Weekend at College

I’m back home and recovering from my weekend college sessions. I drove over to Hull on Saturday Morning with Dinky my Leonberger. We arrived on time and started the day with coffee and catching up. Our first session was canine systems, then off to do some practical handling and teaching for the Organising Classes and Instructing Module. We have a practical assessment in January, so this was an opportunity to prepare and practice. We took turns in handling, observing and teaching. It’s really hard teaching your peers!! You feel like your being judged all the time but we were all very nice and supportive to each other.

At the end of the day we decided to take the dogs onto the racecourse for a run. One of my fellow students got her 4 wheel drive stuck in the mud and we pushed her out. I never thought two girls could move a truck but we did.

Then back to the B&B. Not only was I mentally drained but physically too. My fellow student we had pushed out of the mud knew where the B&B was so said I could follow her, but in all the stress of getting out of the mud, she flashed me out in front of her. I pulled out and set off as far as I knew. After I drove round the roundabout twice with her behind me, she must have remembered I didn’t know where I was going and over took me.

Eventually back at the B&B we had pizza, wine and long chats about dog stuff and course work and what we have been up to.

I had ordered 3 DVDs from my tutor and took the lap top so I could watch them on the Saturday night. When I got to my room and logged on the DVD player needed a decoder. There was broadband access so I logged on and downloaded a decoder for £10. Little did I know that a £100 cash withdrawal in the morning and a late night internet transaction to Luxembourg would scare the fraud department and they the put a caution on my card.
In the morning checking out, I couldn’t pay for the room on my card, how embarrassing, thank god for my flexible enemy!!
Sunday was much of the same, lectures and practical handling, then the boring drive home. The M62 was busy and it was chucking it down.

We have to start our advanced dog training in January, so I need to get thinking about what activity to do and with which dog.
I’m thinking
Heelwork to Music with Snoopy or Dinky (They both like tricks and Dinky loves targeting, Dinky would be the less typical breed for this, I’d have to forget leg weaves!!)
Working Trials with Dinky. I like this but it’s hard to motivate Dinky with the control exercises, but I like the challenge.
Water Rescue with Dinky. The problem with this is its seasonal and I can’t really practice at home, but she loves it, it’s all about natural drives, no clicks or treats required)
Anyway I’m off to see Mary Ray at one of her Cabaret Evenings Tomorrow to see what I think of HTM