December 2015 Issue

 

 

This summer here in BC was just gorgeous and we had a busy summer this year once again!

 

I wanted to share my experience of what I learned in a hard way.  We’ve been training our girl, Maaya and we are sure that she will do better with more experienced trainers / handlers.  However, we enjoy doing things with her, that is why we do it ourselves.  As we train at more advanced levels, we apply more rules to our training and try to get better….but…

 

It was this April just before the field season started, we believed Maaya was getting ready for Master Hunt tests and then I made horrible errors.  Other people who trained with were all busy around that time and just us, Donald & I went out training ourselves for about two weeks.  Of course, I didn’t realize but it looked like I started giving Maaya incorrect corrections at wrong timing too many times and she fell apart.  We had trained all year around for the season and just in two weeks, it was over….  She didn’t want to work with me and totally lost her drive.  One of our friends who had a lot of experience noticed right away what I did wrong and we had kind advice from our friends to get it resolved.  Everyone told us it would take time to fix the issue and it sure did, it took over very long three months to get her drive and motivation back.

 

Normally we have fall Master Hunt tests in BC.  But this year, because of Master National held in BC in August, all the clubs were done with Master Hunt tests by middle of July.  So even Maaya was back herself, there was no tests to try out this year.  It was very painful to lose one season but it was all my fault.  No one to blame on but myself….  And I felt terrible that I took what she loves enjoying to do away from her for the period of time.…

Although there was no Master hunt test in fall this year, there were still WC/I/X tests in September.  I was a little nervous by looking back how she was doing during that time but she got it done in style and successfully qualified for WCX to end the field season this year!

 

For those non experienced trainer just like us, it would be hard to know if you were doing correct things or not but please be careful not to make the same mistake as I did.  Losing one season is huge since our loved ones are with us only certain amount of time…. 

 

We’ll keep up with training for the next season!  And whatever you do with your dog, have fun!!

 

Chizuko & Donald & Maaya, Can GCh / Am Ch Blacklace Opal Isle of Maaya Can CGN CDX RE SH WCX Am CGC CD RA WCX.