Be warned, first time dog show-ers

This is a warning to those that are beginning to show their dogs…it’s addicting! You start with one dog, in one event, one venue. Pretty soon you end up with 4 dogs, in 4 events, in 3 venues. Agility, rally, weight pull, conformation, lure coursing, nosework, tracking…the list goes on and on for what you can play with your dogs in. Then you’re hooked when you start qualifying and winning. Forget it, it’s over.
This weekend was CPE agility, next weekend is CPE agility. The following weekend is UKC agility. The weekend after that is CPE agility (hey! it’s fun!) on Friday and AKC conformation on Saturday. Yeah, you start as a one day show kind of person, but end up as a 3-4 day show person pretty soon.  The following weekend is AKC conformation, after agonizing over which show to go to:  UKC conformation or AKC conformation??  Buchanan, MI or Lebanon, IN??  There’s a UKC conformation and weight pull show in October in Centreville, MI.  How do you keep all of these shows straight?
And shows are just on the weekend.  What about during the week?  That is for training!  Working the dog over some obstacles in the basement every few days for agility and formal training once a week.  Rally training, walking and pulling a tow chain (the redneck style) for conditioning, walking/running on the treadmill, practicing free stacking, gaiting, and stacking on the table, or if you have a GSD, stacking on the ground, etc, etc, etc.  When do you have time for house work?  Never.  You never have time for house work.  Don’t look at my house, just look at my dogs.  At least they are well trained!
Pictures from this weekend’s CPE show: 1st/4 Standard, 1st/2 Wildcard, 3rd/3 Snooker (just happy we q’d!)


 
Ember at a show in April since she’s been off training for an injury.  She’ll be started back slowly this week.

 
Cabrera enjoying some time off from showing.  He’s back to training this week for his weight pull show in October.