Oh my GOSH only 7 more weeks!

[Kayla]

Not sure if it's too early to get excited but.... only seven more weeks until Duke's very first, ever, of his life, and my life, Obidence Trial!!!!!!!

It's being held at Pine Point Arena in Etobico on May 30th. Were entered in a NAMBR sanctioned match as their are also correction matches going on that day as well as my instructer is entering one of her young Goldens I'm just so ridiculously excited.

Duke and myself are doing private trial prep classes right now and am working on proofing Duke in tons of different settings and really trying to clean up his heal and recall which for some unknown reason to myself have become very sloppy of late.

This will be my first time every handling a dog at such an event and incase you can't tell I'm a tad excited.

One delima i'm currently facing however is whether or not to enter him in Novice A or pre Novice. I have one week until the closing date and he's currently registered under Novice A but my OB instructer suggested starting him at pre novice. Though I strongly respect her opinion I feel as though Duke is more then capable of giving Novice A a good shot and worst case scenerio we don't do as well as expected and we work harder for next time. I was just curious as to what a few more experinced show goers think about playing it safe or challenging yourself plus dog when it comes to trials?

As long as I don't think of any negative experinces Duke may recieve from not going the more basic route then I do intend to try our chances at Novice A.

And just to add I finally got my camera and snapped a picture of Duke sitting pretty with his level III OB certificate.

Anyways thanks for indluging my excitement.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/exotica_reptiles16/m041-1.jpg

Cheers
Kayla

[adojrts]

Oh I know that feeling, especially when getting ready for a new experience.
It great to be excited but if you are nervous, just tell yourself, ' we have worked had, we are prepared and we are going to have a great time'. Do that everytime you get those little (or big lol) butterflies.
Another great tool is to visualize your test just before going to sleep each nite. Visualize everything in great detail adding each night more detail, colours, smells etc. It has been proven that if you do that every night as you go to sleep for a least a month, that you can improve your perform and give yourself more confidence.
Concerate on what you do well and have LOTS of positive thoughts while working on your weaknesses, but even when thinking about or training to improve any weaknesses, put a positive note to it as well.
It has been proven that the brain doesn't know the difference between something that has happened and what you are visualizing, therefore we can improve our tests and performances on brain power alone!!
Good luck and let us know how you made out.

Take care
Lynn

[Baxter'smybaby]

he has matured! Good luck to you both!

[Brandyb]

Best of luck at your trial!!! The first one is always VERY exciting. I'm sure he'll do very well. :)

[doberkim]

Good luck!! Trialing is "fun" (ha, I hate it - I enjoy training more than anything!!!!!) - but the atmosphere is fun and I love watching other people!

This is just a match, right? Either way, you can enter him in BOTH prenovice and Novice, can't you? But I try to listen to my trainers, since they are the ones I am paying to tell me all that they know and give me their opinions on my abilities and my dogs, on what I am capable of doing and how we are capable of performing.

I don't think it would hurt to do your first trial on leash (which is what prenovice is) - for some dogs, even though they can train with great distraction, the atmosphere of a trial is a lot different and then you throw in how nervous we as handlers are, and it can really throw them off - believe me in those times you will be VERY thankful that a leash is attached to your dog! If you really want to be in Novice A, then go for it!

GOod luck no matter what you do, and keep us updated as to how it goes! I just re-debuted my dog after taking 6 months off from showing and he took first place in his class, with a 195.5, I'm very proud of him!!!