Getting Caught up - Not enough hours in the day

This past week just flew by, I tucked dog training sessions in here and there, inbetween packing for the fair and trying to get all my paperwork assembled for Saturday and Sunday's Trial.

Toby and Wayne watch a run at the Adair County Fair in Greenfield, Iowa
Bea and myself prepare for our run at Adair County Fair

Wayne and Jake working on the shed
Curtis Dukes' Dru at the North Iowa Fair, Mason City, IA

Last week I worked to accelerate Bea on her flanks and outruns, it appears that it worked. On Saturday at the North Iowa Fair I stood at the handlers post, sent Bea... hissed her on...she went off with great speed and conviction. I hissed her a little more, marvalling at the wonderful speed she was displaying. It was then I realized that she was not slowing as she approched the sheep, crap, she hit them like a freight train. I verbally chastised her (and myself for stomping on the gas pedal), luckily she settled down and brought the sheep up the pen in a nice steady manor, but missed the fetch panels. That miss cost us 1st place, completely my fault.

Sunday we tried again, I decided that I was just going to cast her out and see what she gave be. Off she went, not as fast as the day before but at a good clip, she got around the sheep, taking them over from the set out dog right at the top (perfect). The sheep had been facing the set out dog, tails to me, and decided that Bea was not too impressive.

In the following shot you can see Bea trying to lift the sheep, they are not real interested in moving.




In the above shot Bea is one step closer, the second ewe from the right is just lifting her right foot, I'm not sure is she stomped her foot or was considering moving off. I was at a vantage point where I could not see what was really going on, only that Bea was walking straight in on them without pause.

Here is a couple steps later, the ewe that was moving her leg has turned and is on her way, but there are two more that are still playing "make you blink!"

Bea says "You Blinked!!!!" Bea had it, she let them know that by no uncertain terms, they will go. At this point all I saw was dust, expecting to see a ewe single out with Bea hanging from it....but, instead.....

...she stopped allowing the sheep to move off, I have spent a year in hopes that that moment would happen. Instead of getting caught up in the chase, release and go back to controlling via presence.

Bea takes the sheep around the pen. When it was all said and done we came home with our first Champion Trophy!!!! Not bad for a little dog that once would hide in a box stall refusing to look at sheep.