Caught the Trialling Bug!

[Lawgirl]

So I seem to have caught a (hopefully) incurable disease - the trialling bug!

 

I have had a lot of frustrations this year with trialling. Our home Easter trial ended up being cut short as I got sick on the first day and had to miss the second day. The next trial was a washout as I was diagnosed with bronchitis the Wednesday before.

 

Then I had a disastrous trip to my most recent trial, including my trialling dog coming down with (repeated) diarrhoea in the car on the way to the trial (a five hour trip). Then there were strong gusty winds meaning my tent would not stay upright (no tent on the entire grounds was to be honest). There was no dog friendly accommodation and I could not leave my dog with diarrhoea in the car overnight. I was also worried that my dog would struggle after the diarrhoea. So I ended up turning around and driving home the same day.

 

Given that I live in a country town, there are a very limited number of trials I can get to within reason. I had planned to go to 7 trials this year. IF things work out for the rest of the year, I will get to four and a half.

 

I am getting very anxious to have another run with my dog. I am never going to be highly competitive, but my dog loves it and I love the whole experience. I have really enjoyed seeing him get slowly better and better. I also really enjoy the company and the amazing runs I see the top dogs do. I was actually dreaming about a run the night before I left for the disastrous trial, I could have drawn the course map!

 

Do other people get antsy when they have not been to a trial for a while? I start obsessively planning the trip, enter super early, make list after list, print out the catalogue and do a spreadsheet plotting out the rings and events, highlighting what I am competing in.... I have even been looking at caravans online. I do not have a car I can tow with.

 

I still can't quite bring myself to travel a ten hour return trip for a one day trial, however.

 

Am I the only one?

[Gloria Atwater]

Oh, heck, no, you're not the only one! I usually have my entry forms filled out and in their envelopes two or three weeks in advance, awaiting only payment and a postage stamp.

And over time, you learn to break those 10-hour drives into two days.

~ Gloria

[CptJack]

I am very often chomping at the bit and ready to *go*.

 

I am, however, probably actually skipping one trial in October. It's a covered arena, which my dog doesn't do well in, a week before a home trial in a location my dog does great in, and my dog has limited reserves of 'can'. It's ALSO the week before a trial where I enter and run three dogs, basically doubling my entry fees.

So, yeah. That one I'm sitting out.

 

I'm already all eagerly anticipating the one we are going to, though!

[Root Beer]

Oh, I start wanting to trial if Tessa and I haven't been to one in a while.

 

I actually took this past summer off from trialing, except for one NADAC trial that we did for fun. But we did no CPE from May until a couple of weeks ago. By mid-summer I was just dying to go again, but we stuck with our break, and I was glad we did.

 

Even now I can't get to as many as I would like this fall, but I am eagerly looking forward to those we can get to!!

[Root Beer]

And I'm starting to want to go with Bandit, and see what it is going to be like with him. But he's not ready and we will wait until he is. I am hoping spring, at least for some of the NADAC introductory classes, or Tunnelers or Jumpers, or CPE Jumpers.

 

I am just getting into his contact training (the actual contact part), and I am determined not to rush it. But there are options we can jump into without contacts if he is ready otherwise!!

Glad I still have Tessa running, or I'd be going nuts!

[CptJack]

Intro is a great stepping stone for baby dogs getting ready to trial and older dogs getting ready to retire.

 

Molly is trialing in October and January, but in both of those it will be intro regular, and novice jumpers and tunnelers. She has all the pieces of solid performance (contacts, weaves, directionals), but she needs to work on confidence and have really good, low pressure, experiences. And just plain gain experience with 'the course will go on'. I need more experience handling HER, because crap she's wild.

 

Shorter, easier, courses are a good way to do that.

 

Of course, so is being on home turf where she regularly practices and plays with known dogs and people.

 

I'll think about regular novice and other courses in the spring, depending on how she's doing emotionally.

[CptJack]

(The third dog going to this trial, incidentally, is the Boston. She goes, she does a 4" jumpers intro course a day, bounces around like she's just won the world cup or something and gets lots of love. Highlight of her life.)

[alligande]

I can't say I over plan the trial or even care about running orders etc, I am very laid back about the travel part, but since moving to Spain I regularly take ferry rides to competitions, and to get to the mainland is 8 hours by ferry plus driving.

[CptJack]

Yeah, I changed my mind. I'm going to do ONE day, with only 4 runs in the second half of the day (just chances and tunnelers) at that trial I was going to skip. They're short, fun courses for the dog, they're classes I'm THISCLOSE to titling in, and it's just one dog.

 

...Then the next week it's ALL THE DOGS.

[Maralynn]

I tried disc this past summer. And was intrigued. So I got real discs, actually practiced.and tried it again this past weekend. They had frizgility at the competition on Sat. Oh my word - I've got to do that again. Kolt loved it. Even though sequencing and jumps were brand new to him.

 

And in the back of my brain, I still want to train for and try out a sheepdog trial someday...

[Root Beer]

Right now I am almost completely consumed with Parkour!! I have gotten involved, with all three dogs, with the new All Dogs Parkour, and if I can't go out and film with at least one of them once a week, I am not a happy camper!!

 

It's going to be a loooooong winter . . . !!!

[gcv-border]

Kristine,

You have reminded me that I would like to learn more about Park our. I know what it is, but would like to hear your views on the different organizations, the skills and anything else you want to add. I was telling my friend about it this weekend as another activity that she 'might' be able to do with her collie that can no longer be the crazy running and jumping border collie. She enjoys having goals and the titling levels may appeal to her. Heck, I may play around with it a bit too.

 

PM me or start a new thread?