Decisions, Decisions

A few days ago I told you about the tough choices we had to make for the September shows. After much deliberation, Hubby and I decided to put Trooper in the regular shows Saturday and Sunday. If I feel he's not ready or looks overwhelmed then I'll pull him. (BTW, people pull puppies at the last minute all the time.) I want Trooper's first shows to be positive. If nothing else, he'll just walk around the fairgrounds and experience the atmosphere. Dog shows are loud, crowded and busy; it can be a lot for a dog to take in.

We're forgoing the match. The reduced price of the match would be negated by the cost of a hotel room. Also, it's an all-breed match. We have no idea if any other GSDs would be there. I'm afraid it'll feel more like handling class than a show. (However, I can change my mind on this later if I really want to. We can register for the match the day of.)

So there you have it: Barring any last minute changes, Trooper's first shows will be in DeLand next month. I sent in the entry forms and checks Friday morning before I lost my nerve.

October has it's own set of difficult decisions, mainly because everything I want to so it's on the same weekend: the 27th and 28th.

• The German Shepherd Dog Club's annual beach day was rained out last April. It's a favorite outing amongst members, and was rescheduled for October 27th.
• Our favorite barn hunt location has reopened under a new name. Their first trials in over a year are being held that weekend. Jedi only needs two legs for his Open title (RATO). In theory, he can do that in a day. But real life says you never know when he'll be "off."
• Also on 27th is a fun match for German shepherds only. It's being held by the White German Shepherd Dog Club of America, but is open to "non-white" German shepherds. I'm considering going. It's being judged by a professional handler whom I've known around the ring for six years now. In fact, he's handled some of J-Lyn's dogs and has given me ringside tips with Jedi.

See, lots of options. Do we do Beach Day with the Club? It'll be a great chance for Trooper to socialize with other GSDs. OR do we skip Beach Day and do the match? It'll be good practice for Trooper and I'll get a honest opinion from someone I respect. OR should we skip them both and do two days of barn hunting instead of just Sunday? (BTW, I reread the BHA rulebook. Dogs can start trialing at 6 months. I can register Trooper with the Barn Hunt Association and try for his Instinct Title next month).

Fortunately, I've got some time to think this over. I want to see what happens in Deland before I make any final decisions. Besides, I'm not completely gray yet, surely I can squeeze in some more stress between now and then. I'll keep you posted. -- K