Today we had training at the Fish and Game club in Gardner.
It was a medium-size group.
We had 5 master dogs, some junior dogs and several IQ dogs.
I got there around 9:15 and Nancy was starting master. I guess she had gotten there earlier than I realized and the tunnels were scented and the rats were there and everything. For the first brace, I was the rat steward. We had one person new to master. When it was time, I forgot to take the bars off the false exit. Whoops!
Then it was Spot's turn with Rizzi. Spot actually marked without my asking him to, which was great. I encouraged him to mark some more and then let Rizzi mark. I put Spot in the tunnel and he did the usual come back out to turn around, but then made it to the rats. He worked them for about 30 seconds, then I could hear he had backed up, but was still working. Then all of a sudden he leaves the rats! I think he is learning if he stays there, I'm going to open it up and take him out. I want to work on that this weekend. If he keeps doing it, I'm not sure I'll enter him at the trial in 2 weeks.
Shelby did IQ. We started with one tunnel length, because it seems she is wary of the tunnel now. She went in slooowly, but when she got to the rats she worked really well, digging and whining and barking, which was great. We made the tunnel longer, adding just the corner, and she went in and worked. Once she did it a few times I took her out. I brought her back in once all the other dogs had taken a turn, but she wasn't as into it. So I need to work on her tunnels, which is strange because over the winter she had no problem with the tunnel. She would run in, but then just stare at the rats! So I don't think she'll be trialling this year, but we'll see.
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