This weekend is the AKC Apple Blossom Cluster in Kalamazoo, MI. I met mrv there last summer when DH and I went to learn more about dogs, just before we picked up Kenya. I remember watching obedience and being in total awe, thinking I could never do anything like that.
Well, one year later we entered three of the four days. Yesterday was my first time in Advanced. I was very nervous, not so much for being off leash, but b/c Advance always involves jumping and Kenya and I had never one done a jump on a course (just a bit of practice with a single jump). To make it worse, the jump in the ring was a solid panel jump and we've never ever tried one of those in any context. The human would not notice, but you just never know what will alarm a dog in the ring. Since Kenya is an agility dog I was worried she would jump and then take off. Well the jump was the first obstacle and she stayed at heel. We ended up qualifying and winning the class!
After the show, I had to head over to Kenya's breeders where we have SchH club. Last night was our first "training" session. Kenya's breeder is preparing a dog for her breed survey (a German GSD thing) so we were doing bite work since GSDs must be SchH titled or HGH (German herding) titled to even be eligible for a breed survey rating. Her dog bit our training director, since the sleeve was his and he is very experienced (trains police dogs). Then it was my turn to be the "helper" (in SchH, the helper is the one who gets bit). Our training director said he didn't want Kira to bite me b/c he didn't know her and was worried she would bite too high on the sleeve. He said he knows his dog bites lower on the sleeve so she would bite me. So this police trained GSD comes at me and what does she do? Bites me in the ELBOW! Yeah, the elbow has NO padding on the inside! I have lots of nasty bites on my arm now. Then we did a bark and hold, where I am backed up against a wall and the dog has to bark at me. Stupid me wore cotton pants to this training session. During the bark and hold the dogs bounce on their front legs, sometimes paw at you. Then when she did bit she was pawing and scratching all over me. I have deep red gashes all over my thigh and it's slowly turning black and purple. I'll take the blame for that since everyone else wore thick jeans, but I'm not taking the blame for the bites on my elbow! Kenya's breeder said I had a shocked look on my face, probably b/c I have felt that sensation before, when the dog at the Humane Society bit me in the same spot, except for he was a LOT bigger, he tugged/shook a LOT harder (SchH dogs should not shake), and he did not have an "aus!" (release/let go) command! Regardless of the nasty bites and bruises, it was fun doing bite work for the first time.
I was very proud of how Kenya did last night. She agitated by the bite work, but not scared. Also at one point one of her breeder's other dogs tried to attack her and the training director complimented me on her reaction. I asked what she did that was good and he said "it's good that she did nothing. She didn't show any aggression back, nor did she run away. She just sat there and turned her head to tell the other dog there is no reason for conflict." I told him about the temperament test we are doing at the police dog academy, and he said he knows the trainer there and said Kenya will definitely pass, based on what he has seen. He said she has a good balance of being social with people and dogs, being totally under my control, and avoiding unnecessary conflict.
Now today we got up early again and went back to the show. The course today was much harder and had a 180-degree pivot left. I barely do that without a dog, lol. I felt confident this morning, but then got nervous b/c we were the last to go and some Novice people moved up, making it take even longer. Kenya did well again. Since I was last, I was still waiting for my score when they called the qualifiers back in. I didn't know if I could go back in but the judge said I qualified. She called for the winner and I had to double check my number...we won again!
One more run tomorrow morning and we are crossing fingers and paws for the Advance title.
I have video of me getting bit, will try to upload later...