Pieka’s Utility Title

On February 20, Pieka and I competed at an obedience trial at the Monadnock Humane Society.   I’m so proud to share that we completed our Utility title with a score of 196 and a first place ribbon.   For those of you unfamiliar with competition obedience, Utility is the highest (most difficult) level of obedience in most venues.  You have to finish both your Novice and Open titles before you can try for Utility.   And every title requires three qualifying “legs” (in other words, you must successfully complete the requires three times, in three separate trials, to achieve a title).  Here is a video of our run:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64jYdrpFqEM

Pieka is my first Utility-level dog.   I have trained dogs to Open level (though I never completed a title).   It has been such great fun – I was reminded this weekend of why I love training dogs so much.   To watch my girl work with such happy focus, such intensity…..at almost 8 years old…..is nothing short of a gift.   Pieka is now officially Alta Tollhaus Bali, UD-C, NW2, BH, RL2, RL1X, RN, CGC.    And she’s out in my backyard right now, rolling in mud puddles, chewing on her frisbee, and probably eating poop.