Meg and I went to a CPE trial this weekend. It was our first trial at level 3 which, to be fair, is probably lower than we should be in, but I don't trial CPE enough to move up at the rate our training progressed. She had a great weekend and won all of her classes, despite two NQs (that still had enough points to win) in Jackpot (aka Gamblers - we really need to retrain the teeter) and Snooker (awesome course, were in line to Q by a mile, and she had a nasty fall on the a-frame).
But the best parts were not the ribbons (as a bone-fide Q junkie, that's hard for me to say!). Watching her shake off her fall on the a-frame and bound right back up over it? Priceless. This is a dog who had so little confidence a couple of short years ago, she would have refused to run in the ring at all after something like that, much less go back over the same obstacle immediately.
What made me smile throughout the weekend though were the comments from a few different competitors. I had at least 3 different people stop me to say how much fun they had watching her run, how they didn't think they would ever be able to handle such a fast dog, how bold she looked, etc. I thought I was going to start tearing up at one point! My friends know how hard we've worked for every ounce of speed, drive and confidence she has. Having absolute strangers, who have no idea the work involved in installing those particular features, comment on it - just made it really sink in what a spectacular dog she has become. She may not shine next to the killer BCs at the USDAA trials, but boy has she come a long way!
Meggie is getting extra snuggles tonight, because I am just so proud of her!
But the best parts were not the ribbons (as a bone-fide Q junkie, that's hard for me to say!). Watching her shake off her fall on the a-frame and bound right back up over it? Priceless. This is a dog who had so little confidence a couple of short years ago, she would have refused to run in the ring at all after something like that, much less go back over the same obstacle immediately.
What made me smile throughout the weekend though were the comments from a few different competitors. I had at least 3 different people stop me to say how much fun they had watching her run, how they didn't think they would ever be able to handle such a fast dog, how bold she looked, etc. I thought I was going to start tearing up at one point! My friends know how hard we've worked for every ounce of speed, drive and confidence she has. Having absolute strangers, who have no idea the work involved in installing those particular features, comment on it - just made it really sink in what a spectacular dog she has become. She may not shine next to the killer BCs at the USDAA trials, but boy has she come a long way!
Meggie is getting extra snuggles tonight, because I am just so proud of her!
