Always Makes Me Smile

So cool, we got in an extra training class today.

Yesterday was our official class, Intermediate and Advanced Rally. I actually drove down from Orford to Troy on Saturday morning so that I could be sure to make class on Sunday. The forecast was pretty wishy-washy as to how much snow there was going to be over the weekend, as well as where and when it was going to be, so I opted to drive the almost-two-hours Saturday morning, as that seemed to be the most likely snow-free window. It was a good call, we didn't get snowed in and we made it to class.

Both Bethena and Iggy did great yesterday, although I was lagging at the end of the hour and a half. Iggy made progress on his jumping, which is a Level 2 exercise. He and I still haven't figured out how I can be 6 feet away from the jump while he is going over it, but he seems to like to do it. Bethena and I worked on "stay" -- which is a pretty basic exercise, but it is what she got her two NQs on at the December 19 trial. She just doesn't see the point in keeping her little backside in one place when she could be moving on to something else.

The more difficult exercises are, in some ways, a lot easier for Bethena. She is very happy thinking about what to do next, trying to figure something out. She made lots of progress yesterday on "back up" from the heel position, but she's having trouble with "back up" from a "front." She thinks it makes a lot more sense to get into heel position and move forward with me than to simply back up in front of me. We'll have to work on that.

Today, we were able to sit in on another rally class that didn't have a big enrollment. I played hooky from work for 45 minutes or so and took both dogs over to the Training Center. The class was designed to focus on basic exercises, so it was perfect for working on some of Bethena's "stay" issues (she did much better) as well as on Iggy's pivots and a few of the other Level 2 exercises. Both dogs had fun, although they were very tired by the end of class. All the walks in the snow over the last few days and the two classes have finally worn them (and me!) out.

The best part was that, just like with our regularly scheduled classes, I left class feeling better than when I walked in. Smiles indeed.