BonniDune's Wanna Fly By Dawn RN CGC HIC

It's been a while...

2006-12-02T19:16:00.000-08:00

So I've been horrible at updating this, but in truth there hasn't been much to tell. Fly and I had our first attempt at the Rally Advanced class yesterday. It didn't go so well, actually it didn't go at all. I entered the show because I knew it would be quiet at Fitchburg, and could give me an idea of what to work on with her. I didn't however take into consideration that she is due in heat at any second, and apparently has horrible associations with the building at Fitchburg from having almost all of her breed shows there.

We arrived an hour before we were due in the ring, and immediately she was alert and had no focus. I walked her around for a half hour and still she would not pay attention to me. I managed to get her slightly calmed and a metal food bowl fell onto the cement floor and she was so spooked that she dragged me out of the building into the parking lot. (We were only 4 feet from the door at the time) So I walked her around in the parking lot, and then back inside for quite a while, and she only settled a little. The whole time I was feeding her and trying to get her attention, occasionally she would look at me and take the food.

Finally, after discussing it with Jenn, I scratched her. I knew that if I took her off lead in the ring she would get to the open door and be gone. And any little sound would push her over the edge. So I used the time to work with her and walk her around letting her sniff. The good point was that she only snapped at one lab who was giving off very assertive body language without meaning to.

So I think I'm going to keep renting the ring at Riverside to work her in (who can beat $20/hour?) and only show her outdoors at small shows from now on. I was asking too much of her, and I knew it, but I thought maybe she'd be okay. Well now I have my answer and now I know what to work on.

Another New Title!

2006-11-06T17:00:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a long time since I wrote anything in this, and I apologize. But I do have something to announce. A couple weeks ago Fly and I competed in our first APDT Rally trial. In just one weekend we attained 3 qualifying legs and Fly earned her Rally level One title (RL1)!!!! The best part was she finished it with a score of 197, a perfect 10 on the bonus, and a fifth place! Her score would have been 202 and a second place, but I screwed up one of the exercises.

Her name is now: BonniDune's Wanna Fly By Dawn RN CGC HIC RL1

So now I am determined to get at least one leg of her AKC Advanced leg on her by the end of the year. I might be certifiable, but it's something to aim for. :-) There were only two reasons I was keeping her out of the upper classes and that was they're off-lead and if something scares her I don't know how she would react. And the second was I thought there was a stand for exam exercise and I know she wouldn't let the judge touch her. Then I found out there is not stand for exam so there we go! I feel confident that if I'm careful about the venue I choose and make sure it's not insane and loud and crowded she will be okay. (Fingers crossed!)

So that's my plan. One leg at Fitchburg, and maybe one at Boston? I have to think about it this week because the deadlines are next week.

Fly

2006-08-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

Fly is a 3 year old black and white Border Collie bitch. She is by WTCH HTCH DC Kennelley's Bandit out of ChX Tainsh New Dawn at BonniDune HSAs STDs. She was born March 31, 2003.