So much to write, so little time....

I didn't really do anything with Solei the weekend before last in the end...did a small amount of heelwork and tried a retrieve or two, but the environment didn't really lend its self to it.

The Sunday before last I went to a Papillon Club Championship Show with Elton and Darwin. Under an American judge, so didn't really know what to expect. It was Darwin's first time at a champ show for almost a year, he was so excited to be there! Showed pretty well and came out with a 5th in Post Grad Dog, which was a good result (I was hoping to qualify him for Crufts - 1st-3rd - but never mind, still good to be placed!)
Elton was an absolute star...he was 2nd in Yearling Dog (12-24mths, so at 14 months he was one of the younger), behind a dog who was at the top end of the age spectrum. He then went back in for Graduate Dog, which he won!! Finally also being declared Best Phalene Dog. He's such a star <3

Solei continued to improve throughout the week....I had him out in the garden every day at least once, often twice, practicing heelwork in the correct chair on bumpy grass. Rewarding very frequently! The slight problem being when I discovered on Wednesday that we no longer had a retrieve!! He's back to being not very happy about picking up the dumbbell, but I can no longer use the toys I was using before - now he's used to the dumbbell he mouths them too badly and messes around. His heelwork did steadily improve as the week went on, though I wasn't sure if his confidence was building in general or just in the garden...figured I'd find out at the weekend LOL

So, Saturday dawned and off we went to Solei's second ever open obedience show. Arrived nice and early so I could calm myself and him down, as we had a running order (RO) - in UK obedience you turn up to work your dog whenever you like, but they always randomly draw the first 10 dogs, to avoid the situation where nobody wants to be first!!.

He was entered in two classes - the first class (drawn 5th) was Pre-Beginners Dog or Bitch (HOL, HF, Recall, Sit Stay, Down Stay), and the second class (drawn 10th) was YKC Graduate (same as above + retrieve).

The first class Solei worked probably better than ever. Certainly as good as his best ever....I came out with a stupid big grin on my face! Didn't matter how he'd scored, I was over the moon with his performance...especially off the back of the issues we've been having the last few weeks.

Then when I went to get him out for the stays he was let out before I was ready and he hurt himself jumping up on me. Not sure if that was what started it or whether he'd had enough anyway, but he went really stupid again - "world is out to get me". He did stays (clear) and then I put him away for as long as possible, hoping he'd recover. Problem with that was I then had to take him in for classs #2 without warming up (didn't like to warm him up either cos he was being stupid) and he wasn't as bad as I'd thought, but he was still pretty horrendous...his attention wasn't with me, but it's so hard to find the balance with Solei - if he's too focused on me he's too aware of the chair and every bump, if he's not focused enough on me he's better about the chair and bumps but his attention drifts and he doesn't concentrate properly, especially on turns.

Oh and retrieve, in case you're wondering - he didn't run off lol but he dropped it halfway back, half lay down and mouthed it badly before bringing it the rest of the way back. I've now ordered him a custom made smaller, lighter one so hopefully that'll help - I know he does find the existing one a bit heavy.


He almost got us into big trouble as well....in the first class his marks reflected the performance I felt he'd given :-D and he went into the lead, he lead the class almost all day...and it was the class I reeaaaally didn't want him to win XD Thankfully the fourth dog from the end beat him, so he ended up 2nd which was a superb result. Round one over!
 
On to Sunday, and round two. I really didn't know what to expect...I had a feeling Solei would be much more aware of bumps and much jumpier, which he was. Much less confident...and he had a lousy handler!

Once again he was in two classes, Pre-Beginners again the same as Saturday, and also the Pre-Beginner Stakes. Once again he had a RO - 6th in the Stakes, thankfully not drawn in the other.

Which is where the lousy handling came in! Solei usually has clear recalls. On Saturday he lost 1 on his recall, which is unusual for him (but for which I was very grateful as it put him 2nd rather than joint 1st!). I put it down to one of those things.....until he did exactly the same on his recall in the Stakes, which put him out of the running - he wouldn't have won, but with a clear recall he'd have placed. It took it happening both days for me to realise it was me, so then I paid particular attention to where I had my hands and feet when he did his recall in the second class!! Which was subsequently clear, which proves it was me...just a shame I didn't realise before I ruined his chances :-(

In the second class he was ok, lost almost all of the marks he lost on lagging and working wide (chair complex strikes again!)...I say almost because midway through heel free he suddenly had a massive itch which he had to stop dead, spin round and attend to!! LOL He finished 8th and they were placing to 6th, but he got the judge's special award which the judge is given to award to whomever they wish.

So overall we had some lovely results :-) and I'm still flying from seeing him do what I know he's capable of. There should be some video to come, I haven't sorted it out yet.