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The season of Winter is usually long and difficult in New England, when the days are short while the nights prolong with cold and abbreviated activity. Well, not this year!
Coming so very close in my Utility training and recent, late Autumn trials, I have stepped up my game to even more training, more proofing and my ultimate preparation to "Week of the Airedale" in Newark, OH. I've done some distance travel, but I've not returned to my Buckeye roots since being a mere baby of nine weeks old. Of course, I didn't remember the drive, other than to hear how nicely I fit into a small, cat sized crate and that I slept 95% of the journey. I am reminded still how nicely I travel, but now I just need a bit more room and I travel with my personal set of luggage to carry all of my supplies and toiletries.
Our Winter didn't really arrive this year much before mid-February. It allowed for a good amount of trips to the training centers, because there were few storms to close the roads. Since December, I've had not one, but two near perfect runs in the ring. It's always something silly and small that precludes my victory although from checking our score sheets, we are in strong contention of being true force. I know we get "looks" from others who are too polite to say what they are really thinking like: "Is that an AIREDALE in the Utility ring? or "I've never seen an AIREDALE at that level of obedience before, they must be awful!". How I enjoy proving everyone wrong!!!!
Yeah, I know being an Airedale, I am not as common as some wearing a Golden suit, or a short coat of black, brown or yellow, but I can retrieve, jump and scent as good if not better than they can! The proof, however, is in my scores. Again, it's always one small mistake. And, while I will never be robotic or a carbon copy of attention training, I can hang with the best of them and manage to come out on top most of the time, so being an Airedale isn't nearly as awkward as the competition tries to make me believe. I have lots of self-confidence, self-expression and legitimate fun while I work. Oh, and some pretty solid skills, too! Too many judges have told me so, to not believe it. So, my saga continues in training, I am edging closer and closer each attempt at a trial and having the time of my life. I hope my next show is when I can solidify all of my close attempts and grab that High in Trial score. Goodness knows, I have come so darn close.
Now that the weather is breaking and Spring is virtually upon my door step, it's time to really get serious with Spring trials and other seasonal actitivites that I await this time of year. But before those events, I have a big trip to "Week of the Airedale" to make, reconnecting with my roots and making lots of new friends, both two and four legged!
~ W O O F ! ~
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