Ohio 4H Teen Dog Experience, TDAA Petit Prix prep

Kids began arriving yesterday in the midst of my cottage cleaning and, because of the rains and moist ground, we decided mopping was unnessary.

What a great bunch of kids! The young women who run this show are organized and think of everything. All the participants arrived without a single knock on our front door, without anyone asking us where they’re supposed to be, without anyone needing our direction. It was bliss.

Last evening, because I read my e-mail message wrong, Bud and I showed up for their group meal (e-mail said Sunday, I read Saturday, you know how that goes …). Even though they were unprepared for guests at dinner they were gracious and welcoming.

Of course, when we realized my error we begged off and promised to return for the next day’s meal. Before leaving Bud made a campfire for them, I found newspapers and put them in a plastic storage container under the cottage deck, and Bud went to the house for our hotdog roasting sticks.

Bud tells me they were at the building at 6:30 a.m. today. That’s an early start for a bunch of teenagers!

In other news, Wayne Van Deusen has arranged for a training facility to allow a 2-day seminar / warm-up workshop for Wednesday and Thursday (October 7-8) before the TDAA Petit Prix (October 9-10-11).

It will be up to Bud and I to market, sell, and fill this seminar. That’s always a fun project for me.

Additionally, for teacup, we have our August 11-12-13-14 teacup camp followed by our August 15-16 TDAA trial/seminar. One cottage is reserved and both guestrooms are reserved. Seven of the 10 slots are sold for the camp, with campers getting to run their dogs in the trial/seminar for the recording fees. So 10 of the 20 slots for the weekend are filled already as well.

Then, in late September, for teacup, we have our September 29-30-October 1-2 teacup camp followed by our October 3-4 TDAA trial. Our judge is Margaret Hendershot. One cottage is reserved and one guestroom is reserved. Three of the 10 slots are sold for the camp. We’ll have nearly unlimited trial openings that weekend.

When the trial is finishing up Bud and I will be packing to head to Wisconsin for the Petit Prix, so this camp / trial week is going to be an important warm-up on my handling with Blue.

I’ve been doing very limited agility this year and am looking at my teacup training with Blue as a “just in time” proposition. Too early and I risk further injury to my knee, too late and I won’t have a solid partnership with Blue.

I’m planning 2-a-day training protocols with Blue beginning September 1, and 2-min training on weave entries and contacts beginning mid-August.

My wish is to shed a few more pounds before then, thus making it more likely my knee will hold up through the Petit Prix. That’s my plan, anyway. Thankfully there are no more traumatic emergency catastrophes on my calendar for the upcoming months to get me off track. <g>

Tags: 2-Minute puppy training, agility camp, Bud Houston, dog agility, dog performance sports, dogs in motion, puppy training, TDAA, teacup agility