Working Trials Weekend

I am going on a Working Trials weekend course run by Mick Tustain this weekend Its going to be me and Maddi's first time camping together! I will let you all know how it goes and what we learn

Sounds great. Have a fab time, and take loads of piccies

You will enjoy yourself, Mick is a great trainer and the rest of the gang are ok too! Hope the weather stays fine up there in Cheshire!

I will have to dig out my camera!

I'm sure we will have a great time! Whatever the weather does! But we are hoping for sunshine!

I am sure Lisa, Chris, Jackie, Terry, Karen and co all hope so too!

So, did you have a good time, got any piccies? I believe it was rather wet on Sunday!

No pictures?

Hi, sorry not been on here for a while.

Didn't manage to get any pics as I had a problem with my camera, but we had a wonderful time and learn't loads!

I also met two brothers of my GSD Charley (Vadar and Luna). I saw these two beautiful GSD's and had to ask their owner if they were Rockforce, which of course they were!

I met Chris's beautiful Indi and the gorgeous Twiggy who unfortunately was just too nice to be a police dog! I wanted to take her home!! She was just lovely, a semi coated sable girly! I thought that was quite an unusual combination??

Maddi grew in confidence over the weekend. She met geese, horses etc at the farm we camped at, and she played really nicely with Zazz! I worked on her nervousness and her not barking at other dogs!

Mick helped me with keeping Maddi's focus as she is quite a gamey dog, who does quickly go self-employed if I dont keep on top of her. He showed us how to go back to basics with the sendaway, by perfecting the instant down! And not moving on too quick without solid foundations. He also gave me more ideas on how to perfect her lead walking, as she still suffers with excited springerness at times!!

One thing I was suprised about though was the amount of dogs wearing prong collars! Almost all the dogs there had them on, it seemed so common place! I did see them suggested to a very inexperienced GSD owner with a highly nervous and excitable young GSD bitch. I did have concerns about this piece of kit been used by an inexperienced and not dog savy owner, but I digress..

I think I must have learnt a lot in terms of handler skills, as since I have got back my GSD Charley, (who I didn't even take with me) has been responding much better to me. Charley would always lunge and growl and basically throw a hugh paddy whenever another dog passed by! Touch wood since we have been back she has barely reacted and when she has it has been a very minor reaction. She is also making great progress at not trying to chase bicycles and motorbikes too!

Mads also made great progress with the agility side of things, which she has always loved anyway and we got a bit higher on the scramble board?? Might think about taking her to agility, as im sure she would love it!