Try try again....

The good news is Honeybun had a great start and cleared the first jump and tire jump beautifully. Then she hit the weaves. As you may recall if you have been following my posts, HB has never done the weaves perfectly the first time through. In fact, she has only been doing 12 weaves, as required in this trial, for about 2 weeks. Asherel was determined Honeybun would get the weaves, and after 5 tries and several trips with wagging tail to visit the ring crew, she did do all 12 weaves perfectly, but at a huge cost in this timed event. She stayed on the pause table the full 5 seconds, but then fell off the dog walk. I have never seen her so loopy. She never falls off the dog walk!

She spent so much time visiting the ring crew with wagging tail asking them to play that she ran out of time and hadn't even done half the course. With wisdom beyond her years, Asherel still cued her to jump the last jump successfully, though it didn't matter, and then praised Honeybun as though she had not just blown the class. She did not want HB to feel like this had not been a great experience or that she had not done her best. For whatever reason, her best yesterday was not very good. While a bitter disappointment, this was still a victory of sorts. We had been warned that a formerly aggressive dog might well revert to aggression when stressed. Honey was stressed, but she did not try to kill anyone or any dog. She just wanted to play. I could take some lessons from her on responding to stress with playful abandon.

Polly, the sweet mentor who has helped Asherel in classes and in the two trials she has attended rushed over to console. She said Honey was clearly stressed- the unfamiliar and scary indoor arena, the early hour, the fact that President Obama could be in the crowd.... it all conspired to work against Honey's focus. But it is never a failure if you learn from it, she advised. Everyone needs a Polly in their life- someone with experience, wisdom, and kindness to lead them over the rocky patches.

So we had a lovely day watching the other classes, and then wandering downtown Asheville, and then eating food " to go" while Honeybun snoozed on the hotel bed. Those 40 seconds in the limelight seemed to have utterly worn her out.

We have 2 classes today before we head home, and we hope that now that she is a little acclimated to the arena, she may do better. But if not, oh well, a day spent in the company of dogs and children is always a blessing.

Psalm 89:28 (New International Version)

²⁸ I will maintain my love to him forever,
and my covenant with him will never fail.