Spur has his AKC agility trial debut this weekend!!

And I am feeling a little tentative. He is in one of his funks. I put way too much pressure on the poor little paw wringer and it's showing. I need to lighten up and get him working for me with more enthusiasm. He worries so and I am not helping him much, lately. He is such a project and if I can get things going well with him, I will stick a great big, giant eagle feather in my cap. Or maybe an ostrich feather. Something HUGE! For the world to see, my success with The Spurminator flagging high in the sky for everyone to see. Wait - that would be bragging, right? What's to brag about? He's melting down right now because of ME! That's nothing to brag about. And it's not like I have World Team aspirations. I can barely leave New England without medical assistance. (Remember the Invitational with Colby going to Long Beach CA??? Valium - take me there!!! It did!) But, I do this because it's fun for me and the dogs. We are a team and we work together and we get through difficult events and we are proud. Spur, he's proud. He's proud of himself for catching his ball or frisbee. He's proud when he rolls in some shit in the woods. He's proud when he runs his dog walk. He's proud when he does his scary teeter. He worries when I ask him to run a full course and if I happen to get in his way, he worries. Sometimes I am not in the best position and I do get in his way. It happens.

This morning on our walk Rich commented on that. How the Pin Heads will scoot off in front of us if they suddenly find themselves in our path. They scoot away and race ahead. Spur? He worries and ducks back behind us. They are so different. Is it the papillon in him that makes him worry? Is it the aussie in him that makes him need to be behind us? I don't know, it really doesn't matter, he is who he is and I need to consider all of that. He has SO much potential. He tries with everything he has. He works hard and enjoys the work and wants to work, HE BARKS HIS FOOL HEAD OFF WHEN I WORK THE PIN HEADS, but then sometimes he wrings his little paws. It's in him, I know it, I see it and we will work through this funk.

The MinPins were easier, if I remember right. Even Recalcitrant Roscoe, was driven and motivated and WANTED to do the work, no matter what. Yes, his aggressive tendencies had to be dealt with. His trial stress, dealt with. It was easier with Roscoe maybe because I never trialed him ever thinking he would REALLY make a good agility dog. He's hardly athletic, after all. He doesn't really have the conformation that says SPEED or AGILITY. Roscoe runs like he's always about to topple over. It's not pretty, he tries, but he's like the pudgy little funny kid in gym class. No grace, no speed, no smooth moves, but he does try. I laugh at him sometimes, he does try with all he has. Spur, he's athletic. He CAN do it, he runs like the wind sometimes, smooth and fast and accurate. I just have to bring that out of him. I will. I promise. He will teach me so much, I know. Right now, though, I am feeling a little down. We are in a funk. We WILL work through this funk............

So, to make me feel better I am going to repost my posts of Spur doing pretty well -

http://amysanimalcare.blogspot.com/2010/05/our-weekend-away-here-at-home.html

http://amysanimalcare.blogspot.com/2010/04/we-have-rock-star-in-our-midst.html