Grace and APDT

Wow. I have to eat humble pie tonight.  Grace really surprised me today.  She did terrific, I was really so happy with my little monster princess.  First a couple of things about Grace.  Really she has been given the short shift having me as her partner.  Grace had some obedience, some beginner classes, but other than that really she has been stuck with what I have taught her. And I have not been good about working with her, but we have played around some. I have been saying forever, I "should" get her to some classes and I havent.  BAD Partner!

Grace is quite opinionated and we have been working on trying to not express ourselves in the ring. And I think we are making progress. Today in her level 1 run she earned a 205. She lost 4 points for barking, but that is much much better than at the last UKC trial. WOO HOO.   That also means the rest of the run was really pretty good. 

Then in her Level 2 run, I figured I would lose her during the heeling parts at least once, but nope she was pretty good, with just a few small bobbles. I thought for sure she would NQ on the moving down. I have never taught her that, but she fooled me on that and althought it wasnt perfect, she tried and she downed.  Good girl.  I  knew the bonus exercise was not going to be good. It was a leave your dog turn and down them. Grace has a hard time with the leaving part, but that was OK.  She had no clue on the down, and althought sh ethought she had to come to me to down, she did down.  Good girl! What surprised me the most though was I thought she wouldnt have any issue witht he jump, after all we have been doing agility lately and I thought she would take that easily, but nope, she heeled right past without even a glance.  Silly me, I never even thought that would happen.  Bad handler. So no Q, but many really good moments and best of all, althought there were a few woofs, and a bit of quiet grumbling, she was a lot quieter than I expected.  LOVED that. 

She got a cheeseburger today.