Savannah

Trooper is still leery of people. Sigh. It's hard to be a successful show dog if said dog won't let the judge touch him! We're trying to work through this using trips to dog-friendly places combined with lots of chicken from strangers. We're also taking advantage of every match we can find. Matches are like practice dog shows -- no points, lower entry fees and plenty of positive reinforcement for both dog and handler. Unfortunately, matches are hard to come by. That's why Hubby and I got up before dawn on Saturday and drove 2.5 hours to Savannah, Georgia.

We arrived at the show grounds a couple hours before ring time. I walked Trooper all around the area so he could take in all the sounds and smells. I brought a 20-foot long line and ran him behind an empty building, hoping to release some nervous energy. We practiced stacking and gaiting. And we sat quietly enjoying some snuggle-time. I did everything I could think of to get Trooper in "the zone." I don't think it worked.

Like the last match, Trooper got out of the car convinced that everybody there was going to kill him. Yes, we're back to that. I walked him around, giving strangers treats to feed my 80 pound chicken. (Luckily for me, dog people don't think that's such an odd request.)

Even with all the preparations, Trooper shied away from the judge. Grr. The judge was patient and offered a few ideas to help with the obvious problem. (This wouldn't happen at a show.) The judge thought Trooper had potential and gave him the ribbon, saying that his movement was nice and he was a beautiful shepherd.

It was a crazy day. We ended up winning group and were in the running for Best in Match. The Best in Match judge also thought Trooper was a nicely put together dog and offered tips to help him overcome this shyness -- then she awarded him Reserve. HOLY CRAP. Trooper came home with some really nice goodies.

So . . . I have a few take aways from this weekend:

• Continue to work on Trooper's people skills.
• Run more -- both with and without the dog. (Trooper's wants to cut the corners. I just want to throw up!)
• Practice stacking Trooper on a platform. This is something I'd never thought of. Taking our winner's photo was a bigger chore than it needed to be. I want to be ready for the next one!

All in all, the Savannah Kennel Club put on a very nice match. The set-up was well organized, the sponsors were surprising and the prizes were over the top. People have been raving about the match on Facebook all weekend. The club is considering doing another one in the Spring. I'd go again -- hopefully with a more confident dog next time. But for now I need to nap. TTFN, -- K