Clinic Drop-Out

This weekend was the Karen Child Clinic - "Tips and Tactics for Success on the ISDS Course". The clinic was for all levels and focused on tips and tactics - not training. Each person would run a section of the ISDS course with Karen talking in your ear, giving suggestions and help.

This was one of those "What Was I Thinking" moments. Why exactly did I sign up for this clinic? *bangsheadondesk* Not only was this clinic clearly inappropriate for us but my mind was not with me - it was with Brynn at the vet.

When it was our turn to go to the post I tried to set Beth up for a 'go-by' outrun. She ignored me and placed herself for an 'away'.

I corrected her and set her up for a 'go-by'.

When I turned around to stand at the post, she snuck over to an 'away' position. Aww crap...this wasn't going to be pretty.

I calmly made her come back to my other side for a 'go-by'. She grudgingly laid down, looking at me like she wanted to eat my left knee-cap. She was channeling the "YOU ARE AN IDIOT" glare right into my soul.

When she focused her indignant glare on the sheep I sent 'Evil Beth' with a nice calm sweet "gooooo-byyyyyeeeee".

Beth considered my 'go-by' a mere suggestion. The outrun appeared to be going nice and wide for all of about 3 seconds - when suddenly she crossed over in front of me in a flat out run heading for an 'away' with a smug little smile written all over her snout.

Karen is shouting "lie down" in my ear. I am shouting "lie-down". Karen is yelling "SAY IT LOUDER". I am shrieking 'LIE DOWN' like a hormonal fishwife, running across the field flailing my arms as in the throes of a grand-mal seizure.

Beth ignored me. I could hear her laughing "HA HA catch me now biatch". She went in for a 'slice & dice' hitting the sheep like a atom bomb. But what she expected to happen - didn't. The sheep stuck to the set-out like glue.

As we are running across the field we watched her circling the handler & sheep at the set-out seemingly confused. The sheep were afraid of her.

With Karen's help we fixed it. But it was ugly, very ugly.

*sigh*

Then we tried it again.

This time I sent Beth on an 'away' because she thought she knew more than me again. Fine, let her run through the swamp - but nooooo - when she got to the swamp - she used that as her excuse to dart in and hit the sheep like a bomb AGAIN! Grrrrrr....(which is why we didn't want to send her on an away in the first place!)

Same result followed, more ugliness.

We did however get a very nice pen on the first attempt. I think it was a lucky fluke. The sheep dashed into the pen as the only means of escape from Evil Beth.

Obviously we are not ready for this level of clinic. Karen told me if her dog did that in a trial situation she would let them run on the 'away' because she knew it would be a disaster if she tried to change it. The trial is not a time for training - it is the result of hours of training.

But things have a way of working out. My friend Jeanne was at the clinic with her two dogs auditing. She really wished she could be in the clinic with her new dog Rocky. She recently purchased Rocky (who is already qualified for the nationals) this clinic would be extremely beneficial for them both. Me and Beth? Not so much...

I suggested to Jeanne she take my place in the clinic (the rest of Saturday and all day Sunday) in exchange I would take her private lesson with Karen on Tuesday and she can buy me dinner when we go to the Pat Shannahan clinic in two weeks. Perfect, win/win situation.

I am concerned that Beth is going to put on her "Miss Manners" routine during my private sessions with Karen on Tuesday.

Someday I am going to have enough skills to thwart her little devious scheme and her arse is toast. Oh yeah...someday, in my dreams.