade, the helper, to activate the tug. He barks at the helper, rather than at the toy.

Then, he gets the tug, which you can see in the top photo. I use a tug to keep his attention heeling, and we play tug as a reward.
Below are pictures of the people who I hang out with...club members watching Tom's Arko doing some protection work at the post with Wade Waters, the Training Director. Wade is such a great helper and he is so animated physically and with his expressions that he really reaches every dog, and then knows just when to let them know they have "won." He is giving a helper seminar next weekend in Edmonton. He is the one who works with Caden - and hopefully soon we will get back into protection work again.

Below - my gurus: Dan Waters, club president (standing), who with his dog Ali vom Daechsel SchH 3 is in the top five in Canada, and Brian Currey (sitting) who has the amazing Ali the Bouvier (WORLD CHAMPION ALI SHABA DE TREMAUDAN SchH 3, 2X Canadian Vice-Champion).

Dan helped me find and bring home my trailer and he helps me with just about everything as he and his wife Susan also live in Red Deer. There are days I feel like I am adopting them as my family here, they are such great people and I appreciate their support and friendship. Brian always gives me great obedience tips at the club. I wonder what they are talking about? Some kind of super special SchH training methods no doubt, way beyond my understanding so far, LOL, but some day...

This is Jan and his new puppy Aron, from Czechoslovakia. I love this pup, his name is Aron.

Here is River, having a run in the field beside the club.

You can see the club in the background. It was so windy, her ear is up!

Below are shots of the dogs hanging out in the new trailer. Caden thinks it is great! Can you believe all that stuff and four dogs were all in my car???

River rode in the car, but I put her in a box to get some fresh air. You can tell in the photo below that she thinks a very serious mistake has been made. I call this look her "serious lip" because she pouts with her bottom lip. By the way, I was teased about the white dog beds in my dog boxes. Not that River was impressed.

Ted was in protest, and refused to chew his bone. He missed listening to the stereo, and I think he worried that he missed a Timbit donut on the way down - his addiction.

Jet just stares at the door, thinking that will make it open. She would not look at me, or take a cookie. She thinks the trailer is stupid, and I am an idiot (what else is new!) And she hid her bone under the white dogbed (you can see the lump) - I heard her growl at one of the SCH dogs walking by. She is one tough nut.

And below are shots of what Caden looks like on Sunday nights after SchH practice...He was happy we made it home in time to watch one of the Star Trek movies running on the Space Channel this weekend (I have raised him well...notice the ever-present Giggle Ball.)