is it winter outside?

worked the dogs outside today- figured i cannot possibly give up both outdoor trials AND trials to men right now - so rah has to work on one of them. its much easier to train outside than it is to find males that know the sport of obedience or are willing to work and not do weird things around a 100 lb doberman, so outside it is.

anyway, it was only 40 outside, so i spent 20 minutes lugging out all the jumps, the ring gates, etc and setting up a combined open and utility ring. it took forever it seems, and i wish i had a place where i could leave out all my stuff safely - but even in this weather, i wouldnt...

so i end up doing it in the yard as always - and its annoying because i have to do it with all the neighbors watching, interrupting, and walking by. and of course the insane amount of bikers that bike by...

worked on heeling first - he wasnt bad. clicked for attention and hes much forgier outside, but eventually he got back into position within 1-2 minutes and was working nicely - especially considering i didnt warm him up at all (bad mom). then we worked some fronts and he still has no real idea of this whole front box thing and i really dont know any other way to convey this to him. then we did retrieves over the flat, and he did nicely on those - actually came in straight (but he was on flexi, im not going to let him be wrong any more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). the neighbors dog came out at this point 20 feet away and started lunging and barking at rah - he was distracted for 10-20 seconds, but i just set him back up in heel and rewarded him paying attention to me and within a minute he was zoned back on me and ignoring that damned beagle. worked broad jump but without all the dohickeys i need to get that right (i left some in the house) he was cutting the corner. i need his jump stick to make sure he doesnt cut that corner too much.

then we went onto utility and worked his go outs. THEN THE SQUIRREL CAME OUT. rah couldnt think with the squirrel nearby. he was so focused on the squirrel we just stopped training for 2-3 minutes and he needed some major leave it focus on mom work. back to go outs - hes still not fully grasping this whole go ALL the way out and turn when i say turn - sometimes before the toy, sometimes after. hopefully it will click in soon. then did directed jumping and he tried to pick his jumps again.

ended with some heeling which he was ridiculously keyed up for and so crazy that he was jumping up and almost biting me but very happy, and then signals.

utility is goddamned HARD.

then brought out the baby girl - and while rah is a battle to work outside, i do believe this dog was meant to be outside? her heeling was BETTER outside than it was inside - she was positively floating, she was launching herself into heel position, she was so cute, she would get distracted and then be like NO WE WERE HEELING and she would look at me and JUMP back into heel and wag her tail at me like "i remembered!" not bad for my baby girl. she barely took her eyes off of me. her set ups were beautiful, and she had the pizazz that ive seen lacking sometimes at class when she gets bored doing the same thing over and over again.

so looks like ive got a lot more training outside to deal with - one because its his achilles heel, one because she loves it :)

im exhausted now.