What a bitch...

For real, I wouldn't know what else to call it!

But to preface, the pictures in this blog post were actually taken on Friday when we stayed home to SLEEP before the trial. Secret was having a "good ear day" and I had to document it! I wish her ears would always stand up....

Back to the weekend -- Secret was a massive bitch at the trial this weekend. She really wasn't that bad with people, but she was growling, barking & snarking at nearly every dog she saw!

The trial was outdoors here in La Crosse. I hadn't planned on crating outside, but when I arrived it soon became apparent that *everyone* was outside. I didn't have a shelter along, but it was cool outside and we bogarted the shade coming off our neighbor's canopy.

By the end of Luke's second run, I moved them all indoors. Secret (and Kaiser...) was barking at every person or dog that came near the pen. I wish I could say things improved once they were inside, but really the only difference was that fewer people went past them.

She was also a bargy brat when I opened the pen door to get one of the boys out. Secret is SO well mannered about waiting until released in the crate, but apparently this behavior does not automatically lend itself to the zippered door of the play pen. It does not help, of course, that the boys were equally as bad.

I decided to bring her crate on Sunday to keep them separate a majority of the time and also to give me the ability to cover her crate if necessary. As it was, I had about 3/4 of it covered and left the rest open for her. The barking was *better* on Sunday, but it always seemed to occur when I was working in the ring and could do nothing about it.

Secret got to "work the gate" with me for a class on Sunday and she was the picture of perfection for that. She frog-dogged out in the grass next to me and didn't squawk at anyone or anything the entire time. I wish I knew why she was being so bitchy at other times....

I worked on her stays & recalls for a bit yesterday outside of the far side of the ring. It was the first time we've really done this with any sort of distraction and she was amazing. I left her well over 30' away at times and she never budged from her spot until released. What I need to work on is to get her to drive all the way to me on the recall. She would zoom off at the beginning, but then slow to a trot as she got near me. Not bad, but I'd certainly prefer she run all the way.

Everyone remarked at how big she's gotten. She is a week away from 9 months now -- well, according to the birthday I've given her, at least! ;o)